How do I watch internet videos on my TV?

We solve your buying dilemmas

Q Is there such a thing as a standalone box that receives and displays internet on a TV set, like a PC? I want to watch video sites, but without having to press my poor old PC into service. It would need, I suppose, a full web browser, Flash video support and Divx software.

Paul Smith

A You’ve really answered your own question, Paul. Various Tv-streaming boxes (see our overview, Issue 480, page 22) support a subset of online services and local files, but to cover everything you’d need a PC.

That doesn’t necessarily mean a Windows system. A Chromebook or Chromebox (based on Google’s Chrome OS) comes with Flash and supports formats like Divx. It can access video websites, has apps for paid-for services such as Netflix, and can run VLC ( www.snipca.com/23724) to support even more formats.

Fortunately, PCS now come as small as a standalone box. Lenovo’s Ideacentre Stick 300 (£100 from Amazon www.snipca.com/23725), which runs Windows 10, and Asus’ Chromebit (£89 from Amazon www. snipca.com/23726, pictured) both come as sticks that plug into your TV’S HDMI port. The only thing neither will do is play your DVD or Blu-ray discs.