Streaming of the ILDN

[marty]

The ILDN FAQ say it works with "most mobile browsers" on Android. Has anyone tried viewing the ILDN this way on an Amazon Fire TV (which runs a version of Android?

That worked fine for me on my tablet with "Web Video Browser" by InstantBits. I watched the free Cornell football practice video through my Firestick.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

The ILDN FAQ say it works with "most mobile browsers" on Android. Has anyone tried viewing the ILDN this way on an Amazon Fire TV (which runs a version of Android?

That worked fine for me on my tablet with "Web Video Browser" by InstantBits. I watched the free Cornell football practice video through my Firestick.

You, sir, are a glutton for punishment.  ::smashfreak::

[upprdeck]

i have used it on my smart tv with the web browser, but such a pain to type in and move around the screen.. i wish it had a amazon app to install.

[marty]

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[Trotsky]

I'm sorry for the dumb question, but what do people use Roku for?  I can stream on my computer, and if I want the larger screen I can directly cable to the TV.

Does this give higher resolution or extra features, like being able to dump the feed to TiVo and watch later?

I'm not being deliberately dense or, for once, Luddite.  I just don't get what it's for.

[pfibiger]

I'm sorry for the dumb question, but what do people use Roku for?  I can stream on my computer, and if I want the larger screen I can directly cable to the TV.

Does this give higher resolution or extra features, like being able to dump the feed to TiVo and watch later?

I'm not being deliberately dense or, for once, Luddite.  I just don't get what it's for.

So I find it annoying to hook my computer up to my tv, the way it's configured. I used to stream on my phone and shoot it to the tv via airplay and the quality was inconsistent. I don't know if it's just a year's improvement with ILDN, but I watched some of the Yale football game on Roku (which is connected via ethernet). The picture quality was pretty incredible and I had no issues with buffering or picture artifacts or changing bitrate. It was consistently great. For me to be able to grab the remote click a couple buttons, and start watching a Cornell hockey game is pretty amazing and I feel like we're finally made it to Bill Howard's dream world.

[semsox]

I'm sorry for the dumb question, but what do people use Roku for?  I can stream on my computer, and if I want the larger screen I can directly cable to the TV.

Does this give higher resolution or extra features, like being able to dump the feed to TiVo and watch later?

I'm not being deliberately dense or, for once, Luddite.  I just don't get what it's for.

I have an AppleTV, but the same applies. There's a couple of advantages that depend on your situation. I have neither a SmartTV (with built in apps) or cable, so if I want to watch something, the standalone Netflix app or whatever is very convenient. To your point, generally, all of the apps and capabilities of these boxes could be replicated by directly putting a cable from your computer to the TV, but then you're limited in other ways, such as the computer's ability to be running several things simultaneously, physical reach of the cable, etc. My laptop from 2009 probably wouldn't be too pleased if I was trying to surf the internet while simultaneously streaming an MLB game in the background and outputting it to my TV. Given that the boxes are usually fairly cheap, you're just paying for the convenience.

[marty]

I'm sorry for the dumb question, but what do people use Roku for?  I can stream on my computer, and if I want the larger screen I can directly cable to the TV.

Does this give higher resolution or extra features, like being able to dump the feed to TiVo and watch later?

I'm not being deliberately dense or, for once, Luddite.  I just don't get what it's for.

I have an AppleTV, but the same applies. There's a couple of advantages that depend on your situation. I have neither a SmartTV (with built in apps) or cable, so if I want to watch something, the standalone Netflix app or whatever is very convenient. To your point, generally, all of the apps and capabilities of these boxes could be replicated by directly putting a cable from your computer to the TV, but then you're limited in other ways, such as the computer's ability to be running several things simultaneously, physical reach of the cable, etc. My laptop from 2009 probably wouldn't be too pleased if I was trying to surf the internet while simultaneously streaming an MLB game in the background and outputting it to my TV. Given that the boxes are usually fairly cheap, you're just paying for the convenience.

I agree.  I like sitting on my butt with the remote. ROKU has a nice variety of channels and there are so called private channels that are easy to install and sometimes downright fun. YouTube was available through one of these before ROKU released their YouTube channel. The content available through some of these channels might come with a dose of malware if accessed on your PC's web browser.

I also bought a Firestick for $20 on the day they were announced. I wasn't sure why I wanted it but it has become my KODI device of choice when I'm being a bad boy. Both work through a Denon receiver. (I rarely use our Chromecast device but my son used it to stream when home a month ago.)

In addition to hooking up the HDMI cable when streaming ILDN on my laptop I have to plug in the power cord. Last season I usually didn't get to that until sometime in the second or third period often missing a chunk of the game.  I guess I'm getting very old and cranky.  Ask my daughter.

[Trotsky]

I don't know if it's just a year's improvement with ILDN, but I watched some of the Yale football game on Roku (which is connected via ethernet). The picture quality was pretty incredible and I had no issues with buffering or picture artifacts or changing bitrate. It was consistently great.

Same here on my computer.  I hope the improved picture quality translates to the Perpetual Twilight inside Lynah.

[Rosey]

I'm sorry for the dumb question, but what do people use Roku for?  I can stream on my computer, and if I want the larger screen I can directly cable to the TV.

Does this give higher resolution or extra features, like being able to dump the feed to TiVo and watch later?

I'm not being deliberately dense or, for once, Luddite.  I just don't get what it's for.

Convenience. You can, of course, hook your laptop up to the TV, but that generally precludes you from using it at the same time, and also increases the work to view versus just slamming your ass on the couch, turning the TV on, and picking up the Roku remote (or Apple TV remote, or phone in case of Chromecast).

The Apple TV is also useful for casting content from your Mac laptop that you can't get natively on a Roku or Apple TV: just connect your laptop to the Apple TV via airplay, and it becomes another display into which you can drag a web browser, all without a cord connected to your laptop. This is how I watched the games on my TV last year. The video quality isn't as smooth, but given ILDN's overall quality*, it wasn't really a problem.

*Much better than pre-ILDN Redcast, but still lagging the state of the art for internet video streaming.

[Chris H82]

As Marty and Kyle noted, it's super convenient for seeing (or hearing) a variety of content. Beyond channels like ILDN, MLB, Netflix, Hulu, there is a broad range of ways to easily put on-line content to your entertainment system. The YouTube channel will interact with your phone (makes it easy to quickly see a link on the big screen).  I use the TuneIn radio channel to connect to WHCU and listen to Cornell hockey when there is no ILDN broadcast (or I've been to cheap to renew my subscription - I know, sacrilege!)

Chris H

[upprdeck]

one big convenience is not having to worry about clicking a link that i didnt want and having something installed by mistake.. The other thing is being easily able to move from 1 tv to another without lugging laptop around the house or outside

[billhoward]

Cornell these days is really up on the cyber.

[Trotsky]

Thanks to all who responded about Roku.

[jtwcornell91]

I'm sorry for the dumb question, but what do people use Roku for?  I can stream on my computer, and if I want the larger screen I can directly cable to the TV.

Does this give higher resolution or extra features, like being able to dump the feed to TiVo and watch later?

I'm not being deliberately dense or, for once, Luddite.  I just don't get what it's for.

Convenience. You can, of course, hook your laptop up to the TV, but that generally precludes you from using it at the same time, and also increases the work to view versus just slamming your ass on the couch, turning the TV on, and picking up the Roku remote (or Apple TV remote, or phone in case of Chromecast).

The Apple TV is also useful for casting content from your Mac laptop that you can't get natively on a Roku or Apple TV: just connect your laptop to the Apple TV via airplay, and it becomes another display into which you can drag a web browser, all without a cord connected to your laptop. This is how I watched the games on my TV last year. The video quality isn't as smooth, but given ILDN's overall quality*, it wasn't really a problem.

*Much better than pre-ILDN Redcast, but still lagging the state of the art for internet video streaming.

A ROKU box in the video cabinet also produces less of a target for rampaging 3-year-olds than a laptop tethered to the TV.  We started with a ROKU stick which plugs right into the HDMI port, but that is also somewhat vulnerable, as we unfortunately learned.