Can AppleTV stream live HD from remote location?

[Craigolio]

Hello -

This may be a strange question, and I am not sure I am using the terms correctly. But . . .

My dad has a cabin that he has been spending a lot of time at, and he would like to be able to watch local high definition channels at his cabin.

He has dish network service at both locations, and he has high speed internet at both locations (cable at home, and 300k/sec DSL at the cabin). But he cannot get his local channels beamed down to him at his cabin (I am told it is because his cabin is outside of the 'spot beam' of his local channels).

So the question becomes - :Is there a way to stream his local HD channels from his HOME to his cabin and have the channel show up on his HDTV at the cabin?

I'm open to any ideas . . . multiple Apple TV's, hacking an apple tv, using something else altogether. . . . whatever. Granted, I'd like to avoid paying $750+ to buy a slinger, sling catcher, and whatever else Sling wouldl ike to have me buy!!

Any advice is appreciated!

Craigo

 

[jaw04005]

The SlingCatcher is really made for this. All you would need is a SlingCatcher and a SlingBox.

You're talking $255 + $160 (Amazon prices). I don't know if you're going to get HD quality with only a 300k/sec pipe though. You sure it's not 3 megabit?

Personally, I would just take my home Dish network receiver to the cabin. Who's going to know?

 

[Craigolio]

I guess it probably is the 3 megabit DSL. I have cable, so I never pay attention to that stuff.

I guess I just figured there isn't much that the sling stuff could do that a couple of AppleTV's connected over ip couldn't do.

I tried taking the receiver to the cabin, but since it is outside of the spot beam, the locals don't work there. That is, apparently, they only 'beam down' the local channels for his hometown (Nashville) over a ring about 150 miles radius around Nashville.

Thanks for the feedback. I guess Sling wins!

 

[tbayrgs]

Slingcatcher doesn't support HD streaming so if your dad is hoping to get HD quality, this isn't the way to go. He could get HD if he set up a Slingbox Pro-HD and home and either watched on a PC or connected the PC directly to his TV at the cabin. No experience myself but I'd guess you need pretty good upstream network speeds at home to ensure close to HD quality streaming.

If he is OK with SD quality, just set up a slingbox at home and watch via computer/mobile phone to save some bucks.

 

[Metatron]

I would try an OTA (Over the Air) HD antenna. They are about 25 dollars at Walmart and I can get around 10 local HD stations where I am located. Your mileage will vary depending on your location. It does require that your HDTV have an ATSC tuner built in or an external one.

 

[mstrze]

I would try an OTA (Over the Air) HD antenna. They are about 25 dollars at Walmart and I can get around 10 local HD stations where I am located. Your mileage will vary depending on your location. It does require that your HDTV have an ATSC tuner built in or an external one.

Doesn't sound like this would be a solution to get 'local' stations from 150 miles away from the broadcast towers. About the only thing you could try is (as someone else said) take the 'city' dish box (or just the access card) out to the cabin and just see if it gets the locals. It may very well be in a position to receive the signal from the satellite. I wouldn't imagine there is some sharp cutoff where all of a sudden you can't receive a signal now that you are 151 miles away.

My guess is that any broadband solution is going to be iffy at best.

 

[Craigolio]

I was checking, and it appears that the sling catcher does, in fact, support HD streaming when coupled with a Slingbox Pro-HD.

I scheduled the DSL installation for my Dad (1-yr of internet was part of his Christmas present).

When I get some time, I'll buy the Sling stuff at Best Buy just to try it out. I'll post to let everyone know how well it works (if at all!)

By the way, I have tried setting up the Dish, and I definitely cannot get the locals. Furthermore, the cabin is in some mountains (ok, foothills), and so OTA locals also does not work!

Thanks for the tips, though!