How to Make Your Own Sling Box

Making your own Slingbox means never missing another episode of your favorite show.

The Slingbox allows users to remotely connect to their home cable box and watch their favorite shows from anywhere that they can connect to the Internet. The device is compatible with laptops and a number of mobile devices. However, some people have trouble justifying the price of the device. For DIY buffs, there is a simple method of creating your own Slingbox-type experience.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Video cables
• Cable box
• Remote desktop software

Instructions

1. Attach the cable box to the TV tuner card using the highest quality audio and video ports available. For example, if the tuner card supports RCA or S-video and the cable box also supports those two formats, connect via S-video.

2. Create a Skype account (see Resources) for exclusive use on the computer connected to the cable box.

3. Open the video options in Skype under "Tools," "Options," "Video Settings," and select the tuner card as the video source.

4. Click the "Calls" tab in the "Options" window, select "Call Settings" and press the "Show Advanced Options" button. Check the boxes beside "Answer Incoming Calls Automatically" and "Start My Video Automatically." Press "Save" to keep the changes.

5. Minimize Skype but do not exit the program.

6. Download and install remote desktop software (see Resources) on the computer that will be used to call the TV tuner computer. Configure the software as per the manufacturer's instructions.

7. Call the TV tuner computer with the other computer via Skype. The TV channel currently selected should begin streaming once Skype has automatically answered the call on the TV tuner computer. Connect using the remote desktop software to change the channel.