Portable HD playing?

[jimmymac]

I'm trying to find the simplest solution to being able to play HD files on a new tv we picked up for my girlfriends house. The situation is that my main computer is at mine place, on it I have loads of tv eps and such all in high def that I normally will play on my HD tv which is connected straight from computer to TV.

What I want to be able to do is play the same files on my girlfriends with minimal fuss, so I suppose what I need is some sort of portable hard drive that I can plug into my computer to transfer the files too, then take it round to hers and hook it up simply via a HDMI lead or similar. IT needs to be easy to plug and unplug to move it around a fair bit.

Would Popcorn Hours A100 enable me to do that easily, if so where the best place to pick one up from?

[cvrefugee]

This is the perfect solution:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/01/w...-media-player/

[jimmymac]

intruiging, so is this just the media playing box which I plug a portable Hard drive into via USB? I think it seems to be suggesting that which would be a good solution. Should be able to leave said box at the girlfriends plugged into her tv and then just move the hard drive between my pc and hers

[cvrefugee]

Originally Posted by jimmymac

intruiging, so is this just the media playing box which I plug a portable Hard drive into via USB? I think it seems to be suggesting that which would be a good solution. Should be able to leave said box at the girlfriends plugged into her tv and then just move the hard drive between my pc and hers

Yes and yes. You just leave it connected to her TV and connect a portable hard drive to it as needed. Even plays .mkv files. Here's a short review of the unit.

[idk]

Buy a laptop

[matt2000]

Originally Posted by idk

Buy a laptop

That will play HD on a large screen and not set fire to things? How much do you want your wallet to get raped, may I ask?

[NecroJoe]

You could even leave the portable hard drive there, and just bring over thumb-drive loaded with new stuff, it sounds like. You might have to move the drive from her comp to the tv unit thing...or just watch it from the thumb drive. Store the files on the comp, then move the thumb drive back and forth. Sounds like the most portable option.

[Buba]

Originally Posted by matt2000

That will play HD on a large screen and not set fire to things? How much do you want your wallet to get raped, may I ask?

Every dual core laptop will do, so this is a valid argument. TV shows in HD are only 720p... And a laptop has other benefits as well... 500 bucks should get you in the game.

Heard good thing about the popcorn hour, lots of folks @hdbits have one, they don't really like the WD one, but hey, you can't have everything!

[jimmymac]

500 bucks is a lot different to about 200 bucks though plus i do want it capable of producing 1080p

Torn between Popcorn hour and this WD HD TV at the moment, the western Digital isnt out just yet and i'm itching to get hold of something. A few people I know swear by Popcorn hour at the moment, only annoying thing with it is to purchase it from the american site and get it delivered I need a credit card which I refuse to get!

[thevictor390]

Originally Posted by jimmymac

500 bucks is a lot different to about 200 bucks though plus i do want it capable of producing 1080p

Torn between Popcorn hour and this WD HD TV at the moment, the western Digital isnt out just yet and i'm itching to get hold of something. A few people I know swear by Popcorn hour at the moment, only annoying thing with it is to purchase it from the american site and get it delivered I need a credit card which I refuse to get!

If you get a Paypal account and confirm your identity, you can download a browser plugin that generates temporary credit card numbers with Paypal's protection.

[jimmymac]

really? anymore details on how to go about that?

[jpmfan]

Originally Posted by cvrefugee

This is the perfect solution:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/01/w...-media-player/

thats perfect, exactly something ive been looking for. Only problem would be that my TV doesnt have HDMI inputs, is there any way to run this into the composite inputs on the back? perhaps if there is such a thing as an HDMI to composite cable??

[cvrefugee]

Originally Posted by jpmfan

thats perfect, exactly something ive been looking for. Only problem would be that my TV doesnt have HDMI inputs, is there any way to run this into the composite inputs on the back? perhaps if there is such a thing as an HDMI to composite cable??

It has a composite output.

[jpmfan]

Originally Posted by cvrefugee

It has a composite output.

sorry meant to put HD composite. The ones with 2 Audio then 3 for video. like you get on the Xbox360

[cvrefugee]

Originally Posted by jpmfan

sorry meant to put HD composite. The ones with 2 Audio then 3 for video. like you get on the Xbox360

That's component.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video

[jpmfan]

Originally Posted by cvrefugee

That's component.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video

my bad, sorry, meant HD Component, but do you know if its possible to have HDMI to HD Component leads? The input on my TV is HD Component but the only HD output on that WD box is HDMI.

[cvrefugee]

Originally Posted by jpmfan

my bad, sorry, meant HD Component, but do you know if its possible to have HDMI to HD Component leads? The input on my TV is HD Component but the only HD output on that WD box is HDMI.

I don't think there is an HDMI > Component cable. I've seen HDMI > DVI adapters, then you could use a DVI > Component cable. Check www.monoprice.com

[thevictor390]

Originally Posted by jimmymac

really? anymore details on how to go about that?

Download the browser plugin (IE and Firefox), and it should walk you through it.