Linking PCs and TVs

8/27/2010 5:13 PM EDT

I have a first-generation AppleTV which I'm basically happy with. I use it mostly for boring guests with photos (a tactic that usually works) and renting the occasional Saturday night movie. When Boxee first came out I loaded it on the the AppleTV. Boxee didn't work all that well, but it did point to the fact I would like to stream videos from my PC to the TV. After a system update from Apple, Boxee no longer worked and I didn't keep up with the technology. With the impending release of a new version of the AppleTV I think is time to re-visit the entire spectrum of devices.

8/27/2010 6:36 PM EDT

"...streaming movies from the Web to your TV is set to explode"? I'm not sure we're there yet. Web-to-TV is still either a walled garden (you get what they want you to get) or else a hacker's project, if you want the full freedom of accessing any web video content on your TV, easily, conveniently, and without a mouse & keyboard.

My setup is a media center PC that is hard-wired into my entertainment center. It includes a dual QAM (cable) HDTV tuner, so it serves as my backup DVR -- because sometimes the 2 tuners in the cable box just aren't enough!

I really like the Windows Media Center "10 foot" interface, and since we have been using it for a few years and are accustomed to it, I will most likely (and stubbornly) stick with it. A Logitech Harmony remote is also a must-have, so that all your equipment can be set up correctly with one button push, whether you're watching streaming online content, the cable DVR box, a Blu-ray disk, or whatever. It meets the spousal approval factor for ease of use :)

We have occasionally streamed TV shows and movies through the PC to the HDTV from Hulu and the TV network sites, but this has always been awkward because it has in the past required exiting Media Center, running a browser, going to the site, and then selecting full screen after the show or movie starts.

The Media Center plugins for streaming shows from the web from within the Media Center UI were very beta and clunky when I last tried them, but it's probably worth another look. I confess I have not yet tried Hulu Desktop, which integrates Hulu into the Media Center UI. Of course, it only works with Hulu.

It is interesting to see all the new boxes coming out from Boxee, Roku, etc., but I wonder if they will all go the way of Apple TV.

8/28/2010 9:40 PM EDT

How is WiDi related to this? Can we watch any web content if we have laptop with WiDi and small terminal interfaced to TV? Will TV vendors in near future incorporate WiDi functionality in TV so that we do not need external module?

For effectively using web, it is also important to have some keyboard interface in addition to remote control.

8/29/2010 12:46 AM EDT

In future, streaming TV programs from your Mobile rather than from your PC may become more convenient with some wireless interface dongle plugged to the USB port of the TV . No special remote or keyboard will be required in such cases and the mobile itself will work as TV remote.

8/29/2010 3:22 AM EDT

Streaming content from the web to one's TV will become more the norm than the exception. With the networks publishing their TV shows on the web so they can be viewed in a time shifted mode, and with the emergence of original web content with quality production and compelling plots, the Web/TV experience will slowly converge into one medium streaming from both sources.

I concur with Feory that the Windows Media Center is becoming quite useable and useful. I push my 'TiVo on the go' recorded programs wirelessly (overnight) to my PC to clear space on my TiVo and then watch them on my Media PC which acts as my video library viewer. I am waiting to hear what the AppleTV enhancements are and I might spring for one.

8/29/2010 3:41 PM EDT

What makes this hard are the barriers that the various industries put into place. Until very recently it was way too complex to get HD media into an HTPC. The Ceton InfiniTV4 card should make that much easier (mine is on order). The Logitech remote mentioned above helps, but it is still hamstrung by the archaic open-loop IR remotes. I want a networked control that can get status of a TV / STB / whatever so that I don't get calls from my wife because a component didn't see a command.

Larry M.

8/29/2010 4:13 PM EDT

I have experience using the Netflix streaming service from two different devices to stream movies and television shows to my TV and love this service. It worked well using the built-in software in my LG Blue Ray player and also works well using the Nintendo Wii. The only complaint I have is the quality of the audio - it is not full surround sound for most of the material I streamed, even though the video quality was HD in some cases.
Making the streaming service available on the Nintendo Wii was a genius move by Netflix as it instantly made their service available to many millions of households on their almost ubiquitous game player.
As far as television goes, we never watch television live anymore. It is always through the DVR on three different services so far, Dish network, AT&T U-verse, and Comcast. We would get rid of cable entirely, however, if current television shows and sports events were more widely available through services like Netflix.

8/29/2010 7:06 PM EDT

Mark, I agree that adding the Wii to Netflix's offering for streaming was genius. I only wish that the system could stream-in-background and have the memory buffer for those of use with slow DSL. Personally, I'm very happy for now with their "old" mail system. Very good customer service, etc.

8/30/2010 1:15 AM EDT

I find that MS Media Center is an incredibly useful interface in my customized configuration. So I wonder why MS seems to not show much interest in marketing it's benefits? Is there any other User Interface out there that has the same flexibility and expandability?

8/30/2010 10:54 AM EDT

Boxee+Apple TV/Mac mini is the best solution for a media center.

8/30/2010 6:44 PM EDT

The Financial Times today reported that Google with its YouTube video site is negotiating with Hollywood movie studios to offer pay-per-view video service by the end of this year. Let's see what news Apple's announcement tomorrow brings.

8/31/2010 12:43 PM EDT

User interface and typing text for TV is a bottleneck. However, with power of current embedded controllers and easy availability of touch screen functionality, can we incorporate smart remote controller with touch screen capability? With this, User Interface to TV will be very much like that to typing text on mobile phone. Again, this remote controller can be easily implemented with modules from mobile phone. It may incorporate some more intelligent functions for TV.

9/1/2010 12:49 PM EDT

Hulu & Netflix , provide my dose of free viral and vintage video programming ( more reminiscent of old TV commercial sponsored programming), whereas netflix provides our family a more cost effective delivery medium of contemporary entertainment medium directly to my desktop PC and Vizio TV set.

What troubles me is the bandwidth requirements from wifi infrastructure that video demands from the increasing population of portable devices. Something that I can not comprehend is the irrational appeal of video on tiny screens, which will explode (despite of the video size formats), and place an incredible burden and overcrowd regular telephony.

9/1/2010 7:09 PM EDT

So what to you think? New AppleTV-cool or yawn?

Incredibly small, A4 chip, no sync, streaming only, rent movies and TV shows from Apple, Netflix streaming,YouTube,plug-and-play, all for $99. No computer involved could be attractive to some, maybe even many. I've had an AppleTV for a few years and have used it quite a bit and I doubt that I'll spring for the new one. But it will be interesting to watch its impact, if any.

9/1/2010 9:39 PM EDT

I see this as more of a win for Netflix than for Apple. I can't believe that Jobs is happy about opening one of his platforms to foreign media, but Netflix has the media deals and the critical mass they needed. You have to wonder if Jobs is going to eventually stab them in the back or buy them out. The only way that this status quo will last is if Jobs doesn't really care about movie streaming.
Larry M.

9/4/2010 4:14 PM EDT

You're right. Netflix keeps going strong. The press has been unkind the the AppleTV announcement. The only problem I see is that Apple has pretty much cut out the PC. It does keep Apple in the game and unites all of the other Apple devices into the movie experience simply and cheaply. I'm going to stay with my Mac-based AppleTV and continue to look for a reasonable solution to streaming any and all content from my PC.