School Me - Stream Movies/TV

[LakeCleElum]

Until a year ago, my internet was a Verizon USB Modem limited to 5 GB/MO; so streaming was not practical. Due to improvements, I now have reasonable DSL and would like to maybe do Amazon Prime to my main TV and a few Android Tablets.

My situation is: Router/Modem in the office 35 feet and kitchen cabinets away from the main TV in the living room. I keep a Win 7 laptop by my recliner about 1/2 way between the TV and router.

TV is about 2008 Sharp Aquos (HDMI, but no USB port), Also there is a DISH VIP722K HD DVR and an older Pioneer DVD Surround Sound system.

For testing purposes only, I have run a cable from the laptop to TV. That works, but dunno if I want to lay out the cable each time to watch a movie? I understand it's probably a better signal than going wireless the whole 35 feet?

Some say buy a wireless Blu-ray player, but be sure to match up with Amazon, NetFlix or whatever I decide upon on.

One last dumb question: If I want to store a movie and watch later when not in wi-fi range, I don't stream, I buy and download it?

Any tips appreciated.......Extra credit for direct links to buy equipment

[Gogar]

Do you have wifi?

Get something like a Roku streaming stick and pop it into the HDMI on the back of the TV. Done!

You can pick Amazon, Netflix, Hulu etc later after you've used up your free trial months!

[John Rogers]

My house is like some sort of monster company that I used to work for before retirement. I have CAT5 running from our internet connection/router to a WAP box that feeds the BluRay player and big TV in the main room and then also CAT5 up to the bedroom to a Vizio TV and Costar box. I did this mainly because WiFi signal boosters were expensive a few years ago and now are $25 or so at Walmart.

I added a couple signal boosters and the WAP so I could use the "Ring" doorbell gizmo I bought at the beginning of the month and it does let my phone know when anyone comes to the door on my or wife's iPhone. I also use the Wifi on my iPhone all the time now which is nice.

I also have 8 smaller TV sets that were collected from various garage sales all over the place and fed by RG6 coaxial cable so I can watch the races anywhere including the back deck or garage.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Do you have wifi?

Get something like a Roku streaming stick and pop it into the HDMI on the back of the TV. Done!

Yes, have WiFi.....Thax...

[Scott R]

Wi-fi streaming to a Blu-Ray player will always have problems with high quality movies, you're best bet is wired Ethernet. If you're not a purist and watch everything in 480, then wi-fi is fine.

Myself I like a full 1080p movie streamed from my NAS, that needs a robust connection and I have that hardwired cat 6e to my NAS.

[campbellcj]

I agree a wired connection is always best when feasible. There are a great many devices you can use to stream - we have an Apple TV, Playstation 3 and DirecTV DVR box that can all do it in various flavors (PS3 runs Netflix). Like Scott ^^^ I also have a bunch of movies on the computer or NAS. Many of the newer TV's are also networked and have the apps built-in but ours are a bit older so does not and are effectively dumb monitors/displays.

[biosurfer1]

Look into a Kodi box...cheap and you can basically watch anything (movies, tv shows, music, etc) for free.

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Do you have wifi?

Get something like a Roku streaming stick and pop it into the HDMI on the back of the TV. Done!

You can pick Amazon, Netflix, Hulu etc later after you've used up your free trial months!

A lot of TVs, especially older ones, don't have a way to pass a digital audio signal that comes in via HDMI out to the receiver. A Roku 1 has HDMI for video, plus analog audio outputs that will work with the older receiver.

[jyl]

Save the trouble of running Ethernet cable, get a pair of power line adapters like
http://www.amazon.com/ZyXEL-PLA4205kit-HomePlug-Powerline-Wall-plug/dp/B005GCSZD6

Will work if the outlet by your router and the outlet by your TV are on same legs of your electrical panel; might work even if they are not; cheap enough to try it out.

Then go: router - Ethernet cable - adapter - electrical system - adapter - Ethernet cable - Roku (or Apple TV, or laptop, or other streaming device) - hdmi cable - TV

My router and TV are three floors separated so this is how I do it.

Edit: first, try simply using wifi to the Roku. It might be just fine. WiFi is getting fast indeed, e.g. 802.11N.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Do you have wifi?

Get something like a Roku streaming stick and pop it into the HDMI on the back of the TV. Done!

You can pick Amazon, Netflix, Hulu etc later after you've used up your free trial months!

This right here. I have Netflix and Amazon Prime. That gives me more than enough to watch. The Roku setup and interface is so easy, works like a charm!

[LakeCleElum]

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I know a cable would be better than WiFi, but just had shoulder surgery, so no running cable under the house for awhile.

As I suspected, there are a lot of options...

[craigster59]

Buying the Roku has been one of the best investments I've made in awhile. Netflix $7.99 (?) a month, work pays for Amazon Prime. I've been on a Dragnet, Adam-12, Emergency! kick lately.

[scottmandue]

Slight hijack but relevant so maybe not too much (I hope)
Local internet provider has three flavors 50, 100, 200, 300 Mbs
How much data (or how fast of a connection) do I need to stream HD 1080?
I apologize because I asked the same question about a year ago but my old brain cells did not retain the info.
I have been delaying because I'm waiting for my two year Dish contract to run out.

[craigster59]

I have the second level of internet speed offered by my provider(TW Cable, $39.99). It's amazing how fast the streaming is with Roku, never any problems. Can surf internet and watch shows with no hiccups.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by craigster59

I have the second level of internet speed offered by my provider(TW Cable, $39.99). It's amazing how fast the streaming is with Roku, never any problems. Can surf internet and watch shows with no hiccups.

I'm also looking at TW (if I can get their service at my house) so is second level the 100Mbs?

[craigster59]

I think I have the 50 mbps, just above the basic

[Dixie]

If you have a PS3 or PS4, you can stream Hulu and such using that. I suspect other gaming consoles will also work.

[Scott R]

It's not so much the "bandwidth" on wireless its the latency. Between packet re-transmission errors and encryption it becomes very inefficient. You could try "powerline" as mentioned above but it's a coin toss as to how well it will work in your particular home.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Scott R

It's not so much the "bandwidth" on wireless its the latency. Between packet re-transmission errors and encryption it becomes very inefficient. You could try "powerline" as mentioned above but it's a coin toss as to how well it will work in your particular home.

I keep a few Powerlines around for when I need a quick temporary extension.

They work best when on the same circuit. Throughput can drop by 50% when they are not.

[jyl]

Zycel makes a range of PLAs, I'm using the 600 Mbps with AC passthrough, they go up to 1200 Mbps but I didn't see the need to spend the money (admittedly not a lot of $). Note the option of moving the circuits to the same leg on the panel. But at that point you might simply run Ethernet cable under the house. Or, in my case, from 1st to 3rd floor.