Use Tablet to watch TV?

[Chrissie]

We have poor TV most of the time now so are recording progs with FilmOn's free 10 hour package and then watch back next day by attaching the computer to TV with an HDMI cable.  The problem is that then the computer cannot be used by someone else to do other things, which is irritating.  (Also means carting the thing from room to room.)

So, if we buy a cheap tablet with an HDMI port, would we be able to use that as a permanent alternative to the TV?  Seems too cheap and simple a solution......  Have never used a tablet, but assume it could  be set up to use our existing Windows 7 package.  Would it be able to cope with download speed etc?

The only one I have seen with an HDMI port says

(in no particular order and my rough partial translation of some French terms):

Technology 3500 MAH

Android

Min Windows XP system of exploitation required

Tactile 8 inch screen

Dual core A7 processor

Resolution 800 x 600 pix

RAM 512 Go

Stockage 4 Go

Micro SD flash card

Max capacity 32G

Wifi/Bluetooth

USB, HDMI both yes.

Can anyone tell if this has the power/ability to do the job?

Chrissie (81)

[AnOther]

For your specific purpose this is a far cheaper option:

[url]http://www.amazon.com/Micca-Speck-Full-HD-Portable-Digital/dp/B008NO9RRM/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359160582&sr=1-1&tag=androidcentral00-20[/url]

If you want a tablet too the Nexus 7 is about the best 7" device there is.

Forget about iPads, horrid expensive things bought largely by folks who follow the herd and don't know any better.

BTW unless you do buy a Windows tablet - and please don't - you won't be able to use Windows on one.

Why would you want to anyway, buy an Android device and be free !

[Quillan]

You don't even need a tablet, an Android smartphone will do. The latest version of Filmon comes with Cromecast support. Plug the Cromecast dongle into the HDMI socket on your TV and no cable is required.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ftv.tuff

 

[Chrissie]

Thanks for those replies:  I have a few (probably stupid) questions:

Firstly AnOther, isn't the device you suggested just a media player?  Doesn't look like it connects to the Internet, so how would I get the FilmOn recordings onto it?

When you say ignore Windows and stick with Android, would I just "connect" it to my SFR neufbox as I did the laptop?  Is Android stuff easy for technical clods to master?

Similar question, Quillan, re Android Smartphone option - think I would prefer a tablet as would hate to inadvertently run up some sort of extra phone bill - our SFR neufbox option excludes mobile phone.  And have so far managed to avoid any contact with dongles and feel hair on back of neck prickling with fear just at reading your second sentence.  Is a dongle something you physically buy?........Download?.....

Chrissie (81)

[Quillan]

A 'device' (like a computer, tablet, smartphone etc) does not have to run Windows to connect to the Internet via WiFi and your SFR router, they all do this.

I only mentioned a smartphone in case you had one in which case you could have used that.

The 'dongle' uses the WiFi in your house to talk to your 'device' i.e. smartphone, tablet or PC. It does not use any phone network. It simply removes the need to use a physical cable. This means you can have the 'device' next to you rather than the TV, bit like a super intelligent remote control. What you see on the 'device' screen is sent to the dongle inside our home using your WiFi network. The Cromecast dongle also allows you access to loads of other things which allow you, for instance, to rent films. The link below is to the cromecast website.

Googles Cromecaste

Each country has its own specific Cromecast dongle as it come pre-programed with various content so if you want one with UK English you need to get one from Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Google-Chromecast-Streaming-Media-Player/dp/B00I4WQ618/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402763318&sr=8-1&keywords=chromecast

Seems they are all the same price wherever you buy one from.

[NormanH]

[quote user="AnOther"]For your specific purpose this is a far cheaper option:

[url]http://www.amazon.com/Micca-Speck-Full-HD-Portable-Digital/dp/B008NO9RRM/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359160582&sr=1-1&tag=androidcentral00-20[/url]

BTW unless you do buy a Windows tablet - and please don't - you won't be able to use Windows on one.

Why would you want to anyway, buy an Android device and be free !

[/quote]

Glad to see you converting to Linux [6]

[AnOther]

[quote user="Chrissie"]Firstly AnOther, isn't the device you suggested just a media player?  Doesn't look like it connects to the Internet, so how would I get the FilmOn recordings onto it?[/quote]It is and it doesn't need to.

You download onto the laptop just as you do now but then copy the material to a USB stick or memory card which you then plug into the player.

The Chromecast needs your laptop so doesn't fully free it up for other uses.

You read too much into my comments Norman, horses for courses, however having got heartily fed up with stinking iTunes (which I've always loathed and detested anyway) an Android tablet (Nexus 7) is a refreshing and very welcome change and a Motorola Moto G is on it's way.

My iPhone dying was a real blessing in disguise [:D]

[Chrissie]

How do you download FilmOn recordings to a USB stick?  If I could do that, I could plug that straight into our TV.  When I click the option "Download" written in red against a recorded programme, a grey dotted line goes through it and it just starts to play.

Chrissie

[Pickles]

On our travels, we have used a Tesco Hudl with the free Filmon live TV application. We've connected the mini-HDMI output of the Hudl to the TV's HDMI socket and had pretty good results. We used only SD rather than HD.

[Chancer]

I have read this thread and havnt understood a word of the technical terms which is not a problem as I dont see the need for or want a tablet, a smartphone or to Watch UK TV or films while I am in France.

However I recognise that I am in the minority these days and that when I have UK clients they are probably likely to do the same as you lot, in fact perhaps more likely, my concern is them sharing the bandwidth of my Wi-Fi connection.

I have a Canadien client at the moment and I dont know if he watches movies (I will have to ask him) but he does use Skype and sometimes with video although with the time lag that may be when I have gone to bed, other than some delay at times with loading pages I havnt really noticed my computer being any slower, I have 5-6mb speed which will reduce by 2mb if I am watching TV at the same time.

Will someone watching movies with their phone or tablet or computer adversely affect me? what about when I will have several clients?

Or perhaps i dont have enough speed for them to do so? that would be a relief [:)]

Maybe I need this Fon setup sooner rather than later?

[Quillan]

Ok trying to keep it simple and talking in general terms is the quality of reception to watch streaming video in the different formats quoting minimum bandwidths.

SD TV/Film = 2mbs

HD TV/Film = 4mbs

SHD TV/Film = 15mbs

Of course if you are downloading a film to watch then the speed doesn't matter although the slower the speed the longer it takes to download. As an example at 3 mbs it takes just under 2 hours to download an HD/Blueray quality film which is around 1.3GB in size. A typical SD film is around 850MB and takes under an hour. This is what I have experienced and others may vary depending on their download speed.

If you have around 5mbs bandwidth and are watching HD TV (don't forget all the French main channels are now in HD as standard) then that leaves around 1mbs for the rest of your guests. If you have voip telephone then you have probably reached your limit or gone beyond it and will suffer audio dropout on the phone of pausing of the TV program while it buffers. Quite frankly I think you need around 10mbs to do what you're looking at but thats me.