computer to tv

[Morgan1339]

I have a msn webtv setup...as i understand it this is a converter..my question is ...can i set it up to play movies from my comp to my tv??

[Baldrick]

what is msn webtv setup? software? hardware?

[ebenton]

If you are talking msn tv, I believe that already will show movies from your computer on your TV.
If you are talking something like the old web tv stuff from the mid 1990's, which basically down-converted your web images to something that could be viewed on regular TV, instead of a monitor, then I believe you will have to buy a media center extender or some other media player to connect between your TV and your computer.

[Morgan1339]

This is msn web tv setup..it is hardware ...intended to surf the web using your tv screen..it has svideo..a ethernet connecter..phone line hook up..etc..i thought since it has svideo there may be some way to make it work to play movies on my tv..this is not a old item..it was purchased a couple of months ago.

[greymalkin]

wow! haven't heard of webtv in a while! I'm pretty sure it's proprietary an only allows for a browser and e-mail. someone may have hacked it however.

[ebenton]

If you are talking about this device:
http://www.webtv.com/pc/
However it says that video is a "broadband only" feature, and I believe that it only plays streaming video, not DVDs from your DVD-ROM, but I could be wrong.
If you don't have broadband, I don't think it will play video.

[Morgan1339]

yes...ebenton...that is exactly what i have..and i do have broadband 3.0

[monzie]

my question is ...can i set it up to play movies from my comp to my tv??

ANSWER: Dunno

But why not just hook up your pc directly to your TV?

You just need a gfx card with a TV out (and maybe an audio feed from your pc's audio's stereo line out via a mini-jack to 2 RCA splitter)...unless your going to listen to sounds via the pc).....oh, and use large fonts if you want to read text....job done.

[ebenton]

According to their web site: "MSN Video is a free service that lets you select video clips from categories such as News, Entertainment, Sports, Weather, and Home and Living. Choose multiple Windows Media-compatible video clips and combine them to create playlists that you can watch at your leisure. If you've been away all day, it's a fast and easy way to catch up on the latest news and entertainment. Check "Monday Night Football" highlights or watch new movie previews and music videos on windowsmedia.com. Video clips can be controlled and viewed at full screen."
That to me sounds like you have to go to a website and look at the clips that they have available for you. The words "free service", especially the "service" part, along with the Capitalized "News, Entertainment...etc. etc.", lead me to believe that you can't just grab WMVs or MPEGs or ASF files (which are the only compatible file types) off your computer and play them.
If you have a manual or on-screen or web-based instructions, they should tell you about this. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Morgan1339]

But why not just hook up your pc directly to your TV?

You just need a gfx card with a TV out (and maybe an audio feed from your pc's audio's stereo line out via a mini-jack to 2 RCA splitter)...unless your going to listen to sounds via the pc).....oh, and use large fonts if you want to read text....job done.

well I did that..i have a PNY geforce 5500 pci card..it has 2 monitor connections.. the pc monitor being the one on the left..a svideo plug in...and another monitor connetion on the right side..since i did not have a svideo connection on my tv..i got a monitor plug in with a svideo plug and a rca plug and ran it to my tv..when i install the drivers the silly thing will not do any thing...but when i uninstall them the tv works although it is a pretty much scrambled pic ..i hav the svideo into the svideo on the right side monitor and a rca running directly to my tv....tech help for the card is usless..i have spent hours on the phone with them to no avail....can anyone make since from this????