Setting Up sony internet tv

[FarmerPug]

My dad got himself a sony bravia there today, its a CX52 40 inch, but it has internet capability my dad wanted it for the iplayer. But now it seems it requires a Wifi dongle and the one recommended costs about £60
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SONY-UWA-BR10 ... 500wt_1156
£60 for a fecking wifi dongle

any chance anyone knows if other wifi dongles will work, but there is also a plug on the back for a wired connection, my dads house has a bt home hub its on the end of a terrace of houses, any chance one of them machines you plug into the electrical plug would do the job? could one of them be used to give the tv wired internet while letting the wifi continue to work?

[FarmerPug]

i had a look would one of these devices do the same job?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wifi-Bridge-M ... 1764wt_907

[sirwiggum]

I have exactly the same TV.

It said it had internet compatibility, but when I unpacked it, it didn't.

I asked at the shop and they said it had to be the Sony specific WiFi adaptor.

I didn't bother, and used the Wii for iPlayer, Xbox for streaming media, and SkyPlus for everything else.

[highlander]

I was looking at Sony Bravia TVs. Spotted that the WiFi dongle isn't included, and that the TV doesn't have a built-in RJ-45 Ethernet port, so I figured "Nah" and bought a Panasonic Viera instead.

[FarmerPug]

the thing is the tv has an ethernet port at the back and i seen them wireless bridges and they seen to recieve a wireless signal and put out an ethernet cable connection. does this sound ok
or would one of them electrical plug jobbies do the same.
its a but sh*t to advertise internet and all but not put a wifi reciever in it and i bet it costs them pence if they wanted to include it, although i need to give it internet because there is no sky or xbox my dad got himself the new tv for bbc i player

[highlander]

the thing is the tv has an ethernet port

If it truly is an ethernet port and not just an RJ-45 port for their proprietory WiFi dongle to connect to, then you can use any kind of RJ-45-to-WiFi adapter connected to that port, or the HomePlug system, or just a normal length of CAT5/5e/6 cable from the TV to your switch or router.

[FarmerPug]

the thing is the tv has an ethernet port

If it truly is an ethernet port and not just an RJ-45 port for their proprietory WiFi dongle to connect to, then you can use any kind of RJ-45-to-WiFi adapter connected to that port, or the HomePlug system, or just a normal length of CAT5/5e/6 cable from the TV to your switch or router.

im almost sure their wifi unit works through usb, but the instructions do say you can plug it into a wired network which im assuming makes it an ethernet port (whats a RJ-45), the problem with a length of the cat cable is the home hub is across the hall it would be a bit messy looking.

would that wifi bridge i gave the link for work?

but other than the internet issue, it does seem a great big tv the picture is very clear, the motion detector solves the problem of my dad or sister leaving the tv on, and the tv guide is easy to use. Even better is i get the old tv

[CalamityJames]

You could do what I suggested to my parents for their Sony internet telly (£35 for a pair) and use a couple of HomePlug adaptors to transfer the data via your internal wiring.

http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline-pl-85pe-mk2.htm

Edit: whoops, noticed highlander suggested that too! In that case I second it!

[sirwiggum]

They are a good TV, great picture, especially on HD Sky or Xbox360 games.

RJ45 is the standard of cable that is commonly referred to as Ethernet. It usually has a telephone-style connector, only wider. Can come in straight through or crossover varieties, TV to home router/switch will probably be straight through.
I have the same issue whereby the wireless router is in the hallway beside the phone, and as it is a rented house I don't want to do too much drilling or installing ethernet sockets in the walls.

The 'motion detector' is OK except when you are playing xbox / on sky TV for a couple of hours, and it thinks you've went to sleep!

The USB port cannot be used for plugging in a USB stick to watch films (as per the XBox), but just for the Sony wireless adaptor.

Let me know if you get one and how it gets on!

[sirwiggum]

You could do what I suggested to my parents for their Sony internet telly (£35 for a pair) and use a couple of HomePlug adaptors to transfer the data via your internal wiring.

http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline-pl-85pe-mk2.htm

Do you not have to be careful with those that the internal wiring isn't on the same circuit as a washing machine / other high output device, and that your living room / TV room circuit is the same circuit as the socket from which the powerline adaptor is used for the router?

[CalamityJames]

You could do what I suggested to my parents for their Sony internet telly (£35 for a pair) and use a couple of HomePlug adaptors to transfer the data via your internal wiring.

http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline-pl-85pe-mk2.htm

Do you not have to be careful with those that the internal wiring isn't on the same circuit as a washing machine / other high output device, and that your living room / TV room circuit is the same circuit as the socket from which the powerline adaptor is used for the router?

I worried about all these factors when I first got them, however they have exceeded my expectations.

Our router is downstairs on the bottom mains ring and we have two homeplugs, one on the 1st floor mains ring and one on the 2nd floor mains ring and they all stay connected at about 70-80mbps, one of the homeplugs is even connected to a 4 socket gang plug!

I did notice a couple of times when the heating was kicking in that the speed dropped a bit, but our boiler is terrible and we really need it looked at!

[CalamityJames]

Typical day:

[sirwiggum]

Not too shabby!

How does it work across circuits? Do you have routers to switch between say ground floor and 1st floor?

As in

Phone line / broadband -- [home router] -- [electric plug adaptor] -- downstairs circuit -- [electric plug adaptor] -- router -- [electric plug adaptor] -- upstairs circuit -- [electric plug adaptor] -- PC

?

[CalamityJames]

Not too shabby!

How does it work across circuits? Do you have routers to switch between say ground floor and 1st floor?

As in

Phone line / broadband -- [home router] -- [electric plug adaptor] -- downstairs circuit -- [electric plug adaptor] -- router -- [electric plug adaptor] -- upstairs circuit -- [electric plug adaptor] -- PC

?

Sort of, it goes like this (crude diagram warning, but cant resist MS Paint!):

[FarmerPug]

thanks for the suggestion
http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline-pl-85pe-mk2.htm
would this work if the house is on the end of a terrace?

how long does it take to start these up, say it gets unplugged and turned on again will it establish a connection again instantly? And is a single pack just one (what can you do with one on its own?)
But im still liking the idea of the Wireless bridge its just £20 and it should get good signal because the routers only about 4 metres away from the tv and all other wireless devices get the full signal when beside the tv.

On the usb port, i had a play with it last night, i did manage to view some pictures on a slideshow with it, it was amazing the quality of the photos on a 40inch screen and they had only been taken with an iphone.