Buying a TV to watch streams

iusedtoberich

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi guys,

I had a recent score and had trouble deciding what to buy. I had considered swiss watches, high dollar hookers, new cue, etc. lol. I finally decided to use the money to buy a new flat screen TV. I currently don't have a tv, and the last tv I bought was 10 yrs ago and was a tube tv.

I've never hooked anything to a TV before except an antenna cable and a DVD and VCR, via RCA jacks, or antenna cables.

What connections do I need to be able to watch the pool streams on it? I have an Apple Macbook Pro, which has a DVI output. I'm also thinking of getting an Apple TV, in addition to the flatscreen. I don't know too much about it but do know it is a device that connects with wires to the TV, but then can also connect through Wifi to my laptop (in addition to the flatscreen).

Any other things to look for for hooking up my laptop to a new tv?

I'm a technically savvy person. I just have not been following tv's for the last 10 years.

My budget is 2500 total.

Thanks for any help.
 
It's an HDMI output. Not sure how it goes as I haven't done it before, but it has been done at my house from another person's laptop.

I got a new tv last week and love it. I got a 46" Toshiba Regza 1080p LCD which came with a Toshiba blue ray player for $1000. For your budget you can bump up to the new LED televisions. The picture is definitely better than mine.....not sure if I would say that it is $500 worth of better or not.
 
iusedtoberich said:
Hi guys,

I had a recent score and had trouble deciding what to buy. I had considered swiss watches, high dollar hookers, new cue, etc. lol. I finally decided to use the money to buy a new flat screen TV. I currently don't have a tv, and the last tv I bought was 10 yrs ago and was a tube tv.

I've never hooked anything to a TV before except an antenna cable and a DVD and VCR, via RCA jacks, or antenna cables.

What connections do I need to be able to watch the pool streams on it? I have an Apple Macbook Pro, which has a DVI output. I'm also thinking of getting an Apple TV, in addition to the flatscreen. I don't know too much about it but do know it is a device that connects with wires to the TV, but then can also connect through Wifi to my laptop (in addition to the flatscreen).

Any other things to look for for hooking up my laptop to a new tv?

I'm a technically savvy person. I just have not been following tv's for the last 10 years.

My budget is 2500 total.

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

Do yourself a favor and get an DVI to HDMI converter. Image quality is the same in both DVI and HDMI. However,DVI doesn't carry audio,but you can hook it up separately.

When you have it hooked up to your tv just adjust your input settings with your remote.Your tv will recognize it as a computer,and you will be streaming. You may have to adjust the picture settings on your laptop after getting everything hooked up.

As far as actual tv's.. www.slickdeals.net has damn near every sale going on in the united states on it. LCD is nice..Plasma is nice..Dlp is shitty IMO..Refresh rates and picture capability are concerns,when buying. The prices for very nice televisions are very reasonable atm.
 
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iusedtoberich said:
Hi guys,

I had a recent score and had trouble deciding what to buy. I had considered swiss watches, high dollar hookers, new cue, etc. lol. I finally decided to use the money to buy a new flat screen TV. I currently don't have a tv, and the last tv I bought was 10 yrs ago and was a tube tv.

I've never hooked anything to a TV before except an antenna cable and a DVD and VCR, via RCA jacks, or antenna cables.

What connections do I need to be able to watch the pool streams on it? I have an Apple Macbook Pro, which has a DVI output. I'm also thinking of getting an Apple TV, in addition to the flatscreen. I don't know too much about it but do know it is a device that connects with wires to the TV, but then can also connect through Wifi to my laptop (in addition to the flatscreen).

Any other things to look for for hooking up my laptop to a new tv?

I'm a technically savvy person. I just have not been following tv's for the last 10 years.

My budget is 2500 total.

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

When I go to a show I will often rent a large flat screen TV for demos. I look for ones with monitor hookups. That way you can make your tv into a monitor and watch the streams that way.

I have no clue on other ways to do it.
 
Flatscreen for $1500 and another laptop with an HDMI port for under $1000 and your set for sure, might have enough left if you shop around for a nice surround sound system. :wink:
 
Fast Lenny said:
Flatscreen for $1500 and another laptop with an HDMI port for under $1000 and your set for sure, might have enough left if you shop around for a nice surround sound system. :wink:
Click to expand...

Heck you buy a 46" LED flatscreen for $1500 now. I almost dove in to get that one, but decided to be responsible for a change bleaaaah it leaves a bad taste in my mouth
 
If you are in to doing your homework, especially since you are spending a good bit of cash, check out this website: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/

This forum is sort of the AZB for HDTV's, very active with a lot of good info. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on this forum to help you decide what you need and which make/model to buy.

Hope this helps.
 
JB Cases said:
When I go to a show I will often rent a large flat screen TV for demos. I look for ones with monitor hookups. That way you can make your tv into a monitor and watch the streams that way.

I have no clue on other ways to do it.
Click to expand...

You're using VGA,which is fine. HDMI will support a better picture and is hooked up the same way,but that depends on the original video source.BTW Your cases are very nice..

EDIT: The above post mentions the avs forum. It is a very good site for learning. I've posted on there for awhile.
 
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There is a thread but I can't find it.

http://www.rockmyhdtv.com/rockmyhdtv/how-to-connect-your-compu.html

A year or so ago I hooked up mine (Sharp Aquos) using
VGA Input connectors on the TV and on the computer.
(The TV manual calls the VGA input connection Analog RBG)

I got a splitter from Tiger Direct - one connects the computer monitor , the second connects the TV.
The cable from the TV to the splitter is 25 feet long.
I can disconnect at the splitter and store the cable near the TV without disconnecting from the TV.

The VGA cable does not carry audio. I have a good sound system with the computer, so I simply use it for audio when watching web feed on the TV.

If you go looking for a TV I'll bet you don't find any salesman that knows anything about connecting a computer to the TV
Demand to see the TV manual
Might be on the web if you know the exact model number.

I expect that not all of the Input Terminals on the TV can be used to connect to a computer - the manual will tell you - on mine 2 of the 6 Input Terminals will accept computer feed.

Check your computer and its manual to see what connections you have.
Mine has:
S-video - My TV won't accept it as a computer feed - it is associated with a non-computer Input source - although the TV has an S-video Input Terminal .
VGA (aka RBG) - doesn't carry audio, audio requires separate cable
DVI - TV does not have DVI terminal - you can get cable with DVI at one end and HDMI at the other


So, you see, if you don't have an HDMI terminal on your computer, things are not straight forward.

HDMI cable prices range from moderate to preposterous.
Price is no indication of performance.
 
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I don't work for Best Buy, mind you, but...
They, and I'm sure other places, will now send folks out to hook your stuff up for you for a fairly reasonable amount - say $100. Why guess that you'll get it right?
 
Thanks for everyone's input. I read the replies, and also did some searching on Mac specific forums. It seems the best way for my computer is to use a DVI to HDMI cable. And then run a separate cable for the sound to the TV. I'm going to go this route.

I might also buy an Apple TV (not a television, but a set top box). I can see the value in this product for me.
 
I had an AppleTV but ended up selling it. If you do buy one, look in to "Boxee" and putting that on your AppleTV - it basically lets you do everything on the AppleTV that you want to do, but Apple won't let you do.
 
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