Streaming Netflix and Hulu Straight to Your TV

It's been years now since I have had a subscription to cable.  I have never been the type to just turn on the TV and channel surf.  Instead, I have a collection of shows which I like to watch sequentially.  To do this with cable it requires either living your life around the TVs schedule or getting a DVR and setting it up to record your shows.  Neither of these seemed particularly appealing so I contented myself with waiting for the DVD release and ordering the show from Netflix or watching on the Internet at my computer if I would be watching alone.  What I always really wanted, however, was to stream Netflix and Hulu (as well as other online shows) straight to my TV.  The solution I found works great and cost me less than 50 dollars!

To set this up all you need is a computer with an DVI output, a TV with an HDMI input, an DVI to HDMI cable, and an audio "Y" cable.  Most new computers and TVs will meet the first two requirements, and if yours don't then this solution will not word for you (though I would highly recommend upgrading).   The cables can be found at most electronics stores.  I picked mine up at Fry's for cheap.  DVI and HDMI use the same signal, with the exception that HDMI also carries sound, which is where the audio cable comes in.  Next all you need to do is connect the cables from your computer to your TV.  You will also likely have to go into your TV settings to configure it to take audio from the audio cable rather than the HDMI input.  Also note that if your TV still displays a blank image once the HDMI input is selected then you likely need to adjust your computer display settings to the resolution of the TV (or at least below its maximum): 1280x720 for 720p and  1920x1080 for 1080i or 1080p.

Sites that stream online video:

1. Netflix
   
2. Hulu
3. South Park
4. ABC (Including all 4 seasons of Lost in HD)
5. NBC
6. Fox
7. SciFi Channel
8. and more...