Computer help

[golfnotwork]

Hi,
just looking at downloading the odd movie or two and wondering what I do after they are downloaded as to watching them on anything other than the lap-top?
What (free is good) software should I use to convert to DVD?
Am I better to get a multimedia player to add to the TV?
Should I get an iPad and watch from that? If so do I just download to iPad and watch?

I do use certain websites to obtain music quite often, but have had little success in getting movies, sorry about giving you all such an easy question, and also sorry if this has been covered off elsewhere

[virge666]

Media PLayer mate

WD TV
DLink Boxee Box

[golfnotwork]

Thats the push I needed,
Cheers Virge

[djw91]

I used to have a nice set up through my PS3 which i recently sold. You can hook up a portable hard drive to it or even just put all the movies on the playstation itself and simply watch through a tv. You could probably also hook your laptop up to your TV with a HDMI cable providing your laptop and TV both have the HDMI ports

[rhino62]

I use an AC Ryan media player with a 2TB hard drive & twin tv tuner.

Download, transfer, watch - all too easy.

[oncewasagolfer]

Wdtv live is the go plays virtually every format and can be had relatively cheap. You can also connect it to your network and stream movies.

[Courty]

Refurbished Mac Minis can be had at a decent price. Leave it permanently connected to the TV, download & watch all from one device! Works brilliantly for me.

[markTHEblake]

Apple Tv version 2 (not 3) and jailbreak it, install XBMC and you have a fine piece of kit.

Most <$100 media players seem to have trouble, so make sure you google for reviews before you buy (regardless of price). It might be more helpful if you buy one that includes Networking to play the files off another machine, and a TV Tuner, so you get the benefit of recording tv as well.

[golfnotwork]

Thanks fellas. Now I better do some research with all those suggestions.

[IamViva]

I didn't think my question was worthy of another thread so i thought i would just post it here.

Is windows 7 less resource hungry than windows vista? i still run XP SP3 and am thinking of updating but my pc is a little dated and not sure if either are worth it. Thanks :D

[BenM]

Is windows 7 less resource hungry than windows vista? i still run XP SP3 and am thinking of updating but my pc is a little dated and not sure if either are worth it. Thanks :D

Yes - big time. On the same hardware, Win7 generally will run much faster than Vista. In fact it will run better than XP on some newer hardware as it'll use it more efficiently.

I would still not try to run Win7 on anything less than a dual core processor and no less than 2gig memory though as it would not be much fun. What are your PC specs (ie how dated is it)?

[IamViva]

intel dual core 2.40, 4gig ram

from memory XP only supports 1 or 2 gig ram yes?

[idgolfguy]

Drivers may be an issue if your PC is too old.

Check for compatibility before taking the plunge.

[BenM]

I wouldn't be overly worried about driver compatibility of the PC itself, if it's a dual core there should be Vista drivers (which usually work Win7 as well anyway) for chipset etc at least. Definitely check everything else though, I have a scanner here that doesn't work with Win7, to use it I have to use an XP VM under VMWare player. I could just buy a new scanner but for the amount of times I use it it seems like a waste, either that or I'm a masochist...!

XP can use more than 1 or 2 gig of RAM - assuming it's 32bit it can use up to 4gig (though some of that will likely be used by onboard graphics etc)... no different than 32bit Vista/7 in that regard.