Help set up TV to watch pool

ipoppa33

ipoppa33

Shakedown Custom Rods
Silver Member
Have an older plasma that I want to be able to watch streaming pool on. How are you doing it??? I was going to buy a wifi bluray player to connect with the internet but I'm not sure if I will be able to view the ustream and other channels that pool is streamed on. Then I was thinking about getting on eof those Roku units, now I'm just confused. I know I can buy one of these devices and be able to get internet just not sure how to get the sites that stream pool.
If anyone has a setup that works or knows how this should work I'd appreciate it.

Thanks. Stan
 
Wow that was fast. I have 2 HDMI outputs, but of component plugs, s-video.
Thanks.
Stan
 
It's very easy...you need a computer near the TV. If your TV has a VGA input, then all you need to do is buy a VGA cable to connect the TV and computer. Now the TV is the computer monitor. Your TV definitely has RCA input so you could buy a VGA to RCA cable and connect the computer to the TV.

If you're using a laptop, you'll need to make sure the computer knows which display to use (TV or laptop screen). If you have Windows, then you'll go into Start>Control Panel>Display Settings

Edit: Your TV shouldn't have any HDMI outputs on it. Maybe inputs? Here's a VGA>S-Video that should work for you...
http://compare.ebay.com/like/130576243627?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

Note: VGA will not carry audio. You'll need to connect your speakers to the computer.

Another edit: If the video card on your computer has an HDMI out, then you can connect TV to computer via HDMI.
 
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I'm not aware of any wireless solution to do what you want, be it a blueray player or a Roku. From what little I know, those devices really only allow streaming of pay services like netflix and hulu plus. Perhaps there are ways to modify them, though I'm not aware of any.

So you kind of need a laptop connected to the tv. Which gets back to drews question, what inputs does your tv have? And what output does your laptop have?
 
Well you are on here so you obviously have a computer. If your TV has an HDMI input or S Video input then you can hook up your laptop to it, I am sure it has one of those. The older plasmas did not all have HDMI input but most likely S Video or VGA input so you can use your TV as a computer monitor. If you do not have a laptop you can either pick up a newer laptop that has HDMI output and the older ones have S Video output.

You can go the other way which I am going to do soon and pick up a mini computer tower like they use in hospital and doctors office and hook it up to my TV in the living room with a wireless mouse and keyboard for when I want to watch live streams or whatever else. The Roku and Blu-Ray with wifi do not have browsers I believe so no Ustream and whatnot, they are not meant for what your trying to do so do not waste your time or money.
 
i posted this in another thread. i have an older laptop and lcd tv. my laptop has an "s" video out. I have to turn off the tv and laptop and make the following connections - the s video cable from laptop to tv and i bought a cable that goes from the headphone jack in the computer to red and white connectors to the tv for sound. after that i turn it all on the lcd is essentially a giant monitor.
 
As far as I know, none of the media players support ustream out of the box. Roku has a little support for ustream through third party developments, but I don't think it's very stable.

Your best bet is to hook a computer up to your TV. If you want the "set top box" look, there are a number of smaller "home theater PC's," such as the Dell Zino HD.
 
ipoppa33 said:
Have an older plasma that I want to be able to watch streaming pool on. How are you doing it??? I was going to buy a wifi bluray player to connect with the internet but I'm not sure if I will be able to view the ustream and other channels that pool is streamed on. Then I was thinking about getting on eof those Roku units, now I'm just confused. I know I can buy one of these devices and be able to get internet just not sure how to get the sites that stream pool.
If anyone has a setup that works or knows how this should work I'd appreciate it.

Thanks. Stan
Click to expand...

The units you mention are aimed at accessing some particular web sites and have built in applications for those sites, such as Netflix, Pandora, etc. Some newer products actually offer web browsers, but you are way better off just buying a cheap PC. You really don't need much to watch streaming video. Any of those $399 desktops will do the trick.

For connections, you will need one of the following options:

1) HDMI. In most cases this will provide you with audio and video, but not always. It depends on the capabilities of the computer you have. Your plasma probably has HDMI connections unless it is more than about 7 years old. If either your computer or your TV does not support audio over HDMI, you will need a 1/8" mini stereo male plug to RCA stereo male (red and white) adapter. The 1/8" mini end would go in the "Line Out" on your PC, and the otehr end would go in the left and right audio inputs that correspond to the HDMI input you are using on your TV.

2) DVI/Stereo audio. This is exactly as above. Most all computers have a DVI out for a digital monitor connection. This looks like a white rectangular jack with many pins, about 1" wide. DVI does not pass any audio, but is otherwise equivalent to HDMI. If your computer has DVI and your TV only has HDMI (likely), you just get a DVI to HDMI adapter. In this scenario, you would use a DVI female to HDMI female adapter, then just use a standard HDMI cable between the adapter and your TV. If your TV has DVI, just use a DVI cable. In either case, use an audio cable as described in option 1 above.

3) Component video/stereo audio. This option is generally a lower quality picture, though can still look quite good. You may have to mess with the settings for your video on your computer, as not all resolutions will translate properly to your TV screen. It is possible though unlikely that your computer will offer component video out. A component video connection is comprised of 3 analog video connections, green, blue, and red. They are generally RCA connections. More likely, your computer may have a multi pole 1/8" mini jack that breaks out into a component video "dongle" (this is a little 6" long cord that basically serves as a 1/8" mini *video* jack to a 3 RCA component video cable. great name too huh?). Also likely is a situation in which your computer has no component out at all. In this case, you will need to use a VGA to component video adapter. The "VGA" connection is the old school computer monitor jack. On very new super flat TV's, they often use a dongle for component video connections as well. You would then also use the audio cable as described above.

Post what you have for a TV (model # ideally). If you have a PC you can use, post what types of connections it has.

I can give you more info from there.

Thanks,

KMRUNOUT
 
Thanks for the quick responses. The tv is a Panansonic TH-50PC77U. I don't have a laptop just a PC, it's a HP Pavilion p6110f, the computer is accross the room from the TV so I was hoping to be able to use wifi to hook them up.
Sounds like I just need to connect the computer to the TV then use the TV as a monitor.
Let me know if you need anymore info.
Thanks.
Stan
 
I have a Roku and if there is a way to watch ustream or youtube on it, I haven't figured it out, so I don't think Roku is your answer.
 
Ok, I did more research now that I have a direction to go. Tell me if you think this will work- buying a new video card Radeon 6450 that has hdmi, also getting a long enough hdmi cable to reach the tv. Less than $70 shipped.
I think this will work well, let me know if you don't think it will.
Thanks again.
Stan
 
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