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Connecting my TV / Blueray to home network

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  • 13-01-2009 12:38am
    #1
    JoeA3
    Registered Users Posts: 7,436 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks,
    I've tried searching on here for similar questions but haven't really found any!
    I recently got myself a new Sony LCD and blueray, both of which have LAN ethernet ports, the TV can be used to stream media to, the blueray for firmware updates, BDLive, etc.

    My problem is, my wireless router is upstairs, a long way from my TV, and the TV and blueray need a wired connection! Whats the most cost effective way of making this connection from the wireless router to the TV's location?

    The router is the BT Voyager that BT give you with their BB.

    thanks in advance!


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    #2
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    I dont know about the streaming media side of things but I connected my Sony blue-ray player via ethernet to an airport express which connected to the wireless network and that worked for updating the firmware.


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    #3
    JoeA3
    Registered Users Posts: 7,436 ✭✭✭JoeA3


    dub45 wrote: »
    I dont know about the streaming media side of things but I connected my Sony blue-ray player via ethernet to an airport express which connected to the wireless network and that worked for updating the firmware.

    Cheers, is this the Apple AirPort express? Can you tell me briefly how it works - do I just plug it into a power socket near my TV / Blueray, and it then picks up a signal from my wireless router upstairs? And then I can plug an ethernet cable from blueray to the airport express ?


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    #4
    LarWright
    Registered Users Posts: 256 ✭✭LarWright


    Something like this may do??

    http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=223818

    I've seen them in Currys and PC World too. Did have one in work for a while and seemed to work ok (althought it was only to extend a fax line). I'm sure you can put an auto ethernet switch on the end where your TV / Bluray is (as you need both plugged in), and then the far end plugs straight into your router?

    Just make sure its a fast one for streaming media. The one above says speeds up to 200Mbps. There are cheaper ones, but slower data speeds.

    Not sure how many problems that would cause, my wifi is 54Mpbs (I think) and I stream video off my laptop to my PS3 and it's fine at that speed. But I guess, faster the better, futureproof yourself!


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    #5
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    JoeA3 wrote: »
    Cheers, is this the Apple AirPort express? Can you tell me briefly how it works - do I just plug it into a power socket near my TV / Blueray, and it then picks up a signal from my wireless router upstairs? And then I can plug an ethernet cable from blueray to the airport express ?

    Yes it is the Apple Airport Express. It is a very handy device you can use it with itunes to stream music to your hi fi as well. I am using it in bridge mode and wds (with the Apple Extreme router) to extend my wireless network. I plugged the ethernet cable (from the sony blue ray) into the express and it got an ip address no problem.

    By the way if you have the Sony Blue-Ray 350 player there's very handy hack on line to make it region free.


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    #6
    JoeA3
    Registered Users Posts: 7,436 ✭✭✭JoeA3


    dub45 wrote: »
    Yes it is the Apple Airport Express. It is a very handy device you can use it with itunes to stream music to your hi fi as well. I am using it in bridge mode and wds (with the Apple Extreme router) to extend my wireless network. I plugged the ethernet cable (from the sony blue ray) into the express and it got an ip address no problem.

    By the way if you have the Sony Blue-Ray 350 player there's very handy hack on line to make it region free.

    Excellent, thanks a lot!

    Yes, its the Sony 350 I have. Does it make it blueray region free or just normal DVD region free? Do you have a link?!


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    #7
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    JoeA3 wrote: »
    Excellent, thanks a lot!

    Yes, its the Sony 350 I have. Does it make it blueray region free or just normal DVD region free? Do you have a link?!

    The 'solution' crops up in a few places here's one:

    http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks?dvdplayer=bdp+s350&hits=50&Search=Search

    I don't know about the blueray part being region free as I have not tried it yet but r1 dvds play no problem.

    Mean while back on topic there should be alternatives to the airport express also I do Buffalo do an equivalent product for example.


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    #8
    JoeA3
    Registered Users Posts: 7,436 ✭✭✭JoeA3


    Thanks all for the tips... I actually managed to do this lastnight using just my laptop.

    I didn't realise this was possible but you can share your wireless connection on the laptop and then I connected the Blueray to the laptop to the ethernet port on the laptop. Worked perfectly!

    Obviously the homeplugs / airport express would be a better long term solution but doing it this way allowed me update the blueray's firmware which was the main thing I wanted to do.


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    #9
    BigEejit
    Registered Users Posts: 3,739 ✭✭✭BigEejit


    I have some of those 200mbps homeplugs (Devolo ones) and they work great. Of course the 200mbps advertised is not the rate you get your data moving about at ... but I do get 100mb wired ethernet speeds

    I dont know about using wireless to stream video, I tried before and it was stuttering ... might have been due to the number of wireless networks in the area lowering the bandwidth momentarily....


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