This setup lets me surf the internet, watch streaming tv and Netflix, Hulu, etc

Would like to get something smaller, Zino size,etc that would do the same..have read mucho on-line stories about Boxee, Google TV, AppleTV, Roku,etc..wouldn’t mind spending $100, but already have the laptop…but have to add speakers, the sound on the tv doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the laptop and vice versa, so just unplugged the small speakers from an older desktop computer..

Don’t really like hookup/unhooking various cables each time, etc..

Thank you for your terrific series on cutting the cord. I am preparing to start the same “journey” and your posts have been tremendously helpful. I’ve been contemplating a setup very similar to yours, so reading about your experience has given me a good amount of confidence.

For the hardware, I’m also planning on purchasing an OTA antenna (although my setup might be a bit more complicated because the channels I’d like to get are located in three different directions, and some are UHF and others are VHF), along with a Dell Zino, and a dual tuner (sounds like HD Homerun is the way to go). I have a second TV (it’s a non-HD set) for which I still need to figure out what to do.

For the software, I’ve been planning on Windows Media Center 7 with MediaBrowser (from mediabrowser.tv). But then I read you’re also using Boxee’s software and Kylo (which I was not familiar with).

My questions for you:

Hardware: What would you recommend to get live programming and streaming content on my second TV? I see you’re using media extenders, but I’m not very familiar with those. I was thinking of getting a low-end Roku.

Software: What do you get from Boxee and Kylo that you can’t get with Windows Media Center and the internet browser on the Dell? And what are the differences between Boxee and Kylo?

Thanks again for your great posts and any input you can give me.

Regards,

Pedro

p.s. I’m also a huge soccer fan. I lived in DC for 10 years and DC United became my team. I was there for most of the great early years and now, as you know, they’re terrible. Good luck to the Rapids this season.

M1,M2,M3 – Reminds me of watching Lawrence Welk at my wifes parents house during the “courtship” years.

I admit I’m no economist, if I were I’d be getting paid big bucks to make less sense then I do now and probably with much less accountability.

Though very difficult to draw appropriate lines economic activity needs a similar tiered measurement system.

I reckon they’re in a tough market with these things. They’re simple and very easy, but they don’t sell themselves. A more hard core user could easily take an old machine – nevermind power usage – and turn it into a Samba driven NAS device. A non-hard core user needs an introduction to the device.

If you try the Tonido will you consider switching to openpogo? I might be giving the Sheeva a try.