Anyone Using Computer for Main TV in Lounge?

radderfire

radderfire

radderfire

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I'm thinking about a new TV solution for my lounge. I could either buy a decent new flatscreen, e.g. a Samsung LED with Smart TV, or think about a solution that uses a computer instead, e.g. old laptop with a projector, or a new computer bought especially.

The thing that puts me off trying to use a computer is that you can't turn the TV on quickly, it's fiddly and there's a delay. Is there a solution to this issue? Does anyone use a computer-based solution for their main TV successfully?

The thing is, the main TV will only be for visitors really, I can watch TV on my laptop in my office. If I buy a good TV, I'll only spend more time watching it!!! :D

Thanks
 
I use a computer connected to my Samsung as the main TV and I don't know how I got on without it! Use it to watch film rips, iplayer, 4od, itv player and Sky Go. I still use the built in Freeview on the TV but only rarely as anything I watch I'll just catch on iplayer at my convenience.

Tempted to get a tuner for it purely so I can record MOTD :p
 
Depends what you're using it for?
If you don't plan to store music/movies/games on the computer then what's the point in buying a whole computer that's doing essentially nothing?

radderfire said:
I'm thinking about a new TV solution for my lounge. I could either buy a decent new flatscreen, e.g. a Samsung LED with Smart TV, or think about a solution that uses a computer instead, e.g. old laptop with a projector, or a new computer bought especially.
Click to expand...

If you buy/build a new computer then you're still going to have to get a tv/projector of some sort anyway?

If it's purely just watching tv now and again, then just get a freeview tv.

With regards to the delay thing though: you wouldn't have the computer turned on and off everything you're using it. Just put it into sleep mode when you're not using it, and it takes like 2 seconds to boot.
 
lrlcr said:
Yeah, ssd + sleep makes for very snappy wake up!!!

Depends what you want to do.
Click to expand...

I just have a few old laptops hanging around so I was thinking could use one of these with a projector for a main TV solution. However, I think using a laptop is probably going to be a bit fiddly. One thing I really want is something that a visitor can operate easily, and just flick on, so that may mean I buy a TV.

Not sure I'd want to keep a computer on all the time just so I could get the fast start up. Seems like a waste of energy.

Rgds
 
I have an HTPC connected to my TV running MediaPortal. I use the IR remote to put it to sleep and wake it up. Takes about 30 seconds to sleep but wakes up in the same amount of time it takes for the TV to turn on fully (10 seconds or so). It also wakes up and goes back to sleep automatically to record stuff, download EPG data, do a maintenance reboot or run an automated backup.

Uses something like 45-55 W when watching TV, depending on if it's an HD channel or not, and <1 W when on standby. Using LAV Video Decoder in DXVA2 mode with highest quality nVidia hardware deinterlacing. :D
 
I've had a full PC under the TV for a few years now. Doubly useful as the tuner in my TV doesn't work properly unless it's been switched on for at least an hour (maybe a dry solder joint?)

I've got a server machine running WHS v1 in another room, and have all my music/videos on there, streamed via gigabit.

For TV I have a Blackgold BGT3620 dual-tuner HD freeview card, as well as Media Center plugins TunerFreeMCE for iPlayer, ITV Player etc, MacroTube (for 10-ft viewing of YouTube)

It sits in standby most of the time, that way it can come on/off as necessary to update the guide, perform a backup to the WHS machine, and record TV - if it's shut down, it won't do that ;)

I certainly wouldn't be without it, I can also play games on it in better quality than a console, play any kind of video or music file, no matter it's format, and with an official MCE remote, it's fully controllable from the sofa.
 
Got a super htpc hooked up to a panasonic 46" gt30 via amp

Plays
3d blu rays
Blu ray mkv rips
Freesat hd tuner
Going to put a 68xx gpu in soon for games
Stereo Music even in 5.1 via the amp pro logic

I will use my hp touch pad as a remote once i get android on it, use my phone atm, virtual desktop

I dont use youtube etc as the internet speed it sub megabit
 
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Had a full PC under my plasma for about 5 years now

No front end, just win7 installed on an old ssd, got shortcuts to my shared folder on my server

Used to be just for divx, but now play MKVs and various tv series

Occasionally watch iplayer

Don't have a tuner as I hardly ever watch broadcast tv as, in my eyes, it's mostly terrible!
 
I use a small PC as my media player inthe living room
2 x Nova-S2 HD sat cards
1 x Nova-T500 dual usb freeview stick
Using win 7 + media portal and it is great , it is about 25 sec from off to on

It also acts as a "back-end" for another copy of media portal that runs on my laptop
as in I can use the tuners on the media PC in living room and stream it to my laptop
 
Got a full HTPC under my TV, using a mediaportal front end with a dual DVB-S2 card which was a bit of a mistake tbh as i find DVB-T far superior, unfortunately the aerial needs re-cabling but once that is done my old DVB-T will be joining it.
It lives on standby but thanks to the ssd it boots in an instant.

Being a pc it also runs sabznb's etc with my desktop and laptop both set-up to use it as a download and storage medium. No more having 2 sets of data here there and everywhere. Win7 Homegroups, Library's and offline files have actually come in useful!

Most importantly its wife and daughter friendly.

Edit -
lurkio said:
It also acts as a "back-end" for another copy of media portal that runs on my laptop
as in I can use the tuners on the media PC in living room and stream it to my laptop
Click to expand...

And this, its a great feature of Mediaportal :D
 
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I use my tv 90% of the time streaming content via mezzmo from my pc in the office. Series 5 samsung smart tv. Revolutionized the way i watch TV.
 
personally think combination of a streamer by the tv and a server for the files elsewhere is perfect combination

I have a seperate HD freeview tuner for the little amount of tv I watch (live sports mainly)

Prefer not to have loud graphics cards (for big screen/high def gaming)/ hdd spinning when I want to watch a movie etc etc, so always keep the pc /monitor seperate
 
FrankJH said:
personally think combination of a streamer by the tv and a server for the files elsewhere is perfect combination

I have a seperate HD freeview tuner for the little amount of tv I watch (live sports mainly)
Click to expand...
Yeah, this is a great setup. However, in the future (i.e. once I move into my own house instead of house-share), I will move my tuner card into the server itself and run MediaPortal TVServer on it.

Then I can have my main HTPC in the living room, running MediaPortal client, plus any number of HTPCs connected to other TVs in bedrooms, etc. That way I only need one tuner card (probably a quad tuner) and all of the machines can access server for long-term stored stuff but also a shared pool of TV recordings. For example, I can be watching TV downstairs and see something in the EPG to record. I set it to record and the server records it. Later, I can watch that recording on any of my HTPCs in the house. :)

FrankJH said:
Prefer not to have loud graphics cards (for big screen/high def gaming)/ hdd spinning when I want to watch a movie etc etc, so always keep the pc /monitor seperate
Click to expand...
I have an SSD and a WD Green HDD so the sound, heat and power usage is minimal. With my future TV server/client setup, none of the clients will even need HDDs, just a 40 GB SSD with Windows on it.

I also have a passive GPU right now - cost a bit more but well worth it to make a much quieter machine. :D
 
DragonQ said:
Yeah, this is a great setup. However, in the future (i.e. once I move into my own house instead of house-share), I will move my tuner card into the server itself and run MediaPortal TVServer on it.
Click to expand...


Good luck with finding a quad tuner card (at all) let alone one that works with server software:)

DragonQ said:
Then I can have my main HTPC in the living room, running MediaPortal client, plus any number of HTPCs connected to other TVs in bedrooms, etc. That way I only need one tuner card (probably a quad tuner) and all of the machines can access server for long-term stored stuff but also a shared pool of TV recordings. For example, I can be watching TV downstairs and see something in the EPG to record. I set it to record and the server records it. Later, I can watch that recording on any of my HTPCs in the house. :)


I have an SSD and a WD Green HDD so the sound, heat and power usage is minimal. With my future TV server/client setup, none of the clients will even need HDDs, just a 40 GB SSD with Windows on it.

I also have a passive GPU right now - cost a bit more but well worth it to make a much quieter machine. :D
Click to expand...

sounds like a plan - but still think streamers all round are cheaper , ok you wont be able to select record from everywhere but imo the cost isnt worth it

I only mentioned the gpu because another post was talking about big screen gaming :)
 
I wanted a passive gpu, not really an option on 6870 so im going for ine that is silent as possible at idle
 
FrankJH said:
Good luck with finding a quad tuner card (at all) let alone one that works with server software:)
Click to expand...
TBS have a quad DVB-S2 tuner and a quad DVB-T2 tuner. BlackGold have a quad DVB-T2 tuner and plan to bring out a DVB-S2 tuner later in the year.

Not sure what you mean by "server software", it'd just be Windows Server 8 running MediaPortal TV-Server. :)
 
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