Convert TV into an Internet TV... any suggestions?

  • Thread starter Thread starter vkurup
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vkurup

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Over this holiday season, I am thinking of converting our regular TV into an 'Internet TV'. As more content moves online, dont (yet) want to invest in an Internet enabled TV. But might have a couple of old laptops in the loft. So planning to hookup using GoogleTV or XBMC etc. Just wondering if any forumers have ventured into this area?
 
I have a WD TV live attached to my bedroom TV, it has BBC Iplayer, Netflix and more on it plus it can stream from DNLA compliant devices. A great little gadget and pretty cheap too.
 
Do you have sky? if so they were giving away the connectors that plug into the back of the skybox and work off your wireless broadband. Means you have all of skys content plus Iplayer, ITV player etc. Weve only just got one and is great for catch up stuff, though any real additional content you still need to pay extra for
 
guest100718 said:
I have a WD TV live attached to my bedroom TV, it has BBC Iplayer, Netflix and more on it plus it can stream from DNLA compliant devices. A great little gadget and pretty cheap too.
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Have seen the WD live kit, was impressed, but havent played with it yet. On a recent US visit, saw a friend who has set it up with using XBMC... and blown away.. Rather than buy a new toy, trying to see if I can reuse the laptops. Might make an interesting project. Though both the laptops only have old style D-connectors rather than SCART or HDMIs. So a bit of compromise.


fundy said:
Do you have sky? if so they were giving away the connectors that plug into the back of the skybox and work off your wireless broadband. Means you have all of skys content plus Iplayer, ITV player etc. Weve only just got one and is great for catch up stuff, though any real additional content you still need to pay extra for
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Unfortunately on Virgin. Have a TiVo box. It does have Netflex, iPlayer, Youtube etc apps. However, using the Virgin remote to type anything into it is like pulling teeth.
 
vga plugs have 15 pin connections none of which carry sound , you can get a vga cable with a 3.5mm jack lead coming out just behind the plug which plugs in to the earphone output on you pc. You can buy a 3way hdmi splitter, no separate power supply required . I got mine on Amazon.
 
williamalex1 said:
vga plugs have 15 pin connections none of which carry sound , you can get a vga cable with a 3.5mm jack lead coming out just behind the plug which plugs in to the earphone output on you pc. You can buy a 3way hdmi splitter, no separate power supply required . I got mine on Amazon.
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yup, got a seperate 3.5mm sound male-male connector that I use alongside my Dconnector-RBG in... Planning to do use that.
I guess the big Q is what software to run the media centre. Based on initial research XBMC and Media Portal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MediaPortal) looks very promising esp the mediaPortal
 
vkurup said:
Have seen the WD live kit, was impressed, but havent played with it yet. On a recent US visit, saw a friend who has set it up with using XBMC... and blown away.. Rather than buy a new toy, trying to see if I can reuse the laptops. Might make an interesting project. Though both the laptops only have old style D-connectors rather than SCART or HDMIs. So a bit of compromise.




Unfortunately on Virgin. Have a TiVo box. It does have Netflex, iPlayer, Youtube etc apps. However, using the Virgin remote to type anything into it is like pulling teeth.
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The problem I had with old PC's/laptops was the inability to remote control them properly, although I wonder if thee is the option to use a smart phone as a remote these days.
 
Had a play around with the RPi when it first arrived, anything with a GUI was horribly slow, believe the newer one has a bit more juice.
 
I've got a Sony Bluray player and Sky. The Sky box is connected to main telly - and other TVs in house have analogue channel tuned to Ch68 to pick up whatever is on the Sky box.

I also have a Sky wifi connector and I have that plugged into the Bluray box into another TV and I can watch Netflix, iPlayer, Youtube, Sony entertainment and can access internet apps such as Facebook, and can pull up Chrome and surf da interwebby thing using Google etc (though as @vkurup notes typing anything in a search box using a control is a pain) - and on that TV I also get the Sky box channel via an analogue channel and all other digital channels (through the TV).

I barely understand what I've got as you'll gather - though it all seems to hang together just grand.
 
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vkurup said:
I read somewhere that you can use your iphone/pad as a remote rather than the standard remote..

Also, another thread on remotes.. but too much on it..
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=117372

I might consider a bluetooth keypad or something. Havent thought of it yet.
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Wonder what would happen if I plugged a keyboard into the USB slot on the Bluray box...hmmm

[EDIT] BR player got two slots - so mouse in one and keyboard in other? - probably won't work as my TV isn't a monitor as such? Dunno. Can but try and see what happens.
 
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