I use a Roku, but I believe that plugs into a USB port on your TV. I love the Roku. I can access the WatchESPN app and play any WatchESPN events live on my TV. Plus, it's an interface for Netflix, Pandora, Amazon Prime, etc.

Wouldn't help as much in basketball season until we join our MAC brethren and get our technology updated for ESPN3. But it's great for football season. I should be able to access all of our games this year (minus the Minnesota game since it was on BTN).

Either of you guys make service calls. I have the funniest feeling I'm only going about 15 mph on my smart tv.

I use my AppleTV. It works great and has a built-in WatchESPN app, but the Catch22 can be that use the WatchESPN app for live programing you need to enter your Cable TV service provider credentials. If you've totally "cut the cable," you still have a problem. AppleTV is a very fine product, and I highly recommend it for overall quality.

Appreciate all the advice

that's exactly what i was about to ask. I think I'll be attempting this today!

Up until a couple of years ago I could stream ESPN3 without having a cable subscription to the channel. They keep the content up for a year so I could play the Penn State game 6 months later for friends. You're running into 2 problems today. One is many of the smart TV devices can't even support the ESPN app. Second you can't stream ESPN3 with out a subscription from your service provider for the sports pack. What I'm seeing is cable companies dialing back their base subscription packages to 20 channels so they can compete with internet TV and then you can pay the additional $10 dollars for the sports pack which isn't much to watch a game a week.

Be careful with the wireless keyboards. I had to try about 10 of them to find one with effective range. Logitech K400r is the model I'm using and has a mouse pad. Blu Ray player is part of the entertainment equation. Many blu ray players have smart TV capability (dumb capability). I tried a top of the line Sony blu ray player with smart TV. The smart apps as expected worked great but the browser was slower than Netscape 2.0. I was very disappointed with the web browser from a higher end Sony unit. The second issue with it was I could only send the output of my audio from my blu ray to my TV and not my speakers without an S/PIDF converter box ($75). Instead I have a computer with a blu ray drive hooked up to my TV running PowerDVD software. I have full web browser capability on my TV with the computer and have an HDMI to VGA converter for the Blu Ray. This way I can run the audio through my computer for the blu ray player while at the same time running my speakers directly to the set top box. The computer case works with a remote and to start/stop movies I need to use it but otherwise I can use the Logitech K400r. I suppose you could buy a chromebook for $150 and a portable blu ray drive for $90 that plugs in through USB to the chromebook but you'll limit yourself for upgrades over going with a case with a blu ray player built in.

My recommendation is to keep the dumb TV and try a chrome book or another light weight OS alternative. The 4k TV's don't have 3D capability and limited smart TV capabilities built in. I've seen a 55 inch dumb TV advertised for $320 dollars but expect to 2x for smart, 3x for 4k and 4x for 3D at that size. One capability can go wrong and the whole unit is shot.

Are you going to have the HDMI outputs on some of those old desktop machines? What about the network cards and the graphics cards? You may be better trying to go with something low end that was new where you can get a service plan for it. You are spending that $50 dollars just for the desktop case and a power supply. With the Chromebook you aren't going to have to worry about the networking and you'll have a mid range graphics card. You buy it new for $200 dollars and decide to get something else in 5 years you could donate it if you have the receipt and get %35 percent back. The reason I think this way is I spent $900 on mine for the TV 5 years ago and with only 4GB RAM I couldn't imagine I could sell it for more than $150 but I could write it off for $400 dollars.

I use AppleTV to great effect for this - Roku and Chromecast also great options, as is a laptop with HDMI. I've also used a laptop with a DVI to HDMI adapter (though sound had to pass separately on an aux audio cable, since DVI doesn't carry audio).

Curious to check the new AppleTV out when it rolls out.

I use Chromecast for basketball too. Just bring up Chrome on my PC and cast it to the Chromecast. Not as nice as using the WatchESPN app, but it works fine.