TV streaming box for an old TV ( got Scart, no hdmi)

Im still clinging onto an old CRT TV that doesn't have HDMI inputs (RGB Scart/phono red white yellow) The TV works perfectly well ( coupled to a digital TV recorder ) and if it isnt broken then why replace it?

However I would also like to have access to the likes of netflix, and the main cathcup services ( iplayer, itv player, 4od, demand 5 etc)

At the moment my options seem to be:
Buy a new smart TV - expensive, especially as the the current one works fine

Buy a you view box: I already have a digital TV recorder so most opf the functions will be duplicated, plus ive read some bad things about youview boxes from the likes of talk talk crashing/being slow so the second hand market is ruled out.

Buy a Media streamer, however as far as im aware these all have hdmi outputs only ( chromecast etc etc) so this will require some sort of an adaptor (hdmi in - scart out)

The question is, is there a streaming TV box that has access to the main terrestrial TV channels streaming services plus netflix ( and possibly amazon as well) and will plug into a Scart socket?

Comments

  • Moneymaker
    Moneymaker Posts: 1,984 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Roku 2400EU LT AV Receiver Set-Top Box (Electronics)
    I bought this principally to stream Netflix to an almost 20 year old CRT TV which has only scart and standard AV connections (the red, white and yellow jack sockets)as an alternative to spending several hundred pounds on a new HD ready TV.

    What can I say - after a very straightforward setting up process (you need to use a credit card or Paypal to set up a Roku account but this is only used in the event you opt for premium products) this little gadget worked right out of the box.
    From https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B006VTASUQ

    (I found it immediately by searching for streaming media scart. Easy!)

    .
  • almillar
    almillar Posts: 8,621 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Don't worry about YouView - just avoid the TalkTalk boxes. Stick with the proper Humax ones. This will get you an HD recording box, which will be ready for that new TV that will eventually come along...
  • Richard_T_
    Richard_T_ Posts: 349 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 29 December 2014 at 2:26PM
    Thanks - had a quick look at the roku boxes - currys have them on offer at the moment, the roku 1 for £30 and the roku 2 for £50.
    Currently trying to figure out the differences?
  • Tropez
    Tropez Posts: 3,696 Forumite
    edited 29 December 2014 at 3:07PM
    Richard_T_ wrote: »
    Thanks - had a quick look at the roku boxes - currys have them on offer at the moment, the roku 1 for £30 and the roku 2 for £50.
    Currently trying to figure out the differences?

    Mostly just hardware differences and a couple of feature differences. Nothing too drastic.

    Roku 2 has support for dual-band wireless for better performance.

    Roku 2 remote has a headphone jack for listening via headphones (convenient if listening to TV when other people are in bed, although the supplied headphones are of low quality, or at least, the Roku 3 ones were).

    Both do effectively the same thing though and have access to the same service. I have a Roku 3 myself.

    One thing I would caution is that you cannot get Amazon Instant Video or Blinkbox on Roku. This may or may not be because Sky and Fox invested heavily in UK Roku and are rumoured to be blocking apps that act as direct competitors to Now TV and Sky Store, although this may not be wholly true as Sainsbury's version of Blinkbox launched over Christmas on UK Roku.

    You can, however, access Netflix and the main on-demand catch-up services from BBC, ITV, C4 and 5 along with hundreds of other "channels" that have a massive range of genres and specialties.

    As a Roku 3 user, I like Roku. I'd prefer it if it had Amazon but I have an Xbox which has that so it isn't a massive issue. I use my Roku almost every day for one thing or another. Currently, I have Spotify playing through it while I do some work.

    Edited to add: There is a sort of fix available to get Amazon playing on a UK Roku but it's hardly ideal and I can only guarantee it "works" on a Roku 3. You can screencast from a smartphone or tablet to Roku so if you have a smartphone or tablet that supports such casting and a device on which Amazon Instant Video will play, then you can screencast to the Roku while a video plays on Amazon. My phone supports doing that but the quality is hardly great.

    Some computers will support this as well through Windows 8.
  • Ben84
    Ben84 Posts: 3,069 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I wouldn't buy a new smart TV for the smart TV features. Manufacturers have a bad track record for supporting these sets. Over time content providers change their services and the TV manufacturers don't release software updates, so the smart TV features become broken within a few years. The youview box has good support from the content providers themselves and has already outlasted many smart TV's support, and I'm expecting it to continue to do so.

    I'm actually using the analogue scart output as I have a slighter older TV (B&O 7802 from 1982), so if you have any questions about the youview's analogue output I can possibly answer them? My set is stereo and 4:3 ratio 22" screen.
  • Moneymaker
    Moneymaker Posts: 1,984 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Don't hold your breath for a reply. Richard_T_ hasn't posted here since January. ;)
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.3K Banking & Borrowing
  • 252.8K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.2K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 597.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.6K Life & Family
  • 256.3K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.