Korean Job Discussion Forums

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

Most of my movies are on my computer hard drive. So I can watch them on my Monitor, or on my TV via a HMDI cable.
The problem is, I never just sit and watch a movie. If I am sitting, I want to be doing some kind of work or surfing on the computer also. So often I burn the movies to a RW DVD, watch them on TV using DVD player (while doing something else with the PC).
There must be a better way. I've got a portable hard drive. I wish I could put the movies on the portable hard drive (500 GM) plug that into my DVD player and access and watch the movies. My DVD player is rather old and doesn't even have a USB input. If I got a new one with USB input, does that recognize large portable hard drives, or just little thumb drives? Do those kind of DVD players (with USB input) play DVD file formats also?
Or maybe there is a kind of Hard disk movie player that I just plug straight into the TV. I think I've heard of such thing. It would have to have a USB interface, for transferring files from the PC. And it would have to have all the decoders, codecs (whatever they're called) for playing all the different formats. Is something like that available in Korea (cheap and small like a portable hard drive?)
Thanks for recommendations,
Drew

nstick13 · Joined: 02 Aug 2009

If you watch them on your TV via HDMI, you should be able to set your display settings to allow you to have separate things on each monitor. I have a dual monitor setup (one HDMI, one DVI) and watch on the bigger 23" HDMI while surfing the web on the 19" monitor.

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

That's great to know. Oops, I got caught in a bit of a fib. Actually I'm not running HMDI to my TV yet because my TV is so old, but I am planning on upgrading to a widescreen TV soon (with HDMI of course). Anyway, great to know I can use HDMI and DVI for a 2 monitor configuration.
Thanks,

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

Also, if you own some kind of multimedia device like an Iphone, Ipod touch, or really any MP4 playing with good video playback, you can buy a VGA connector and connect that to the TV so you dont have to use the computer at all. I used to use this setup with my old ipod touch on a huge POS projection TV i had here a few years ago, it worked very well.

I have seen the VGA cable converters at most of the bigger electronic marts and outlet stores.

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

Darn, my MP4 player is an Android Archos 5, which only connects to TV through an option ($70) DVR stand. I remember even my old IPOD had a selection for going to TV Out. Oh well.

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

I just did a quick check for your MP4, and I cant tell from their website, but it looks like it has the same pin connection as some of the other android devices out there, and if that is the case, something like:

http://www.htcdepot.com/htc-tv-out-cable-act100/11A75A5166.htm

might work for you. I have seen these at a few different stores for about half the price.

matthews_world · Joined: 15 Feb 2003

Nice thread.

Technology is not my thing but don't newer HDTVs have USB ports where one could insert a memory stick.

Can anyone recommend a device/box that would store torrents and be able to play downloads?

I currently have a Wii, is there a menu option to view stored downloads from harddisk?

Also, is there any wireless technology out there that would enable a TV to receive a signal from a laptop? I don't want wires running across the floor.

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

To your first point, yes, most newer TVs have USB input, but he has an older TV with only VGA hookups.

To your question, yes again, there are a slew of wireless devices out there that do what you are asking. More or less they make your laptop transmit the signal wirelessly to the TV. I have never seen one of these in action though, so I can not speak to the quality of the video you would get.

Drew345 · Joined: 24 May 2005

I was more concerned with the USB inputs on the newer DVD players, although that is very interesting that TVs also have USB inputs now. If I get a new TV with USB, maybe I don't even need the DVD player at all to play movies on my portable hard drive.
I have a DVD player back home with a USB input, and it will only play music files from the USB, not any kind of video. And I am concerned that maybe those USB sockets may have a maximum memory ability limiting them to USB Thumb drives and not bigger portable USB hard drives.
Anyone connect a bigger (500 GB) portable drive to their DVD player and able to play mp4, avi, and DVD formats directly from their portable hard drive?

Feah · Joined: 26 Nov 2008

We bought a 32" TV recently and it comes with a media playback system.
You just plug in a flash drive, hard drive or even a mobile phone (I tried with Galaxy U).

The TV will scan all the pictures, MP3s and Movies and play them back without the use of a computer at all!

But ofcourse, that will require you to buy a new TV T.T

shostahoosier · Joined: 14 Apr 2009

I think quite a few companies make "external hard drive media players" that come with remotes - just google them for more research.

There are also devices like Boxee that will work too - though I think its a little pricey considering you can download boxee to your computer for free.

Personally I think you should look into a vga adapter for your computer.

I bought one for my mac and I watch movies from my hard drives all the time while I surf the internet. Like someone said earlier, it just tells your computer that you have two screens.

I would also recommend you download a media server program (XBMC, Plex, Boxee, etc.) so that a lot of the work is done for you. (support for remote control, subtitles, album art and metadata, etc.) They even have (OLD) movies and documentaries.

matthews_world · Joined: 15 Feb 2003

Where can wireless laptop to TV converters be found in Korea?

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

waseige1 · Joined: 09 Oct 2008

I have a newer DVD player I bought at Costco that accepts SD cards and USB.

BUT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

They only accept Fat32 or Fat format. What does this mean? It means there is a 32GB limit on the device (or drive) I plug into it.

Don't assume because it has USB you can plug in a hard drive.

Underwaterbob · Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Location: In Cognito

My solution: desktop, netbook, wireless router.

Second monitor for the desktop in the bedroom plugs into the TV in the living room. The netbook sits on the coffee table and can control the desktop via Teamviewer over the wireless network. It only gets confusing when the netbook uses the desktop to play video already on the netbook... Teamviewer works very well on the iPhone too.