Lap-top HDTV?

[Jamie Buxton]

I want to watch TV like I read a book. I want an HD display that I can hold in my lap. It must be HD; I just can't watch standard definition.

My TV source is satellite, so I'm committed to using their tuner. However, the connection from the tuner to the display is a single cable, an HDMI one. If I could find an HDMI monitor that is perhaps 10" diagonally, and is fairly slim, I'd tolerate the power cable and the HDMI cable draping off my lap. (Ideally, of course, the display would be battery-powered, and the video stream would be wireless, but that's asking too much.)

I've found 7" HD displays intended for videographers, but they cost $1000 or more. That's more than I'd spend. I've found 15" HD displays for $120, but that seems too big for my lap.

Anybody have suggestions?

[Eric Franklin]

One way to do it if you have a laptop is to use a SlingBox (http://www.slingbox.com/go/slingbox-prohd).

[Tim Morton]

ever compare HD to SD on a 10" screen.... is a noticeable difference?

[Jamie Buxton]

One way to do it if you have a laptop is to use a SlingBox (http://www.slingbox.com/go/slingbox-prohd).

I don't want to hold an entire laptop -- keyboard and all -- in my lap. I just want to hold the display. Now, if one of the new slate computers had an HD-class screen, and if it accepted HDMI input, that would work.

[Jamie Buxton]

ever compare HD to SD on a 10" screen.... is a noticeable difference?

Well, no, I've never seen HD on a 10" screen. But I have seen SD on a small screen, and it looks as bad as SD on a big screen.

[Mitchell Andrus]

I don't want to hold an entire laptop -- keyboard and all -- in my lap. I just want to hold the display. Now, if one of the new slate computers had an HD-class screen, and if it accepted HDMI input, that would work.

ipad? If not HD, maybe better than basic?

I'm wondering if cramming 1080 pixels into a 10", 12", wide monitor is possible? Pixels are pretty small, but if the lines of resolution span two lines or more, what's the benefit?Wouldn't that be like buying a sound system that delivers a pitch that you can't hear?
.

[Mark Engel]

If you have DirecTV you can download recorded content to laptop or PC. From there you can use any monitor supported by the computer.

Coby makes a 10.2" lcd tv that has a vga input. On Amazon for $116.10

[Pat Germain]

If you have DirecTV you can download recorded content to laptop or PC.

How it this accomplished? DVR files are Linux and encyrpted. So, even if you get them onto your computer, you can't open the files. :confused:

[Mark Engel]

How it this accomplished? DVR files are Linux and encyrpted. So, even if you get them onto your computer, you can't open the files. :confused:

Sorry, the programs are not actually downloaded to the PC, they are streamed to the PC from the DVR. DirecTV2PC

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=P4920044

[John Shuk]

Dare I suggest an Ipad?

[Mark Engel]

Dare I suggest an Ipad?

How would you get tv shows from the satellite receiver to the Ipad?

[Mitchell Andrus]

How would you get tv shows from the satellite receiver to the Ipad?

An article on connectivity:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/188021/will_the_ipad_connect_to_anything.html

See if itunes offers the shows you want, but I'm betting your 3G or wireless connection to your laptop/router is the favored route by design. The ipad support 720p output, no word on input yet.

Can the iphone or ipod touch connect to a home satellite receiver? Similar software.
.

[Darius Ferlas]

I want to watch TV like I read a book. I want an HD display that I can hold in my lap. It must be HD; I just can't watch standard definition.
Most laptops (year 2000+) have HD displays.
I'd say a 13 or 12" one would be great.


If I could find an HDMI monitor that is perhaps 10" diagonally, and is fairly slim, I'd tolerate the power cable and the HDMI cable draping off my lap. (Ideally, of course, the display would be battery-powered, and the video stream would be wireless, but that's asking too much.)

There are plenty of 10" HD monitors out there but I'm not sure you'll find many that are battery operated.

[Tim Thomas]

Vizio is going to release something that sounds exactly like what you are looking for:

http://www.noydcom.com/press_release/vizio/mobile_tv/

You will be able to get a 7, 9 or 10 inch display for $150, $200 or $230 respectively. Sounds like they will all have the ability to pick up the signal wirelessly, and the two larger units will have direct HDMI inputs. Of course, these are dedicated televisions, not computers with additional capabilities, but their prices are also lower than computers.

I've also read that Vizio is working on a wireless hookup for your home, so you could broadcast the signal wirelessly from your cablebox (or dvd/blu-ray, whatever) and pick it up on your mobile TV. No wires needed.

Of course, none of this is available to be bought TODAY. Even the tablet PCs that I have seen are mostly coming out later this year, so you may have to wait a bit to buy a device that will do what you describe.

[Scott Shepherd]

ipad running slingbox might be the ticket. It should have a sweet display, but I've seen a guy watching his cable from home on his phone using slingbox, so I'm sure that the ipad/slingbox setup should work.

[Jamie Buxton]

I'm wondering if cramming 1080 pixels into a 10", 12", wide monitor is possible?


An iphone has 480 by 320 pixels in a 3.5" diagonal display. At that pixel size, 1080p should fit on a 10" screen.

[Jamie Buxton]

There are plenty of 10" HD monitors out there ....

Really? Examples, please. I looked pretty hard.

[Jamie Buxton]

Vizio is going to release something that sounds exactly like what you are looking for.. .

Yes, the biggest one seems exactly what I want. HDMI, probably 720p, only an inch thick, and quite affordable. Now let's see if it is more than vaporware.