Sling Media has just unveiled the product pages for the long anticipated Slingbox PRO-HD and the even longer anticipated SlingCatcher.

The Slingbox PRO-HD is the first Slingbox capable of streaming content in high-definition, up to 1080i, across a LAN. Replacing the Slingbox PRO at the top of the Slingbox lineup, the PRO-HD supports three inputs: component video, S-Video or composite video, and RF. The internal RF tuner is digital, capable of tuning NTSC, ATSC, analog cable, and Clear QAM digital channels. The PRO-HD has another trick as well, it can stream 5.1 audio - from the internal digital tuner, or from an SPDIF coax digital audio input associated with the component video input.

The SlingCatcher, first announced in January 2007 and intended to ship last year, has been hotly anticipated due to the delay. It is the yin to the Slingbox’s yang, a hardware receiver instead of a sender. The SlingCatcher can stream content from your Slingbox - on the other side of the house, or the other side of the world - and put it on your TV. It can also access content from your PC as well as content from the soon-to-be-launched Sling.com online portal and the Internet.

The SlingCatcher has a number of connectivity options, with HDMI, component video, S-Video, and composite video out as well as SPDIF coax digital audio and analog stereo L/R audio out. In addition it has an Ethernet port for the required network connectivity, as well as two USB ports which can be used to connect USB mass storage devices to store content.

Supported media formats:
* Video: WMV, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, Xvid
* Audio: MP2, MP3, WMA, AAC, AC3
* File formats: .avi, .vob, .ifo, .ps, .ts, .mpg, .wmv, .asf, .mov, .mp4,.m4v, .mp3, .wma, .mp4a, .m4a, .wav

But it is more than just product pages - both units are available for pre-order now! You can pre-order the Slingbox PRO-HD direct from Sling Media or from Amazon, it is $299.99 in either location. The SlingCatcher is also available direct from Sling Media as well as Amazon, and is also $299.99. Though if you’re an Amazon Prime member you may save money on shipping by ordering from Amazon.

I’ve also added both units to this site’s store, which is powered by Amazon.

Disclaimer: I work for Sling Media as a Beta Manager. Guess what I’ve been doing.

Now through July 15th, Sling Media is running a promotional bundle. Buy the Slingbox PRO ($229.99 MSRP) and get the HD Connect dongle ($49.99 MSRP) for component video input and a SlingPlayer Mobile license ($29.99 MSRP), all for $229.95. So basically you get the HD Connect and SPM license free with the purchase of the Slingbox PRO. While I’ve seen the Slingbox PRO & HD Connect bundled for less, including the SPM license this looks like a pretty decent bundle deal. Amazon sells the Slingbox PRO for $182.99 and the HD Connect for $39.99, that’s $222.98 - without SPM, which would bring it to $252.97.

SlingPlayer Mobile is currently available for Palm OS, Windows Mobile Smartphone, Windows Mobile Professional/PPC, and Symbian S60. Symbian UIQ is in beta now and will be out soon, and Blackberry support is in development, expected later this year. The license works for any of the SlingPlayer mobile platforms.

Disclaimer: I work for Sling Media.

From June 2 through June 8, Buy.com is selling the Slingbox PRO with the HD Connect as a bundle for only $195.00. That’s over $100 off the $299.98 combined MSRP. I own a Slingbox PRO myself, and it is a nice box if you want to sling from multiple sources.

Disclaimer: I’m currently employed by Sling Media, but I’ve owned my Slingbox PRO for much longer than I’ve worked there.

There’s a special promotion running through June 30, 2008 on a bundle of the Slingbox SOLO and SlingPlayer Mobile for $143.99 plus $9.95 shipping - $153.94 total. (More if you’re impatient and want faster shipping.) SlingPlayer Mobile clients are currently available for select devices running Palm OS, Symbian S60, Windows Mobile Smartphone, and Windows Mobile Professional/PPC. This is a good deal - the SOLO has an MSRP of $179.99 and SlingPlayer mobile is $29.99, which is $209.98 - with $9.95 shipping that’d be $219.93. So you save $65.99.

You have to love the net - I found out about this from a Twitter message that linked to the deal at dealnews.

Disclaimer: I’m currently employed by Sling Media. But, as I said, my finding this deal had nothing to do with work.

Dish Network just held a ‘Team Summit’ and some interesting news is making its way out. SatelliteGuys.us posted a report from the General Assembly which includes an overview of upcoming Dish Network DVRs, including what I think is the most interesting - the 722s, with built-in Slingbox!

Then Mark and Leslie introduce something that blows me away… The 722s. Its a 722 with Sling technology built in. Besides having Slingbox technology built in it also has Clip and sling which will let you send clips to friends. The 722s has a totally new interface, it has a guide with channel logos plus a totally new UHF remote, which features a touchpad and a trigger below it. This s a amazing unit. The front of the 722s also features al touch technology with no buttons and is backlit instead of using LCD’s. They are looking at having 1TB drive at launch, however 500 GB will be used by Dish and the DVR will come loaded with name HD movies preloaded on the drive. The 722s also has a built in browser (although Jackson said it will only go to certain sites and will be tightly integrated with Yahoo.)

But it is more than just a Slingbox with Clip+Sling - it is a SlingCatcher too!

Out comes Sling CEO Blake Kerkorian and he talks about the Slingbox and talks a little more about the 722s. The 722 will be able to do Clip & Sling and Slingcatcher, plus it will be able to run more applications as well.

So it is a Dish PVR, Slingbox, and SlingCatcher all in one. And from a follow-up post in that thread, it will be an HD Slingbox, like the upcoming Slingbox PRO-HD.

This isn’t really surprising in general, since EchoStar purchased Sling Media last year, but I think this is the first time we’ve heard of this as a real product and not just speculation. And being a SlingCatcher too wasn’t something I’d seen discussed before. The built in web browser is interesting, though it is a shame they have it restricted. (And I’d presume that only works for boxes connected to broadband, same with the Slingbox capability.)

That’s not all they talked about at the summit. The 700MHz spectrum Dish picked up at auction recently was mentioned, unsurprisingly, as a carrier for Dish Mobile. So you’ll be able to access Dish Network content in your car, on your boat, etc.

There are other new Dish STBs as well, the 222k and 722k lack OTA tuners, but a tuner module can be added. And apparently the module provides dual OTA tuners, instead of the single OTA tuner in today’s ViP722. And the tuner module also adds an RF modulator so you can distribute the output through the home over existing coaxial cable on channel 2 or 3. As well as some new two-way remotes, which apparently can store all of your DVR settings and resend them to a new box if you have to have your STB replaced.

Check out the thread at SatelliteGuys.us for all the details.

Disclaimer: I’m currently employed by Sling Media, which is owned by EchoStar.

Announced in April, SlingPlayer Mobile for Symbian UIQ is now ready for beta testers. Symbian UIQ is distinct from Symbian S60 (aka Series60), an update for which was released recently. While Symbian S60 is used on phones from Nokia, Symbian UIQ is used by vendors such as Sony Ericsson and Motorola.

If you’re a Slingbox owner with a Symbian UIQ smartphone, you can apply for the beta here.

Disclaimer: I’m not only currently employed by Sling Media, I’m the Program Manager for the Symbian UIQ beta.