Looking for a cheap/neat/teacher-proof/friendly way to get BBC News in the staffroom

[LeMarchand]

OK, after a Now TV stick was purchased and seems unlikely to work (http://www.edugeek.net/forums/av-multimedia-related/206059-now-tv.html) I have been included in process and it seems that they just want to be able to view BBC News 24 in the staffroom.

 

To do this we presumably need a TV licence and a way to access the channel/site.

 

So far I have:

 

1. Set up old laptop or possible tablet to autoboot to the relevant page. Cheap, but clunky and I worry about overheating. Also, not very teacher proof/friendly.
   
2. Freeview box + internal aerial. Cheapish and just as clunky, but at least "familiar" if something is changed.
   
3. NUC or PC-On-Stick to autoboot to relevant page. Neat, PC-On-Stick presumably teacher friendly turns on/off with TV(?) but much more expensive.
   

 

Any ideas/thoughts/alternatives?

Edited April 25, 2019 by LeMarchand

[dhicks]

Any ideas/thoughts/alternatives?

 

Does BBC News 24 need to play alongside other content (in a corner of the screen, maybe, with other stuff displayed on the rest of the screen), or do you just need a TV showing the news? You can buy a new smart TV for £300 from Amazon.

[LeMarchand]

Does BBC News 24 need to play alongside other content (in a corner of the screen, maybe, with other stuff displayed on the rest of the screen), or do you just need a TV showing the news? You can buy a new smart TV for £300 from Amazon.

 

We've got a "dumb" TV - just need a way to display the news.

[nwkeene]

Simplest option would be a cheap freeview TV, doesn't need to be a smart one if you don't need anything interactive, put gaffer tape over the IR reciever and hide the remote control...! leave it set on News 24 and use a timer to turn of the mains to it... may need to be restarted each day though, unless the TV turns on when power is applied. IF you go down the smart TV route, most have timers built in that will turn on the TV to a certain input at your chosen time...

 

my 2p

[mdrabble]

What about Sky News? They use Youtube which you can get an embed code.

[FishCustard]

A Chromebit is inexpensive, set it to display the stream from t'Internet, job done.

[Arthur]

Any ideas/thoughts/alternatives?

Raspberry Pi + USB TV Tuner?

 

If you set it up like the YouTuber did below, staff could watch TV from any computer in the school using VLC Media Player.

 

Playlist (11 videos):

 

 

^ In the

in the series, he sets up a SAP server to distribute the list of available channels but in your case you could just create a shortcut that opens VLC with BBC News.

 

@FishCustard's suggestion does seem like the easiest solution if Sky News is okay though.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrX6ktLg8WQ

Edited April 25, 2019 by Arthur

[dhicks]

Raspberry Pi + USB TV Tuner?

 

There's now a dedicated Pi TV Tuner HAT:

 

https://thepihut.com/blogs/raspberry-pi-tutorials/how-to-stream-digital-tv-with-the-raspberry-pi-tv-hat

 

If the TV has USB port(s) you can power the Raspberry Pi from the TV, so it turns on when the TV turns on. USB ports on TVs are generally a little under-powered, though, so you generally need to use two ports and a USB Y-cable to provide enough power for the Raspberry Pi. You could also use an "Intelliplug" or similar (around £10 from eBay) to turn on a separate USB power supply when the TV is turned on, that might give you a better power supply.

[LeMarchand]

Thanks for all the ideas! The Chromebit sounds the easiest, though I'll have to research how to get it to automatically sign in and launch the Sky news embed.

 

I have been told to open the Now TV and give it a go first, though.

[robyholmes]

This is on my list and I was planning on using Xibo on a cheap atom based pc from amazon. That way you can display other information if needed such as assemblies or exam time tables.

[mavhc]

Plug in an aerial? You already have a TV after all

[LeMarchand]

Well, looks like I should've looked at the TV first. It appears to have a Freeview tuner built in. Not sure if it's up to current standards, so I'll have to try to borrow an aerial to test.

 

If not, the Chromebit is looking good.

 

Edit: Just noticed @mavhc's post. Yep, had assumed that someone would've checked before thinking about Now TV...

[DJ-1701]

If Ariel doesn't work, try Daz Ultra.

[mavhc]

You assumed someone would think? You have much to learn.

[keyboards]

via normal tv aerial - we use a portable

Chromebit

If it's newer probably app

 

Most modern tvs have a hotel mode, just stick the tv in that set the password, then you can stop anyone changing channel, volume, source and so forth

[LeMarchand]

via normal tv aerial - we use a portable

Chromebit

If it's newer probably app

 

Most modern tvs have a hotel mode, just stick the tv in that set the password, then you can stop anyone changing channel, volume, source and so forth

 

Tried an aerial (a small one) and the results weren't great, though a better aerial might help. "Hotel mode" not on a TV that a parent donated a few years ago .

 

It looks like a license is needed for Sky News on YT as well folks . (Anything that is broadcast more or less at the same time as it is available on a TV).

[FishCustard]

It looks like a license is needed for Sky News on YT as well folks . (Anything that is broadcast more or less at the same time as it is available on a TV).

 

I imagine most schools would have a TV License - does yours not?

[LeMarchand]

I imagine most schools would have a TV License - does yours not?

 

I don't think so (no aerials etc).

[Danp]

I have a Raspberry Pi running Yodeck with a BBC news feed ticker on screen

[LeMarchand]

OK - allegedly we have a license, so it's back to the aerial.

 

Thanks, all.

[SpuffMonkey]

OK - allegedly we have a license, so it's back to the aerial.

 

 

Back to the good old days...

 

[LeMarchand]

Back to the good old days...

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]53252[/ATTACH]

 

Good old days? Why aren't those children in uniform? Not to mention that teacher's attire - she looks like some sort of beatnik!

[mavhc]

Plus why are they watching television and reading books, everyone knows tv and reading rot the brain, only memorisation via speech is acceptable.