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What does my TV need?

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melonfool
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What does my TV need?

#78610

Postby melonfool » September 2nd, 2017, 12:12 pm

I have a pretty ordinary TV, Samsung, was described as HD ready when I bought it about 6 years ago.

It is connected via an aerial and I have a DVD player.

My broadband has just been connected and seems pretty good - 35mps, fibre to the door (I *think* - it's def fibre and I have a new-style BT Openreach socket, the provider is Plusnet).

I'd like to be able to stop live TV, record, get Iplayer et all on the TV. I don't want to pay any monthly subscriptions (I might get Netflix at some later date).

What gadget do I need? There is no satellite dish at the property.

I will also be getting a second TV for the kitchen at some point.

thanks

Mel

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78632

Postby quelquod » September 2nd, 2017, 1:17 pm

You need a Freeview box which will work from your aerial (not Freesat which is the satellite equivalent and needs a dish). You need one with recording capability (most other than low-end do) and with Ethernet capability (pretty usual amongst recording models) for catchup and other broadband-based services. Choose the amount of storage (how many hours of recording you might want) and check that any particular broadband-based services that you might want to use (Iplayer et al) are installed/supported. If your router is too far away for an Ethernet cable to be convenient you can use a powerplug setup as it will be very restrictive to find a box with a wireless connection (don't know of one offhand). There is a fair number of manufacturers - Humax is well-known as is YouView but there is a choice. I have a Humax but the user interface as usual gets both good and bad reviews, OK for me. Best to nip into a decent sized Curry's and have a browse for appearance that suits you - the specs are all available on the www if the assistants aren't knowledgeable (or trustworthy!). Check that your telly can accept whatever output connection the box has if it's an old model (very probable these days but check) and that there're enough inputs to take your DVD too. If you're getting a second telly many have FreeView and Ethernet built in but few if any do recording (fine for kitchen/bedroom though).

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78637

Postby kiloran » September 2nd, 2017, 1:38 pm

A Freeview box will enable you to record TV, but it will not necessarily have iPlayer and the like. For this, consider a streaming stick such as https://www.roku.com/en-gb/products/compare

It plugs into an HDMI socket on your TV (check you have one!) and is powered from the mains via a small adapter. It connects to your wifi and is controlled by a small remote control or via an app on your phone. It will give you iPlayer, ITV Player, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube and much much more. Netflix and the like will require a subscription of course.

--kiloran

melonfool
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Re: What does my TV need?

#78639

Postby melonfool » September 2nd, 2017, 1:49 pm

quelquod wrote:You need a Freeview box which will work from your aerial (not Freesat which is the satellite equivalent and needs a dish). You need one with recording capability (most other than low-end do) and with Ethernet capability (pretty usual amongst recording models) for catchup and other broadband-based services. Choose the amount of storage (how many hours of recording you might want) and check that any particular broadband-based services that you might want to use (Iplayer et al) are installed/supported. If your router is too far away for an Ethernet cable to be convenient you can use a powerplug setup as it will be very restrictive to find a box with a wireless connection (don't know of one offhand). There is a fair number of manufacturers - Humax is well-known as is YouView but there is a choice. I have a Humax but the user interface as usual gets both good and bad reviews, OK for me. Best to nip into a decent sized Curry's and have a browse for appearance that suits you - the specs are all available on the www if the assistants aren't knowledgeable (or trustworthy!). Check that your telly can accept whatever output connection the box has if it's an old model (very probable these days but check) and that there're enough inputs to take your DVD too. If you're getting a second telly many have FreeView and Ethernet built in but few if any do recording (fine for kitchen/bedroom though).


Ah, yes, thank you!

It is too far for ethernet, the socket is in the cupboard under the stairs, which is in the kitchen, so not much use (plus it's right at the back, which was fun to set up and will be fun to sort out if it goes wrong).

I'll get home plugs, I'd forgotten about those.

I've had Humax before, albeit the sat one, so am sure I'd be fine with it.

The DV connects with the old style thingy, the big bulky one.

This one appears to be wi-fi: http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-hom ... 5-pdt.html

Annoyingly, the freesat ones come far cheaper with wi-fi, it's baffling.

You're right that I don't need to record in the kitchen, might be nice to have inbuilt DVD to watch films while cooking etc.

Mel

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78640

Postby melonfool » September 2nd, 2017, 1:51 pm

kiloran wrote:A Freeview box will enable you to record TV, but it will not necessarily have iPlayer and the like. For this, consider a streaming stick such as https://www.roku.com/en-gb/products/compare

It plugs into an HDMI socket on your TV (check you have one!) and is powered from the mains via a small adapter. It connects to your wifi and is controlled by a small remote control or via an app on your phone. It will give you iPlayer, ITV Player, Amazon, Netflix, YouTube and much much more. Netflix and the like will require a subscription of course.

--kiloran


I do have HDMI sockets.

I have an Amzon Firestick, is that the same thing? I've never used it, I plugged it in once and it just seemed to be trying to get me to connect to Amazon Prime (which I neither have nor want).

Mel

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78681

Postby quelquod » September 2nd, 2017, 4:43 pm

melonfool wrote:The DV connects with the old style thingy, the big bulky one.

Mel

SCART I guess.
Less common nowadays - annoyingly as I want a new small TV for the kitchen and I have a set-top box which has a SCART output (plus RF which since it's analogue often isn't supported either). :(

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78692

Postby kiloran » September 2nd, 2017, 5:17 pm

melonfool wrote:
I do have HDMI sockets.

I have an Amzon Firestick, is that the same thing? I've never used it, I plugged it in once and it just seemed to be trying to get me to connect to Amazon Prime (which I neither have nor want).

Mel

I don't have a Firestick but it appears to be very similar to the Roku, Mel. I would have thought you could use it for iPlayer etc without signing up for Amazon Prime, but that's just a guess.

--kiloran

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78695

Postby Itsallaguess » September 2nd, 2017, 5:24 pm

kiloran wrote:
I don't have a Firestick but it appears to be very similar to the Roku, Mel. I would have thought you could use it for iPlayer etc without signing up for Amazon Prime, but that's just a guess.


I agree that this is something worth looking into, although I've not got a Firestick to test it out at the moment.

On the off-chance that iPlayer can't be used with an unregistered Firestick, then do be aware that an unregistered Now TV box can be used to access it, along with quite a few other online services, as well as the normal Freeview channels -

https://help.nowtv.com/article/do-i-nee ... now-tv-box

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78701

Postby Slarti » September 2nd, 2017, 5:50 pm

melonfool wrote:It is too far for ethernet, the socket is in the cupboard under the stairs, which is in the kitchen, so not much use


It probably isn't too far for ethernet.

I bought a 25m cat 6 outdoor spec cable and ran it round the outside of the house from the router to a switch in my office.
Works a treat, but did require the borrowing of a drill that was man enough to do the holes, and then use of mastic after threading cable.

Slarti

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78704

Postby melonfool » September 2nd, 2017, 6:05 pm

Slarti wrote:
melonfool wrote:It is too far for ethernet, the socket is in the cupboard under the stairs, which is in the kitchen, so not much use


It probably isn't too far for ethernet.

I bought a 25m cat 6 outdoor spec cable and ran it round the outside of the house from the router to a switch in my office.
Works a treat, but did require the borrowing of a drill that was man enough to do the holes, and then use of mastic after threading cable.

Slarti


You're right, it isn't *technically* too far, more massively inconvenient. It'd have to be connected to the wall within the understairs cupboard and run right round it on the inside (so as not to be trailing across the floor in there), then through the wall, then be run all the way round the wall of the living room as the TV is on the other side.

It's probably cheaper to buy the box with wi-fi than get someone in to do that (no, I can't do it myself!).

:)

Mel

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78705

Postby Itsallaguess » September 2nd, 2017, 6:07 pm

Itsallaguess wrote:
On the off-chance that iPlayer can't be used with an unregistered Firestick, then do be aware that an unregistered Now TV box can be used to access it, along with quite a few other online services, as well as the normal Freeview channels -

https://help.nowtv.com/article/do-i-nee ... now-tv-box


Apologies, but I did mean to add that the Now TV boxes can often be found for as little as £10 when they are on offer in the various supermarkets and Argos.

These offers regularly pop up on HotUKDeals, so it might be worth keeping an eye out there if it's a valid option - https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals-new

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78710

Postby Slarti » September 2nd, 2017, 6:25 pm

melonfool wrote:
Slarti wrote:
melonfool wrote:It is too far for ethernet, the socket is in the cupboard under the stairs, which is in the kitchen, so not much use


It probably isn't too far for ethernet.

I bought a 25m cat 6 outdoor spec cable and ran it round the outside of the house from the router to a switch in my office.
Works a treat, but did require the borrowing of a drill that was man enough to do the holes, and then use of mastic after threading cable.

Slarti


You're right, it isn't *technically* too far, more massively inconvenient. It'd have to be connected to the wall within the understairs cupboard and run right round it on the inside (so as not to be trailing across the floor in there), then through the wall, then be run all the way round the wall of the living room as the TV is on the other side.

It's probably cheaper to buy the box with wi-fi than get someone in to do that (no, I can't do it myself!).

:)

Mel


It can be a PITA to set these things up, but once done, use and forget. I'd probably run the cable up the wall inside the cupboard and across the underside of a step. But I do understand things being a problem when you have to pay to get it done.

I also use HomePlug type plugs for the TV to router connection and despite running through 3 extension leads they seem to work OK.

Slarti

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78714

Postby melonfool » September 2nd, 2017, 6:33 pm

Underside of what step? There is no step?

It's a small house, but also a terrace, so if I try to take things outside they either have to go over the roof or all along the street (having first crossed the kitchen to get to the outside wall, presumably all round the walls), round the corner, all along the backs of the houses (OK, it's only three as I am no 7) or along the edge of the public footpath, down the back garden, in the patio doors....admittedly it's only then about two feet to the TV!

;)

Homeplugs do seem to mean I can buy a far cheaper box, so maybe I'll do that. I can get a 7% off voucher and 1.5% cashback for Currys through a scheme at work so I will get that once I am back in on Monday and then look at buying all this next weekend.

Btw - with the Now TV thing, why do all the offers say things like 'with free 3m entertainment pass' - that implies there is a monthly sub?

Ta
Mel

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78722

Postby Alaric » September 2nd, 2017, 7:29 pm

melonfool wrote:Btw - with the Now TV thing, why do all the offers say things like 'with free 3m entertainment pass' - that implies there is a monthly sub?


Only if you want there to be one. It gives access to the Sky Entertainment, Sky Film channels or Sky Sports. When we scrapped our Sky subscription a Now TV sub was a necessary part of the deal to enable Game of Thrones to be watched. A second TV upstairs which does not have a satellite or aerial connection has a sub free Now TV box, which works with BBC Iplayer and other free to view stuff. You need wifi or an equivalent home network to make these tricks work.

Many supermarkets, Asda anyway, sell Now TV packages. Take a look at the small print on the box as to what it offers with and without extra payment.

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78723

Postby Itsallaguess » September 2nd, 2017, 7:41 pm

melonfool wrote:
Btw - with the Now TV thing, why do all the offers say things like 'with free 3m entertainment pass' - that implies there is a monthly sub?


I think the majority of the NowTV boxes, even the cheap ones around a tenner, will often come with a teaser-subscription code, either of the Sports, Entertaintment, or Movies package.

These do require a credit or debit-card registration initially, but so long as you remember to cancel before your first payment date, it's a painless way to see what's on offer for the subscription fees themselves, and is useful if you're interested in the relevant package contents.

Over the years I've actually bought a few of the £10 offer-boxes over the winter periods just to get the free two or three-months Movies-package codes, and have given the boxes themselves away. It's a fairly cheap way to get through some of the dark and cold winter nights, as I don't subscribe to any of the cable or satellite subscriptions, and for a tenner it's a pretty good way to keep up with some of the more recent films that I might otherwise struggle to catch.

I should mention that the YouTube app is also available on the subscription-free side with the NowTV boxes, and is a good way to get music and suchlike into your TV-viewing area.

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78747

Postby Stompa » September 2nd, 2017, 9:09 pm

kiloran wrote:I don't have a Firestick but it appears to be very similar to the Roku, Mel. I would have thought you could use it for iPlayer etc without signing up for Amazon Prime, but that's just a guess.

Yes you can use it for iPlayer (and other players) without subscribing to Amazon Prime.

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78759

Postby melonfool » September 2nd, 2017, 10:34 pm

OK, so I'll get a Freesat with homeplugs, and will try and set up the Amazon Fire thing first (I can, for now, watch iplayer on the laptop).

I don't want anything that brings anything from Sky into my house, so NowTV will be on the back burner if that's what it does. Even if it's free! I've never seen GOT and don't feel the need to start now.

I might try the winter film trick at some point though, reminds me of the free trials on Love Film years ago. Ta

Mel

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78763

Postby chas49 » September 2nd, 2017, 10:59 pm

melonfool wrote:OK, so I'll get a Freesat with homeplugs, and will try and set up the Amazon Fire thing first (I can, for now, watch iplayer on the laptop).


Why Freesat? You'll need a dish for that and you said you don't have one.

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78764

Postby melonfool » September 2nd, 2017, 11:03 pm

chas49 wrote:
melonfool wrote:OK, so I'll get a Freesat with homeplugs, and will try and set up the Amazon Fire thing first (I can, for now, watch iplayer on the laptop).


Why Freesat? You'll need a dish for that and you said you don't have one.


Sorry, sorry! FreeVIEW I meant. No, no satellite dish (had freesat at last two houses, so that's why it's what I'm used to saying).

Mel

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Re: What does my TV need?

#78988

Postby superFoolish » September 4th, 2017, 4:38 am

We have found that by far the easiest way of getting media onto a TV is to plug in a (somewhat small) Google Chromecast (which works on wifi). As long as you have either an Android or iOS phone or tablet, then pretty-much anything that you can watch on the portable device can be 'cast' onto the TV with a single click. i.e, you start playing whatever you want to watch (YouTube, iPlayer, Netflix, etc.) on your portable device, tap the Chromecast icon, and it 'magically' starts playing on your TV. You can then use the portable device to control pause, rewind, etc, if you wish.

This does pretty-much everything you could need, with the exception that (as far as I know) you can't use it to watch live broadcasts and pause, rewind, etc. For that, you will need Freeview, as suggested by others.

If you live somewhere that has decent broadcast TV, then Freeview (or equivalent) is probably worthwhile. If you live somewhere that broadcasts either repeats of international content, or low-quality (I'm being kind) domestic content (e.g. Australia), then a Chromecast is all you will need.

If everything you watch is available on iPlayer (or commercial equivalent), then I'm not sure why Freeview would be beneficial.

Many people are under the misapprehension that, when playing via Chromecast, the video is being sent from the portable device to the Chromecast box. It is not; when you touch the Chromecast icon, it 'hands-over' the streaming from the portable device to the Chromecast box, and the portable device is no longer required (unless you want to use it as a remote control).


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