Hulu Etc On Tv

[tominbkk]

This is probably covered elsewhere, but maybe you can help me out, cause I can't find it.

What is the quickest and easiest way to connect my HDTV with my online content (I am unblock.us enabled). I would prefer a wireless solution, just streaming from my com to the computer, but would be open to other solutions as well.

Thanks!

Edited September 11, 2011 by tominbkk

[craigt3365]

What kind of TV do you have? Does it have direct internet access? I use the Western Digital media player. I believe it supports Hulu also?

[Sam Drucker]

What kind of TV do you have? Does it have direct internet access? I use the Western Digital media player. I believe it supports Hulu also?

I'm curious what the media source was and what format you have your media saved as on the WD Media Player? I have a bunch of DVD's I'd like to rip into .ISO files and save to a drive in order to save space. But my understanding is that the WD Media Player can't handle .iso files.

If I did rip the DVD's into .iso's, I could certainly play them through a computer connected to a modern TV. But I would prefer if they were played from a "black box" (like the WD Media Player) connected to the TV. It's simpler to operate that way. As for saving as .iso, it retains all the functionality of the original DVD (with subtitles, bonus material, etc.) But maybe there's a better way?

[craigt3365]

What kind of TV do you have? Does it have direct internet access? I use the Western Digital media player. I believe it supports Hulu also?

I'm curious what the media source was and what format you have your media saved as on the WD Media Player? I have a bunch of DVD's I'd like to rip into .ISO files and save to a drive in order to save space. But my understanding is that the WD Media Player can't handle .iso files.

If I did rip the DVD's into .iso's, I could certainly play them through a computer connected to a modern TV. But I would prefer if they were played from a "black box" (like the WD Media Player) connected to the TV. It's simpler to operate that way. As for saving as .iso, it retains all the functionality of the original DVD (with subtitles, bonus material, etc.) But maybe there's a better way?

The WD media player has played every media type I've thrown at it...with the exception of some .flv files I'm screwing around with right now. But these are recordings of streaming media sites...working through this issue right now.

I've never ripped off a DVD. So can't help you there. But look at the WD website and you'll see all the supported video types. Pretty impressive. I'm 100% sure you can rip DVDs and put them into a high quality format the WD will easily recognize. I download pretty much only high def stuff now. They look great on a HD TV.

I've given up on DVDs and have given most of mine away. They just take up too much space. My movies are now on 1TB USB portable hard drives. Easy to update and move around. So with a WD box, all you need is a USB drive. It's got a remote too...so works great. I have a WD box connected to both of my TVs. Giving up on True this month also. Just too much money for what you get.

[silvester2]

I use Apple TV 2G. It is super easy. Put in Unblock.us data in the Apple TV 2G thats it. Streaming Computer/ TV also no problem.

I got it from www.apple-tv-thailand.com

[lor]

I use Apple TV 2G. It is super easy. Put in Unblock.us data in the Apple TV 2G thats it. Streaming Computer/ TV also no problem.

I got it from www.apple-tv-thailand.com

The above sounds like a good solution but I also want to watch BBC iplayer as well as Hulu so I use Overplay, which is a paid for VPN server. There is an app that goes into my Cisco Router which gives the router an extra config page where you can select paracticaly any country in the world and then an IP is assigned from that country. The Internet between here and the UK is a bit slow at times with my True connection but Hulu from USA works perfectly.

Chris

[petertucker48]

I use Apple TV 2G. It is super easy. Put in Unblock.us data in the Apple TV 2G thats it. Streaming Computer/ TV also no problem.

I got it from www.apple-tv-thailand.com

Also check out :

http://www.mac2hand.com/

[Sam Drucker]

What kind of TV do you have? Does it have direct internet access? I use the Western Digital media player. I believe it supports Hulu also?

I'm curious what the media source was and what format you have your media saved as on the WD Media Player? I have a bunch of DVD's I'd like to rip into .ISO files and save to a drive in order to save space. But my understanding is that the WD Media Player can't handle .iso files.

If I did rip the DVD's into .iso's, I could certainly play them through a computer connected to a modern TV. But I would prefer if they were played from a "black box" (like the WD Media Player) connected to the TV. It's simpler to operate that way. As for saving as .iso, it retains all the functionality of the original DVD (with subtitles, bonus material, etc.) But maybe there's a better way?

The WD media player has played every media type I've thrown at it...with the exception of some .flv files I'm screwing around with right now. But these are recordings of streaming media sites...working through this issue right now.

I've never ripped off a DVD. So can't help you there. But look at the WD website and you'll see all the supported video types. Pretty impressive. I'm 100% sure you can rip DVDs and put them into a high quality format the WD will easily recognize. I download pretty much only high def stuff now. They look great on a HD TV.

I've given up on DVDs and have given most of mine away. They just take up too much space. My movies are now on 1TB USB portable hard drives. Easy to update and move around. So with a WD box, all you need is a USB drive. It's got a remote too...so works great. I have a WD box connected to both of my TVs. Giving up on True this month also. Just too much money for what you get.

Okay, understand your reply. I have several questions . . . just trying to get a handle on what the best way is to go about things here?

So what is your preferred format for storage of HD content, and why?

I haven't done recordings of streaming media sites, and was wondering the status of HD on a stream? Is it coming through as HD, or just sourced from HD? I would think a lot of computers wouldn't have the resolution to handle HD, and maybe true HD would require too much bandwidth to stream smoothly? Any problems during the capture of getting pauses due to buffering etc.? If so, I assume they carry through (unless edited out) in the recording saved to your media player?

Are any of the ways you are capturing content retaining any DVD functionality (such as menus, chapters, languages, subtitles, and bonus material?)

[craigt3365]

Okay, understand your reply. I have several questions . . . just trying to get a handle on what the best way is to go about things here?

So what is your preferred format for storage of HD content, and why?

I haven't done recordings of streaming media sites, and was wondering the status of HD on a stream? Is it coming through as HD, or just sourced from HD? I would think a lot of computers wouldn't have the resolution to handle HD, and maybe true HD would require too much bandwidth to stream smoothly? Any problems during the capture of getting pauses due to buffering etc.? If so, I assume they carry through (unless edited out) in the recording saved to your media player?

Are any of the ways you are capturing content retaining any DVD functionality (such as menus, chapters, languages, subtitles, and bonus material?)

I download off various P2P sites. They come in all sorts of formats, but .mkv seems to be a more popular one. So I just deal with whatever I get in terms of the download, put the media on a portable hard drive and hook it up to my WD...which is connected to my HDTV.

I don't really deal with streaming media, except recently with regards to BBC and CNN. And yes, the captured streamed media does have issues. It's not nearly as clear as what I get off the TV, it is a bit jerky at times, and completely flopped when my internet crashed yesterday. To be expected.

The files I have been dealing with do not retain the DVD functionality you mention. But the WD has fast forward as well as a skip ahead feature. And subtitles, audio output options, zooming, languages, etc....if these are included in the file you have downloaded. Many times, for sub titles, I get them separately. It can be hit and miss with regards to quality on the stuff you download. I keep an eye peeled for specific "people" who do the rips.

P.S. Still having problems with playing .flv on my TV. Ughh....

[tominbkk]

I use Apple TV 2G. It is super easy. Put in Unblock.us data in the Apple TV 2G thats it. Streaming Computer/ TV also no problem.

I got it from www.apple-tv-thailand.com

Also check out :

http://www.mac2hand.com/

Thanks to you two, that was what I was looking for. the others misunderstood me, as I typically watch downloaded shows by just throwing them on my usb stick and plugging it into my phillips dvd player's usb port. when you say just put int he unblock.usa data, you mean the internet settings for it, the DNS? Then I can browse over to the hulu site and see the content there?

Anyway, cool!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Tom, Hulu, like a lot of the other video content sites from the U.S., requires a U.S. IP address in order to access it's content...

So, in order to watch it here, you have to obtain a U.S. IP address either on your Internet router or on the particular PC that is streaming the content.

Unblock-us ($60 a year) is one way to do that....though with that you're limited to only the particular content providers they support (which does include Hulu).

A private proxy server thru one of the paid VPN providers like Witopia.net is another way that allows you to choose and as desired change what location you want your IP to come from, U.S. or UK or various other locations, and then gives you access to all location restricted content from that location. It's likely going to be faster than either of the VPN solutions I mention below because it doesn't involve any encryption of the data sent.

Traditional VPN providers will do the same, but they're going to produce a slower download stream than the private proxy because they use varying levels of encryption of the data that's sent... Among the various options, PPTP will tend to be faster, while Open SSL will be slower. But encrypting streaming video content to Thailand is a pointless and unnecessary result, since no one in Thailand is trying to block or censor it.

For streaming of video, a hard-wired cable connection from your PC to your TV is going to produce the best result.... But if that's not practical, a Wifi router would work as well... For streaming video, it would be better to have an N class wifi router and receiver (as opposed to G class), with the Wifi receiver either built-in to your TV, or added as a USB plug-in adapter.

[negreanu]

unblock-us is US49.99 a year.

[JSixpack]

Still having problems with playing .flv on my TV. Ughh....

For those I use a media server on my computer to transcode and stream to the WDTV live. I've used Tversity (http://tversity.com/) and am now using PS3 (http://www.ps3mediaserver.org/). Works a treat.

[tominbkk]

Hi all

Thanks to everyone for your details, it gives me a lot of ideas. I am looking at the Apple TV 2 device, that might be the best bet for me. I have a very good internet connection at my house, and am on a trial with ublock.us right now, and am enjoying it very much. I'll let you all know what I finally end up doing.

Cheers

Tom

[tominbkk]

Hulu does not show recognition for ATV:

http://www.hulu.com/plus/devices?src=topnav

Is there an easy hack for that function? I contacted the apple-tv-thailand.com site already with that question, am waiting for what they have to say.....just don't want to buy without it working.

The ROKU player looks pretty cool too.

[negreanu]

Apple TV 2 is good option now as you get iTunes store purchases option, Netflix, Vimeo, NBA MLB and youtube all in the one device and also you can use it with Airplay for your IOS devices.

Roku products are also very good with a wide wide selection of channels to add to the device the main benefit to the ATV2 is Hulu Plus. Although value for money and ease of purchase i would go with ATV2 in Thailand.

[tominbkk]

Apple TV 2 is good option now as you get iTunes store purchases option, Netflix, Vimeo, NBA MLB and youtube all in the one device and also you can use it with Airplay for your IOS devices.

Roku products are also very good with a wide wide selection of channels to add to the device the main benefit to the ATV2 is Hulu Plus. Although value for money and ease of purchase i would go with ATV2 in Thailand.

So Hulu plus is not available with the ATV2, right? It's not necessarily a game breaker, and I like Apple products lots and there are great reviews of the ATV2, but not being able to have hulu with the ATV2 would be a bummer....

[tominbkk]

Does anyone know if you need a US credit card/address to get a netflix account? Can I register with a Thai credit card?

[mikewet88]

Does anyone know if you need a US credit card/address to get a netflix account? Can I register with a Thai credit card?

Hi,

I did registered a netflix account using Non-US credit card. U need to fill in a US address. U can get 1 easily from those US Forwarding company. I use comgateway address. It worked. Netflix is somehow more lenient accepting non-US credit card. They also accept Paypal too.

Give them a try.

I am still looking for someone with US credit card to subscript to Hulu Plus. Anyone got any lead do PM me. Thank first!

Edited September 14, 2011 by mikewet88

[tominbkk]

Does anyone know if you need a US credit card/address to get a netflix account? Can I register with a Thai credit card?

Hi,

I did registered a netflix account using Non-US credit card. U need to fill in a US address. U can get 1 easily from those US Forwarding company. I use comgateway address. It worked. Netflix is somehow more lenient accepting non-US credit card. They also accept Paypal too.

Give them a try.

I am still looking for someone with US credit card to subscript to Hulu Plus. Anyone got any lead do PM me. Thank first!

Great, thanks Mike, that helps.

[Bangkokhatter]

Sorry if you think I am hi-jacking your thread, but reading through all these options and trying to work out what all the acronyms mean has got me scratching my head

My question in lamens terms is what is the easiest and cheapest way of first getting to watch US/UK t.v on my lap-top and then getting it on to my big telly ?

I tried ex-pat sheild but just got pop -ups everytime i used it, even if i viewed another tab like FB etc. and it was also very slow , and could not work out how to download programmes etc.

Am not particularly computer savvy so any help in basic terms is much appreciated

Thank-you

[mikewet88]

Sorry if you think I am hi-jacking your thread, but reading through all these options and trying to work out what all the acronyms mean has got me scratching my head

My question in lamens terms is what is the easiest and cheapest way of first getting to watch US/UK t.v on my lap-top and then getting it on to my big telly ?

I tried ex-pat sheild but just got pop -ups everytime i used it, even if i viewed another tab like FB etc. and it was also very slow , and could not work out how to download programmes etc.

Am not particularly computer savvy so any help in basic terms is much appreciated

Thank-you

U can use a service called: http://www.unblock-us.com/ I am using now and able to watch netflix, hulu smoothly on my PC.

They offered free 7 days trial. This is their setup guide: http://www.unblock-u.../how-to-set-up/ Click which link that is applicable to you.

On connecting your Laptop to TV, did your laptop have any output port like HDMI or VGA? Also, your TV had any VGA or HDMI input? It will be helpful if you can give me the brand, model number for your laptop and TV

Edited September 14, 2011 by mikewet88

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

unblock-us is US49.99 a year.

Yes, for a full year payment in advance... Or, $4.99 a month, which works out to just under $60 a year if paid monthly.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Does anyone know if you need a US credit card/address to get a netflix account? Can I register with a Thai credit card?

Hi,

I did registered a netflix account using Non-US credit card. U need to fill in a US address. U can get 1 easily from those US Forwarding company. I use comgateway address. It worked. Netflix is somehow more lenient accepting non-US credit card. They also accept Paypal too.

Give them a try.

Netflix is also expanding internationally... though I haven't heard any plans for Asia... They're already in Canada...and I believe, have just this month begun making their service available in Mexico and other Latin American countries. So they should be coming more international friendly as time goes on....

This year it is expected to move to Europe, starting with Great Britain and Spain, according to people familiar with the matter not authorized to discuss Netflix's plans publicly.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/09/netflix-sees-mexico-profitability-in-two-years-as-latin-america-launches.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newsandbuzz+%28News+%26+Buzz%29&utm_content=Google+International

[craigt3365]

Still having problems with playing .flv on my TV. Ughh....

For those I use a media server on my computer to transcode and stream to the WDTV live. I've used Tversity (http://tversity.com/) and am now using PS3 (http://www.ps3mediaserver.org/). Works a treat.

I've seen that before. I will research it for sure. Thanks!

Today, my experiment crapped out...ToT's service is spotty. Rentadrone.org hiccuped and my recorder stopped.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

My question in lamens terms is what is the easiest and cheapest way of first getting to watch US/UK t.v on my lap-top and then getting it on to my big telly ?

You need to deal with the content access issue as described thru various means in this thread, ie. getting a US IP (internet protocol) address on your internet connection so it will be accepted by the various content providers that require it...

And then, you need to make the proper connection between your laptop and TV... Most likely, you'll want to run video and audio cables from your laptop to the TV...

If your laptop has an HDMI out port and your TV has an HDMI in port, one HDMI cable connecting the two will cover everything, video and audio.

If your laptop doesn't have an HDMI port out, then you'd need a different kind of video out connection such as a Super Video port (S-Video) that some laptops have, or failing that, a VGA port out... which looks the same as the connector for your PC monitor.

If you have to use either S-Video or VGA out to get the video out of your laptop, you'd most likely want a cable with those connections on one end for your laptop and then the opposite end of the cable having a single RCA video plug for your TV...

Neither VGA nor SVideo out handle audio, however. So if you have to use one of those for video, you'll need to make a separate connection for the audio... Typically, a cable with a stereo miniplug on one end that goes into your laptop's headphones jack, and the other end of the cable with the common red and white color RCA audio plugs that go into your TV's audio in jacks...

Be aware, though, that not all VGA ports on laptops will support "Video Out" to a TV... Some willl only output the laptop's video to an external computer monitor, which is a different kind of signal than what a TV needs... If you have a laptop that doesn't support video out to a TV, then you would need to buy a converter box made specifically for that purpose.

It all depends on what kind of port your laptop has for sending video out.

The above probably sounds complicated... But if you don't have HDMI on both ends to make it easy... be aware...

There are combination (video and audio) cables made specifically for making these kinds of connections... meaning... a single cable with different connectors on each end to fit the various video and audio configurations above... You just need to figure out what configuration you need on the laptop and TV ends, and then shop for that kind of combination cable.

Edited September 14, 2011 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Bangkokhatter]

My question in lamens terms is what is the easiest and cheapest way of first getting to watch US/UK t.v on my lap-top and then getting it on to my big telly ?

You need to deal with the content access issue as described thru various means in this thread, ie. getting a US IP (internet protocol) address on your internet connection so it will be accepted by the various content providers that require it...

And then, you need to make the proper connection between your laptop and TV... Most likely, you'll want to run video and audio cables from your laptop to the TV...

If your laptop has an HDMI out port and your TV has an HDMI in port, one HDMI cable connecting the two will cover everything, video and audio.

If your laptop doesn't have an HDMI port out, then you'd need a different kind of video out connection such as a Super Video port (S-Video) that some laptops have, or failing that, a VGA port out... which looks the same as the connector for your PC monitor.

If you have to use either S-Video or VGA out to get the video out of your laptop, you'd most likely want a cable with those connections on one end for your laptop and then the opposite end of the cable having a single RCA video plug for your TV...

Neither VGA nor SVideo out handle audio, however. So if you have to use one of those for video, you'll need to make a separate connection for the audio... Typically, a cable with a stereo miniplug on one end that goes into your laptop's headphones jack, and the other end of the cable with the common red and white color RCA audio plugs that go into your TV's audio in jacks...

Be aware, though, that not all VGA ports on laptops will support "Video Out" to a TV... Some willl only output the laptop's video to an external computer monitor, which is a different kind of signal than what a TV needs... If you have a laptop that doesn't support video out to a TV, then you would need to buy a converter box made specifically for that purpose.

It all depends on what kind of port your laptop has for sending video out.

The above probably sounds complicated... But if you don't have HDMI on both ends to make it easy... be aware...

There are combination (video and audio) cables made specifically for making these kinds of connections... meaning... a single cable with different connectors on each end to fit the various video and audio configurations above... You just need to figure out what configuration you need on the laptop and TV ends, and then shop for that kind of combination cable.

Thanks for the information, is the HDMI port a 9 pin connection ?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

HDMI looks like this...

S-Video looks like this.

Edited September 14, 2011 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

BTW, there's a lot of talk about coming changes in the whole TV-movie video streaming sector in the U.S.

Starz is pulling its content from Netflix next year... And there's talk they may be taking their content to a soon to launch paid video streaming service to be launched under the old Blockbuster video name...

Hulu is also widely reported to be a coming takeover/sale/merger target...

Another free service I've been using lately, that's kind of a Hulu basic version of movies with a single commercial inserted periodically, is Crackle.com, which handles a lot of Sony's movie catalog. It also requires a U.S. IP. Watched "A Few Good Men" with Tom Cruise there the other night.

September 14, 2011 2:21 AM [url=http://news.businessweek.com/article.asp?documentKey=1376-LQTRD66TTDS001-7QOTD6NE16HEDUVSERQFE068E5#][/url]

Hulu Offers Internet Video-Streaming Service in Japan

Sept. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Hulu LLC, the video-streaming website owned by News Corp., Walt Disney Co. and NBC Universal, began a subscription-based service in Japan, its first international expansion as it solicits takeover bids. Subscribers in Japan will pay 1,480 yen ($19.21) a month to stream hundreds of movies and thousands of U.S. television shows, Hulu said in a statement today. Japanese-produced content and Asian films and TV shows will be added to the service as Hulu secures rights, the company said.

Disney Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger said in July at the Allen & Co. conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, that Hulu's owners are committed to selling the company. Satellite- television providers Dish Network Corp. and DirecTV said they have considered acquiring Hulu. Apple Inc., Yahoo Inc. and AT&T Inc. have also expressed interest, according to people familiar with the matter.

Hulu is partnering with NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan's largest mobile-phone operator, to market the online TV service in that country. Los Angeles-based Hulu said details of the partnership will be “unveiled shortly,” according to the statement.

http://news.businessweek.com/article.asp?documentKey=1376-LQTRD66TTDS001-7QOTD6NE16HEDUVSERQFE068E5

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Dish reportedly launching Blockbuster movie streaming service next month

By Donald Melanson posted Sep 2nd 2011 4:11PM

Dish Network already has its DishOnline streaming service for its own paying customers, but it looks like it's now set to take direct aim at Netflix with a standalone subscription service that will be open to everyone. According to Bloomberg, that will operate under the company's recently acquired Blockbuster brand and, in what's surely a bitter pill for Netflix to swallow, it's said to include titles from Starz (which also handles movies from Disney and Sony).

MORE:

Edited September 14, 2011 by TallGuyJohninBKK