how do I watch movies which are on my computer to my TV?

[Semidevil]

IF I disconnect my desktop and take it near my PDP TV, is there something that I can buy so I can watch my movie files on the TV? My desktop is just a cheap compaq, so I"m sure it doesnt have all the required connections and input/output.

what type of hardware do I need to buy??

 

[LOUISSSSS]

what kind of inputs does ur Tv have?

Doesn't S-Video work? does ur Compaq have an S-Video out?

 

[Semidevil]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS
what kind of inputs does ur Tv have?

Doesn't S-Video work? does ur Compaq have an S-Video out?

this is my TV right here:

tv

I guess it has the S-video input, the blue, red, and yellow inputs, usb looking input, etc etc. I looked at my manual, and it has page about connecting pc to TV, but it doesn't say how and where.

as for my pc, it does not have an S-video out.

 

[TemjinGold]

If your Compaq has DVI, you can buy a DVI -> HDMI cable. I do that with my PC and my Samsung LCD currently.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Easiest way, buy a Philips DVD player which supports DIVX and also has a USB port on the front.

Transfer files to a USB jump drive then just plug it into the Philips player.


Pain in the ass to move your computer or run cable to you TV setup usually.

 

[Mutilator]

That TV has both HDMI and VGA in - you can connect a VGA (normal analog monitor cable) from the PC to the TV - or like said before if your PC has DVI out you could get a DVI - HDMI cable... this is how I have my PC hooked up to my Sanyo projector.

Cable examples:
15ft VGA
16ft DVI-HDMI

Keep in mind your sound will still be coming through your PC speakers.

 

[sdifox]

what video card and connectors do you have on the computer? best connection would be a dvi-hdmi cable, assuming your video card has 2 dvi ports. Not sure cheap Compaqs have those though

 

[Civic2oo1x]

Easy. Get something like this.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...E16817113001&Tpk=mg-35

Either use it like a external HDD and copy the files via USB or connect to your LAN and use it to stream.

 

[Semidevil]

Originally posted by: Civic2oo1x
Easy. Get something like this.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...E16817113001&Tpk=mg-35

Either use it like a external HDD and copy the files via USB or connect to your LAN and use it to stream.

Can I connect this to my TV and watch movies like that?

 

[Civic2oo1x]

Yes. Install a HD in it (it doesn't come with one). Format and partition the HD. Connect it to your PC via USB, drag and copy the files over. Connect to your TV via composite, S-Video, Component, DVI (only the 350-HD). Make sure the files you want to play have the proper codec. Most of these play Divx, Xvid, avi's, etc. Doesn't play h.264 or mkv's. The one I linked is the basic 3.5" HDD version, you can get that for around $100-120 w/o HD. There is a smaller one that takes 2.5" laptop drives for around $70 and a HD version that will play back certain HD content, adds DVI output, and playback for WM9.

These are much better at playing back video, they playback audio (but shouldn't be used as primarily an audio system) since they don't take ID3 tags and the imagine having to flip through thousands of songs. They also can view pictures, but jpeg primarily, I don't think they view .gif's and only the later ones show .bmp's.

These systems aren't perfect but for the price it's not bad. There's other options at different price points if you want to know more about, PM me.

 

[Andres3605]

PS3 is pretty nice to do this over wireless LAN, with the network media center, i have played several DIVX videos with no problems, although 399.99 is not what i would consider cheap .

 

[43st]

Originally posted by: Andres3605

PS3 is pretty nice to do this over wireless LAN, with the network media center, i have played several DIVX videos with no problems, although 399.99 is not what i would consider cheap .

The Xbox 360 and Wii can also be used, with something like Tversity (currently more geared toward the Xbox 360). I've tried it with the wireless Wii connection and it's so close to working it's almost painful. It stutters too much to be watchable.

Hopefully Wii streaming will be fixed. Or maybe another program works better?? I don't know.

 

[TechnoSaint]

You can also stream video and audio over your TiVo device if you have one, just connect it to the network, download the TiVo Desktop server software onto your PC and you can 'publish' your Music, pictures and Video to be viewed anywhere. You can get a free TiVo here (as posted in the AT Hot Deals Forum).

 

[Kadarin]

I've used Tversity serving video/audio wirelessly to a PS3 also, to good effect.

 

[kt]

I have one of these:

Mediamvp

 

[randym431]

When I messed with having a media pc, I used a 50 foot vga plus audio all in one cable from monoprice and added a MS media remote. Ran the cable from the pc to the tv vga.

Actually it worked nice, but I also use vista home (comes with media center). Media center alone added a lot of online goodies from MTV and others. I had to also add a remote IR extender cause the MS media remote is not RF and the pc was in another room (50 feet away).

I still have the 50' vga/audio cable and media center remote that I no longer use.
I ended up going to dlink media lounge and a networked hard drive from dlink dns-323.
It works a lot better because now any pc can share and use files off the networked storage as well as the media lounge. And the media lounge is both wired or wireless.

Only current issue is it seems the media lounge only see's the first 5 minutes of a movie file over 4.2 GB in size off the network storage. Anything sized below 4.2 shows and plays all the way thru. I think its a dlink firmware issue with the networked dns-323 since the media lounge plays any size file 100% fine off a networked pc itself. Just large media files on the net storage dns-323 has this size issue.

Naturally, dlink tech is like D.O.A.

And dlink's "how-to's" on youtube make it all look so easy...hahahahummmm