Streaming, multi-show channels?

RatLabGuy said:
yes, I'm pretty sure they do.
Unfortunately I can't find a way to get it through a streaming box, e.g. an AMC channel... it really blows trying to watch it on my laptop, and hooking the laptop up to the TV means I can't noodle around on this great website while I watch...
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Why not? Use an extended desktop and send the tv viewing screen to your TV as a monitor and use your laptop screen to noodle around on NC4x4.
 
ManglerYJ said:
Why not? Use an extended desktop and send the tv viewing screen to your TV as a monitor and use your laptop screen to noodle around on NC4x4.
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For some reason my screen extension rarely works properly like that. Always some kind of bleed over or things not going the right way. I'm sure it will work, but that's kinda a pain in the butt, having to run a cable across the living room for my kids to trip over and and my wife to bitch about being the in the way and all.
 
All you need for cutting the cord...
OTA card(s) in a PC set up to a TV, this will also usually allow for DVRing OTA shows via Media Center or similar (i.e. Media Portal)
https://adblockplus.org/ - To prevent unwanted pop-ups
https://www.sidereel.com - To track any show or series you may want to follow
http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/ - To watch most any show or series
http://watchseries.lt/ - To watch most any show or series

This doesn't help with live streaming of real time events like sports but it is absolutely free
 
Rox&Mud said:
Sorry it was over your head

Been doing this about five years and the above works great and has saved me over $5k if I added up what I would have paid
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Minus the issue of (1) having to buy/dedicate a PC to do it, wife and I both use laptops that we travel to work and back with and (2) being tethered to using a PC for the TV interaction... would have to teach my wife & kids how to use it.

I get the point, but I (like most people, I think) am willing to admit being lazy in this department, and would rather go through a streaming device that is nice and idiot proof to use.

(a decade ago I was using a TV card in my home-built PC so ya, I've been there)
 
The beauty of Media Center in Win7/8 or Media Portal is it acts just like sat/cable with guides and DVR capabilities etc and can even use a regular remote control if you like. The other web sites I listed make pay tv and OTA shows available by show/season/episode commercial free. The important thing is the adblock to prevent non family oriented pop ups. Beyond that it's pretty easy. I use Sidereel to track what shows we watch and the media center is set up to record anything that comes in OTA. It does require a dedicated PC. I built mine from scratch just for this and still have less than $300 in it including OEM Win7 and a 1TB drive for DVR music and movies. Granted it's not for everyone but if your looking to stop paying for TV it's really not hard to figure out. My wife, who is technically challenged, likes that she can stream anything she wants to watch whenever she wants to. Unfortunately it still doesn't address the random programing issue.

I hope you find a solution to your need, I'd be interested to see what you find or come up with
 
You can buy a set top box media player for under $75 that will do Pandora, Youtube, Hulu, Netflix, etc. along with play files that you have on a network drive or network computer. IE...download stuff onto your laptop then just locate it with your player.

I just used a program to download a few hours of expedition and fourwheeler tv shows on my laptop. I will send them over to my media network drive and watch them later. All data transfer is done at night for faster speed. No commercials and all the content I want. Sometimes hunting for it is half the fun!

https://www.youtube.com/user/ExpeditionOverland
 
Yeah, Windows Media Player can be controlled with a remote. We hooked a PC up to the TV about eight years ago. It's fucking great. It'll play anything that you could possibly want to watch. Or sometimes you just fawk around on the internet with it.

I think back then, we probably had $600 in the PC. It can be done for a lot less today, since most onboard video chips can handle HD video.

197658_10151238985838636_1452611593_n.jpg

Sara watching the Crandon live feed a few years ago.

DSC_8561.JPG

Getting some work done.
 
I also have a PC hooked to my TV. I use a wireless keyboard with a built in mouse so I can just sit on the couch and control the PC. Works like a charm when I actually use it.
 
Something on the kitchen counter makes Cyd look like she has a Dave H style chin bumper in that pic
 
Ron said:
Something on the kitchen counter makes Cyd look like she has a Dave H style chin bumper in that pic
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I believe thats a left index finger.
 
Ron said:
Something on the kitchen counter makes Cyd look like she has a Dave H style chin bumper in that pic
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lol I thought that too.
Yikes.
 
Okay so I have a question, you'd think being 23 id know this crap but I'm not to tech savy. What would I need and have to do to link my lab top to my tv. Just got my first flat screen hd tv so ya I'm behind the times lol. Sorry for the side track
 
depends on laptop. If its newer it likely has an HDMI output. Simply plug a cable into laptop and tv
 
Loganwayne said:
Okay so I have a question, you'd think being 23 id know this crap but I'm not to tech savy. What would I need and have to do to link my lab top to my tv. Just got my first flat screen hd tv so ya I'm behind the times lol. Sorry for the side track
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yep - these days your laptop may have an HDMI output on it.
A lot of TVs no longer come w/ the old VGA inputs (blue 25-pin) anymore, they are digital-input only.

If you post up the model # for the laptop and TV I'm sure one of us can tell you in 60 seconds or less.
 
Lol I guess I missed that whole era of TVs with those my last one only had the cable jack and the red, white, and yellow plug. I know the tv does but I'll probably have to buy some kind of adapter since I have a mac
 
I'm all for and have contemplated plugging a tower into the TV and hooking it up to the INTRAWEBS. Haven't looked lately, but do new computers come with Bluray readers? That would cover all the bases and not even have to switch inputs on the TV.
 
mbalbritton said:
I'm all for and have contemplated plugging a tower into the TV and hooking it up to the INTRAWEBS. Haven't looked lately, but do new computers come with Bluray readers? That would cover all the bases and not even have to switch inputs on the TV.
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Depends. But if it's just a regular PC chassis, you can get a SATA bluray player for $50 or less.
 
shawn said:
Depends. But if it's just a regular PC chassis, you can get a SATA bluray player for $50 or less.
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hm. Now that I think of it... the last computer I built at home had IDE drives. And a floppy drive.o_O
 
I have two decent-ish Dell PCs up in the attic that were discards from work. Either would make a decent HTPC, but both would probably need new(er) video cards with HDMI outs, might also need a hard drive.

There are quite a few home theater PC build threads out on the internets. Here are a couple I found:

http://techbuyersguru.com/HTPCbuild.php

http://mymediaexperience.com/updated-htpc-recommendations/

I'm not sure I could get behind any of the raspberry pi builds or any of that stuff. But there's enough information out there to piece something together, especially if you have some discarded older PCs to start with.

The little SiliconDust HDHomeRun boxes aren't a bad deal. $75 gets you two tuners that work with any device over ethernet, or send SD signals over wifi. $99 gets you HD over wifi. (Still need a PC, just allows your PC to watch TV or record OTA broadcasts).
http://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHomeRun-Compatible-Streaming-HDHR4-2US/dp/B00GY0UB54/

They also have the benefit of not requiring an open PCI slot in the computer (or a case that allows for them).
 
I am about to scrap a good number of enterprise Dell dual core 3 GHZish PC's that would be a good platform for a Media Center PC. Optiplex 745. 755, 760. If anyone wants one let me know soon.
 
Rox&Mud said:
I am about to scrap a good number of enterprise Dell dual core 3 GHZish PC's that would be a good platform for a Media Center PC. Optiplex 745. 755, 760. If anyone wants one let me know soon.
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I could use one of you are dumping them. Our desktop crapped the bed a few months ago
 
Rox&Mud said:
I am about to scrap a good number of enterprise Dell dual core 3 GHZish PC's that would be a good platform for a Media Center PC. Optiplex 745. 755, 760. If anyone wants one let me know soon.
Click to expand...

Hm - actually - I'll be in Raleigh next weekend...
 
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