Cheapest and most effective ways to use ABC iView on your TV

LJackson on 07/11/2012 - 20:06

I'm trying to work out what are on one hand the cheapest and on the other hand the best ways to get access to iView on the tv (if your tv doesn't have native support). I know a few people that would just about only watch the ABC and SBS (because we all know commercial tv sucks) and don't want to upgrade their 40+" TVs.

I guess the options I know of are:

Media Centre: Boot time and power consumption/heat are total overkill if you are only wanting to watch iView, I can totally understand people wanting an all in one machine but this isn't the case

Set Top Boxes:
AppleTV for 109 at HN, however I usually don't buy anything Apple due to the 'walled garden' crap.

GoogleTV from Sony seems ridiculous at $350 retail

PS3/Xbox: not sure if the latter supports iView but the PS3 is also overkill for the people I have in mind

Tablet: I've been using an Android tablet but it's not really convenient, I'd rather something smaller with remote

Android TV Stick: I guessing these aren't an official GoogleTV, but really what am I getting with the Sony for my extra $280 apart from a remote control?

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Computing

Comments

  • robotdad on 07/11/2012 - 20:51

    I too would like to know how to do this easily and cheaply for the second TV in the kitchen. I was thinking an android stick that plays flash would be the way to go, but it also requires an extra wireless keyboard/mouse set up to make the browser easier to use.

    On the lounge TV I access iView on the PS3 via the browser as this is unmetered content for Adam Internet. I find that iView apps such as on my iPad and my Samsung smart hub are metered content which makes them usless.

  • noz on 07/11/2012 - 23:00

    The WD TV Live streaming media player can play iview. You can get it from Officeworks / Good Guys / JB for around $135, or for around $100 on Amazon. (I havent checked exact prices).

  • noz on 07/11/2012 - 23:06
    +2

    Another option seems to be the Raspberry Pi. You can get them delivered for about $45 from element14.

    One of the posts here mentions that he has iview working with his R.Pi using Raspbmc.
    https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/connecte…

    The other nice thing is that the R.Pi is very small, you can mount it on the back of a TV. It also supports HDMI-CEC I believe so you can control it through the TV's IR sensor (I think that's what HDMI-CEC does, but am no expert).

    • futaris on 08/11/2012 - 10:44

      I've got Raspbmc running on my Raspberry Pi. I use the abc iview plugin, and it keeps my 3.5 year old happy…

    • samfisher5986 on 08/11/2012 - 14:18

      The XBMC i-view plugin isn't very good though (assuming we are using the same one)

      Its just a text list of all the videos on i-view and its really hard to find something unless you know what you are looking for.

      Compared to other i-view plugins or the website, you can browse with pictures, information and find stuff that interests you.

    • Diji1 on 22/05/2016 - 09:24

      For some reason this small computer designed to be a children's learning toy is bought up as a generic option for just about everything.

      Well it's completely unsuitable for all of these use cases unless the user is looking for something to tinker with and is happy to have a non-working device until tinkering is done.

      I'm willing to bet that no one at all who is asking for suggestions like this would find a Raspberry Pi to be a good solution. If it was they wouldn't be asking the question to begin with.

      • noz on 22/05/2016 - 14:59

        For some reason this small computer designed to be a children's learning toy is bought up as a generic option for just about everything.

        Sorry to put this bluntly, but you are showing your absolutely ignorance there. Have you ever even used one? Have you seen how popular it is in the media center scene? How is using it as a media player a "generic option" ? Do some research.

        I know many people using RPi's as media players. To say the RPi is "completely unsuitable" is completely silly.
        It is relatively easy to get going too .. many instructions abound on the internet, and no scripting required.
        Not only this, the platform is much faster and more mature than it was more than 3 years ago when I wrote that post.

        I'm willing to bet that no one at all who is asking for suggestions like this would find a Raspberry Pi to be a good solution.

        So where in his post did he/she say that something like an RPi would be unsuitable? I prefer not to assume I know what someone might be into, and give them all options possible. ABC iview and RPi worked very well at the time (and I assume it still does), so I felt it was helpful to relay the information.

        I find it strange that you've necro'd a post from 2012…

  • kabigon on 07/11/2012 - 23:21
    +1

    Sony Blu-Ray player BDPS185 has iView, you can find it for around $100 e.g. $98 at DSE or Grays has some refurbished ones for $59 delivered currently.

  • PunX0r on 08/11/2012 - 06:25

    How do you watch iView on an appleTV?

    • kyteflyer on 08/11/2012 - 07:57

      You need to have it jailbroken and install Plex. Plex has a plugin. I sometimes airplay it from my Macbook Pro to the TV.

      • PunX0r on 08/11/2012 - 13:40

        OK cool, I don't have plex installed, but I do have XBMC, do you know if there is a similar plugin?

        Are the other online channels available as well?

        • kyteflyer on 09/11/2012 - 07:21

          Plex has lots of channels, but not FTA TV, though I think that will happen in the future. Cannot speak for XMBC, I find it messy and unintuitive so I don't use it.

  • kyteflyer on 08/11/2012 - 07:59

    What a sahme you cant seem to edit comments. I needed to add to my last, if you dont have an appleTV 1 or 2 (ie if you have the latest) there is no jailbreak solution yet, dont try it or you'll have a brick.

  • xyron on 08/11/2012 - 10:07

    Xbox 360 supports iView but not SBS On Demand unless you get XBL Gold.

    I recommend a second-hand PS3, I picked up a 120gb slim model off gumtree recently for $180 which included a playTV, two controllers and a couple of older games :) this gives them a bluray player too. Might be a bit overkill but I think its a bargain for the type of media device you are getting.

  • NigelTufnel on 08/11/2012 - 15:52

    +1 for WDTV Live SMP. Works wonderfully for this, and at just over $100… it's one of the cheaper options.

    • kyteflyer on 09/11/2012 - 07:22

      Agreed. If I didnt already have my AppleTV, I would likely get one of the WD offerings.

  • Davros on 09/11/2012 - 10:41

    What am I missing here?
    I have a cable from my tv to my pc and just watch it
    Costs nothing but a $2 cable bought on ebay

    • astarman on 09/11/2012 - 11:07

      heres what youre missing

      "Media Centre: Boot time and power consumption/heat are total overkill if you are only wanting to watch iView, I can totally understand people wanting an all in one machine but this isn't the case"

      • Davros on 09/11/2012 - 11:13
        +1

        Buying "yet another" toy that arguably uses less power pays for a lot of electricity to run what I already have and would more than likely be running anyway.

    • Diji1 on 22/05/2016 - 09:27

      What am I missing here?
      I have a cable from my tv to my pc

      A home that looks nice?

      • Davros on 22/05/2016 - 14:02

        Nicely done dredging up a post from 2012
        and FYI you cant see the cable, it runs behind the cabinet the PC is in to the TV that sits on top of the cabinet

  • TechMat on 21/05/2016 - 12:00
    +2

    Everybody!

    ABC Iview is on plex.

    Which means get an rpi and install plex. There is also a bunch of other media apps on it too.

  • PVA on 22/05/2016 - 09:28

    Telstra TV. its around $100 and has all the catch up channels on it.
    (plus is you ever want netflix stan etc they are there too)
    works well and the remote is good and simple.

    wow, sorry didnt realise this is a 4 year old thread.

  • Diji1 on 22/05/2016 - 09:28

    Doesn't Google Chromecast run iView?

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