Okay, hook me up!

[BWR1953]

Sometime in 2010 I plan to upgrade to a new computer. Probably a laptop or netbook or something similar.

What I want to be able to do is to use the laptop in the living room, using the Sony Bravia LCD tv as the monitor. Preferably wirelessly. And yes, I want to be able to watch tv as well as check email on the same 42" screen. The Bravia does have a PC input. Looks like USB to me.

Can't afford a fortune, so the real high end stuff is out. What can I get that will do the job at a moderate price?

Thanks!

 

[dr_bowtie]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

I wouldnt use a laptop for this....unless you plan to get a good cooler as well...these get hot and watching video makes the video card get hot as well...

if you have a stand alone PC that you can use Western Digital makes a 99.00 home theater box that does movies...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...rder=BESTMATCH&Description=western+digital+tv

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. I don't want to watch tv or movies on the laptop, those will be input from the DVR/cable box or DVD player, or other source.

What I want to do is have my tv act as a monitor simultaneously for both the DVR/source with the DVR/source feeding video and the laptop surfing the web or checking email, etc. but viewable on the tv. All while I'm sitting comfortably in my easy chair in the living room, instead of bouncing up and down to the computer room when email arrives or I get a PM or something interesting is happening on a forum.

Does that make sense?

 

[roscoe]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

One monitor can not display images from 2 different sources simultaneously.

You want something like picture in picture, but from 2 different sources? Never seen this done.

Also, any system that can send the video image wirelessly (very new technology) is going to be expensive.

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

I do notthink that he wants PIP, He just wants to be able to use his TV as a laptop monitor. He would have to change the input to go from TV to Computer Video. I do it with our Wii. It is hooked to our internet and I can surf the web with it and check our webbased emails. I cannot view TV at the same time, but I can switch back to it when the computer checking is done...

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

Within the last year I purchased an Acer Aspire One netbook. I LOVE that little thing. I use it to surf the net and email all the time from the comfort of my couch. I love it's small size to sit on the arm of the couch or on my lap. Incredibly light. Mine is one of the early ones and it has an 8.9" screen. I think it's fine but my wife feels it's too small. My boss bought a netbook with a 10.1" screen and the difference is quite noticible. I would go for one with at least a 10.1".

As far as using the big TV as your monitor, that is of course possible but you'd need to run a cable from the laptop to the TV. It would be a VGA cable not USB. And unless you had some kind of picture-in-picture thing going you wouldn't be able to do both computing and TV watching simultaneously. I have a dedicated PC that lives under my TV that serves as my DVR, plays movies/music and displays pictures.

I took the netbook on vacation with us this year all loaded up with ripped/downloaded movies. The place we stayed at had a newer TV with a VGA input so I was able to hook it up and watch movies off the netbook all week. It was great.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

Hmmmm... maybe I'm ahead of the technology curve. Again. lol

I've seen computers with built in TV tuners where users could watch TV while working, surfing the 'net, etc. Thought by now the technology existed to allow a wireless monitor to be hooked up from across the room with the cable input going wirelessly into the PC and allowing mult-use of the machine.

Hmmm...

 

[BeaufortTJustice]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

You can use your TV as a monitor wirelessly, but you will be somewhat limited on maximum resolution. I think what you're looking for is something along these lines...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815290008

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

You can use your TV as a monitor wirelessly, but you will be somewhat limited on maximum resolution. I think what you're looking for is something along these lines...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815290008

That's getting closer, but one of the reviews for that product said it was obsolete and that there were better things out there. Maybe those are what I'm looking for?

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

Samsung makes an internet semi-ready TV that can hook up wirelessly:
http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/...ZA/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail&tab=features

http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/...ubtype=wireless-usb-adaptor&tab=accCompatible

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

Samsung makes an internet semi-ready TV that can hook up wirelessly:
http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/...ZA/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail&tab=features

http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/...ubtype=wireless-usb-adaptor&tab=accCompatible

Ohhh myyyy.... looks like an excuse to upgrage to a 55" monster!

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

you can use a pc connects to the tv with wireless mouse and keyboard. A high end graphic card, commercial application would allows you to display 2 windows one one screen. What you're thinking can be done but won't be cheap and can be complicate to manage.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

you can use a pc connects to the tv with wireless mouse and keyboard. A high end graphic card, commercial application would allows you to display 2 windows one one screen. What you're thinking can be done but won't be cheap and can be complicate to manage.

Complicated I can manage. Expensive just means that it'll take me longer to get there.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

What I want to do is have my tv act as a monitor simultaneously for both the DVR/source with the DVR/source feeding video and the laptop surfing the web or checking email, etc. but viewable on the tv.

Not going to watch 2 different sources on the tv at once.

Only way, is to run your sat/dvr/dvd signal into your computer , and transmit your laptop display image via a TruLink wireless video transmitter.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ideo+Devices+++TV+Tuners-_-Lenexpo-_-15524004

Not the greatest reviews:
Review: Cables To Go 29572 TruLink Wireless USB to VGA Adapter Kit





TigerDirect.com - Toomas - Oct 4, 2009
It is hard to set up, the distance advertised is far from true. As the other reveiwers have said, it is lucky if you can get 10 feet not the advertised 30.If? Read full review
Great Kit, no Windows 7 support yet





Buzzillions.com - Bingo - Sep 29, 2009
Pros: Durable and Reliable, Lightweight, Wireless Video ... Cons: No drivers for Windows 7 "Great image quality and fast setup, I wish it only had driver? Read full review

Review: Cables To Go 29572 TruLink Wireless USB to VGA Adapter Kit





TigerDirect.com - SNUG - Aug 24, 2009
This product would not work as described. Had to go back to our old system for a recent presentation. Will be returning the product. Read full review
Just what I expected.





Buzzillions.com - pac - Aug 19, 2009
Pros: Durable and Reliable, Simple ... Cons: None "I am using this item in a moderate size church auditorium with a older Dell 1100 PC. I don't see any? Read full review


Why not just do your surfing on the laptop while watching the Bravia do its thing full screen.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Okay, hook me up!

...Why not just do your surfing on the laptop while watching the Bravia do its thing full screen.

Yeah, it's starting to look like that's what I'll have to end up doing.