Using a SanDisk Cruzer stick, what would I need to play a movie ("archived" from a DVD) onto a Sony Bravia KDL-40XBR9? Also I have a digital set-top box from my cable provider and would like to get another one, but I don't to rent one. Can I buy one and use it legally? Charter does not sell them. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Who is your cable provider? Usually they dont sell boxes, but its pretty cheap to add another box with comcast, only $12 a month for an extra HD DVR box. Why buy something for several hundred dollars that you can rent for cheap with no liability for the equipment? As far as playing videos from portable storage, you could do it through a Wii if you have one and are capable of soft-modding it. I dont know anything about your Bravia that you couldnt find in a search engine though.
Thank you My provider is Charter. I would like to buy one. Charter (like most of the providers) jack up the rental prices when ever they feel like it. Intially the internet modem (not wireless) was free now it's 6-7 bucks a month. We've been with Charter for 8 years. We do have a Wii, but I don't want to mod it. For now I put movies on a DVD+RWs. Thought I would try the USB stick. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a cheap person, but like to save here and there when I can. Thank you for your help.
soft modding just requires software, no hardware mods. its really easy. you can create backups that remove the mods.
I suggest soft modding the Wii. If it totally free of cost and you could download WiiMC, which pretty much plays every video type ever, even MKV and yes it can all be played from USB. If you are interested in modding but you don't know where to start, PM me, i'll tell you everything you could possibly need to know and any risks that you take when modding (which as long as you don't do anything stupid such as remove an IOS under 200.) I have a modded Wii and it was totally worth it, game USB loading is probably about the best thing a Wii can do, besides WiiMC which is a awesome media player for the Wii.
(Sorry for the double post) That isn't always true that you can create a backup that will allow the removal of mods. It depends if his Wii has boot2 access. The launch Wii's have boot2 access though after awhile Nintendo figured out their mistake and fixed having any access to boot2. So, if he were to have access to boot2 then he could remove the mods with a pre-modded NAND backup. Though if he has a fixed boot2 then he could only install Bootmii as an IOS, which will allow the extraction of his NAND but he would not be able to restore it. Though there are other ways to make the Wii to a pre-modded Wii by restoring all of the IOS's to a Nintendo pre-modded IOS. (I know pretty much everything about Wii modding, so I guess if anyone has a question, fire away.)
From what I remember you also have an Xbox 360, if you put a Divx / Xvid movie on a USB memory stick the Xbox 360 will play it if you have the optional media update downloaded from Xbox Live. You can also softmod an Xbox 1, install Xbox Media Center and stream movies to the Xbox across the network or copy them to the Xbox's hard drive. If the optional media update for the 360 is no good for you, I think Dark Scyth's idea of soft modding your Wii is the best, it shouldn't cost you much (if anything at all) and you have a great offer for all the advice you need in getting the Wii modded.