Sling Media has finally made good on their promise to bring the software that controls their “placeshifting” devices for watching TV on your computer to the Mac — the SlingPlayer software for Mac OS X has been released as a public beta version. US and Canadian customers can now download the software from Sling’s Web site.
The SlingBox connects to your home entertainment system and wires into your computer network using an Ethernet connection. With SlingMedia installed, you can control your home TV from any Mac connected to the Internet almost anywhere in the world, according to the company.
A software remote control lets you program favorite channels, change viewing modes, and use “SlingStream” to optimize your broadband connection to deliver the best video stream.
Sling Media said that they’re working to offer support for other regions beside the U.S. and Canada “in the near future.”
The public beta of the software occurs at a time when Sling Media has been selling SlingBox products through retailers that claim they’re Macintosh-compatible but do not include any Mac software in the box.
“When we made the decision on packaging several months ago we felt we would have the Mac client out there and available in time for the new product launch,” said a Sling Media spokesman. “Unfortunately that has been delayed as you can see.”