# Tivo HD vs. Google TV vs. Apple TV vs. HTPC



## bsacco (Jun 30, 2004)

Hi all,

I own (2) Tivo HD lifetime units. 

Sick and tired of Comcast Cable I reduced my cable service down to basic local cable channels.

Now I only receive the local news channels and one PBS station. Well, that's not enough content for me.

I'm interested in HTPC but know nothing about it other than i know that i can watch some pretty cool content online and much of the same content i was paying Comcast for before I canceled my 60 channel lineup.

So, I'm very aware of the Google TV and Apple TV announcements but I'm now scared to pull the trigger on a HTPC for fear of investing into the wrong technology.

Can anyone shed some light on what path to take in terms of getting content on my large LCD flat panel TV?


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

I can do Hulu.com by connecting my laptop to the VGA input on the flat panel TV. My laptop can extend its screen and put content on the HDTV while something else is shown on the laptop.

Anything you can stream, over the internet to the computers, you can stream to the HDTV via VGA.


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

Apple will have you pay for every episode you watch, so bear that in mind.

Google TV remains to be seen on what they will truly bring content wise.

Why not try out an OTA antenna on your TiVo HD?


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## bsacco (Jun 30, 2004)

ThAbtO: Yes, but having your laptop attached to your TV with a long 15' VGA cable is not convenient. Is there any way to stream content from my PC to my TV wirelessly?

ZeoTiVo: I do not have a OTA (Over-The-Air) attenea. Wouldn't the OTA only get local TV stations anyhow? I'm getting that now through my basic $11 a month Comcast cable subscription. I don't follow your suggestion. Are you just saying I could save that monthly fee by going to an OTA? Just not sure if I can get any digital signals where i live...


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## ThAbtO (Apr 6, 2000)

I only connect the laptop when I want to stream the VGA. There are VGA transmitters around, some can get pricey. I recently added the VGA to the TV using a $9 10 ft VGA cable from tigerdirect.com, and the sound was ported from the headphone/speaker jack to the audio inputs using a stereo cable and cable/RCA adapter 

Tigerdirect.com and amazon.com can have the transmitters.

I don't have any cable bills to pay with OTA, 40 channels, whereas there were only 10 analog channels before the digital transition.

One place to check on your OTA reception and antenna is antennaweb.org


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## bsacco (Jun 30, 2004)

very cool...beats buying a wireless keyboard and having a huge desktop next to your flat panel TV...


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## bsacco (Jun 30, 2004)

though, streaming the HTPC bypasses the Tivo and doesn't let Tivo what it was designed to do...schedule the content you want to watch, when you want to watch it...I suppose that is what I hope Tivo premiere will morph into...a HTPC with the ability to surf the net THEN schedule it....


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## Fixer (Mar 29, 2005)

bsacco said:


> ...Is there any way to stream content from my PC to my TV wirelessly?


You haven't seen the Windows 7 "zombie vs shark" commercial? 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Cg68Sws90

http://www.intel.com/consumer/products/technology/wirelessdisplay.htm

http://www.netgear.com/ptv

___


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## bsacco (Jun 30, 2004)

Yes, I've been researching the difference between the INTEL solution vs. just buying a wireless USB to HDMI solution. The CON on INTEL is that it has copyright infringement restrictions on content PLUS it can't stream Blu Ray, so you are screwed here...While it seems the USB to HDMI solution seems to be free of these restrictions. Been checking out CABLES UNLIMITED SOLUTION at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882339191&Tpk=Wireless USB Adapter to HDMI for only $169.

Benefit here is that i don't have to buy a brand new laptop...just hook it into an existing laptop...though, now I'm starting to wonder if my old laptops will have enough horsepower for the job.....Can anyone explain the tech specs side of this equation?


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## T.DurdensOthr1/2 (Jul 31, 2010)

bsacco said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I own (2) Tivo HD lifetime units.
> 
> ...


If you take a moment and cruise around to most of your favorite websites and if you look closely you'll find the RSS button or the "RSS" link usually at the bottom of the pages or the little orange button on linkable Feeds. RSS: Really Simple Syndicate. Really simple way to get your favorite program directly downloaded to your tivo. Set season passes. ESPN.COM has video feeds and news feeds. CNN has like 30 diff RSS feeds. I've tried the RSS Feeds from Hulu but they're not compatible. However, if you look in the right places you can have your favorite stuff streamed right to your tivo for the solid investment of internet/tivo service. Also with Desktop Plus or even Galleon (I personally use Galleon... it's free) you can sign up to an internet paysite and download movies/shows/whatever to my computer and either stream it through my TiVo HD or transfer from my computer to my TiVo and watch it from the TiVo. If I like it, I save it to my 1 TB external hard drive so I don't clutter my TiVo, and if I don't... I delete it. When my hard drive gets full, I'll get another one. Who knows. Maybe I'll get the 6 TB hard drive from Weaknees.com and save it all right in the tivo.


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## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

I dl the content to my pc and then use PyTivo to place it on the tivo. All our content that is current to watch is stored on our 2TB tivo and available anywhere in the house. Our server does have a cache of tv series and movies that are not current as well as serves up music and photos to the tivo. We gave up comcrap video services long ago and have more content than we could ever watch. In addition to the sites mentioned above, you may want to research the use of usenet servers and readers for content posted there.


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

jcthorne said:


> I dl the content to my pc and then use PyTivo to place it on the tivo. All our content that is current to watch is stored on our 2TB tivo and available anywhere in the house. Our server does have a cache of tv series and movies that are not current as well as serves up music and photos to the tivo. We gave up comcrap video services long ago and have more content than we could ever watch. In addition to the sites mentioned above, you may want to research the use of usenet servers and readers for content posted there.


+1, except substitute Brighthouse for Comcast/Comcrap...


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## trip1eX (Apr 2, 2005)

Difficult to shed light on another solution when there is no mention of what content you want to watch.

To me cable and free or cheap internet tv are apples and oranges. 

Alot of stuff on cable you can't get elsewhere.

Wife loves netflix streaming now, and hasn't used the cable box in a few weeks but is that a flash in the pan or long term trend? Not sure. Figure one of these days she hears about a show that is cable-only. 

Probably happens the day after I cancel our FIOS TV service. 

I'd miss FIOS TV because of lack of cable sports. And some tv shows and other assorted content. Also miss surfing once in awhile. Watching bits and pieces of content.

But doubt I would save any money over what Verizon charges me if I'm buying shows and content from elsewhere.


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