connecting tv to internet

gubby

Not sure if I'm in the right forum please feel free to move. I want to connect my tv to the internet (the phone line is just in the other side of the wall) mainly because I want to watch Netflix on my tv instead of the laptop. its a new tv so Im thinking it should not be too hard.

homewardbound11

I enabled dnla on the router. Can't remember if anything else was needed. Pretty straight forward really.

zg3409

What make and model of TV do you have? Normally you would need a Cat5 computer cable as opposed to a phone cable. Cat 5 have 8 wires and 8 pins on the connector.

coylemj

OP, either you can use a Wi-Fi connection (if the TV supports Wi-Fi), or you can connect the TV to the router using your AC power network, I believe this is known as Homeplug or Powerline.

An Ethernet cable is only an option if you're prepared to drill a hole in the wall, I'm thinking from the way you phrased your original post that you're looking for ways to avoid this.

Another solution may be to buy a 'dongle' from the TV manufacturer to plug into the network port on the TV and which will enable connectivity via Wi-Fi.

Your TV does have a network port?

gubby

Hi thanks for all the replies. I (or my husband) wouldnt mind putting a hole in the wall :-) my telly is a Philips. Model 32PFL5206H/12
I also (if it has any bearing on this) have a sky hd box.

user1842

gubby wrote: »

Hi thanks for all the replies. I (or my husband) wouldnt mind putting a hole in the wall :-) my telly is a Philips. Model 32PFL5206H/12
I also (if it has any bearing on this) have a sky hd box.

Looking at the spec sheet for your TV it looks like your TV cannot be connected to the internet and will not play Netflix.

You do however have the option of buying another device that will connect to your TV that will play netflix, see below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Western-Digital-Streaming-Media-Player/dp/B005NYOKC2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355224941&sr=8-1

Unfortunately your tv seems only to have one HDMI connection and this is probably taken up by the SKY HD box. You could connect the above linked device via scart (composite) but you would lose quality.

zg3409

Another option is to still use your laptop, but instead show the laptop screen on the TV.

If your laptop has a HDMI connector (most don't) then you just use a HDMI lead.

If you laptop does not have a HDMI connector you use a VGA lead, and a sound "headphone to headphone 3.5mm to 3.5mm lead". This can be quite difficult to setup, but would allow playing of netflix, RTE player and anything else you can display on the laptop. It is more versatile than a media player. The parts (a video lead and an audio lead) would only cost less than 20 Euro.



If you have a friend that is into computers tell them you want to display your laptop screen on the TV and they should be able to help. Your local computer shop could sell you the right parts, if you bring in your laptop, and a print out of this page, but it would be cheaper online. Try get a 5 Metre long lead.

Once you have the right parts then you would need to change your TV input to HDMI or "PC" depending on which lead you use.
Not using the Sky remote, but the philips remote press the button marked "6" which is source:



You then also need to tell the laptop a new screen has been added. The simplist way to do this is turn off the laptop and turn it on again. The screen on the laptop may then go black and you should be able to see the screen on the TV.

It's a little fiddly but I use it all the time. It's brilliant for watching netflix, RTE player etc.

Here is the manual for your TV:
http://download.p4c.philips.com/files/3/32pfl5206h_12/32pfl5206h_12_dfu_eng.pdf
It's a big download but see page 29

I don't know if you are aware but if paying for Sky, Sky now has an on-demand service too. It's nothing extra if already paying Sky. You can download movies and TV shows etc. It's a seperate topic but worth looking into.