I am looking to get either a 32 or 40 inch tv. One That I would watch ESPN 3 on. I am not familiar with them, but have heard there are differences between older and newer smart TV's in what type of internet they provide.

Any help or recommendations are appreciated. Thanks,

Get the biggest one you can afford.

Some TVs have built in "apps" or "plug-ins" -- and get updated. Much like a mini computer attached, even though I think most if not all HDTVs have some CPU power in there for processing HD signals.

Anyway, some have YouTube along with other ones that you'd find on Roku or something. Basically, just shop around and look at the details for each TV.

Personally though, I like having a small computer that one can buy for $200-$250 -- I slap a newer version of Linux on there with XBMC -- and watch everything from ESPN3 to a live HD Big Ten channel, to various feeds of ESPN & ESPN2 .... and pretty much any TV show hours after they air. It's pretty cool.

(11-01-2014 11:43 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  Some TVs have built in "apps" or "plug-ins" -- and get updated. Much like a mini computer attached, even though I think most if not all HDTVs have some CPU power in there for processing HD signals.

Anyway, some have YouTube along with other ones that you'd find on Roku or something. Basically, just shop around and look at the details for each TV.

Personally though, I like having a small computer that one can buy for $200-$250 -- I slap a newer version of Linux on there with XBMC -- and watch everything from ESPN3 to a live HD Big Ten channel, to various feeds of ESPN & ESPN2 .... and pretty much any TV show hours after they air. It's pretty cool.

I'm definitely going to be looking into this XMBC box thing down the road.

As far as TVs go, I wouldn't base your decision on just the built in apps. You can always just buy a $35 - $50 attatchement (Chromecast or Roku) to plug into a HDMI port in the back of your TV.

(11-01-2014 11:43 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  ......

Personally though, I like having a small computer that one can buy for $200-$250 -- I slap a newer version of Linux on there with XBMC -- and watch everything from ESPN3 to a live HD Big Ten channel, to various feeds of ESPN & ESPN2 .... and pretty much any TV show hours after they air. It's pretty cool.

Never heard of XBMC. Do you need to have cable to watch ESPN with this set up? I understand Linux is solid, but to novice like me can I get by with Windows 8?

(11-01-2014 12:38 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  

(11-01-2014 11:43 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  ......

Personally though, I like having a small computer that one can buy for $200-$250 -- I slap a newer version of Linux on there with XBMC -- and watch everything from ESPN3 to a live HD Big Ten channel, to various feeds of ESPN & ESPN2 .... and pretty much any TV show hours after they air. It's pretty cool.

Never heard of XBMC. Do you need to have cable to watch ESPN with this set up? I understand Linux is solid, but to novice like me can I get by with Windows 8?

If you have time, I reccomend reading this: http://lifehacker.com/5900626/create-a-k...lete-guide

Then :
http://www.htpcbeginner.com/watch-espn-o...e-on-xbmc/

XMBC is legal, but some of the things you install can potentially be considered illegal. Some of the addons you install are grabbing streams and allowing for you to watch for free.

Quote:Never heard of XBMC. Do you need to have cable to watch ESPN with this set up? I understand Linux is solid, but to novice like me can I get by with Windows 8?

With an Acer box for $200-$250, it comes with a bad/cheesy/outdated version of linux. Linux comes in many different flavors/brands. I recommend installing for such a box a low-resource, slick one like Xubuntu. It's easy to go thru the installation process of Linux -- it's all GUI. Installing a version of Linux on a thumb drive TO install on a computer is the tricky part for novices, but not all that hard.

If you install Windows on the box, yes. XBMC runs on all platforms. Linux is just a free operating system, though. :) Nobody needs Windows anymore except for high-end games and a particular need for work like using MS Office (and not LibreOffice which is open source and compatible).

You can play with XBMC by installing it for free on your computer to see what I mean.

And no, you don't need cable for anything. Just Internet.

NOW -- for ESPN3 -- if you want to watch more than the freebie games (like MAC games and occasional ACC game) -- you'll have to go to their website and log into your cable provider FROM ESPN3 -- and they'll show you all the games you CAN watch.

It comes with some plug-ins like Yahoo. But the real glee comes from people who make add-ons:

1-Channel -- for tv & movies
https://github.com/bstrdsmkr/1Channel/ar...master.zip

This zip file to install -- has ESPN3 and Ice Films (like 1-Channel, but has stuff in HD; not quite as good of a selection though for TV shows)
http://anarchintosh-projects.googlecode.....1.0.1.zip

Navi-X. A program add-on for XBMC. Right now, you can watch NW vs Iowa in HD. An assortment of streams that people put up. Like a whole other world within.
https://navi-x.googlecode.com/files/Navi-X-v37_8.zip

Within XBMC, you just go to the settings to add a Video Add-On, and select the Zip file, and it takes care of things, and adds them to your list to Enable.

(11-01-2014 11:43 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  Some TVs have built in "apps" or "plug-ins" -- and get updated. Much like a mini computer attached, even though I think most if not all HDTVs have some CPU power in there for processing HD signals.

Anyway, some have YouTube along with other ones that you'd find on Roku or something. Basically, just shop around and look at the details for each TV.

Personally though, I like having a small computer that one can buy for $200-$250 -- I slap a newer version of Linux on there with XBMC -- and watch everything from ESPN3 to a live HD Big Ten channel, to various feeds of ESPN & ESPN2 .... and pretty much any TV show hours after they air. It's pretty cool.

Yeah, I have a work tower unit with a 24 inch monitor, looks awesome. I have the hdmi video convertor that goes to a small tv/monitor when I run my PC, but my pc sucks. My brother has a Samsung smart tv and I watched the NIU/UNLV game on it, but we ran it through a pc. Looked good. He said he tried ESPN3 on it and looked great.



I think I will read up a little more.


Thanks

(11-01-2014 11:03 AM)NIU05 Wrote:  Get the biggest one you can afford.

^^^This

Was in the market for a TV last year. Wanted to upgrade from a 32". Was looking at 38-42". Ended up deciding between a 50" (with bells and whistles) and a 55". Went with the 55". Would have regretted going with a smaller model. Just hook up an HDMI to watch on my laptop. As big as you can afford, IMO. Good luck

We are not able to get espn3 with our Vizio smart TV.

See Chromecast (link) discussion for more information on low cost ways to get ESPN3 and more.

(11-01-2014 03:25 PM)NIUspeed84 Wrote:  

(11-01-2014 11:03 AM)NIU05 Wrote:  Get the biggest one you can afford.

^^^This

Was in the market for a TV last year. Wanted to upgrade from a 32". Was looking at 38-42". Ended up deciding between a 50" (with bells and whistles) and a 55". Went with the 55". Would have regretted going with a smaller model. Just hook up an HDMI to watch on my laptop. As big as you can afford, IMO. Good luck

Yes, I agree. Bigger is better. With prices coming down, bigger is more affordable these days. When we bought our first flat TV, we went with a 42" & for the living room it was just not big enough. My sons had a 46 or 47" and it was much better for football.
Now this year, my sons invested in a 55" Samsung smart TV & football looks fantastic on it!
Bigger is much much better. :-)

(11-02-2014 08:39 AM)HuskieProf Wrote:  We are not able to get espn3 with our Vizio smart TV.

You can't run espn3 straight from a smart tv's browser, the hard drive in the tv isn't equipped for it.

Like everyone else has said buy yourself the biggest, high resolution tv you can afford. Add google chromecast for $35 and thank the pound later.

(11-03-2014 08:02 AM)scottiep12 Wrote:  

(11-02-2014 08:39 AM)HuskieProf Wrote:  We are not able to get espn3 with our Vizio smart TV.

You can't run espn3 straight from a smart tv's browser, the hard drive in the tv isn't equipped for it.

Like everyone else has said buy yourself the biggest, high resolution tv you can afford. Add google chromecast for $35 and thank the pound later.

If you can run Cat 5 or Cat 6 (Ethernet) cable from your router to your TV, buy a streaming box, such as an Roku 3 or Apple TV. You'll be able to stream content at much higher speeds and should have zero issues with stuttering and buffering.

You'll spend a few more $ for the box, but you'll be MUCH happier with this setup. And, you don't need a smart TV.

I had/have the same problem with my smart tv... not being able to view ESPN3 because of my tv's software. So I just hook up the Roku in order to watch it on my smart tv. It's a way around my tv's software. Just go through Roku (or Google tv etc etc) instead.

(11-02-2014 11:57 PM)HuskieFootball Addict Wrote:  

(11-01-2014 03:25 PM)NIUspeed84 Wrote:  

(11-01-2014 11:03 AM)NIU05 Wrote:  Get the biggest one you can afford.

^^^This

Was in the market for a TV last year. Wanted to upgrade from a 32". Was looking at 38-42". Ended up deciding between a 50" (with bells and whistles) and a 55". Went with the 55". Would have regretted going with a smaller model. Just hook up an HDMI to watch on my laptop. As big as you can afford, IMO. Good luck

Yes, I agree. Bigger is better. With prices coming down, bigger is more affordable these days. When we bought our first flat TV, we went with a 42" & for the living room it was just not big enough. My sons had a 46 or 47" and it was much better for football.
Now this year, my sons invested in a 55" Samsung smart TV & football looks fantastic on it!
Bigger is much much better. :-)

PLEASE do NOT tell that to my wife!!

(11-01-2014 11:43 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  Some TVs have built in "apps" or "plug-ins" -- and get updated. Much like a mini computer attached, even though I think most if not all HDTVs have some CPU power in there for processing HD signals.

Anyway, some have YouTube along with other ones that you'd find on Roku or something. Basically, just shop around and look at the details for each TV.

Personally though, I like having a small computer that one can buy for $200-$250 -- I slap a newer version of Linux on there with XBMC -- and watch everything from ESPN3 to a live HD Big Ten channel, to various feeds of ESPN & ESPN2 .... and pretty much any TV show hours after they air. It's pretty cool.

Actually, I picked up an Asus Chromebox for 150 bucks, installed OpenELEC (XMBC) on it and it runs perfectly. Actually, I use Plex so its Openelec+plex. I can't use many of the services that XMBC has but I only use it for movies. Anyways, for 150 bucks its smooth as butter and I can bitstream HD audio through HDMI and direct play everything. Mostly mkv bluray rips with DTS-HD

I spent way more than that on a Intel NUC setup to do basically the same thing but I was never happy with how it worked so I returned it. Anyways, best 150 bucks I ever spent (maybe).

Anyways, if you're looking for the cheapest way possible to do ESPN3, try a chromecast.

(11-03-2014 09:38 AM)niuguy Wrote:  

(11-01-2014 11:43 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  Some TVs have built in "apps" or "plug-ins" -- and get updated. Much like a mini computer attached, even though I think most if not all HDTVs have some CPU power in there for processing HD signals.

Anyway, some have YouTube along with other ones that you'd find on Roku or something. Basically, just shop around and look at the details for each TV.

Personally though, I like having a small computer that one can buy for $200-$250 -- I slap a newer version of Linux on there with XBMC -- and watch everything from ESPN3 to a live HD Big Ten channel, to various feeds of ESPN & ESPN2 .... and pretty much any TV show hours after they air. It's pretty cool.

Actually, I picked up an Asus Chromebox for 150 bucks, installed OpenELEC (XMBC) on it and it runs perfectly. Actually, I use Plex so its Openelec+plex. I can't use many of the services that XMBC has but I only use it for movies. Anyways, for 150 bucks its smooth as butter and I can bitstream HD audio through HDMI and direct play everything. Mostly mkv bluray rips with DTS-HD

I spent way more than that on a Intel NUC setup to do basically the same thing but I was never happy with how it worked so I returned it. Anyways, best 150 bucks I ever spent (maybe).

Is this post in English?

(11-03-2014 09:45 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(11-03-2014 09:38 AM)niuguy Wrote:  

(11-01-2014 11:43 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  Some TVs have built in "apps" or "plug-ins" -- and get updated. Much like a mini computer attached, even though I think most if not all HDTVs have some CPU power in there for processing HD signals.

Anyway, some have YouTube along with other ones that you'd find on Roku or something. Basically, just shop around and look at the details for each TV.

Personally though, I like having a small computer that one can buy for $200-$250 -- I slap a newer version of Linux on there with XBMC -- and watch everything from ESPN3 to a live HD Big Ten channel, to various feeds of ESPN & ESPN2 .... and pretty much any TV show hours after they air. It's pretty cool.

Actually, I picked up an Asus Chromebox for 150 bucks, installed OpenELEC (XMBC) on it and it runs perfectly. Actually, I use Plex so its Openelec+plex. I can't use many of the services that XMBC has but I only use it for movies. Anyways, for 150 bucks its smooth as butter and I can bitstream HD audio through HDMI and direct play everything. Mostly mkv bluray rips with DTS-HD

I spent way more than that on a Intel NUC setup to do basically the same thing but I was never happy with how it worked so I returned it. Anyways, best 150 bucks I ever spent (maybe).

Is this post in English?

Oh please. As if you don't know what an "Asus Chromebox" is.