Space shifting (or spaceshifting), also known as place shifting (or placeshifting), allows media, such as music or films, which are stored on one device, to be accessed from another place through another device. Space shifting is frequently done through computer networks, for example by viewing a television broadcast from a WiFi equipped
set-top box
A set-top box (STB), also known as a cable converter box, cable box, receiver, or simply box, and historically television decoder or a converter, is an information appliance device that generally contains a Tuner (radio)#Television, TV tuner inpu ...
on a WiFi equipped notebook. Other media shifting processes include
time shifting, a process whereby a radio or television broadcast is recorded and played back at a different time, and
format shifting where media files are converted into different formats.
A practical purpose of placeshifting is to avoid
copyright infringement
Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of Copyright#Scope, works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the c ...
claims, as when viewing content through the
Slingbox or similar consumer electronics.
In the 1980s, in the United States,
Radio Shack marketed and distributed a different technology to view Audio/Video output remotely. It worked on the cordless phone frequencies and broadcast the signal with their proprietary transmitters and receivers branded Archer/Rabbit VCR Multiplying System.
Products and devices offering space shifting technology
Here are a few products and devices known for offering space shifting technology:
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TV2Me - the original placeshifting device, developed by Ken Schaffer
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LocationFree Player
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Slingbox
*Subsonic (media server)
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Ampache
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Plex (software)
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Monsoon Multimedia
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Didiom
See also
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Comparison of DVR software packages#Network support - list of software packages supporting place shifting
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Media server
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Format shifting
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Time shifting
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Copyright
A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive legal right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, ...
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Private copying
References
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Copyright law
Digital rights
Digital television
Ripping