Ok so bottom line here it is, we had to let go of the directv because of risingmedical bills and rising gas costs we can't afford it anymore. So the TV is the last thing we want to get rid of but first non essential thing to go. Now I am going to fight tooth and nail to keep the internet on because we use it for alot more than just recreation.
So here is my delima. We are keeping the internet and we can watch tv shows and movies right there on the PC, mine is fairly decent, 2.0 Ghz Processor, 1GB Ram, a 128 MB Radeon video card, and a few other things. I also have 8Meg internet so I decided there is no harm in just hooking the PC into my 27" (yes I know) Tv and having the comfort of watching TV from my PC to my TV. The thing is my parents have a slow computer, like 530 Mgz or something processor, 256MB RAM, and NO video card other than the integrated crap it came with. They are on the same fast internet I am on so I was thinking of upgrading their computer with a decent video card or something to get their favorite tv shows and movies in the living room right from the internet.
Problem is they do not want the pc in the living room and they do not want the TV in the bed room. SO here is my question. What do I need to be able to get the TV from their computer (and in a watchable form) so that they can sit in the living room and watch their tv shows from their computer but on the TV? Would it be cheaper/better to buy something like the Apple TV or would it be fine just getting a HUB or something and running the S-Video cable from the PC to the TV? Keep in mind we are trying to cut costs here by eliminating the cable bill so we are looking for an alternative solution that won't cost us a ton of money.
Ok in other words we want to watch TV from our PC over the internet but have a slow computer, what do I need? With our fast internet would using a HUB be the best idea (right now the router is in the basement where my PC is and my moms computer is using a Wi-Fi adaptor to get the internet but it is a USB 2.0 adapter and her computer has the older USB ports so it is slowed down even more.
What I was thinking is if I got a HUB and ran a line directly to her computer that should get her faster internet speeds, and I think I can fit more RAM into the system ut I am not sure the maximum it can handle ( it uses SD RAM also) So I was thinking I would then get her a fairly cheap (maybe 64 or 128 MB video card with S-Video or maybe Component video outs) and see if that would be enough. Any thoughts? Sorry for the long disorganized post I am just looking for answers in a hurry so I know what to look for so we don' overspend. PLus my parents are old fashioned and stubborn so making a switch like this is going to take some convincing and I think with our current financial situation we need an afordable solution like in a hurry. Plus my dad does not want to miss a single NBA game so it's liek we need to figure something out in a hurry.
Topic: Shutting of DirecTV Need advice (Read 1468 times)
