By Manzanillo Sun Writer from the July 2013 Edition
….Or news from back home. In Manzanillo there are few choices to get news from home. News is available online, but for television news or entertainment from Canada or the US, read on.
If you have Shaw Direct Satellite system, you can set up a dish on the building roof and connect to a Shaw Direct receiver. Americans can use their Direct TV, and DISH Satellites and receivers to access their programming.
If you are not able to attach a Satellite dish on your building or you do not subscribe to these services, you may want to consider a Slingbox. This is the option my spouse and I use. The quality is good and we can program and control our home PVR remotely. I connect my laptop to a television monitor and watch HD content in Manzanillo that has been recorded in Canada.
Slingbox (www.slingbox.com) is a set top box that connects to your cable box, or satellite receiver. An internet connection is required at both ends. You can watch your content anywhere on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can watch on a television by connecting a video cable ( HDMI, DVI or VGA) to your computer.
If you are interested in setting up a Slingbox, here are some tips. The model 350 sells for $189.99, and the model 500 for $299.99. The model 350 will suffice for most users. For the best picture quality, ensure the upload speed of your home internet connection is over 2 Mbps. At the receiving end, your internet download speed should be 3.5 Mbps or greater. The Slingbox package includes all cables required to connect to your cable or satellite receiver. After the cables have been connected, install the software on your computer and you are ready to watch your home television anywhere in the world. There are no monthly fees required to use a Slingbox.
You can control your home receiver or PVR using the software remote. There are apps for Andriod and iOS tablets and smartphones.
If you don’t want spend money on a Slingbox, you can order Telecable or SKY Satellite in Manzanillo. They offer some US channels.
If you have a topic you would like covered, or require further information on this topic, please contact me at techguy@senortech.ca.
Señior Tech resides in Manzanillo during the winter and Canada in the summer and fall.
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Manzanillo Sun’s eMagazine written by local authors about living in Manzanillo and Mexico, since 2009
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