A friend uses XBMC, together with a tv as a monitor, to watch tv programs.

Anybody know how this works/ Can he use this XBMC in Thailand? U.S. tv as a monitor?

Thanks!

Yep. It's now called Kodi, though.

any problems using a U.S. tv as a monitor here in Thailand (220 voltage, cycles?, etc)?

It depends whether it's capable of handling the local voltage - many items these days are multivoltage and will adapt accordingly. It should say on the back. I don't think many people ship something as big, heavy and fragile as a TV halfway around the world though, especially when they're available locally.

a step down transformer will allow your TV to work on the electrical grid here... however, i believe that they transmit in PAL, rather than NTSC...

which is what the USA tvs are built on... i know that if you buy a PAL dvd it will not play on a NTSC TV, but it will play on a monitor from the USA

when pushed out by a computer, say...

I brought 2 monitors from USA when i moved and both worked fine, but avoided bringing TV cuz of the decoder issues..

Sidenote

Anyone know about those little "cable" tv boxes they sell at tesco etc

Or WETV..they have it in the lobby where im staying and i have a tv in room

just need to run the "wire" to my room--is possible--connection--cost??? ideas?

I'm using an android type 'box' that has XBMC as its 'operating system' I brought it from Canada, it is branded INL3D. It works very well. The power adapter is 110/220VB so no issues. Hook up is recommended to any tv that is HDMI, although there are other outputs for other tv sets ( I havn't tried). The usual hassles of finding working streams applies but most anything you'd like to watch, including live tv, is available. Older tv shows are limited. There are some informative posts on youtube about this and other android tv boxes.