Computer Guys: Help me with Internet TV

[UNSTUCK]

So I just picked up a Logitech Revue, thinking it would give me the internet on my tv just like it is on my computer. Well as you may know, it's not. Just about all the shows I can watch on my computer, I now would have to pay to watch them on my tv. So I did a bit of searching and found a youtube of a guy that was able to jailbrake, or I guess they call it breakvue his box. It looked pretty technical.
Has anyone on here done this? Sounds like you have to tear into your box and rewire some stuff then type in new code. WAY over my head. Can some one help me with this?

Other then that, I love sitting here on my couch looking at my big tv, instead of sitting at my desk working on my small monitor.

My other thought is that if I can't get this to work right, I have a monitor port on my tv that I could use. I'd just buy a cheap used computer and use the internet off of it. My question then would be what to do about sound. Is there a way to take the speaker port on the computer and plug it into my receiver for theater sound?

All of this is in hopes of having a bit more choice with tv without getting cable or dish.
Thanks.

 

[Brad J]

what to do about sound. Is there a way to take the speaker port on the computer and plug it into my receiver for theater sound?

I use a Headphone jack splitter off of my PC. One side goes to the small Speakers then the other side uses one of these Headphone jack to RCA jack adapters that runs to my Stereo Reciever. So I can here the music playing on my PC in the entire house if I want to. You could run that side to your TV or reciever. Radio Shack sells these cables, Smiths Market Place should as well.

As far as the other question, I haven't looked into the Logitech Revue at all.

 

[UNSTUCK]

Good info. I think I may go the computer route. The splitter would not give me surround sound though. Any other ideas?

 

[kobyhud]

Good info. I think I may go the computer route. The splitter would not give me surround sound though. Any other ideas?

Maybe post up a pic of the inputs/outputs on the back of your computer.

Depending on what you have there are many options.

 

[chans]

Good info. I think I may go the computer route. The splitter would not give me surround sound though. Any other ideas?

Install a sound card with an optical out or if your receiver has HDMI get a graphics card with HDMI. I have a Samsung Blu-ray player and it can surf the net and Sony makes the Sony internet TV that even has a keyboard.

 

[Caleb]

How I personally do it is I have a couple apps setup that look for my specific series I want (I have probably 20 series I'm currently following), when the new episodes become available it automatically downloads them. I then have another app (HandBrake) that I've scripted to run that converts, tags, and adds to iTunes. I have a $99 AppleTV at each of my TVs and I can now watch HD versions of all my shows (100% commercial free and ad free) sometimes before they are ever aired on TV. I do something similar for Movies, the only part I don't automate for my movies is the Tagging since there are so many options for movie covers.

The apps I use that make this entirely automated are:

• Sick Beard (for TV Shows)
• Sabnzbd (for downloading the nzb files)
• CouchPotato (for Movies)
• HandBrakeCLI (for ripping the files)
• A couple custom scripts (for finding files, calling HandBrakeCLI, tagging files, and moving the originals to a backup location)

Most of the apps will run under Windows, all will run under Linux including my scripts (one php script and one perl script)...I run it all on OS X.

 

[UNSTUCK]

I'm starting to think that Caleb knows everything about everything. I'd like to make the Revue work, I just don't think it's going to happen. I have found a few computers on KSL that I think may work. I don't have an open optical port on my receiver, but do have a digital coax. I've been searching for a card that uses them, but haven't found one yet.

Caleb, are you paying itunes for each show, or how do you do it? My main thought is that I want to be able to watch these shows on the tv, through the internet, for free like I can right now on my computer.

 

[Caleb]

No, I don't pay for each show, in fact I don't pay Apple anything other than the $99 for the AppleTV (the hardware). I use a service called usenet (Newsgroups) to get all my content.

 

[Badger]

I have found a few computers on KSL that I think may work. I don't have an open optical port on my receiver, but do have a digital coax. I've been searching for a card that uses them, but haven't found one yet.

I'm sure you mean on KSL but really a half decent card will only cost you a few bucks and give you that option.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829270006

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829111001

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829128009

Granted I haven't used any of these brands but there are cheap cards out there.

I usually have a setup like Caleb, I have a main server computer with a computer(my older game rigs) sitting next to each of my tv's. Each of these are on my home network so I can view any show,music,movie from any of my Tvs or computers in the house. I don't have mine auto scripted to download and convert each show. I usually just find files in mass to download and watch.

 

[UNSTUCK]

Do you think I could set up my Revue the same way. It has no hard drive, so I cannot download anything to it, in terms of apps.