Can i watch tv on netbook

[lindashepherd]

Hi - I currently link my laptop to my tv via VGA cable and sound cable to watch tv channels - is it possible to do this with a netbook or just some netbooks please? thanks for your help.

 

[szaboaz]

I don't understand. Does your laptop have a built-in tv-tuner? How do you connect it to the tv cable or antenna? Or what tv channels are we talking about, online ones?

 

[lindashepherd]

I connect my current laptop to the tv via vga cable and sound cable, then I find the channel I want to watch on the laptop by going to the tv channel's website.I then watch the channel through the tv screen so the whole family can watch. I just wondered if a netbook has the same facility to surf the web and use a flash player in the same way as an ordinary laptop?

 

[szaboaz]

If your TV has an HDMI port, then get a netbook with HDMI port, and that's it.

Otherwise, get a netbook with both VGA and HDMI output. This way, you can use it just the way you use your laptop, *AND* it'll be future proof. In case you decide to buy a new TV later on (with HDMI port of course), you'll be able to enjoy the advantages of the HDMI connection (it's digital, so better signal quality, and it contains audio, so no need for separate cable).



Little warning: what you cannot do is connecting a HDMI-only netbook to a VGA/RCA port with a cable. They sell cable which is supposed to do this, but it can't work, because there's no way a cable can transform digital signals to analog. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6Vu2gGhzVo


If you want to get a perspective, watch these two videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN_yCFttdck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0NG7hZSbw4

 

[szaboaz]

I just realized that your question is not really about connectors, but rather the capability of netbooks for handling flash video.

I'm sure they have no problem with let's say standard resolution (360, 480) Youtube videos. The situation gets more interesting with HD resolutions (720, 1080). Recent video chips (either separate video cards or the ones built into processors) support HD video decoding by hardware, which means they can easily do it with low power consumption and low processor usage.

I suggest you look for this feature in the product descriptions, they usually emphasize it can handle HD video. Or if you have a nice model in mind, you can ask the forum about that.

 

[Motopsychojdn]

It depends on your netbook model,
my Eeepc 1015Px does have a Vga port so I can watch it on the Tv,
a recommended upgrade to the netbook you buy is max out the ram,
and if you have an Sd reader, put a 2Gb card in and dedicate it to readyboost,
Moto

 

[13thmonkey]

or if you have display port on the netbook, then you can get displayport to vga converter dongles cheaply enough, I use one for connecting to a projector.

 

[lindashepherd]

Best answer selected by lindashepherd.

 

[lindashepherd]

I just realized that your question is not really about connectors, but rather the capability of netbooks for handling flash video.

I'm sure they have no problem with let's say standard resolution (360, 480) Youtube videos. The situation gets more interesting with HD resolutions (720, 1080). Recent video chips (either separate video cards or the ones built into processors) support HD video decoding by hardware, which means they can easily do it with low power consumption and low processor usage.

I suggest you look for this feature in the product descriptions, they usually emphasize it can handle HD video. Or if you have a nice model in mind, you can ask the forum about that.

Thank you so much - yes you have understand what I wanted - now I think my next step will be to see one in action in a shop before actually buying (online!) - once again, many thanks for your help and input -