The Slingbox is not the only product to offer highly customized and flexible options for viewing your programming on the go. Other contenders for the place-shifting throne are listed below.

Familiar with these products or use them? Think they are better than or deficient to Slingbox? Click EasyEdit to compare notes, tips, and recommendations.

LocationFree TV

What it does:
This Sony product, early to market in this space (consumer debut in 2004), is basically a wireless tablet with an LCD touchscreen that you can use to watch TV, surf the web, check email, etc. It comes bundled with a wireless base station that you connect to your cable box or TiVo so you can stream your TV programming to you anywhere in the world over the internet. You can even stream your DVD collection via your home DVD changer.

LCD comes in 12" and 7" sizes.

What it costs/where to get it: 12" model dings you ~$1,500 (limited-time $200 rebate will knock that down to $1,300) on SonyStyle.com

Can find Location-Free TV products much cheaper on Froogle (~$1,200 for the 12"; $850 for the 7"; try Amazon or eBay for used/refurbished for much cheaper)

PROs:

• Web-surfing functionality enabled
• Photo album functionality onboard
• LCD flat panel screen has good resolution
• Good sound
• Can access home DVD collection via DVD changer
• Onscreen remote
• Software to extend viewing capability to other devices
• PlayerPak package available for Notebook or desktop PC
  

CONs:

• Clunky UI/poor web browser
• Blocked from/incompatible with some secure websites
• Expensive
• Heavy to lug around
• Limited wireless range
• Poor battery life
• Can miss critical moments due to dropouts
• Performance lags using TiVo
• NetAV access is hard to set up and buggy

Bottom line: Too expensive and not otherwise utilitarian enough to compensate.

• Anyone try the Linux version?
  

SageTV

What it does: Turns your PC into a networked home media center by using SageTV and the SageTV Placeshifter together to stream Live TV and access all your media from any network connection at home or away from home across the Internet. See the SageTV Features list for all the available functionality for version 5.

What it costs: $99.95

Pros:

• Record multiple shows at the same time. In HD..
• Record in High Quality MPEG-2, MPEG-4 or DivX
• still use PC while recording or TV while gaming, playing music, surfing the Internet or more.
• Watch shows on your TV, PC or both.
• Access live or recorded TV, music and photos from anywhere with SageTV Placeshifter and a high speed internet connection .
• Stream High Quality MPEG-2 Live and recorded TV across your network with SageTV on any PC.
• Access your Music collection quickly by Album, Artist or Playlists.

Cons:

• requires high-speed internet connection
• Complicated software
• requires high level of computer knowledge to set up
  

Bottom line: works well, but you have to be willing to put in the time to learn how to use it.

TV2ME

What it does: delivers your home TV channels to your internet connected PC, laptop, or PDA anywhere in the world.

What it costs: US $4,750
Pros

• watch TV on any device
• exceptional image
• remote control
  
• TiVo / DVD compatible
• Easy to Install
  

Cons:

• $4,750

Bottom line: It costs $4,750

• Anyone used this? Is it really worth this price?