Acorn TV on Smart TV or Amazon Firestick?

I'll admit it, I am a Doc Martin Geek. Season 7 is airing exclusively on Acorn TV. I can watch it on my laptop, but I would rather watch it on the TV (Sony smart TV about 2 years old) or on my amazon fire stick.

I don't think there is an app for Acorn on the Fire stick. Can anyone tell me how to get Acorn on my TV?


Is your laptop a Mac?


Acorn TV is the greatest. I don't have it; rely on WLIW-21 to catch the shows depending on the schedule. Right now "Inspector George Gently" is back; it's mesmerizing. Also, check out "Vera." (Acorn is also showing "I, Claudius.")


Is there a way to connect a laptop to a smart TV to view Acorn?


mumstheword said:
Is there a way to connect a laptop to a smart TV to view Acorn?

Yes, if the laptop has HDMI out or you have chromecast.


Or If your smart tv has a browser.


hmm--- it looks like my laptop does have HDMI out----and I have the right cable to connect, now I just have to figure out how to switch from the comcast hook up to AUX--- I'm guessing there should be something on the TV (not comcast) remote. I also think the TV may have a browser, because there is a way to get certain apps. So, it looks like I may have some research to do. Thank you!


ParticleMan said:


mumstheword said:
Is there a way to connect a laptop to a smart TV to view Acorn?
Yes, if the laptop has HDMI out or you have chromecast.

Shucks -- I have neither (old laptop). Thanks, though!


just got Amazon fire sticks but have a question before I hook it up -- or try to!

We have a Samsung sound bar on one TV. Would it muck things up? 



mtierney said:

just got Amazon fire sticks but have a question before I hook it up -- or try to!

We have a Samsung sound bar on one TV. Would it muck things up? 

It shouldn’t. I have a sound bar and had a google chrome and now a roku and never had an issue using the sound bar with either.


Thanks Ridski. haven’t taken the steps as yet, lots of visitors today — and with the Yankee game I don’t want to interfere  surprised 


No problem! They’re pretty simple to set up, and the sound will go through your sound bar just like regular tv.


I pulled up my big girl pants and installed the fire stick, nothing exploded or went dark! However, apparently the remote is not working grrr  I rechecked the batteries and they seem right.

Edited to add — nuts!


Let's work the problem. You're on the correct channel for the firestick, yes?


Dealing as I am with a far more troublesome issue, I have set aside the fire stick after it disabled my tv and soundbar. Comcast got it running again, but I never told Comcast that my attempt to cheat the system was the cause for the trouble. smile  

No, my focus is now about my disabled iPhone! I caused it by my failed attempts to enter the password. Apple support suggests I plug the phone into a later version of iTunes to erase the contents. My 6 year old iMac can’t support a new version of iTunes.  As I have my photos and stuff in iCloud and my iMac and iPad, I will probably take that route, assuming I can locate a newer computer. Hate losing contact info. 

I cannot leave my husband long enough to schlepp 45 miles to an Apple store in either AC or Freehold - plus waiting for for getting service.


You have the weirdest technical problems. I have a 6 year old iMac and have no issues at all with the latest itunes. 



ridski said:

You have the weirdest technical problems. I have a 6 year old iMac and have no issues at all with the latest itunes. 

Aha, you’ve noticed that!

One of our fellow retirees,who is a former IT man as it turns out, made a house call this afternoon. My iPhone is still kaput. After a incredible array of things he thought would fix the problem, he conceded defeat! 

The operating system I have on my 5s could never support a new iTunes version. He actually dissed Apple’s methods of creating new devices so that prior phones becomes obsolete necessitating apple addicts to get a new fix.

So I will be shopping for the best deal I can find. Apple 6plus or 7 perhaps. 


Once again I’m baffled. I am typing this on a 5S with the latest iOS update. If you like the size of the 5S, by the way, apple has a phone called the SE which has most of the features of the 7 but it’s the size of a 5.


At this point, Ridski, baffled is a good description. Every attempt this man tried failed! He was so good, he got my Comcast password  by connecting to the tv cable to his computer. And I had thought that was top secret! One observation he made was that iTunes was at a much higher platform than my 5s. As I was dazed and whimpering a bit, so I probably am not quoting him verbatim. smirk 

I looked at that se and it really looks good in that it appears to have the iPhone 6 innards in the 5s package. I had thought I wanted a bigger one next time I was in the market. The other option is 6plus — which still has earbuds which I like. The se phone is not featured particularly - I had to search the Verzion site to pull it up. 

Any input is gratefully welcomed.


an apple support person, the one who had tried and failed last Monday and then was out of the office the following three days, called me this am to ask how things were and apologize for being unavailable! She insisted to try again and even used the iPad since the phone was disabled. Previously I had been told they needed an iMac to open and restore the phone. Her attempts failed today as well. I had had a similar result when another apple support person had tried his hand at fixing the problem.

The apple support person today suggested I take it to BestBuy (easy to get to) and let their Geek people try. Thankfully I checked it out, and the diagnosis costs $50 and fixing is another $200!

Soooo, I have decided to go for a new phone — I like what I have read about the SE. Thanks Ridski!


I’m very happy with my SE. I specifically wanted a small phone. In fact, I bought a 6 the day before they announced the SE, then returned the 6 and exchanged it for an SE the next day. 


I have, in my hand, a little SE which does resemble my dearly departed 5s!



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