How do I watch the ball drop without a TV?

December 28, 2008 8:24 PM

I am throwing a small New Year's Eve party, and would like to be able to show the ball dropping in Times Square -- and optionally more of the programing around that moment -- despite not having a television signal into my home. I've a large LCD monitor (42"), a laptop with an HDMI input into said TV, a Windows PC, and an XBox 360. What's the best way to go about setting something up for my guests and I to watch?
posted by ellF to technology (7 comments total)

I don't know of any television network that does simultaneous webcasts of their programming.

Since you're asking about something that's especially "live", this is what you need.

Do you have a friend with a Slingbox? If so, I'm of the understanding that you can have them stream the programming to you in (something like) real time.
posted by Netzapper at 8:48 PM on December 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

Since you are most likely interested in the network TV programming, I'd say focus on getting those signals into your monitor. You'll need a rabbit ear antenna of some sort to plug into an antenna.

A couple ways:

1) You can buy a digital TV tuner aka an ATSC tuner and pull the signal out of the air and plug it directly into your monitor. They will probably have a couple models at Radio Shack.

2) You can buy a digital TV tuner with a USB connection, plug that into your laptop and then plug your laptop into the TV via HDMI.

3) You can buy a combo DVD player/ATSC receiver and plug that directly into your monitor.
posted by Argyle at 9:14 PM on December 28, 2008

Over-the-air HD USB receivers for computers are really cheap. Some even come with little rabbit ear antennas. If you're close enough to the transmitter, that's all you'd need.
posted by zsazsa at 9:17 PM on December 28, 2008

Brilliant - I've picked up a Hauppauge 1191 (950) from Amazon, which I'll set up on the Linux-based laptop via MythTV and display on the 42" monitor. Thanks!
posted by ellF at 10:01 PM on December 28, 2008

I've a large LCD monitor (42"), a laptop with an HDMI input into said TV, ...

If that monitor is really a TV, what's wrong with just getting some rabbit ears?
posted by Pronoiac at 1:44 AM on December 29, 2008

Pronoiac: It's really a monitor - my wording was confusing.
posted by ellF at 9:52 AM on December 29, 2008

Really? Wow. I didn't know they made 42" monitors.
posted by Pronoiac at 1:21 PM on December 29, 2008