We haven't had a proper TV in over a decade. I would like to have something other than my laptop to watch streaming media, DVDs, Netflix, etc. Can you explain how this works in 2013? I imagine we'd buy something like this Samsung LED HDTV and some kind of speakers. Then what? Do we plug it into a laptop? What exactly is Apple TV and how does it stack up against Roku? This seems like it should be a simple question, but I feel like a caveman emerging from the dark, and am fairly bewildered at all of the options and variations out there. [more inside]
posted by barnone on Feb 11, 2013 - 26 answers

Where can I find accurate statistics regarding how many viewers/readers media organizations have? [more inside]
posted by eytanb on Jul 17, 2012 - 5 answers

Setting up a media PC for my television. Already have all the hardware set up, just wondering what kind of software people are using to have a "reasonable television-like experience" with mouse only or wireless xbox360 controller (currently looking in to getting one of these) [more inside]
posted by tehloki on Jan 20, 2012 - 6 answers

Looking for the top episodes of any TV series. "Best", most ground-breaking, controversial, funniest, awesome guest stars... Series/Season endings are easier, it's the stuff leading up to that where I need help. [more inside]
posted by a_green_man on Nov 2, 2011 - 67 answers

I would like to buy a home entertainment system. I would like to listen to music, watch television, movies, and play videogames. I would like to have Netflix. I would like to stream media from my network or the cloud. I want great sound but I am not an audiophile, although I am not averse to spending a lot on speakers. I do not want to spend more than 8 hours doing research. I will spend up to $2500-$3000. How do I attack this problem? Can you recommend specific TV's, receivers, speakers, or stuff like a Roku box? Can you recommend sites that provide easy to understand, objective reviews of equipment like TelevisionInfo? I do not want to hit the forums if I don't have to. Can you recommend specific configurations of equipment or point me to sites that supply this information. I feel like if I don't get pointed in the right direction, I am going to over analyze this and spend far too much time that I don't have. I just want a rocking home entertainment solution for my family that I won't want to upgrade a week later.
posted by jasondigitized on Sep 9, 2011 - 13 answers

What are some representations of gay, uniformed (police, military, etc) men in television and film?
posted by Saebrial on Feb 10, 2011 - 32 answers

Where can find I data for TV ratings and/or newspaper sales before, during and after September 11th, 2001?
posted by FuckingAwesome on Feb 8, 2011 - 1 answer

Please recommend articles/books/etc. which talk about broadcast media and American suburbia in the 1970s and 1980s. [more inside]
posted by mykescipark on Jan 27, 2011 - 2 answers

I'm trying to find a TV commercial for Paxil that aired probably during the late '90s, but maybe during the early 2000s. [more inside]
posted by toomuchkatherine on Dec 7, 2010 - 3 answers

Looking for tv and movies which will blow my mind with the quality of the writing and acting. [more inside]
posted by JoannaC on Nov 21, 2010 - 51 answers

How far ahead of their scheduled air date are scripted television shows ready to air? [more inside]
posted by pb on Jul 6, 2010 - 7 answers

Help me build my perfect home media machine. It must play blu-ray discs, browse the web, and stream HD video from internet sources. I have no interest in video games, and little interest in cable TV. Is this something I can buy? If this is something I must build myself, what kind of computing muscle will I need? [more inside]
posted by Afroblanco on May 12, 2010 - 15 answers

Going through what some mefis describe as the quarter-life crisis, I'd like to read about or watch others going through it as well. Any suggestions ? [more inside]
posted by fizzix on Feb 1, 2010 - 27 answers

I'm interested to get involved in tv production, ideally in a researcher or production management position, but I know I'll need to start a little bit further down the food chain. Trouble is I don't have any experience. Is this the most stupid idea in the world? [more inside]
posted by shewhoeats on Jan 5, 2010 - 8 answers

Fruit on TV? I remember someone saying something to the effect of, "If we put a piece of fruit on television every night, it will become a national icon". Who said that? And I think that someone actually did it (SNL?), did THAT happen?
posted by slactoid on Nov 16, 2009 - 8 answers

Is XBMC on an XBox still the best solution for playing home network media on my TV? [more inside]
posted by Billegible on Jul 13, 2009 - 32 answers

Dear Hivemind: Where can I find examples of treatments for Reality TV shows? [more inside]
posted by Elle Vator on Mar 8, 2009 - 1 answer

Please help me find video online of your typical cheesy late night phone-sex ads or sexy chat line ads. Not looking for parodies, I'd love to find the real thing, and am coming up empty. [more inside]
posted by BillBishop on Oct 14, 2008 - 5 answers

I'm interested in buying a TV Tuner Card for my PC, but I don't know where to find good reviews. Does anyone have any recommendations for a cheap, decent-quality card that preferably comes with a remote? [more inside]
posted by Aanidaani on Dec 27, 2007 - 9 answers

Irish and Northerners: Tell me your reflections on religious programming on present-day RTE TV and Radio? [more inside]
posted by parmanparman on May 29, 2007 - 6 answers

How might I go about trying to locate a copy of a 1950s British TV advert (brand known but agency unknown, a websearch reveals nothing)?
posted by rongorongo on Jan 31, 2007 - 9 answers

Does anybody know where I can get at a timeslot database for television commercials? (Preferably free or cheap). I'm not interested in viewing the commercials; I'm more interested in constructing bipartite co-occurrence networks between television programs. For example, I want to analyze what commercials are paired up with what other commercials (in that they air for the same shows), how many commercials share a given pair of programs, etc. -- and then making some inferences from the network. [more inside]
posted by SilentSalamander on Jan 28, 2007 - 4 answers

I started watching Grey's Anatomy recently, and I can't help noticing a striking similarity between the opening title credits in that show and the opening credits in The 4400. Does anyone know if the same design/production studio created both of these introductory scenes? [more inside]
posted by Aanidaani on Nov 22, 2006 - 1 answer

How easy would it be to set up some PCs to record the local news on several channels for purposes of offering a media clipping service? [more inside]
posted by pzarquon on Oct 7, 2006 - 9 answers

Why can't a community use tax $ to put up a single large television mast antenna and allow, say, the 100 highest bidding networks to broadcast, all from that same tower? [more inside]
posted by washburn on Sep 24, 2006 - 20 answers

Does anyone recommend a specific LCD television that will allow streaming over UPnP from a media box, decode DivX, XViD, and other MPEG-4 video formats, and is available in North America (specifically Canada)? [more inside]
posted by purephase on Jun 19, 2006 - 4 answers

TV shows, movies, books, or other media that involve people living as "someone else" temporarily - whether swapping roles, taking a new role, or pretending to be someone else - to see life in someone else's shoes. [more inside]
posted by divabat on May 31, 2006 - 48 answers

Need help connecting my DirecTV DVR and my new laptop with Windows XP Media Center. [more inside]
posted by Mrs. Smith on Apr 18, 2006 - 7 answers

Why did Arrested Development get cancelled? [more inside]
posted by BigBrownBear on Mar 22, 2006 - 55 answers

Know of any interesting advertisements? [more inside]
posted by awesomebrad on Mar 15, 2006 - 22 answers

The Daily Show: Great Moments in Punditry as Read by Children. I just don't get it. [more inside]
posted by phrits on Sep 28, 2005 - 16 answers

Several years ago, I heard, on some TV show that the total number of people who have died up until now is less than the number of people alive today. Then I saw this. (+) [more inside]
posted by arse_hat on Feb 8, 2005 - 23 answers

Hardware/Media Dreams: I'm an A/V and computer enthusiast, and one of my dreams (sad, I know) is to have a computer-based server connected to my television that contains all of my (legally store bought) DVDs, so I can basically have a local version of video-on-demand. [mi] [more inside]
posted by robbie01 on Nov 10, 2004 - 20 answers

Can a touchscreen monitor (12-15") be set to control a DVD player? (more inside) [more inside]
posted by faustessa on Sep 1, 2004 - 6 answers

I want to watch TV on my laptop via wifi. Does anyone know how I can do this? For example, Toshiba's new Qosmio laptops come with a 'Wifi TV Router'. Does anyone else make a WiFi TV router? Or, alternatively, I have another computer with a TV card in it. What software could I install to stream the live TV signal from my server? I know there are streaming video products, but I don't know if any of them can also handle changing channels on a live TV stream. Any helpful suggestions appreciated. Thanks! [more inside]
posted by PigAlien on Sep 1, 2004 - 3 answers

What application do you use to record TV on your pc? (More Inside) [more inside]
posted by sebas on Jul 12, 2004 - 12 answers

I need some advice on how to present myself well on television. It seems that this has become a (very unwelcome) side effect of my current job [details thither...] [more inside]
posted by contessa on Jan 6, 2004 - 15 answers