Streaming Internet to TV

[bluhorizons]

Not sure of which area to post this in, but this one seemed the most likely. I apologize if this isn't the appropriate part of the forum for my question, and please let me know if a better topic area is suggested.

As for my question...

I have a Sony KDL 40EX400 HDTV. I also have high-speed Internet (with a wireless router) for my computer, which is in a different room. I also have a blu-ray player with built-in wifi.

I am signed up for a particular PPV type of Internet sports content that I watch regularly by going to a website, logging in and viewing live events through live streaming.

I would like to be able to watch this streaming Internet content on my TV instead of my computer and wondering if there is any way to do this or what I would need to purchase to achieve this. There are several 'apps' that came with my blu ray player, but to my knowledge, none are web browsers that would allow me to pull up a website and log in and view streaming content.

Would I need to buy a Logitech Revue or the Sony blu-ray player with google TV to achieve what I am trying to do? Hooking up the computer to the TV is not really an option with the distance they are apart. If there is any solution other than buying one of the Google TV devices, I would love to know.

Thanks for any assistance with this that can be offered.

[steve1971]

My advise to you is buy a PS3 or the Sony google Blu ray player. Both of those would help you out in what your looking for.

[bluhorizons]

Thanks for the response Steve.

I was looking into both of those items, but I do gaming on the computer, and I already have a good blu-ray player, so the price point for either of those items is steep for what I would get out of them.

Plus, I have heard that stand-alone units that handle Internet TV do not always have the correct plug-ins needed to play certain media or stream certain media, and the units do not allow those plug-ins to be installed into them. In my case, I'd be purchasing something solely to be able to watch this one particular site's streaming of events, so I would hate to purchase the item and not be able to use it for that.

Here is what it says are the minimum requirements to be able to watch my streaming events on the website I would be watching them on:

# Internet Explorer 6.0 with Service Pack 2 or above, or Firefox 2.5 or above:
- IE: http://www.microsoft.com/ie
- Firefox: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/new/
# Adobe Flash Player 9.0.124.0 or above: http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
# Microsoft Silverlight: http://www.microsoft.com/library/err...l/default.aspx
# Sufficient Internet connection bandwidth, 800kbps or higher for smooth playback experience
# Free hard disk space: 300 MB
# Video adapter and monitor: Super VGA (1024x768) or higher

Anyone have a clue as to the stand-alone Internet TV systems would be able to work with this?

I guess I was really hoping for some kind of wifi connection I'd be able to do directly between the computer and TV via USB connection or something, but I guess that's looking pretty unlikely.

Any other non-wired solutions anyone can think of? It seems like by the time I buy a stand-alone Internet TV device I'd be better off buying a small, low-end computer for the living room to connect to the Internet and TV as well as being able to connect it to my DVR to use as a storage device, but I really didn't want to put that kind of investment in it. I had hoped to somehow rig my Sony S570 blu player to accept a stream from my computer, but no go on that from what I can see.

[TheStuck]

You are probably going to need a Home Theater PC of some kind. I dont think google TV supports flash or other streaming video content.

[bluhorizons]

Thanks for that comment Stuck...it would have been pretty bad to have bought an Internet TV component and still not have been able to watch the streaming content.

Guess I will have to get a new PC (or laptop) with a regular Internet browser if there is no wireless way to stream computer content direct to the TV. Thanks for the input though on this.

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by bluhorizons

Thanks for that comment Stuck...it would have been pretty bad to have bought an Internet TV component and still not have been able to watch the streaming content.

Guess I will have to get a new PC (or laptop) with a regular Internet browser if there is no wireless way to stream computer content direct to the TV. Thanks for the input though on this.

They now make some HTPC's that are very reasonably priced and quite small. I've seen them as low as $200. I even saw one that is designed to hide behind a tv, but it does not have a price yet.


http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/e...ehind-your-tv/

Also.... if your PC has an HDMI output, there are now wireless HDMI transmitters and receivers, but the price is more than an economy HTPC and probably not nearly as reliable as a direct connection. I've read they require 30' or less and direct line of sight.