Is Chromebook any good for TV and film streaming?

Grumpysally

We have been running an old Windows XP desktop PC for years, and suspect it's on it's last legs. I don't want to replace it with another bulky PC.

We have a laptop and we use it a lot to watch BBC iplayer etc (and play chess )

I've looked at the prices of decent laptops and they are out of our range at the moment.

I was wondering if a Chromebook would be a viable alternative. Can it handle catch up TV and films? We would still have the laptop for all the off-line stuff. ( I don't like the idea of everything being on a cloud, I'm a traditionalist )


A deal breaker for OH would be, can he play chess off-line on a Chromebook?

Thanks

DCFC79

When you say on last legs do you mean its slow ?

If so there are steps you can do to try and speed it up.

John259

I just did a Google search for
bbc iplayer on chromebook
All the comments that I read said that the iPlayer works on Chromebooks, but one report mentioned that the model they used struggled with HD (but I guess that might have been due to their connection more than the Chromebook).

A search for
chess on chromebook
lists some possibilities but it might depend on your precise requirements (being able to play against the computer or against another person over the net; being able to set up the board to a special configuration; etc)

googler

Just get a Chromecast and use it with existing laptop for iPlayer, Netflix, with 4OD and others expected to follow

closed

last legs - see sticky threads.

Grumpysally

googler wrote: »

Just get a Chromecast and use it with existing laptop for iPlayer, Netflix, with 4OD and others expected to follow

Isn't the Chromecast for plugging into your TV to make it 'smart'?

We can already get the on demand channels on the laptop I was wondering how well they play on a Chromebook as this would be one of it's main functions.

googler

AlisonW wrote: »

Isn't the Chromecast for plugging into your TV to make it 'smart'?

We can already get the on demand channels on the laptop I was wondering how well they play on a Chromebook as this would be one of it's main functions.

Yes, it is. I assumed you would prefer to watch the on-demand material on your TV, as opposed to a laptop screen, but if I'm wrong, then I yield.

Do you prefer your laptop screen to your TV screen?

Grumpysally

No I prefer the TV, but DD2 tends to hog it early evening.Then I take over at night, especially since I bought a Now TV box .
OH doesn't get a look in, he's the one who uses the laptop for his TV viewing. Consequently if I need the computer I have to use the dinosaur in the cold spare room, hence I'd like to replace that with our laptop and am trying to convince him that a Chromebook is 'A Good Thing' so need to be certain that it would actually do what he wants it to do.

Most of the review I've read seem to be from a few years back when the Chromebook was first out, which is why I was hoping to pick the brains of people who have been using one for a year or too.

HD isn't an issue as our wifi is too poor for that anyway.

myhooose

We have a Hp 14" Chromebook and have no problems with UK catch up tv, Netflix and Youtube.