Cyprus-Forum.com

[supporttheunderdog]

You could also connect your laptop to your TV with an HDMI cable (If HDMI slot is available that is) and play the movie from your laptop. Works fine for me.

I have also quite happily used the external analogue monitor output on a laptop to run a TV with a matching VGA input, or on a suitably equiped lapop have used an s-video out to the TV inputs for video-cams to watch PC held Movies on TV.

[Sotos]

You could use a laptop, but it is not very convenient if you are watching downloaded movies often. First of all you have to connect it and disconnect it all the time, and if you want to say pause the video or do anything else with it you have to get up and go where the laptop is. With a Media Player like Western Digital TV Live you can have it always connected to your TV and it comes with a remote control. Much more convenient!

[Get Real!]

You could use a laptop, but it is not very convenient if you are watching downloaded movies often. First of all you have to connect it and disconnect it all the time,

Come on Sotos! Every high tech dude has a laptop (the ones you dropped and smashed the screen) sitting in your TV wall unit, permanently hooked up to the main TV and a matching wireless mouse/kbd!

Even I do!

[Sotos]

You could use a laptop, but it is not very convenient if you are watching downloaded movies often. First of all you have to connect it and disconnect it all the time,

Come on Sotos! Every high tech dude has a laptop (the ones you dropped and smashed the screen) sitting in your TV wall unit, permanently hooked up to the main TV and a matching wireless mouse/kbd!

Even I do!

You could use a laptop as a HTPC running something like XBMC. In that case you could use a remote control than a wireless keyboard/mouse. But if that laptop is old it will probably not be able to output HD video without dropping frames. Also, it is not as elegant solution as a dedicated Media Player. So I would say that solution is good if you only watch download movies occasionally. But if you do this often then investing 50-100 euro for a good media player is still better.

[Get Real!]

You could use a laptop, but it is not very convenient if you are watching downloaded movies often. First of all you have to connect it and disconnect it all the time,

Come on Sotos! Every high tech dude has a laptop (the ones you dropped and smashed the screen) sitting in your TV wall unit, permanently hooked up to the main TV and a matching wireless mouse/kbd!

Even I do!

You could use a laptop as a HTPC running something like XBMC. In that case you could use a remote control than a wireless keyboard/mouse. But if that laptop is old it will probably not be able to output HD video without dropping frames. Also, it is not as elegant solution as a dedicated Media Player. So I would say that solution is good if you only watch download movies occasionally. But if you do this often then investing 50-100 euro for a good media player is still better.

Sotos, The next time you see an ad that goes…

“Laptop for sale – smashed screen but works ok!”

…give him $100 and grab it!

Then disconnect the broken screen (4-6 screws and three wires) and hook it up to the TV baby, because nothing beats being able to switch to a huge full blown Windows when you’re bored of TV and movies!

[Sotos]

You could use a laptop, but it is not very convenient if you are watching downloaded movies often. First of all you have to connect it and disconnect it all the time,

Come on Sotos! Every high tech dude has a laptop (the ones you dropped and smashed the screen) sitting in your TV wall unit, permanently hooked up to the main TV and a matching wireless mouse/kbd!

Even I do!

You could use a laptop as a HTPC running something like XBMC. In that case you could use a remote control than a wireless keyboard/mouse. But if that laptop is old it will probably not be able to output HD video without dropping frames. Also, it is not as elegant solution as a dedicated Media Player. So I would say that solution is good if you only watch download movies occasionally. But if you do this often then investing 50-100 euro for a good media player is still better.

Sotos, The next time you see an ad that goes…

“Laptop for sale – smashed screen but works ok!”

…give him $100 and grab it!

Then disconnect the broken screen (4-6 screws and three wires) and hook it up to the TV baby, because nothing beats being able to switch to a huge full blown Windows when you’re bored of TV and movies!

If you are talking about a modern laptop that can output HD video over HDMI and can be had for $100 then I guess it is a good deal for an HTPC. But how often do you see such offers?

[Get Real!]

You could use a laptop, but it is not very convenient if you are watching downloaded movies often. First of all you have to connect it and disconnect it all the time,

Come on Sotos! Every high tech dude has a laptop (the ones you dropped and smashed the screen) sitting in your TV wall unit, permanently hooked up to the main TV and a matching wireless mouse/kbd!

Even I do!

You could use a laptop as a HTPC running something like XBMC. In that case you could use a remote control than a wireless keyboard/mouse. But if that laptop is old it will probably not be able to output HD video without dropping frames. Also, it is not as elegant solution as a dedicated Media Player. So I would say that solution is good if you only watch download movies occasionally. But if you do this often then investing 50-100 euro for a good media player is still better.

Sotos, The next time you see an ad that goes…

“Laptop for sale – smashed screen but works ok!”

…give him $100 and grab it!

Then disconnect the broken screen (4-6 screws and three wires) and hook it up to the TV baby, because nothing beats being able to switch to a huge full blown Windows when you’re bored of TV and movies!

If you are talking about a modern laptop that can output HD video over HDMI and can be had for $100 then I guess it is a good deal for an HTPC. But how often do you see such offers?

I think you’re talking about sending a video signal to the TV via HDMI from the laptop, whereas I’m talking about enabling “PC Mode” on your TV which would most likely utilize a DVI or VGA connector.

I haven’t seen a TV yet that accepts a HDMI cable for “PC Mode”…

As for such offers, check out the xrises efkeries ads.

[Get Real!]

Do you know what I did to DT once?

I flicked the TV to PC mode and had previously changed the laptop's Windows background to a “Sony Bravia” image to match the TV, and he goes “What’s that?” and I goes it’s the new Sony Bravia TV with a built-in computer! “Wow!” he goes!

Of course, for this trick to work the laptop and all cables have to be hidden!

[Sotos]

You could use a laptop, but it is not very convenient if you are watching downloaded movies often. First of all you have to connect it and disconnect it all the time,

Come on Sotos! Every high tech dude has a laptop (the ones you dropped and smashed the screen) sitting in your TV wall unit, permanently hooked up to the main TV and a matching wireless mouse/kbd!

Even I do!

You could use a laptop as a HTPC running something like XBMC. In that case you could use a remote control than a wireless keyboard/mouse. But if that laptop is old it will probably not be able to output HD video without dropping frames. Also, it is not as elegant solution as a dedicated Media Player. So I would say that solution is good if you only watch download movies occasionally. But if you do this often then investing 50-100 euro for a good media player is still better.

Sotos, The next time you see an ad that goes…

“Laptop for sale – smashed screen but works ok!”

…give him $100 and grab it!

Then disconnect the broken screen (4-6 screws and three wires) and hook it up to the TV baby, because nothing beats being able to switch to a huge full blown Windows when you’re bored of TV and movies!

If you are talking about a modern laptop that can output HD video over HDMI and can be had for $100 then I guess it is a good deal for an HTPC. But how often do you see such offers?

I think you’re talking about sending a video signal to the TV via HDMI from the laptop, whereas I’m talking about enabling “PC Mode” on your TV which would most likely utilize a DVI or VGA connector.

I haven’t seen a TV yet that accepts a HDMI cable for “PC Mode”…

As for such offers, check out the xrises efkeries ads.

I don't have a laptop with HDMI out, but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to use HDMI to use the TV as essentially an external monitor for the laptop... as long as the TV can handle the display resolution. Maybe the "PC mode" that you are talking about just selects the VGA input for the TV and instead of calling it "VGA" they call it "PC". If the TV has HDMI input and the laptop HDMI out then I believe it will work just fine.

[georgios100]

People, People...

I have an ASUS O!Play (all video format media player) connected to my flat screen TV via HDMI cable. In addition, I have a Yamaha amplifier for superior sound. That's it. No video conversions ever. I, literally, put my old dvd player in the garbage. No more CDs or DVDs. End of story.

This media player is the best (I found). It can decode, edit & synchronize subtitles better than any other unit. Subtitles can be downloaded and displayed on your screen (very easy thing to do). It can play music and display your photos (ethernet enabled as well).

In a few years, DVD players are to become obsolete. Yesterday, Blockbuster video (a chain of video clubs) went belly up! Nowadays people download & play data files (.mkv .avi .mp4 etc).