The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Cutting Cable for Internet TV - Multiple Sets
frokey
Registered User new member
Registered User new member
Hi!
I'm looking into helping my brother cut some long term expenses by cutting the cable at his house and switching to a combination of OTA and internet TV/Video (Hulu, Netflix, Crackle, etc.). He has 4 TV's in the house and currently on DSL with a wireless router. Ideally, he'd want to be able to watch different programming simultaneously on each of the sets. Also, he's not a techie, so it would need to have a simple interface and be virtually maintenance free once set up.
I was initially hoping that there might be a media server product that could accomplish this, but after a little searching, it seems more like it would need to be something closer to an HTPC for each TV. Also, there would need to be a switcher (I'm guessing?) to go from internet to OTA programming.
Do any of you have thoughts on what would be a cost effective way of accomplishing this? Or am I asking for too much? Thanks for the help!!
[UPDATE] I just ran across the Ceton InfiniTV 4. Could this work in this type of setup?
I'm looking into helping my brother cut some long term expenses by cutting the cable at his house and switching to a combination of OTA and internet TV/Video (Hulu, Netflix, Crackle, etc.). He has 4 TV's in the house and currently on DSL with a wireless router. Ideally, he'd want to be able to watch different programming simultaneously on each of the sets. Also, he's not a techie, so it would need to have a simple interface and be virtually maintenance free once set up.
I was initially hoping that there might be a media server product that could accomplish this, but after a little searching, it seems more like it would need to be something closer to an HTPC for each TV. Also, there would need to be a switcher (I'm guessing?) to go from internet to OTA programming.
Do any of you have thoughts on what would be a cost effective way of accomplishing this? Or am I asking for too much? Thanks for the help!!
[UPDATE] I just ran across the Ceton InfiniTV 4. Could this work in this type of setup?
frokey on
0
Posts
With newer TVs, you can just hook up your Roku box (or whatever you're using) to the component or HDMI port, and an antenna to the appropriate port. You don't need any type of switcher, just push the button on the TV's remote to switch inputs.
But if he's only got a DSL connection, I'd be very surprised if it will be able to handle simultaneous video streams to more than one TV at the same time. It MIGHT work if he's only streaming to one device at a time, but even then, you can probably forget about being able to reliably stream content in high definition.
You're probably going to have to bite the bullet and see what other high speed internet options are available to you out there (FIOS/Cable/U-Verse etc) before you do any of this cable splitting shenaniganry, and shoot for a speed of at least 10mbps or more, particularly if you're going to be simultaneously streaming over multiple sets.
I'm currently running Charter's MaxSpeed 25mbs service (Runs me about 80$ a month w/ basic cable TV Package) and split between me, my roommate and his girlfriend's computers) and if my roommate friend is rocking netflix's streaming service and updating steam, it can really tank the network for me, even for internet browsing.
Just some food for thought there, hold off on purchasing anything for splitting 4 TVs, especially until you can see what an upgraded High-Speed ISP is going to cost you.
Wud yoo laek to lern aboot meatz? Look here!
Roku supports amazon on demand, pandora, hulu plus, and netflix, along with some smaller services (sports packages and some music, but if you've got the 360 you've probably already got ESPN3 ! )
However, boxee actually pulls the individual feeds from the network sites themselves and bundles it in a nice cable box style search box that will let you find something like supernatural on CW or Greek on ABC Family, or anything else Hulu plus doesn't offer.
The boxee box is $199.
I'd get that for the main room, and then the roku box for the additional rooms.
If you go with high speed cable internet, make sure to bargain with the provider, a lot of them (comcast, for example) will make you pay an extra charge of ~$20 to have JUST internet with no cable package, however if you sign a 1 year commitment often they'll wave that fee or give you some type of additional discount.
Also, you might want to see if ATT uverse is available in your area. Your DSL internet speeds may be a bit higher. I'd say anything in the 6 to 8 meg range could handle a gaming console like the 360, and 2 iptv boxes running at the same time without too much worry, but you can check something like the Speakeasy Speedtest to see what kind of upload/download speeds you're getting. Run that a few different times between 9AM and 9PM to see exactly what kind of bandwidth you're getting during various traffic hours.
edit:
a few more things.
You don't need a switcher for OTA. If they're LCD tv's, just get an HD antenna for like $10 for each tv and plug it up, you'll just switch the tv input like you would anything else.
Second, having them all running over Wifi will seriously have an effect on the quality. I'd at least have the living room box hard wired into the router if possible. We do that with our 360 and it makes a huge difference over having it wireless.
Third, does your brother have room mates? Why would he need 4 tv's running at the same time? How often will that actually happen? I only ask because if your DSL package is in a good area and they're offering higher speeds then it should be fine.
That makes plenty of sense. Thought about looking at a whole house antenna as another option.
I was definitely going to make some cable runs for the same reason you're stating.
Lol! He's got a big family! 1 set in his bedroom, 1 in each of the 2 kid rooms, and 1 in a guest room (my mom's staying with him now). Realistically, probably 3 would be running simultaneously.
I'd put the roku basic in the kids rooms with cable runs if they're old enough to know how to use a roku box. If not, I'd put the OTA antennas in there and a dvd player and call it a day.
The guest room should get a roku box. The living room should get a boxee.
If your brother owns this house, every room should get a cable run. WiFi should only be for smart phones and laptops in my opinion. The house has coax cable hookups in every room already, just replace that jack with a cat 5 jack and run the cables. You can always switch them back if he sells the house.
So, in a nutshell, you'll need probably 200 feet of cat 5 cable (2 100 foot rolls probably), a GOOD wifi router with at least five outputs (drop some money on this, it's worth it), a crimping tool, some wall jacks, and some cat 5 connectors, 1 high end roku HD box, 1 boxee box or HTPC, and MAYBE 2 more roku boxes for the kids (unless they're still really young, in which case they'll be fine with OTA and dvd's, but I don't want to be a backseat parent), and 4 OTA HD antennas.
Antennas - ~$10 each x 4 = ~$40
ROKU - ~$70 each x 1 = ~$70
Boxee (htpc) - ~$250 each x 1 = ~$250
cat 5 cable, tools, jacks, etc. - ~$250
Router - ~$150
You could do the entire house for under a grand and the cable savings would have it paid for within a year, and IPTV with free HD OTA is only getting better.
Also, I hate Comcast.