[KittyB]

I have a Dell Dimension PC with broadband connection with Windows XP2. I like to listen to radio shows on internet. I need something for another room/floor. Have considered getting a laptop and router for the other room for internet and e-mail, NO GAMES, and have a plasma TV ( so many ports, I don't know what to do with them!) that could be used as the monitor. So, first question is, should I consider a PC tower rather than the laptop? Space is a consideration. Then, I'd need wireless keyboard and mouse, right? What's the best way to do this? What other equipment do I need? Is a router easy to set up? Does the new system have to be XP like exisitng system or can it be Vista? Should I just call Dell and have them set something up for me? Went to Best Buy and was told I needed their GEEK squad to do this for me for $149. Is this a "no brainer?" Laptops seem so inexpensive, like $499 to $599 but I don't know what connections I need.

[coastie65]

Hi Kitty, Welcome to the forum. If you have broadband, I'm guessing you have a router that is wired to the Dell. You set up the laptop for a wireless connection to the router. You would need a wireless card for the laptop. A wireless keyboard and mouse would be convenient . Vista has the media stuff you would need. If the laptop has a good Audio package and a speaker jack, then a good pair of speakers would resolve that issue. Once you established an internet connection to your radio link, it would play through your media player. I know I'm probably missing a lot here and I'm sure someone will jump in and fill in the blanks. As for the Plasma TV thing, I've been dragging my feet on moving up to the HDTV stuff, so I'm a little behind the curve on that stuff. ?:| coastie65

[smax013]

KittyB said:

I have a Dell Dimension PC with broadband connection with Windows XP2. I like to listen to radio shows on internet. I need something for another room/floor. Have considered getting a laptop and router for the other room for internet and e-mail, NO GAMES, and have a plasma TV ( so many ports, I don't know what to do with them!) that could be used as the monitor. So, first question is, should I consider a PC tower rather than the laptop? Space is a consideration. Then, I'd need wireless keyboard and mouse, right? What's the best way to do this? What other equipment do I need? Is a router easy to set up? Does the new system have to be XP like exisitng system or can it be Vista? Should I just call Dell and have them set something up for me? Went to Best Buy and was told I needed their GEEK squad to do this for me for $149. Is this a "no brainer?" Laptops seem so inexpensive, like $499 to $599 but I don't know what connections I need.

It will largely depend on what you want to do with the system. If you just want to have computer to do email and browsing in the other room, then a laptop the connects wirelessly through a wireless router would certainly be a good way to go. There would be no need to hook it to the TV (unless you wanted to) as it will have its own screen, keyboard, and mouse-like device. You could also just do a low end basic desktop that connects to the TV for a screen and then use a wireless mouse and keyboard with it...and you would need to get a wireless card for the desktop.



If you also want to use it for a "media center" (i.e. hook it up to the TV to play video, hook it to a stereo to play audio, maybe get a TV tuner card to record shows in a PVR/DVR mode), then a desktop/tower is likely a better choice. You could do it with a laptop, but to some degree it might be easier to do it with a desktop.



Regardless, if you want to hook a computer up to your TV, the best way would be in the computer had an HDMI port (and this assumes your TV does as well). If so, then you just need an HDMI cable...it should handle both video and audio. If you don't have HDMI on the computer, then the next best thing is a DVI monitor port. It is rather easy to get DVI to HDMI cables that would allow you to hook your computer up for video...you would only need an audio cable then (most likely a standard mini-headphone jack to right/left RCA/composite audio cable).

[KittyB]

Hey Coastie,

Thanks for all the info! I have broadband for my Dell. Do I still need another router called a "wirelss router?...right?" You referred to a media center via Vista...is that where I get Media Player or do I download that from internet? By a "wireless card," I am hoping you don't mean "WIFI" because that is some kind of monthly fee, right? I have been reading details for various laptops and they refer to 802.11g, -a, -b, -n. What should I look for? Thanks again from this computer amateur!

[KittyB]

Hi SMAX,

Thank you for the info. When you wrote about no HDMI on computer, you wrote that I could use DVI to HDMI if there is no HDMI on computer. What color is DVI? Is that the red, white, yellow connection? You also referred to RCA. When I research computers, will they explain what type of outlets are available? I haven't read anything about DVI or RCA. My TV has HDMI and I get that part. DUH!!! Haven't noticed an inexpensive computer with HDMI yet but will keep looking. Am a little confused about all the outlets that might be required in the computer/laptop. So, basically, what connections will I need from computer to TV, assuming no HDMI, and what do they look like? I am new at this!

Thanks again. You have been extremely helpful!

[coastie65]

Hi Kitty, Actually when I said wireless I didn't mean WiFi. A router cane be both "hardwired" as mine is ( a cable running from the router to the ethernet port on the back of my computer), or wireless, where a card is installed in the computer and will broadcast to the router. In fact you could have a desktop hardwired and then set up the laptop for wireless on the same router. My brother-in-law did that. My nephew has a desktop in his bedroom, so that is where the router is and is hard wired to his computer. My brother-in-law has a laptop with a wireless card and while my nephew is up in his room downloading music or whatever, my brother-in-law can be sitting down in the den doing his own thing online on the laptop. You can have multiple computers using the same router doing diferent things. As for the Yellow, Red, and White RCA type cables, they were a follow up to the old coaxial cables. A coax cable is like the one that the cable company connects to the cable box from outside. The Yellow cable is video and the other two are audio ( one left and one right ). HDMI, I believe is " High Definition Media Interface " or something like that. If you are running from the computer it would be coming from the Video card if I'm not mistaken. I'm not sure about an onboard graphics chipset package, as usually they are nothing great. I am sort of stumbling around in a gray area here as I haven't taken the step up yet. I am a disabled Vet on an abbreviated income, so I tend to wait a bit before spending that kind of money. Now to address the issue of Media Center. That is a part of Vista, I don't know about Home Basic, But everything above that version has Media Center. There is an XP MCE ( Media Center Edition ). It is essentially XP Pro with Media Center Apps added on. So no, you don't have to download it from the internet, it would be in the OS. Getting back to the wireless thing, Your Cable/Phone company can set up the router & Laptop for a wireless connection, which would be at the desktop location. coastie65