The old PC to TV story

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Rickles

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#92078 26-Oct-2011 09:43

Hi,

I currently stream videos, music, etc, etc, from my PC (hard disk or DVD drive), to the TV and audio system via wifi, using a media player at the TV/stereo end.

If I want to watch a missed TV program I can call up the likes of Replay or OnDemand, but how can one get the stream to the TV?

Most discussion in this Forum centers on various cabling, and I know I could run either s-video or DVI cables from the graphics card output to the media player, BUT a more elegant way (let alone holes in the walls), would be to utilise the wifi that is already in place.

Is there such a means available? Is there a simple means of getting the video stream to the wifi router?

Tks,

R.

wellygary

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#537589 26-Oct-2011 09:57

Without knowing exactly what media player you are using, its is impossible to tell whether it might be possible to "throw" the streamed content across the network to it.

LookingUp

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#537591 26-Oct-2011 10:00

Have you looked at the TVersity media server application?

I'm working on doing something similar, and found that it's one of the few apps that will allow you to create a list of streaming shortcuts that will play over it's DLNA/UPnP interface. Most of the other apps I've played with seem to limit you to "files", and don't let you (as far as I could tell) create shortcuts to streaming sources.

In my case, TVersity allows me to create a playlist containing a URL that can be read by a media player that directs a stream from a Vu+Duo satellite box.

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timmmay

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#537597 26-Oct-2011 10:03

The PS3 does it well. A cheaper option is the Western Digital Live (or something like that). Either can connect to DLNA software on your PC, I use PS3 Media Server, which my Samsung TV connects to fine as well.

LookingUp

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#537603 26-Oct-2011 10:07

I looked at a few of the "Media Server" boxes and found them to be limited, in that they tend have a fixed list of streaming sites and no way to add your own. They work OK with files though.

Things are LookingUp.... A photo from my back yard :-)

Rickles

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#537616 26-Oct-2011 10:21

wellgary ... it's an Astone AP-110D, and so far handled every meida file type thrown at it.

looking up ... not tried TVersity, couldn't find any software solution to date other than capturing the strean to file first.

R.

timmmay

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#537624 26-Oct-2011 10:26

Getting streams designed for a PC onto the TV is difficult. The PS3 runs TVNZ on demand, I think that's what it is anyway. It's easier to just download things then stream them from the PC to the TV using DLNA.

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Rickles

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#537638 26-Oct-2011 10:45

timmay ... thanks, but was hoping to not add another hardware layer.

The satellite TV program (ProgDVB) has a built-in server function, and I can get live TV on any other computer on the network no problems, but getting it (or the Replay stream) to a TV using some server-type software would be nice.

Or a device/dongle that connects the DVI or s-video output to ethernet .

R.

Rickles

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#537836 26-Oct-2011 16:58

timmmay,

>It's easier to just download things then stream them from the PC to the TV using DLNA.<

Got any recommendations for video stream download/capture software?

R.

timmmay

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#537840 26-Oct-2011 17:01

I don't capture streams. I bet you can find a source for most shows online, though none will be legal. I don't watch broadcast TV.

LookingUp

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#537864 26-Oct-2011 17:48

One of the challenges of streaming live TV to a device is that it has an unspecified file length, and media players generally expect one.

Over the weekend I trialled an AC Ryan player that defaulted TV streams to 14:22 mins, so every 14 mins it would assume that the stream was finished and then flick to the next channel on the playlist :-(

I understand that a PS3 doesn't have this problem, so that's what I'll be trying next.

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timmmay

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#537980 26-Oct-2011 22:24

PS3 works fine for the TVNZ on demand. Well, it's pretty crappy really, with a horrible interface, but it generally works. Try before you buy.