How do I get my PC browser to display on my Humax?

[Peter Mann]

I am a newbie so forgive me if there are already posts on this. I have a PC running XP off a Orange Live box server in my study. In my living room I have a Sony kdl40 Bravia TV and a Humax HDR fox 2. All I want to do is display and intereact with my PC Firefox browser on my TV via my Humax or direct to the TV.? Do I need a dongle or dongle's plugged in at both ends or could I use some kit that uses the electrical mains supply of the house?
I also have a iTouch. An app that controls the browser remotely would be nice.
Not that its relevant but I already have a Sony dongle which gives me access to the Sony portal on the net via my livebox. Thanks Peter

 

[Ezra Pound]

You can connect your Humax to your internal network with a WiFi Dongle, Homeplugs (Via Mains Wiring) or a LAN cable. Obviously your P.C. would also need to be connected to the same internal network by one of the three options above. However even when networked it would not be possible to control your P.C. from the Humax

 

[Black Hole]

All I want to do is display and intereact with my PC Firefox browser on my TV via my Humax or direct to the TV.

Sorry, but it can't be done. The Humax is not capable of acting as a remote display adapter for your PC any more than your TV is.

As you have probably discovered, with the Humax connected to your home network you have access to a few Internet services via the TV Portal, but these place few demands on the Humax itself and are mediated by Humax's remote servers. You can use your PC to play back recordings from the Humax if you use software able to negotiate the DLNA protocols - XMBC works - and you can navigate the file structure by FTP (except what you find will be encrypted).

Installing the custom firmware (see links below) provides network control of your Humax via a PC web browser - but not the other way around.

 

[migmog]

I wonder - do you guys think it would it be possible to port VNC to the hummy?

 

[Ezra Pound]

I can't see any advantage to installing VNC on the Humax, it doesn't have a keyboard or mouse with which to control a P.C.

 

[MymsMan]

Many modern TVs have a socket that allows them to be connected directly to a PC and act as a giant monitor which is great for watching video sources that aren't available via the Humax portal

 

[Black Hole]

Many modern PCs have an HDMI output.

 

[Ezra Pound]

Many modern TVs have a socket that allows them to be connected directly to a PC and act as a giant monitor which is great for watching video sources that aren't available via the Humax portal

In your example the TV is as you say a monitor, it is not remotely controlling a P.C., which is what VNC is used for.

 

[Peter Mann]

Hi Its Peter Mann again. OK so I can not use my Humax or the tele to browse the net...not easily in any case. So Whats wrong with purchasing a Sony NSZ-gS7B ? I can not find any reviews of it yet so have any of you out there tried it?

go to
http://www.sony.co.uk/product/google-tv-products/nsz-gs7#/ProductBenefits

 

[Black Hole]

Why should there be anything wrong with it? If that's what you want go ahead.

If you fancy something a bit more of a challenge, requiring some physical setting up and software configuration, that will do what you want rather than what Sony allows, and is cheaper (but on a long waiting list), you could look at a Raspberry Pi implementation that will do all that and more - see HERE (click).

 

[Peter Mann]

Thanks for info on Raspberry Pi etc. However I don’t really understand electronics (cameras, boats clocks..yes but electronics no) I could not make head or tail of the links you kindly provided so I am visiting Comet tomorrow and have a good look at the Sony Internet player. I have two more questions though before I sign off for good.
Why can't I record on my Humax hard drive a BBCi player catch up program?. I mean what's the difficulty?
When is Humax going to provide more apps on their portal. ie. Other useful catch up programs like ITV1 and channel five etc. Is there a web site that monitors these issues?
Thanks to everyone
Peter

 

[Black Hole]

You seem very stressed about all this - chill out Mann.

I have two more questions though before I sign off for good.

For good? You think you won't have anything else to ask?

Why can't I record on my Humax hard drive a BBCi player catch up program?

No problem, the custom firmware makes this possible. Officially, it is probably against the licence agreement between Humax and the BBC.

When is Humax going to provide more apps on their portal. ie. Other useful catch up programs like ITV1 and channel five etc.

As far as we know there are no plans and neither do we expect any. Again it is up to Humax to strike a bargain with the service providers to provide a compatible feed, and if they are not interested that's that. A technical problem is that the HD/HDR-FOX does not have enough computing power to decode the standard Flash streams that are used by browsers. The BBC iPlayer feed is MP4, which is decoded by dedicated hardware in the Humax.

The custom software also includes a custom portal, and we could probably add any other source of MP4 to it, but there needs to be something at the other end able to interpret the cursor and OK buttons - like the Smart TV portal does for iPlayer.