Frankly you'd probably be better off investing in something like a Roku or Apple TV. To take advantage of that nice, new TV your computer needs to be able to output in high definition. I don't know about the Mini but I doubt it. At best it's probably got standard VGA and I doubt your TV has an input for that. Can't say anything about the desktop but some have HDMI ports, others have DVI (which will probably require an adapter), and the most basic just have an analog output.

Which Panasonic is it? Some Panasonic TVs are internet enabled.

If it's not one of the internet enabled ones, a number of internet enabled games, DVRs etc can do this. Here is a page with devices that can connect (unfortunately, they don't seem to give a single list, but have it broken out by device type).

Michelle-
I hooked up about a year ago and here is how it worked at the time. If your tv, or another piece of equipment connected to the tv, has Netflix technology already built-in, you need to be able to get a signal from your router either via ethernet cable or wirelessly. Or, if the technology is not built-in, you can buy a Roku box from Netflix for about $80.

I have an older system, without the built-in technology, so I bought a Roku box. It's about the size of a sandwich, and it plugs into the input of your choice (preferably an HDMI connection) at the back of the tv. The Roku box is nothing more than a receiver that takes a signal from your router and passes it on to the tv wirelessly. When you want to watch a movie that is in your instant Netflix queue, you set the tv to that input and your queue is displayed. You scroll through the listings with your Roku remote and select a movie. It downloads and begins to play in about 30 seconds.

This all presumes that you have a fairly fast Internet connection, like DSL or cable. Dial-up is not going to work.

So, what you need to do is investigate the specs for your existing equipment and determine whether or not you need to buy a Roku box. Does that make sense? The set-up will vary depending on what piece of equipment has the Netflix technology in it. Here is a link so you can see whether you need the Roku box or not...

Here is a link that might be useful: Streaming-ready devices

Do you have a wireless connection to your labtop?

Have you gone to Netflix and played a movie on your laptop connected via the wireless connection?

If that works do you have an output for an HDMI on your laptop? Your TV should have an input for an HDMI. Just connect the two an you are off and running - sometimes - .

Oh. BTW. Do you have Wii? You can download a small program from Netflix to Wii and use Wii to play Netflix on the TV.

Similarly with xbox360 and Playstation2, or so I am told.

Oh, thank you all for your suggestions! I don't have a Wii or any gaming system, so that is out.

What I do have is a Panasonic Blu-Ray DMP-BD30 and a Toshiba DVD-DVR, Toshiba D-R410. (I have yet to use this, it isn't even hooked up yet)

Albert, you said something about HDMI, please treat me like a 1st grader (obviously that is a put down to 1st graders, they would know how to do this better than me!) and show me what you are talking about step by step.

Here is a link to the info about my HP1000, I couldn't find the HDMI but maybe you can.

Here is a link that might be useful: HP Mini 1000

Oh, thank you all for your suggestions! I went ahead and ordered the Roku XD fron Netflix (cheaper than even on eBay!) and will see how it works out.

Thanks for all the help, and Albert, if you can still answer my questions I can always return the Roku.

Here is a link that might be useful: Roku XD

According to this page your computer does not have an hdmi port.

The mini is a netbook, and doesn't have any video output ports. The PDF you linked shows an expansion dock that includes a VGA out port. some TVs will take VGA input. I'm not sure if the expansion dock comes with it or if it's an additional cost. You could also get a device that connects to USB and has video connectors. Like this.

I think you made the right move just getting the roku, however you never did say how you connect to the internet, are you on dsl or cable and do you have a wireless router in your network set up?? those are going to be important.

HDMI is a type of connection that is on the back of the tv it is the one you want to use these days since it is the most advanced, just like in the old days we used the old rca jacks to plug in our devices now HDMI is the way to go.

The HDMI cables can be expensive if you have to buy them but I found them at Big Lots for very very good price and they were brand name, works great on my setup.
this link is to amazon where there are some good pictures of what an HDMI cable looks like
HDMI Cable

Sorry about leaving that part out, I have a wireless router for my Mini which is connected to my desktop. With the Roku they offered an HDMI cable for $9.99 which I bought, because we all know that if you order something you won't ever have all the connectors for it!

I have a computer connected to the TV for watching videos.
I have Windows XP, DSL, and a NetFlix subscription.
I'm using a wired network connection, not wireless.
The computer has a video card with S-video Out capability.
I hooked up the S-video cable and audio out cable
to an RF modulator. From there I ran co-ax cable to the TV.
I have the computer set up to clone the monitor output on the TV.
What ever is showing on the monitor also shows on the TV.
I just turn the TV to channel 4 and can watch NetFlix.

Pooh Bear

i just recently got a roku from a friend and i think some of the cables are missing. i have a computer with dish network t.v. and a 50 plasma t.v. do i get a hdmi cable plug it into the roku and the back of the t.v. or how?

@ dreamdesigns,

The Roku comes with standard VGA cables. You have the option to hook the Roku up using HDMI cables as well, if the TV has those inputs.

VGA cables are the white, yellow and red connector types.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4887752_set-up-roku.html

And

http://www.roku.com/netflixplayer/

I have fiber optic cable supplying the signal so its very fast (25 Mbps) and I presumed that I was already getting all the detail I could with the standard white/red/yellow cables from my Roku box. However, as an experiment, I switched to an HDMI cable and found it made a noticeable improvement in picture quality. I suspect it's worth it to use the HDMI at whatever speed your connection is.

OK, OK, got a challenge......I have been through 3(not one or two) ROKU boxes....have watched Netflix instantly on my old TV with the 3 plug ins....for months THEN ka-dooie! no connection, connection not found, re-set the box, re-set the modem, turning everthing on & off. I am tired and frustrated with System support(everyone speaks Farsi/English) from ROKU and I went to BEST BUYS and bought LG box....connected it with HDMI adapter I had to purchase seperately....and voila! got the program to show up on my TV screen; BUT am unable to get it to play....got my NETGEAR wireless out to try and facilitate this issue, it recognizes the NETGEAR wireless, BUT will not play. THIS CANNOT GO ON...I HAVE PHONE NETFLIX, ROKU, GO ON LINE FOR NETGEAR SUPPORT....I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO BESIDES BUT ANOTHER TV. HEEEEELLLLPPPPP!!!!!

bj, there are quite a few Netflix forums, none that I know of worthy of my recommendation. But, there are sporadically a bursts of complaints about Roku. Here is one for example: Has anyone been getting this constantly when trying to use their Roku with Netflix?When shopping consider Wii too. Rumor they just dropped their prices.

And yes, call Netflix. They are not bad people to talk to. They have had some few incidents of hard downs on their servers recently. Perhaps they can tell you if your problem times correspond to any of their down times.

Nice all