Boxee, which last week announced a live-TV option for its over-the-top box, Tuesday added Sling Media's SlingPlayer app, which allows users to stream content to multiple platforms from their pay-TV service.
With the SlingPlayer app, SlingSolo or Pro-HD owners will be able to use the Boxee Box to control their cable box, satellite receiver, DVR or DVD player from anywhere in the world, program their DVR and access DVR content and stream programming in 1080i to Boxee.
Of course, the operative phrase is "SlingSolo or Pro-HD owners." You'll need one of them (which start at $179) and a pay-TV subscription (which can run into triple digits) ... an odd combination for Boxee, which, when it announced its live-TV option, promoted it with the headline "Boxee Live TV is coming. Time to cut the cord."
As CEO Aver Ronan said at the time about how TV viewing habits are changing: "You end up watching less traditional TV, but continually pay more for it, which doesn't make much sense."
Which could be said for its latest play, as well.
But Boxee spins it as another way to "shave your cable bill," allowing you to extend your pay-TV service to another room, another home or even to your college student... who should be studying for exams and already has enough distractions.
Boxee's live-TV play is a USB dongle that Boxee said is being released in January; it costs $49 and includes an antenna and OTA tuner.
For more:
- see this post
Related articles:
D-Link rolls out live-TV option for Boxee Box
A complete streaming video solution for consumers? Not yet
Orb Live streams live programming to mobile devices
Boxee scores $16.5 million in Series C funding round
Finally, Boxee Box users have access to Netflix