New Slingbox on the way?

A new Slingbox is on the way, according to information posted on the FCC Web site. The folks over at and Zatznotfunny unearthed the news--and a nearly complete manual--for the so-called Slingbox A/V. The main upgrades from the existing (original) Slingbox appear to be a new design that offers a smaller footprint and a dedicated composite-video input. Of course, the original Slingbox could accept composite signals, but you needed to use the included adapter cable.

Unfortunately, according to the manual, it seems like the new Slingbox will not have built-in wireless networking capability--which was our biggest gripe with the original Slingbox. That's a potential turnoff for those who don't want to run an Ethernet connection (or invest in a wireless bridge or a pair of power-over-Ethernet adapters) to their home theater. That's doubly true when you consider that the Sony LF-B20 LocationFree TV Base Station--due in October--does offer built-in 802.11a/b/g wireless capability. Of course, the LF-B20 has a list price of $250, and it's a fair bet the new Slingbox won't cost any more than the $200 street price of the current model.

Sources: TG Daily via Zatznotfunny via Engadget