There are two kinds of networking that SlingStudio uses:
- "Hotspot" (proprietary) networking for connecting the SlingStudio unit both to an iPad running the SlingStudio Console app as well as to your video sources;
- Wi-Fi or Ethernet networking that can connect the SlingStudio unit to an Internet connection for streaming video from the SlingStudio unit to Facebook Live, YouTube, and many other streaming services (for more information on that, see the info below).
Let's look at each type of networking that SlingStudio uses.
Hotspot networking
The SlingStudio unit itself operates as a hotspot (a proprietary access point network) to connect to these key parts of the SlingStudio system:
- SlingStudio Console app, a free app running on an Apple iPad (required to use the product);
- SlingStudio Capture app(s), free apps running on one or more iOS or Android smartphones, to use the smartphones as video sources that connect to the SlingStudio hotspot (optional);
- SlingStudio CameraLink device(s), to act as "bridges" to connect video devices (such as HDMI cameras) to the SlingStudio unit (optional).
This hotspot (access point network) forms an 802.11ac, 5 GHz wireless network.
It is important to understand that the SlingStudio hotspot is only available to connect the SlingStudio "system pieces," mentioned above, to the SlingStudio unit. You cannot connect any other devices to the SlingStudio unit's hotspot.
Internet networking
In addition, the SlingStudio unit can connect to the Internet for streaming video (such as to Facebook Live, to YouTube, or to many other services). The SlingStudio unit can connect to the Internet in two ways:
- Ethernet cable, connected to the SlingStudio unit via the SlingStudio USB-C Expander product;
- Wi-Fi connection (built-in 802.11ac, either at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).
Currently, Bluetooth is not supported by SlingStudio.
