BOOT CAMP 523 (06/05/08)
Internet TV and the BBC iPlayer part 5
As
we’ve seen over the past few weeks downloading and streaming TV programs from
the Internet is relatively straightforward, and if the PC in question happens
to be a laptop, then connecting to a TV for a decent sized picture isn’t too
difficult. But what happens when the PC is a desktop model, in another room or
upstairs?
There
are multiple problems, so let’s dive in with the video signal connection. If
the PC and TV are more than 10-15 metres apart a standard VGA cable may cause
problems, assuming of course that the TV has a VGA input – see last week’s Boot
Camp. VGA video signals quickly degrade in long cable runs, resulting in loss
of stability and increased picture noise. There are gadgets, called VGA cable
repeaters or line amplifiers but they can be quite expensive at around £30 to
£40 a pop, and good quality extra long VGA cables are also going to set you
back a pretty penny.
It’s a
lot easier if the PC has a composite video input, in which case the cable run
can be up to 50 metres without serious loss of quality but few desktop PCs have
them as standard. However, that can be easily remedied, either with a VGA to
Video converter box, or by installing a video adaptor card with a composite
video or ‘TV output’ socket. VGA to
Video converters can be found for as little as £35 but I have to say the
picture quality on the budget models I have seen was not very good and a half
decent one will set you back at least £70.
Replacing
the PC’s video card is a lot cheaper and prices start at around £30, higher
spec models with plenty of on-board memory (128Mb or more) -- the sort favoured
by PC gamers -- work best and these cost from around £50. It’s not a difficult
job and a competent DIYer should be able to fit a replacement video card in
under half an hour.
Don’t
forget if you are going down the cable route you will also need a lead of
similar length for the audio connection. In most cases it should have a 3.5mm
stereo minijack at one end and another minijack or a pair of phono plugs at the
other.
If a
direct cable connection is not possible then the alternative is a wireless AV
sender and widely available from around £30 from TV and video dealers. These
devices consist of two modules; the transmitter connects to the PC’s composite
video and stereo audio outputs, and the receiver module plugs into the TV’s
external video and audio inputs (see also this week’s Top Tip). Operating
ranges are often claimed to be up to 50 metres but in my experience this is
usually a tad optimistic. 20-25 metres is normally nearer the mark, less
indoors where the signal has to penetrate thick walls, floors or there’s a lot
of metal around, and then only on mid-range models, costing £50 and over, which
also tend to have better immunity to interference.
Most
wireless AV senders depend on the PC having a composite video output, but if
you can’t fit a new video card at least two AV senders (Grand Ultimate and One
For All) have built-in VGA to video conversion facilities, and sell for under
£50 or so. Otherwise you can connect a VGA to Video converter box between the
PC and the AV sender’s transmitter module.
Transporting
picture and sound signals from a distant PC to your living room TV is the easy
bit, though. Controlling the PC is where it starts to get a bit tricky. Of
course it’s not compulsory, but unless you don’t mind running back and forth
between the TV and PC, to start or stop playback, or change programmes, then
it’s something you need to think about.
Extending
the mouse and keyboard cables is one possibility, though like VGA cables they
run into problems when they are longer than 10 -15 metres. In any event it’s
starting to get complicated, with four cables posing a serious trip hazard,
they’re also hard to avoid with the vacuum cleaner and difficult to hide.
Wireless
mice and keyboards sound like a solution but most models a very short operating
range of a metre or so. Extended range models are available, though, and it is
certainly an avenue worth exploring if the PC is no more than 5 -10 metres away
from where you will be watching the TV. The best solution, though, is a
dedicated PC remote control system, which let you drive the mouse and cursor
buttons. More sophisticated models also have volume, multimedia and browser
functions. There are several models to choose from including products designed
specifically for Windows Media Centre PCs. Don’t forget you will need a
wireless-based system; a decent one, with good immunity to interference that
allows it to work alongside wireless AV senders will set you back around £50 -
£100. If you have a line-of-sight view of the PC you may be able to get away
with a cheaper infrared system.
Next Week – Windows Vista
Voice Recognition
JARGON FILTER
LINE AMPLIFIER
Signal booster, designed to compensate for losses in long cable
runs
PICTURE NOISE
A
characteristic of analogue video with the image looking increasingly fuzzy and
sprinkled with white or black flecks
WINDOWS MEDIA
CENTRE
Versions of
Windows XP and Vista, with extra features and interfaces designed to for use on
multimedia PCs
TOP TIP
If you are thinking of
using a wireless AV sender then you may run into problems with interference
from other wireless devices in the vicinity. The 2.4GHz frequency band is a
crowded place and it is shared by Wi-FI, cordless phones, wireless mice and
keyboards, even garage door openers. A couple of wireless devices can usually
co-exist, but budget wireless products are best avoided as they may lack manual
or automatic channel selection and tend to have limited or inferior
interference rejection. If problems arise that cannot be solved by changing
channels the only solution is to move them as far apart as possible, or upgrade
to a mode sophisticated setup.
Don't forget, there's a
full archive of previous Boot Camp Top Tips at www.pctoptips.co.uk
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© R. Maybury 2008, 0904
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