Laptop to Digital TV

[bigbilly]

I have heard that people use their laptops as digital TVs.

What is the best, and recommended, approach ? It needs to be fairly non technical ! I have an IBM Thinkpad T40.

Bill

 

[JasonR_374341560]

USB 2 port will take the TV tuner. For best reception you need tuner that connects to normal TV aerial. 1GB ram may be better for performance if your T40 only has 512mb of ram.

http://www.shoplaptop.co.uk/scp/Multimedia/TV_Tuners.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Digital-Personal-Recorder-laptop/dp/B000HWDBJ8
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?criteria=USB TV tuner&source=15&SD=Y

 

[rob_jax]

Bill,

There are a few tests you should do before spending any money:

1. Check the ability of the Laptop to play a DVD film. If the laptop can play the DVD without any gaps or glitches - then that means it can process and display the video transport stream at a fast enough rate. Any playback glitches then forget it.

2. Now place the laptop in the caravan where you think it would be best - and play the DVD again. Move around the seating area and see if you can still see an acceptable picture on the screen.

Laptops and TVs have different screen technologies - generally laptops screens ensure that people can't sneak a peek over your shoulder, and TV screens so that everyone can see.

You'll just need to test your screen. Any colour loss or colour inversion - forget it.

3. If your laptop passes these two tests - then look for a review in Which or the Internet for a digital TV adapter. They are not all the same, and it's best to make a short list of the better ranked models.

Then remember that you'll probably have a few more wires, external speaks and bits floating around (and that may not be convenient), that you most probably won't have a remote to adjust the sound or (possibly) the channels, and finally that the quality of the PC tuners isn't the same as that found in a Sony or Panasonic TV - but is probably similar to a no-name TV

Robert

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi bill

as usual robert has provided you with some exelent advice.try it first??.

I take my notebook with me every where I go and have done for years. first with a acer laptop using a analouge tuner and recently with a gateway notebook and digital tuner, it has a 80gb HD nvidia go video card and 2gig of ram, but still is really not up to the job of providing good tv reception for daily use (ok for waching footie in the awning) or the odd soap her indoors watches but thats about all.

I know someone will disagree(probably) butI can only speak from experience.

for limited use they are probably just about ok but not ideal for prelonged use the problems are I found were.=

screen cannot be seen from all angles.

the internal speakers not good enough.

the remote cannot be used without standing up(as the sensor on the digital stick faces upwards with the stick in the usb slot).

my van wiring and booster dont work with a digital signal so the wire has to be fed stright from the ariel(no boost).

on some sites you cannot get a good digital signal so the thing won't work at all (it can't pick up weak signals)which means you cant watch bbc ect on terestrial tv.

and the power cord (240v) has to be plugged in as it eats the battery in about 40 mins no good if there is no hook up available.

sorry if I sound a little negative bill, but that is my experience, to save the weight of a tv and if like me you want to take the laptop anyway and don't watch much tv while away and you can put up with a bit of hassle to set it all up then it IS probably worth trying, it must be "because I keep doing it"

colin

 

[JasonR_374341560]

Bill says his Laptop is an IBM Thinkpad T40. According to its spec it plays DVD's, but could be about 5 years old.

Some newer laptops run X-black LCD screens and some also run Blue Ray High Definition DVD's and we've found no problem viewing the screen from a variety of angles.

Analogue/Digital USB tuners are readily available I should have pointed out.

A budget flat lightweight LCD screen TV may be a better idea, as a new laptop that gives good view and sound is not likely to be inexpensive.