why does Slingplay work in the US and not on the UK firmware of the Sony device

[raqman]

just bought it yesterday from Currys and looks like I will have to return it now as Slingplayer is only avaialble on the US sony model and not the UK one?

Is their a way around this?

[Anonymous]

Slingplay like many services are geo-location locked. This means that in order for it to work, you need to be in the country or countries that allow that service.

These services are locked via IP addresses. You can get around them by 'faking' another countries IP address via proxy server or VPN's. But I wont discuss that any further.

My advice to anyone purchasing any types of products is to do your research properly to ensure that it fits your requirements.

Hope that helps.

[raqman]

that cannot be the right reason in my opinion, otherwise it would not be available in the US either?

Western Digital live system has the Sling Player and so does Dlinks Boxeebox and Netgears new device for the UK, however the Sony is the superior product and yet for Canadian and UK users they do not have the Slingplayer app available

My reason for buying this was to have the Sky transmission downstairs "placeshifted" to my bedroom upstairs, I tried using this system, as the house is too big for the usual 5Ghz wireless AV transmitters.

It is a shame I have to take it back to the store due to this policy of not placing slingplayer's app on it.

As you will see on this video, the Slingplayer works great on the Sony in the US!!

Is there a way to get the US firmware for the device here?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdZXiOnALd8

Message was edited by: raqman

[Catmambo]

Hi

Have you contacted Sling Player? Apps on devices aren't usually firmware dependent normally, as Quinnicus says, simply geofiltered ( e.g. BBC checking you are based in the UK to be able to receive iPlayer) and as Sony don't control Play store, its impossible to lock out applications on GTV, even if we wanted to (which we don't). There are some apps built specificially for it which we feature in 'Sony Select', but we very much add choices rather than restrict them.

So chances are Sling Player have chosen not to make it available outside of the US for some reason, so first port of call would be Sling themselves I think.

Hope this helps

[gofrost]

According to Google play store uk this app is not compatible with this device,and using the on board browser for the nsz gs7 Sling Player does'nt even show up.

[raqman]

I did indeed engage with Sling, both in the US and UK and they said it has to do with Sony for some reason.

Infact Sling are happy to sell their Apps on Ipad, Iphones, see it on other streaming devices as mentioned, just the Sony one, which should see it under the Sony Spotlight App (not avaible on the model I have from the UK) should have the Sling player listed, as the video shows.

Sling "believe" it is to do with Sony not wanting it in Europe for some reason?

See here another old post about this:

http://www.googletvforum.org/forum/sonys-nsz-gs7/5893-slingplayer.html

[Catmambo]

Sony Spotlight is just an area for Sony to promote key or 1st party applications. It doesn't replace Play store. So it might not be in spotlight, as its not a key partner in the way that Netflix, Video Unlimited, iPlayer etc. Did Sling explain why its not available in Google Play store as thats run by Google and anyone can upload applications there once approved by Google as apps, can of course appear in Play Store and not Sony Select