avoiding the need for dvd's

pizzaboy

i have a desktop upstairs with a cable connection and i wanted really to install it downstairs (its a media centre)but i needed a laptop,so i share the files with that,what i would like is to plug the laptop into my tv and view them there thus elimminating the need for burning dvd's.

do i need a particular tv (ie hd ,lcd etc etc)or just a special lead

im not really looking to buy hd yet ,prepared to wait a while

any advice much appreciated

niceguyrichy

so long as the laptop has an s-video out, and the tv has an s-video in, then all you need is an s-video cable

and appropriate software to play the vid files (can't remember off the top of my head why, but something about progs like wmp means they don't work with vid out. think vlc does though)

odowdchr

You can get one of these standalone networked hard drives, keep all your videos/music/photos on that, then share wirelessly throughout the house to any computer. I find that a lot easier than using windows file sharing and needing at least 2 PC's switched on.
If your wireless connection's good, you won't need to copy the video files onto the laptop, just stream it and output on the TV.

Unless the laptop has a proper audio out socket, you'll need a £2 audio cable to connect from the laptop headphone socket into the TV Audio In, or you'll be stuck with the tinny laptop speakers.

pizzaboy

thanks for the info:beer:

my desktop has a plug in hard drive which i was gonna just plug into the laptop downstairs,but like you say i can just share it .

ive had the vlc player before so ill dwload it again and try that.

plus has there been much on here about MIMO and pre-n routers ,i did a bit of research and it didnt seem like a good idea to buy one untill next year?


cheers