Sony LocationFree Player Pak LF-PK1

Originally designed as a way to wirelessly watch TV around the house, Sony’s LocationFree system was upgraded last year with software that taps into your home TV from a laptop. The resulting second-generation Sony package is nearly identical in terms of features to that of the Slingbox, but LocationFree offers at least two new twists.

Like the Slingbox, you set up the LocationFree system by connecting Sony’s Base Station to your cable/satellite feed and attach an IR blaster (if necessary) to change channels. Unlike any of the others reviewed, Sony includes built-in Wi-Fi support (802.11a/b/g) to make the Internet connection, which is a very handy feature.

Once you’ve installed Sony’s Windows LocationFree Player software, you can select the cable or satellite set-top box you have from a list to change channels. Like the Slingbox, LocationFree now controls two video sources, which is why Sony claims that you can watch home DVDs from afar (of course, you have to have had the foresight to put the disc in the machine before you left or call home to have someone do it for you).

In terms of picture quality and overall performance, the LocationFree setup worked well. Picture quality, which is far from perfect, varies with the quality of the broadband connection (Sony recommends a minimum of 300 Kbps), but the software automatically adjusts the feed depending on the quality of the connection. The result is a generally watchable picture.

Mobile game players will no doubt appreciate the latest feature of LocationFree: the ability to access home video using a PlayStation Portable (PSP). The latest firmware upgrade to the LocationFree Base Station taps into home video thanks to the Wi-Fi abilities of the PSP. That means that even if your flight is delayed (again) at Heathrow, you can watch the big game back home by connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot. As with the laptop version, you can use the PSP to pause or rewind the show you’re watching. (The upgrade can be wirelessly downloaded directly to a PSP system using a Wi-Fi connection or downloaded to a PC and transferred to a PSP through a USB cable.)

Bottom line: the LocationFree’s general feature set matches that of the Slingbox, but Sony deserves extra points for making the PSP connection. We think the company should get kudos for its excellent setup instructions, which now include a DVD for beginners. Whether those perks are worth the extra $100 depend on your level of technical expertise and what you plan to watch your favorite shows on.