S/O Treadmills and viewing devices

[mrshandy]

I really liked the treadmill post below. It gave me some great ideas for making the treadmill more bearable. I was curious what your preferred viewing device is.

Right now we're using a portable DVD player because it was the best available. I have an Ipad mini at my disposal, but we don't have a Netflix subscription (maybe it's time to get one again?).

I would love to eventually use my ipad mini but I'm terrified of breaking it. What do you use to attach it to your treadmill?

Our treadmill is in the basement next to the playroom. We've also given some thought to mounting a tv downstairs. But I don't why but the thought of having one more tv makes me a little worried about the kids watching too much tv. Also, then we would have to get a second device to make netflix work down there right?

[bluedaisyus]

We got a TV with built-in WiFi and a Netflix app pre-installed. A lot of new TVs have that as a feature now, if you have home WiFi you won't need to get anything else as long as you're within range.

[trigal]

We don't have a treadmill, but our bikes are set up on trainers in the basement all winter. We have a TV and a DVD player so we can watch movies or stream from Netflix.

[spunkypenguin]

My elliptical has a little lip on it that I use to rest my tablet. I have also seen people put a bookshelf in front and set a stand on that for the ipad/tablet.

I second the suggestion of a smart TV if you are going to get a tv for the treadmill - it has everything built in, so you could watch Netflix w/o any extras.

[candreco]

I use my tablet (Android), it rests on a built in magazine lip on the treadmill.

DH had a very precarious tower of boxes/books holding up his laptop in front of the treadmill, I really don't recommend that option, lol.

[jchokie79]

We have our TV mounted in the basement and stream Netflix (it's a "smart" TV that came with apps). I also signed back up for Netflix for this specific reason since I knew I'd be spending a lot of time on the treadmill this winter.

Before that I watched videos on my Kindle and mini. Essentially anything that would help provide entertainment for my runs.

[cinco]

We have a TV in our basement. I understand you not wanting extra TV's though, b/c we don't have one on the main floor, just the basement and one in our bedroom. The basement TV has a roku with Netflix/Amazon Prime and bunny ears for NBC (the Olympics!)

[sadlebred]

I set the trainer up in the family room, so I just watch the tv. There is a DVD player and a DVR, too.

[ebeth]

if I had a TM I'd totally mount a smartTV in front of it. then it can stream netflix (and other things) via wifi. no fussing with cable. for some reason a streaming only TV seems like it would be less appealing to kids. I guess it would only be problematic if you do a lot of TM running with the kids within sight distance.

[sassystace]

I use a laptop on top of a pile of storage bins. Low tech, cheap but efficient and not permanent in any way.

And by storage bins I mean these:  www.target.com/p/sterilite-ultra-green-storage-container-18-gal/-/A-13794465#prodSlot=medium_1_9

They are filled with kids clothes and therefore fairly sturdy for stacking.

[Wines Not Whines]

I use my ipad mini. I just rest it on the magazine holder thing that the treadmill has. It seems pretty stable. I haven't had a problem with it moving.

You can stream recent episodes of shows from ABC, NBC, and CBS via their apps. It's free. They have commercials though.

[Deleted]

I have an old tv sitting on a spare dresser, so the tv is high enough to see. I got a $100 LG DVD player with netflix capability to hook up to the tv. 

My treadmill is in an unfinished basement, so the tv is used for no other purpose than exercise use.

[gt7301b]

We have a TV/DVD player downstairs so Mr. GT can watch football. Sometimes I also use if for workout videos.

[breezy8407]

At home I use my iPad. We also have an old timey tube TV with over the air channels from an antenna if I want to watch network TV. Klassy.

At work when I run over lunch, I just watch on my phone. I could bring my ipad though.

[Susie]

We have a wall mounted 32" TV with a smart DVD player to wirelessly stream Netflix in the basement. Because of the way the basement is set up, I can't imagine it causing any extra "lazy" TV watching. There's really no place to sit where you can see the TV except on the bikes. There's neither space nor furniture to relax down there.

[cinco]

Jan 24, 2014 14:02:20 GMT -5 ebeth said:

if I had a TM I'd totally mount a smartTV in front of it. then it can stream netflix (and other things) via wifi. no fussing with cable. for some reason a streaming only TV seems like it would be less appealing to kids. I guess it would only be problematic if you do a lot of TM running with the kids within sight distance.

It's a new generation. My kids only know streaming TV. They fight over the Ipad and leave the big TV untouched. Sometimes I have to pull out the, "in my day we had these things called commercials, and you could only watch cartoons on Saturday mornings". 

[dragonfly08]

Our treadmill has a built in TV, but it's not hooked up because we just don't have the time or energy to do the wiring. So instead, we use one of two options. First is our iPad, resting on the console (there's a small lip there meant to hold a magazine/book/device and it works just fine...in a pinch I guess I could also put my cell phone there). I usually use that, to stream Netflix. Second is a portable CD player. DH mounted a shelf on the wall right in front of the treadmill and we rest it there. He prefers that option because he's working his way through some DVDs he recently bought.

[agswife]

Our treadmill doesn't face the t.v. (because if it did, you'd have to climb over the couch to get on the treadmill . . . it's weird . . . anyway . . . ) I put the iPad on the little magazine lip on the treadmill. It still makes me nervous that it might fall, though. (Mostly because it's not my iPad, it's DH's and I'd never hear the end of it if I broke it/cracked the screen/whatever. At the gym, each treadmill has it's own mini-t.v. I love it.

[katiecj]

I rest my iPad on the magazine lip of the treadmill and watch netflix shows. It fits perfectly.

[Deleted]

I watch my ipad at home or the gym. Just get insurance for it if it falls. Done.

[cookies]

I just use my iPhone.

[runblondie26]

Occasionally I'll watch something on Netflix using my Kindle Fire. There's a little shelf on the treadmill console that will hold it.

Typically I prefer listening to music, and have perfected the zoned-out stare through the window.

[G22]

Our treadmill has a shelf and I rest my tablet on it when I feel like watching something on Netflix.