Log In
Register
Forum
Topic RSS
7:21 pm
April 19, 2010
Was looking through the log file that the Sling Player Web Browser
creates when you are watching your Slingbox and noticed that they are
sending something to http://analytics.sling.com/ana…..tics.gif/?
After further review I saw that the tags on it were details on my
connection. For instance it contained information on my Finder ID, If I
was on LAN or WAN, If I was using TCP, my session length, how long I
watched, My average Bitrate, The total Kb I streamed, Which firmware I
had and which plugin I was using and more.
It appears they are or have been creating a database of information.
No big deal to me but am curious as to what they will use it for.
If
interested in Windows XP the log file is here C:Documents and
SettingsDaddyApplication DataSling MediaWebSlingPlayer If on Vista,
Windows 7 or Mac I bet they have a similar log file you can look at.
Makes
ya kinda wonder what else they may know about you.
10:09 pm
April 21, 2010
…and that's one of a few reasons I'm not so keen about how much they're integrating Sling accounts with the Player.
I wanted to buy a device, not a service. The damned CableCo will sell me plenty of services.
Those collected stats you mentioned seem pretty tame to me. Time watched and whether I was home or away could lead to the dark side, but the rest only seems useful to the engineers.
- Az
4:44 pm
April 19, 2010
Ya it's no big deal to me. But it does give valuable information that can be used for selling their product to a 3rd party service provider.
Maybe we will see a CSI TV show someday that determined someones alibi was a lie cause they checked the Slingbox and saw they were really in town when they said they weren't. :)
They reduced the log file info in the Windows 2.0.4.x version so there is nothing there to compare it to inorder to see what it may be sending.
TiVo does a similar thing and probably other DVR providers.
5:33 pm
April 21, 2010
CSI Slingbox evidence… that's funny. :)
9:27 am
August 9, 2010
@Brandon how'd you figure out what it's sending? Do all the versions of SlingPlayer do that? Do you know if it still sends stats when you're not logged in, or if you force IP-only connection?
I'm on my netbook right now (Linux) so I can't check the logs where I normall watch (Win7) but this has peaked my interest as a computer science major.
For the paranoid, blocking that should be easy. Just set your firewall to blacklist that address — or better yet, block all Sling Media's servers, stay logged out, and use the little app I made to manually configure a Sling Dreictory with IP/direct connections. If it never communicates, it can't be logged.
11:54 am
April 19, 2010
In the log file that the Sling Player Web Browser creates it shows everything it collects and sends.
I don't know if the Windows player sends the exact info but it does send some. I don't know about the Mac player, I don't run them.
You have to be logged in to use the Web slingplayer. I don't know what or if it tries to send anything if not logged into the Windows player.
I am sure it could be blocked. I just never looked at what ports or addresses it might be using. It wouldn't ne too hard to figure out though.
Must be registered to post
Recent Comments