What's the Best Way To Get Web Content To My TV?

An anonymous reader writes "It seems like there are a lot of options for getting web content onto our TVs, but which one is the best way to go? Being able to stream videos (especially through sites like Hulu), check out social networking sites, and read news would be awesome to do from my couch. Currently, I hook up my laptop to the TV, which works, but it's annoying, especially if I want to use my laptop while I am watching some videos. Some things that are important to me are: connecting to my HDTV, allowing me view anything I could in a web browser as if I were on my computer, and being easily controlled from the couch. What setups do you guys use, or what would you like to use?"

Acer Revo

[Albanach]

I replaced my eeebox with an Acer Revo this year. For $200 US you get a small but fully fledged computer that runs Ubuntu just fine. It's a perfect box for xbmc. Firefox works just fine for web to your TV.

Best thing about it is the Nvidia Ion chipset, so you can do full 1080p playback. Biggest disadvantage is the lack of wireless. I added a USB wireless adapter.

For controls, you can use a wireless keyboard. For the XBMC you can use a Microsoft Media Center remote, or there's a decent remote for the iPhone/iPod touch.

Boxee

[RingDev]

I pulled out an out dated PC, stuck an ATI all-in-wonder card in it and plugged it into the TV. I've been running Boxee on it for a while now. I like that it has such a variety of "apps" that aggregate videos from Hulu, Netflix, the major networks, as well as plays my DVDs and ripped movies*.

Honestly though, Boxee is still a little rough. The interface is excellent, but it feels a bit laggy at times (although this is an older PC), and their double buffering interface leaves a bit to be desired. I'm sure they'll continue to improve it, but some times I just drop out of Boxee and go to the source site directly.

-Rick

*Legally ripped movies that is. Teething toddlers will chew on anything, even your limited run collectors edition of the LoTR trilogy.

Anonymous Coward

[Anonymous Coward]

Mac Mini using the Plex media center front end. Coupled with the Apple remote (or Rowmote Plus if you have an iPhone or Touch) and you're good to go for both web content and saved digital media.

Easy.

[sootman]

Mac mini, Apple remote, and Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. A bit pricey but it pretty much does everything, out of the box, with very little fiddling needed. Just need a few things, like Perian, HandBrake and/or RipIt, Hulu Desktop, Plex if you want, etc.

NIntendo Wii, Opera, www.youtube.com/xl

[WillAdams]

and I'm looking forward to the Netflix streaming disk for the Wii:

http://www.netflix.com/NRDInfo/Wii [netflix.com]

William

Don't waste a computer.

[Dzimas]

I use a $40 Philips DVD player that has a USB port on the front. It works with flash keys and external hard drives. I simply drop the shows I want to watch onto a USB key and watch - takes only seconds to set up. The factory on-screen UI is fairly limited, but there's a brilliant hacked version that supports long file names. Similar USB-equipped DVD and Blu-Ray players are made by Samsung and are equally inexpensive. My player will be outdated in a year, and I'll just replace it with an updated equivalent. Makes far more sense than fiddling around with a nettop, PVR software, and dozens of almost-ok atom-tweaked linux variants.

I use my wii

[mmmmbeer]

Put the homebrew channel and a media player on a wii. You can watch media files from your network or off a usb drive; you can view web pages, including flash video, using the available web browser; and of course, you can also play games. The price is pretty good, too. The down side is that it's only 480p at best.

Simple solution

[NotQuiteReal]

What's wrong with a simple box like the WDTV Live [walmart.com]?

Re:Boxee or Plex

[dmiller1984]

I have to second the recommendation of Plex. I bought a Mac Mini and set it up with a RAID array that I already had. I'm still in the process of ripping all my DVDs using HandBrake for the Mac, but those that I have ripped play in Plex beautifully. It's also nice to have easy access to Hulu as well as other web video through the program. It still has a few quirks, but nothing deal-breaking. Since it is based off of XBMC there are already a number of skins available for it as well as add-ons. The Apple Remote works well, but it will even work with nicer programmable remotes.

Re:Top three recently introduced

[Bloke down the pub]

Or another laptop. He could probably pick one up with a damaged screen for next to nothing.

Re:nVidia ION nettop

[Chad Birch]

Yeah, could be a factor. I've ripped all the DVDs that I own so that they're all available to browse and play without disc-swapping anyway, but I also have a PS3 hooked to the same TV, so I just play a DVD through that if necessary. An external drive could be an option as well.

Mac Mini

[Anonymous Coward]

Mac Mini ($599) + wireless keyboard ($69) and magic mouse ($69) + DVI to HDMI cable from newegg ($15?).

Sort of pricey, but, its a lot better than ps3+playOn (tried it, read the forums for all the support woes).

I'm not a big mac fan, but I have to admit, it's pretty slick. It runs boxee nicely, which will be great when they get all the bugs worked out. ESPN 360 for out of market games (though quality is lacking.) Plus, now we have itunes goodness hooked up the main stereo.