Streaming onto a TV

[Estrella]

Hi folks,
I have a 32'' LCD that it would be nice to be able to stream iplayer/40d programs onto , rather than having to huddle around a laptop screen.

I could go the media center PC route and connect my laptop to the TV via hdmi or DVI cable, but wondered if there was a box of tricks that would be cheaper and easier that would allow me to wirelessly connect/stream ?

Does such a device exist ?

cheers

 

[ChrisFrost]

If you already have a laptop then all you need is some cables to connect picture and sound. There's no box made that will be cheaper than a couple of cables!!

 

[Donkmeister]

I seem to recall reading that the Freeview HD boxes all have mandatory ethernet ports to allow 4OD and iPlayer...

They're not out for a few months though.

I'd agree with using your laptop at least as an interim measure. If you bought one of the generic media streamers, you won't be able to do iPlayer and 4OD due to copyright restrictions. You would be able to stream *ahem* other downloaded files onto your TV.

Virgin cable has iPlayer, 4OD etc but I don't know if it is a full service or if they only have highlights.

 

[timtheenchanter]

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/2827_12765.htm
may be of some interest, depending on if you have a network already.

 

[JamesA]

Hi folks,
I have a 32'' LCD that it would be nice to be able to stream iplayer/40d programs onto , rather than having to huddle around a laptop screen.

I could go the media center PC route and connect my laptop to the TV via hdmi or DVI cable, but wondered if there was a box of tricks that would be cheaper and easier that would allow me to wirelessly connect/stream ?

Does such a device exist ?

cheers

The issue with a pc is the huge amount of power it needs.
It depends if you leave your pc on all the time anyway for "downloading".

If you've decent broadband and wireless there are things to pipe TV round the house.

The latest WDTV, the WDTV Live plays content from usb drives, your home network or the internet.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Dig...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1265723420&sr=8-1[/url]

The next one up is the popcorn box:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Popcorn-Hou...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1265723499&sr=1-2

I bought the WDTV live, but haven't connected it to the internet yet as I need to sort out my broadband. I plug in my USB external backup drive and play video I've downloaded (at work) from youtube etc.

If you have the Humax Foxsat HDR freesat box this will soon have IPlayer and you can convert video files to play on it.

It'll not be long before cd/dvds are dead and we all get our media electronically.
It's only our third world broadband speeds that holding this up.
I'm anticipating sites like Amazon selling movie downloads here within 2 or 3 years or so.

There's rumours of little boxes to allow you to browse the internet on your tv (not the I-tampon!).
Plus more tv's will probably come with media player capability built in.

http://www.avforums.com is good for this kind of thing plus there are the specific forums for the WD TV etc.