Making a smart TV smarter

The iBall Splendo is a wonderful addition to your home, provided your needs are few

When I was starting out with PCs some 20 years ago, it was a device to flaunt. When I started building my own rigs, I'd try and build the meanest (and biggest) one I could afford. The past few years I've wanted an inconspicuous PC which would let me complete everyday tasks such as browsing and writing, while doubling up as an HTPC. I saw light at the end of the tunnel when Intel came up with the concept of PC on a stick.

The iBall Splendo, based on this concept, is a shade bigger than a Teewe 2 stick and heavier than the Google Chromecast. But it comes in a large package - with a bundled wireless keyboard and mouse. Setup is fairly easy, with one needing to plug in the Splendo to a free HDMI port on the back of a TV/monitor. A caveat: Use the supplied HDMI extender as one might not have enough space at the back of a TV to fit the Splendo.

One can power the Splendo by either connecting it to a USB port or the wall socket. I plugged in the wireless dongle (one can also pair via Bluetooth with one's mobile phone, but I didn't), pressed the tiny switch to power on the device (a pity it can't be switched on any other way) and I had full-fledged Windows 8.1 running on a 65-inch LG TV. I connected to my home Wi-Fi and opted to upgrade to Windows 10. The process was smoother than on my PC, possibly because I could watch MasterChef Australia while Windows upgraded!

After setting up Windows 10, I connected a USB pen drive with full high-definition (HD) videos and played them using the VLC app. So far, so good.

The home media server was my next port of call. I pulled some full HD videos from them, and they played, with some stuttering. I was using a basic single-channel wireless N router, so one might get a better experience with an advanced router. But 720p videos played very well. A caveat: The Splendo heats up a lot while playing HD videos.

I installed a trial version of Microsoft Office 365 and was soon typing away to glory (including parts of this review). Then I connected a powered USB hub to the Splendo and plugged in my 2TB portable external hard drive to play some classical music. The playback was spot on (well, the TV boasts of speakers by Harman Kardon). If you have an external drive powered by an adapter, you don't need the powered USB hub.

The iBall Splendo, at Rs 8,999, is a wonderful addition to your home, provided your needs are few (and you want a second PC). Plus it makes your smart TV smarter than any other of its kin.