Echostar's Freesat box has TV anywhere for Ithings and Android

WATCH and manage live and recorded TV from computers, phones and tablets with the Slingloaded technology that comes with Echostar's HDS-600RS, its Freesat+ HD set-top box.

The Slingloaded technology, also known as placeshifting, allows an Internet connected device to remotely link through an Internet connection with the user's HDS-600RS STB that will be back at their home. Video is then streamed from the STB to the device.

The HDS-600RS will go on sale on 1 April - we don't think that's a joke - from John Lewis and Amazon.co.uk. You can pre-order the box at Amazon for £349.99, with a stock date of 28 March.

For the placeshifting a Sling application for devices running IOS or Android is available for £19.99 to enable you to stream your live or recorded TV from the main box.

The mobile service works over 3G or WiFi so you can stream or control the box from anywhere. Another thing to note about the app is that it streams only in standard definition.

The STB requires a hardwired connection to the Internet to function properly and will contain a 500GB hard drive to record TV.

If you want to watch TV on your PC or Mac then the service is free online with the Slingplayer once you've bought the box. You can pause and rewind live TV as you would expect and you can record one program whilst watching a second.

BBC's Iplayer comes with the box and plans for ITV's Net Player will follow, along with support for other on-demand services. For those that don't immediately recognise the name Freesat, but maybe know Freeview, Freesat is a service that provides over 150 digital channels of subscription free telly. But you need a satellite dish, hence the name Freesat.

Freeview is a terrestrial digital channel service and you only need a digital signal compatible antennae. The box has the usual SCART ports along with S/PDIF, RCA, RF, Ethernet, HDMI and USB 2.0. µ