TV & Home Theater

[Airflow]

While somewhat behind the times for most of the cutting edge people on here, I currently have a 1980 Grundig Super Color television which I use with a converter box.  While the receiver is certainly not cutting edge, it was the top of the line when new, and still has an excellent picture and I do not anticipate replacing it.  I am curious if there is a device that will allow me to connect to streamed television programs over my wifi lan at home similar to the wifi radios that I have.  The wifi radios allow me to directly connect to streamed audiocasts through the lan without starting a computer, and I would like to find something similar to this for streaming television.    I do not wish to upgrade the receiver at this time. 

[SlimJim77]

---

Airflow wrote:

While somewhat behind the times for most of the cutting edge people on here, I currently have a 1980 Grundig Super Color television which I use with a converter box.  While the receiver is certainly not cutting edge, it was the top of the line when new, and still has an excellent picture and I do not anticipate replacing it.  I am curious if there is a device that will allow me to connect to streamed television programs over my wifi lan at home similar to the wifi radios that I have.  The wifi radios allow me to directly connect to streamed audiocasts through the lan without starting a computer, and I would like to find something similar to this for streaming television.    I do not wish to upgrade the receiver at this time. 

---

Welcome to the forum, Ken.

The answer to your question is yes. There are many devices that do exactly what you want. The problem here is that these devices will not connect to your "antique" TV set.

I get it...you have a sentimental attachment to the TV...I get that...but it's time to get with the times. Your NEED a new display. End of discussion.

[Entropy]

To say it another way - Any solution that works for you will likely cost more than a new LCD TV that will blow away your existing unit in terms of picture quality and capability.

[Airflow]

To tell you the truth, I have seen both the new and my existing televisions and there isn't that much of a difference to me, yes the new sets are nicer, but they are not $1000+ nicer.  Why can't I hook up the Boxee to the RF converter I used to use for the DVD player I used with the television?

[Airflow]

To clarify, I am not particularly interested in watching movies or Netflix, or anything like that.  I am interested in watching the streaming video provided by ARD, ZDF, and ORF, and similar Euro television networks. 

[Entropy]

How large in screen size is this old Grundig?

You need to go to fairly large screen sizes (40-46"+) to exceed $1000 these days.  Also there is no way that new TVs can't blow away anything from 1980 given appropriate content.  Anything from 1980 is fundamentally limited to 480i NTSC analog, which is always going to look awful, ESPECIALLY when you attempt to drive it with any form of PC hardware.  (TV output systems of PCs and many other digital devices almost always resulted in even worse image quality that the already severely limited NTSC analog standard was capable of.)

[Airflow]

I assume by your  comment that "anything is going to look awful" on this television that you would consider the view I get from antenna television or the DVD player as "awful."  I don't consider it "awful, and quite frankly, I am not going to buy a new television.  I would rather forgo receiving internet video than purchase a new television at this time.  No one has yet answered my question....can I use an RF converter to connect something like a Boxee to this receiver?

[SlimJim77]

Actually, Entropy did indeed answer your question in his initial response.

I did not answer the question(specifically) in my initial response response because the answer is illogical. Entropy's posted exactly why.

[Entropy]

Have you even looked at what a current model TV can do when fed with current over-the-air content?  (Note:  Local news tends to remain in standard def and looks awful).

Simply put - in any situation I have encountered, standard definition 480i content from an analog composite video interface looks awful once you have become accustomed to high def content, or even progressive scan (480p) content.  Anything that goes through an RF converter is also going to have vastly substandard quality to even 480p over component video cabling.

[zenomorf]

netgear or boxee or tivo may work but there are cheaper converter boxes if you go to amazon and look up video/audio converters to see what they have and the prices. amazon has the cheapest and the widest selection of video/audio converters around. i buy almost everything from them. i'm sure you will find something there that will work and won't cost a fortune. fortunately i have all new hdtvs so don't run into your type of problem. i just plug my router direct into my tvs. it beats what you are trying to do with a 1980 tv set. i threw my last projection tv in the trashcan and it was a 1995 toshiba and it was top notch in it's age but now it's a piece of crap compared to what i have lol