Some people are just so tech savvy that it all seems simple to them.

I remember telling someone I wasn't good with computers so could they bear that in mind when they were going to give me an introductory session.

Immediately he said something about configuring it.

Years on I know enough to do what I want and that includes accessing the UK TV I'm interested in (some live) via my laptop and a download manager that speedily gives me stuff just a few hours after the UK broadcast.

My wife's the techie one. On an unrelated computer issue a few weeks ago, she said "Why don't you just use "Unlocker" to clear it?

I never heard of it.

'Tech savvy' just seems to mean 'knows how to read' these days.

None of this is difficult really and you don't need to be 'tech savvy' to do it. Don't let anyone tell you that running a computer program or plugging cables in requires any kind of expert knowledge. It doesn't.

I was in a hotel in London (UK) last week which had a "smart tv" in the room. Oddly, there was a little camera, quarter of an inch square, perched on top. Call me paranoid but I promptly covered the lens. I couldn't see why the lens was there.... there was no motion input required on any of the channels, including the game channel. Weird.

Is this some sort of euphemism for having a wank while watching porn?

er.... sort of!

The RPi can be used to browse the internet / watch YouTube on the TV if that is what you want it to do. I have a media centre program on it (Called XBMC) that can be used to stream any movie/TV Show over the internet and also watch live UK TV and sport from here/there. It also has the UK catch-up programs on it.

It's a very small circuit board that I've actually got flush behind the TV so you don't actually see it. I'm just finishing off the basement and am going to have a TV on the wall and I'll get another RPi for that TV and stick it behind the TV there with no wires hanging everywhere etc.

Yep....just a case of knowing how to read.

You can easily google anything you don't know or you can take pride in your ignorance. Its your choice, but this stuff is really a lot easier than it sounds.

Well, it's like I said about the techie people - there will be "explanatory" terms used that just don't mean much to a lot of people.

It's not just me, hence the other puzzled posts.

The business about parents leaving it to their kids to do stuff for them doesn't come from nowhere.

Yeah, its called not even trying.

Did you install it in one of the nice looking boxes or leave it as a basic circuit board to stick behind the telly ?
This raspberry pi has me a bit intrigued now - first I had heard of it was on this thread - Would have liked to have gotten my hands on one of the new $25 ones that came out a couple of days back but it seems they are completely sold out already

So, here I am, all connected (finally) to my new telly and Google TV gadget. It's a jolly good bit of kit...so much so that the internet chap who came to connect us said he was going to Best Buy on his way home to get the Google gadget (they're currently on offer - $30 off). Now as you can see from my previous conversation, I'm no tech-head but it was as easy as burning toast to set up, there're lots of fun things to do and we've signed up for Netflix already. There seem to be far more options than were available with a smart telly so I am really quite a happy bunny.

Will report back in a few days with my further findings....

Or make it !!!

I didn't see the point in using one of the boxes as it wasn't going to be seen so it is litetrally as it comes - just the circuit board with a HDMI, power and network lead going to it. I have it powered from a USB socket on the TV so when I switch the TV on, the RPi powers and boots up - just one less wire to see.

I've actually got a template for making a box out of cardboard if you really wanted to.

I got mine shipped from the UK by a friend within 2 weeks as the site here was saying they were sold out and a 3-4 month wait time.

Excellent news, glad you got it sorted. Did you manage to sign up for Netflix UK in the end?