BBC iPlayer login will be required from 2017

[RS]

>From: Jim web

>Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2016 15:05

>FWIW I always have recommended that people buy a TV with an HDMI input
>and then feed that from a computer. This frees you from relying on the
>firmware, etc, installed by the TV makers. The media players I've seen on
>TVs are lousy compared with what you can install for yourself on a
>computer. Far from 'smart'. More like 'shovel something on so we can tick
>the box in the list of claimed feature - although I guess there will be
>exceptions.

I agree about not relying on firmware installed by TV makers.  I have wasted 
countless hours trying to transcode files to a format a TV or DVD player 
will play from its USB port.

My satellite receiver does a good job.  It takes in .mp4, .mkv and its 
native .mts from its USB port and plays them to HDMI for the TV and SPDIF 
for the surround sound box.  The Raspberry Pi is an option if you don't want 
to tie up a laptop.  With my last television I used the S-video output from 
a laptop.