Stream Internet content to your TV Video

Stream Internet content to your TV Video Transcript

-Some of the best video and music is on the internet like on demand movies and TV shows from Netflix and Hulu or funny homemade videos from YouTube, but today, you're no longer limited to only watching that content on your computer. I'm Sharon Vaknin for CNET.com and I'll show you how to get your favorite streaming content onto your TV. Lots of devices give you internet to TV streaming, but your choice will depend on what kind of services you want to access and what your budget is. For example, the $100 Roku 2 XS is a tiny box that connects to your TV via HDMI and gives you 1080p video streaming from dozens of places like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, CNET and even internet radio like Pandora. Keep in mind of course that with any of these devices, you still need to pay monthly subscription fees like 8 bucks a month for Netflix. Roku connects to the internet with an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi, but keep in mind that if you are using Wi-Fi, you will need a pretty good connection at home, and as an added bonus, the Roku 2 is also packed with games, but if you wanna app out of games and that Ethernet port, the cheaper Roku model is 80 bucks. Speaking of games, if you have a PlayStation 3 at home, you're all ready equipped to stream internet content. With an Ethernet or solid Wi-Fi connection and a PlayStation network account, you can stream Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, YouTube and even some sport channels like MLB. TV. The PS3 won't get you nearly as many services as Roku, but if you're already on the console, games, a Blu-ray player and streaming make it a great all in one device. The Xbox is also media streaming device, but you'll have to pay 6 bucks a year for an Xbox live account plus any subscriptions like Netflix. Now, if you're an Apple fan and you've got iOS devices and a well stocked iTunes library, Your streaming device of choice might be the Apple TV. For less than $100, this box can of course stream content from popular services like Netflix and YouTube, but the Apple TV is the only one that can also play videos and music from many of your iOS devices and your iTunes library on your computer. So, you can stream a video, you just shot on your iPhone or the Lady Gaga album you just purchased on your computer all to your TV. Check Apple's website to find out what other streaming video services that Apple TV supports, and do the same for the Roku and PS3 so you can pick the best device for your needs, and if you need a simple, cheap way to stream media to your TV, an HDMI cable from your computer or tablet to your TV should do the trick. You might need and adaptor like this one for the iPad, but it's still way cheaper than buying a dedicated device. If you have any other streaming device suggestions, let me know on Twitter or my Facebook page. For CNET.com, I'm Sharon Vaknin.