# Spanish TV hookups and XBox One



## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

I'm completely confused as to the hook-up of Spanish TV, as this is totally different than in Canada. I'm going to be buying a TV to replace the landlord's TV. The cable is included in my rent, so I had nothing to do with hooking it up and am clueless as to what the cords and outlets are. 

So could someone please explain to me what I've got here, so that I can buy the TV? One big question is, do I have to buy a TV with that thick SCART connection, or is there another way I can hook up the cable? I'd like to buy a Sony Bravia, and don't think they have a SCART connection.

I'm also seriously considering buying an Xbox One, to hook up to the TV, so that I can use that as a computer to browse online, Skype and listen to music.

I'll also be hooking up my laptop to the TV.

Here are the pics of what I've got here:

On the wall:









The cable box:

























I hope that's not too much to ask and that someone's able to help out. :fingerscrossed: I'm getting a little nutso without my electronics fix here in Spain.


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

What you have there isn't a cable box, it's a digital converter box. Any new tv you'd buy would already be prepared for a digital signal so there'd be no need for a box. One less hook-up - yay! 

All you'll need to do is plug the black 'TV-R' cable into the round 'antenna in' socket in your new tv and you'll be good to go. 

I'm confused as to why you would buy an X-box to surf on-line. skype, etc?? You can buy a HDMI cable and plug your laptop into your new tv. That is, assuming your laptop has an HDMI slot...


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

kalohi said:


> What you have there isn't a cable box, it's a digital converter box. Any new tv you'd buy would already be prepared for a digital signal so there'd be no need for a box. One less hook-up - yay!
> 
> All you'll need to do is plug the black 'TV-R' cable into the round 'antenna in' socket in your new tv and you'll be good to go.
> 
> I'm confused as to why you would buy an X-box to surf on-line. skype, etc?? You can buy a HDMI cable and plug your laptop into your new tv. That is, assuming your laptop has an HDMI slot...


Hi Kalohi. Thanks for your reply. 

Yes, my laptop has an HDMI connection. I had wanted the Xbox for the gaming and to do the computer stuff, so that I didn't have to have my laptop hooked up to the TV all the time. But it turns out the speed of my wireless internet isn't good enough for gaming. So I'll just use my laptop, which can do everything the Xbox can do - minus the gaming. 

Now I understand what that box is - thanks! We always have to have a cable box in Canada. So you're saying no cable box is required at all? 

If I use the TV-R cable instead of the SCARF connection, will I still be able to use all the menu functions of the TV channels that I have now, like changing the audio language and subtitle language?


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

A Bravia has a scart connection and all the other plugs that you will need, basically just unplug the landlords TV and plug yours straight in and it should be fine. We have a bravia and it has multiple different in-puts so what ever you are faced with it should accept.
Pretty much all the TVs will be the same so you don't have to ask for something special.

Another good point about a console, games aside, is you should be able to browse to the filmon website and watch TV on your TV with no problems depending on your internet connection.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Pazcat said:


> A Bravia has a scart connection and all the other plugs that you will need, basically just unplug the landlords TV and plug yours straight in and it should be fine. We have a bravia and it has multiple different in-puts so what ever you are faced with it should accept.
> Pretty much all the TVs will be the same so you don't have to ask for something special.


My last two TVs in Canada were Bravia and I just love them! They don't have SCART cards in the Bravias in Canada. So they must be made differently here. I bought a Philips TV last week with the hopes of using that, but I'm not at all happy with it, so will return it this week. My plan was to go cheap on the electronics here, but I just can't do it! 



Pazcat said:


> Another good point about a console, games aside, is you should be able to browse to the filmon website and watch TV on your TV with no problems depending on your internet connection.


I just looked up Filmon. Could I access them with my laptop? Or only the console?


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

I don't think you can go too far wrong with the Bravia's. They are a consistently good product and I would recommend them to anyone. That said I could be swayed to a Samsung but at this point we don't need another tv.

Filmon will work on your laptop and PC. Even your phone or tablet if you get the app for it. It just comes down to internet though, if you have a data limit then it will go through that pretty quickly.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Pazcat said:


> I don't think you can go too far wrong with the Bravia's. They are a consistently good product and I would recommend them to anyone. That said I could be swayed to a Samsung but at this point we don't need another tv.
> 
> Filmon will work on your laptop and PC. Even your phone or tablet if you get the app for it. It just comes down to internet though, if you have a data limit then it will go through that pretty quickly.


Thanks for that, Pazcat! No, I don't have a data limit. I just tried Filmon, and it works on my laptop. It keeps freezing, though. So I'm going to hunker down and see if I can troubleshoot to improve my wireless signal. It's a really good signal when I connect a USB directly from my laptop to the modem, but the modem is in my bedroom, and I don't want to set up shop in there. 

In case anyone else is having problems with their wireless signal, here's an excellent article on how to improve your signal. I'll be using these tips myself:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2372811,00.asp


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

AllHeart said:


> So you're saying no cable box is required at all?
> 
> If I use the TV-R cable instead of the SCARF connection, will I still be able to use all the menu functions of the TV channels that I have now, like changing the audio language and subtitle language?


That's right, with a new TV no box is required at all. And not to beat it to death, but what you have _isn't _a cable box. It's a box that changes the digital TV signal to analog so an old analog TV set can work. New TV's are all digital so they don't need the converter. I'm sure there's an antenna on the roof of your building that picks up the free tv signal and distributes it to all the apartments in your building. So what you can see are all the free view channels. 

Getting a new TV won't affect the menu functions like subtitles and languages so you'll still have them. They are part of the digital TV signal, not part of your TV set. However, the way you access them will look different because it depends on the software on your TV set. I have a Sony Bravia, and to change the language I have to push the 'tools' button on the remote, and then scroll to 'language'. Easy Peasy. 

I watch FilmOn all the time both on my laptop and on my tablet. I have a Chromecast, and since FilmOn is compatible I can also watch FilmOn on my TV. 

Good luck trying to return the Philips. Usually here once you've opened something it's yours.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

kalohi said:


> That's right, with a new TV no box is required at all. And not to beat it to death, but what you have _isn't _a cable box. It's a box that changes the digital TV signal to analog so an old analog TV set can work. New TV's are all digital so they don't need the converter. I'm sure there's an antenna on the roof of your building that picks up the free tv signal and distributes it to all the apartments in your building. So what you can see are all the free view channels.


 Great explanation. Thank you!



kalohi said:


> Getting a new TV won't affect the menu functions like subtitles and languages so you'll still have them. They are part of the digital TV signal, not part of your TV set. However, the way you access them will look different because it depends on the software on your TV set. I have a Sony Bravia, and to change the language I have to push the 'tools' button on the remote, and then scroll to 'language'. Easy Peasy.


 Another great explanation. Thank you! (So I don't have to convince you about why I want to buy a Bravia  )



kalohi said:


> I watch FilmOn all the time both on my laptop and on my tablet. I have a Chromecast, and since FilmOn is compatible I can also watch FilmOn on my TV.


 I just looked up Chromecast. https://www.google.ca/chrome/devices/chromecast/

So do I buy that little device? Is it a one-time fee or yearly? 



kalohi said:


> Good luck trying to return the Philips. Usually here once you've opened something it's yours.


 I just used my female shopping logic as to why I'm going to keep the Philips... I'm not going to buy the XBox, so I'm saving money.  So I'll keep the Philips and use it for my laptop at the dining room table, where I'm using it now. I really like this, because I hook up my laptop to the monitor and tuck my laptop away in the shelf beside the table. So the only things on my table are the monitor, wireless mouse and wireless keyboard. It looks really clean and slick. :thumb:


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

AllHeart said:


> I just looked up Chromecast. https://www.google.ca/chrome/devices/chromecast/
> 
> So do I buy that little device? Is it a one-time fee or yearly?


There's no annual fee or anything like that to use the device. You just buy it and it's yours to use. 

I have to say that I don't use mine as often as I thought I would. There aren't as many compatible websites as I thought there would be, and it can sometimes be a pain to use the tablet as the remote. But it does work very well for the websites that it's compatible with. Youtube videos, for instance, turn out just gorgeous on the TV. 

It's not a huge investment, so if you feel like slurging on a little something you might give it a try. 

BTW, I love your logic for keeping the Philips TV!


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

kalohi said:


> There's no annual fee or anything like that to use the device. You just buy it and it's yours to use.
> 
> I have to say that I don't use mine as often as I thought I would. There aren't as many compatible websites as I thought there would be, and it can sometimes be a pain to use the tablet as the remote. But it does work very well for the websites that it's compatible with. Youtube videos, for instance, turn out just gorgeous on the TV.
> 
> It's not a huge investment, so if you feel like slurging on a little something you might give it a try.


 Okay, I won't rush into it then. 

My toes are curling with glee right now for what I just figure out... My bedroom is at one end of the apartment with the dining room in the middle and the living room at the opposite end. So getting wireless connection in the living room will be even worse than in the dining room. However, I just figured out that I can leave my laptop in the dining room on the shelf, and run my long HDMI cable to the TV in the living room. When I'm using my laptop in the dining room, I'll disconnect the HDMI cable. When in the living room, I'll just take my wireless keyboard and mouse in there. 

So that way (A) I don't have to move my laptop around, yet it's 'portable' and (B) My wireless signal won't be degraded any further in the living room. Woot!!!



kalohi said:


> BTW, I love your logic for keeping the Philips TV!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

The reason your Bravia didn't have a Scart socket is because its proper name is Euroscart, i.e. is is a European thing.. It is my understanding that it originated in France which is why it is basically crap - the contacts are like two girls scissoring and don't make very good contact all the time.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> The reason your Bravia didn't have a Scart socket is because its proper name is Euroscart, i.e. is is a European thing.. It is my understanding that it originated in France which is why it is basically crap - the contacts are like two girls scissoring and don't make very good contact all the time.


 Two girls scissoring? LOL!

Yes, I've read up on the Scart thingie and see there are a lot of problems with it and that it's a European connection, which is why I didn't have one. And you're right, that it originated in France.

A SCART Cable Buying Guide | eBay

Sony products are my fave, but they're really hard to find here in Malaga. However, I see online that they have them at El Corte Ingles, which is where I'm going. The weird thing about their site is that they show tons of pictures of the Bravias, but they're all pics of the front of the TV.  There are no pics of the back, which is what really matters.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

AllHeart said:


> Two girls scissoring? LOL!
> 
> Yes, I've read up on the Scart thingie and see there are a lot of problems with it and that it's a European connection, which is why I didn't have one. And you're right, that it originated in France.
> 
> ...


Just search for the Bravia on the web:
Resultados de la Búsqueda de imágenes de Google de http://regmedia.co.uk/2010/07/30/sony_bravia_kdl_32nx503.jpg

That should give you the back panel.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> Just search for the Bravia on the web:
> Resultados de la Búsqueda de imágenes de Google de http://regmedia.co.uk/2010/07/30/sony_bravia_kdl_32nx503.jpg
> 
> That should give you the back panel.


 Thanks so much for that idea. Your link didn't work. So I changed my Internet settings homepage from google.com to google.co.uk, and the link worked. Perhaps it's a coincidence, but it seems my browsing is a lot faster now. OMG that would be awesome if this is true!


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Thanks again to all of you who helped out here! Yesterday I took out the SCART card from my Philips TV and plugged in the black cable instead, and it worked! With the SCART connection in, I kept getting some message popping up on the screen about not having high-def capability - or something like that. But those popups are gone now. Of course it makes sense now that you've explained that the SCART is meant for analogue TVs. 

In case anyone is interested in buying a really excellent LED monitor for their laptop, I highly recommend the 20-inch Philips that I have, which is a 20PHH4109/88:
Buy the Philips Slim LED TV 20PHH4109/88

It doesn't cost much more than a regular monitor. I had initially bought it to act as a TV in the living room and a monitor for my laptop in the dining room. It works well as a TV, but it's not ab fab like the Bravia. 

So now I'm off to El Corte Ingles to buy my Bravia. Yay! :whoo:


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