What do you think of these Tablet PC brands?

[ZaO]

I'm trying to find a tablet pc for my mum. I was hoping to get something that could broadcast wirelessly to her tv. She doesn't have a smart tv. It's just a regular HD TV, though it does have USB and HDMI inputs. I thought that I could get a galaxy tab 2 and get an allshare hub. But the hub doesn't work with tabs... They don't have HDMI output either.... So I tried looking into other ways of doing things. The Nexus 7 doesn't have HDMI output, but apparently you can connect it with this HTC Media thing, but you can't stream videos with that either.... At this point I would settle for something with a hdmi output. This connectivity is mainly going to be used for Netflix. The other thing is that I have to order whatever I get from this site: http://www.very.co.uk/electricals/ta...e/b/101008.end so I can use "buy now pay later". Anyway, if you check that link - what do you think of those brands there? Prestigio look like they have some ok stuff for the money. But I can't find much on them really so don't know if their stuff is any good. Acer, Apple, Asus, HP and Samsung I am familiar with. It's the others I am not clued up on. My budget would be £200 max also.

I don't need help specifically choosing which one to buy. But any advice on these unknown brands and maybe suggestions of ways I could connect some of them to a regular HD TV to stream Netflix would be good! Seriously, my head hurts! I am so surprised that it is this difficult in this day and age. I assumed these things would all come with HDMI connectivity out of the box! Cheers.

[Smudger]

I think the Kindle HD does HDMI out, but you're probably not going to get Netflix on that, rather Lovefilm instant, as they're an Amazon company.

Edit: Oops, Very don't do Kindles...

[scaryjim]

Prestigio is probably just a Chinese OEM rebadger, as by the look of it is Gemini. I got my son a similar tablet for Christmas and he's loving it - does everything required smoothly with no obvious issues. They should have play store, which means you can just slap the official netflix app on it and sit back and enjoy the show I'm sadly lacking in an HDMI - DVI adapter and don't have any native HDMI displays at home, so can't check how well it works hooked up to a 1080p screen, but I can't imagine it would have any problems.

Sadly they don't have the Archos Titanium 97 on Very, because that's a beautiful tablet. If there's a chance she might use it as an ereader (a common use of a tab amongst the less technical, after all) I'd recommend one of the 8" 4:3 ratio tabs - they're a lot more natural to read in portrait mode, which is how most people are use to reading. On balance, I'd try the prestigio version over the gemini: http://www.very.co.uk/prestigio-mult...8%2c4294926325 the Prestigio specs list Play Store as the app store, while the Gemini doesn't. Alternatively, if you don't mind spending a little more, the Archos version http://www.very.co.uk/archos-titaniu...8%2c4294943097 will probably have a more premium finish and is a better known brand

[ZaO]

I think the Kindle HD does HDMI out, but you're probably not going to get Netflix on that, rather Lovefilm instant, as they're an Amazon company.

Edit: Oops, Very don't do Kindles...

No worries. Thanks anyway

Prestigio is probably just a Chinese OEM rebadger, as by the look of it is Gemini. I got my son a similar tablet for Christmas and he's loving it - does everything required smoothly with no obvious issues. They should have play store, which means you can just slap the official netflix app on it and sit back and enjoy the show I'm sadly lacking in an HDMI - DVI adapter and don't have any native HDMI displays at home, so can't check how well it works hooked up to a 1080p screen, but I can't imagine it would have any problems.

Sadly they don't have the Archos Titanium 97 on Very, because that's a beautiful tablet. If there's a chance she might use it as an ereader (a common use of a tab amongst the less technical, after all) I'd recommend one of the 8" 4:3 ratio tabs - they're a lot more natural to read in portrait mode, which is how most people are use to reading. On balance, I'd try the prestigio version over the gemini: http://www.very.co.uk/prestigio-mult...8%2c4294926325 the Prestigio specs list Play Store as the app store, while the Gemini doesn't. Alternatively, if you don't mind spending a little more, the Archos version http://www.very.co.uk/archos-titaniu...8%2c4294943097 will probably have a more premium finish and is a better known brand

Thanks for the input! I'm making £200 my max budget here so they're both within that range. Very has terrible descriptions for products so l always have to look elsewhere for those... One thing I've heard people say good about Prestigio is they actually bother to put out android updates unlike other cheap brands. I mean, what you're getting with them for the money looks good. But I've been fooled by similar things in the past and ended up with complete crap. Bit more cautious these days! I'll keep note of what you said though. Thanks

[Jonj1611]

I have a Kindle HD which has Netflix on it.

Oops, didn't read whole thread lol

[ZaO]

I have a Kindle HD which has Netflix on it.

Oops, didn't read whole thread lol

Haha deja vu...

[Domestic_Ginger]

I got my wife a zoostorm playtab from ebuyer. I think it is achinese generic rebranded. It is all okay but the screen could be a little more responsive; except for that its great. 10.1" IPS and all the trimmings really. There are a glut of these atm as they are making way for the quad cores. the sumvision voayger is the same but a smaller battery.

[mikerr]

Netflix is available everywhere, but note that LoveFilm streaming is ONLY available on kindle HD.


If it's just for HDMI usage, have a look at android TV sticks - they usually come with a remote control, and all play netflix (as does appletv)

[ZaO]

I got my wife a zoostorm playtab from ebuyer. I think it is achinese generic rebranded. It is all okay but the screen could be a little more responsive; except for that its great. 10.1" IPS and all the trimmings really. There are a glut of these atm as they are making way for the quad cores. the sumvision voayger is the same but a smaller battery.

What's with these IPS screens? I was looking at buying a new monitor the other day for the first time in years and noticed this term pop up a bit...

Netflix is available everywhere, but note that LoveFilm streaming is ONLY available on kindle HD.


If it's just for HDMI usage, have a look at android TV sticks - they usually come with a remote control, and all play netflix (as does appletv)

Yeh no worries with Lovefilm. She just needs a good little web browser and something to watch Netflix on mainly. As my mum is disabled I was really hoping to setup something wirelessly so she doesn't have to get up and plug in a hdmi cable all the time. She wont leave that cable running accross the floor when she's not using it lol, so she'll have to be getting up constantly plugging it in. I googled those Android sticks you mentioned and they look quite good for the money. But a keyboard and mouse is another thing I want to avoid here. Not a good idea for my mum really. Any idea if you can use one of those in conjunction with a tablet and use the tablet as the remote? Thanks.

[Domestic_Ginger]

To me its just a different screen technology with better colour reproduction and viewing angles but slower response times.

[mikerr]

I googled those Android sticks you mentioned and they look quite good for the money.

But a keyboard and mouse is another thing I want to avoid here. Not a good idea for my mum really. Any idea if you can use one of those in conjunction with a tablet and use the tablet as the remote? Thanks.

Yeah, something like this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...teclient&hl=en

[ZaO]

To me its just a different screen technology with better colour reproduction and viewing angles but slower response times.

I see. So IPS is probably not ideal for me when I want a new gaming monitor... Thanks

Yeah, something like this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...teclient&hl=en

Ah ok. So maybe I should get one of those Android sticks and install one of these servers on it. Then control it with the tablet. I think that's the road I need to start looking down now! Thanks

[Domestic_Ginger]

tbh comparing a TN (standard flatscreen) to a crt; I thought it was awful at first. A TN to IPS wasn't so dramatic.

[Smudger]

What about this?

http://www.misco.co.uk/Product/20383...13MUK-_-203830

Will plug in and stay by the tv, but comes with a remote...

[ZaO]

What about this?

http://www.misco.co.uk/Product/20383...13MUK-_-203830

Will plug in and stay by the tv, but comes with a remote...

That link doesn't seem to be working, or they have removed the product?

[Smudger]

Oh. It was a Zoostorm Android box that was in an ad they sent out. Maybe they sold out.


No they didn't, the link was wrong. Try this:

http://www.misco.co.uk/product/20383...Android-TV-Box