Russian TV in USA & Russian Keyboards

[ZorValachan 0]

There is also a program that sinses your keystrokes...

It can tell if your typing in English or Russian, and it switches automaticly.

It make a 'ding' sound, and you can bypass if your a bad speller.

You still need to add Russian in your computer setings as a option.

Get her a wireless keyboard, lable it Russian, and you use the wired keyboard...works great.

I do not remember where exactly; I downloaded it a couple years ago, but there is a Russian add on out there on the 'net (with instructions on how to install) for the 'alt+shift' thing that allows you to toggle between English and Russian, but also makes all the keys in Russian link up with their English counterparts. So If I type the 'S' key on my keyboard, 'C' appears or type 'R' and get 'P', etc. a few of the keys are different of course, but it is easier to remember 4-6 new keys than hunt and peck for all of them. But then again, I'm lazy on this respect. When the Misses gets here, I probably get stickers for her keyboard, because she's already familiar with where the Russian keys are.

[LoveWaits 1]

I am continually petitioning Comcast to add Russian channels in my area. Just a matter of time.

I used the stickers on the laptop that I brought to Kiev when we met. It has my Promt software loaded on it and we both used that when the conversation needed it.

I bought a dual labeled keyboard off of eBay just last month.

Windows allows you to add another language(s) as part of the basic program. Then you just flip a toggle on the taskbar and you are in another language mode. Works like a champ.

I'm in Chicago and spoke to Comcast just a couple weeks ago and they confirmed we can get Russian TV... you even see it in the guide (Channel 655 or something). Cost is $14.99 a month. I believe its called "Channel 1 Russia" (http://www.1tvrus.com/)

[1HappyGuy 45]

We have our computer at home set up with a small icon that changes the keyboard from English to Russian and back again. My stepson writes the letters on the keyboard with a magic marker but that wears off after a while. For the most part, he and my wife know where the keys are by touch so it doesn't matter much after they have told the computer to switch languages.

I ask my son about Russian or Ukrainian broadcasts on line and he gave me a couple of sites that he uses for free. He is always watching TV in Russian on the computer. It really helped when I got a 22 inch monitor.

Here is the first site: http://www.smotritv.com/ . He says this is free, but not every channel works well.

This one is a Ukrainian news site: http://tsn.ua/video/video-novini/

I hope this will help some of you keep up on what's happening back home and provide some entertainment too.

[eekee 182]

Vkontakte.ru has pretty much everything you could ever want to watch.

[Svetlana 0]

I have been surfing around the web and searching for Russian TV in the USA. I have found a few options, figured I would share with everyone and if they had other options then I am all open for that too!

Russian TV in the USA is basicly 3 choices, Satalite (independant PanSat), Cable (Dish, Direct TV) and IPTV. The pansat type of stuff (http://www.pansatusa.net/), where you use a mini dish, decoder box and such, in my case as the satalite I would need to hit is so far away, in Texas I cannot see it, if you are east coast, then you may be fine. Number 2 would be Direct TV or Dish Network or Cable whatnot, offering other language channels, they do have some Russian. But, they are limited and for the most part are limited rebroadcast of whatever they choose to show. Not what I am needing. So the 3rd choice, IPTV. Now, of course watching your shows on your computer is not the most ideal, but I have now found a few companies that are offering a IP/TV setup box. This is of course connected and configured to the IPTV network provider you have signed up with and you get darn near EVERYTHING!! It is great, just like a usual cable bill each month, you can choose from Russian, Ukraine and many others. The one I am thinking of using has even Russian Language Movies on demand! So it is probably the one I will go with. Here is the links:

http://larutv.com/ (One I will probably use)

http://nashdomtv.com/

I am sure there are even more than this, but the LaruTV is great value you just get more channels for the money and they offer a lot of packages.

Now my question to everyone else out there.

If your bride wants to "chat" with her parents online, she is used to using a Russian Character Keyboard. What brands, models, types have you found? Where did you buy them at? How does it actaully work? Do I have to just temporarly change the language on the OS to be Russian? I have found some stuff online myself, but I am a bit fuzzy as to how they actually work, so anyone who has practical knowledge please share!!

Thanks!!

I got stiky alphabet on Ebay very cheap

[Ted and Marina 0]

Punto Switcher...auto keyboard switcher program.

Is good I can turn it off, because when I misspell...it switches to Russian

[anka 1]

I have been surfing around the web and searching for Russian TV in the USA. I have found a few options, figured I would share with everyone and if they had other options then I am all open for that too!

Russian TV in the USA is basicly 3 choices, Satalite (independant PanSat), Cable (Dish, Direct TV) and IPTV. The pansat type of stuff (http://www.pansatusa.net/), where you use a mini dish, decoder box and such, in my case as the satalite I would need to hit is so far away, in Texas I cannot see it, if you are east coast, then you may be fine. Number 2 would be Direct TV or Dish Network or Cable whatnot, offering other language channels, they do have some Russian. But, they are limited and for the most part are limited rebroadcast of whatever they choose to show. Not what I am needing. So the 3rd choice, IPTV. Now, of course watching your shows on your computer is not the most ideal, but I have now found a few companies that are offering a IP/TV setup box. This is of course connected and configured to the IPTV network provider you have signed up with and you get darn near EVERYTHING!! It is great, just like a usual cable bill each month, you can choose from Russian, Ukraine and many others. The one I am thinking of using has even Russian Language Movies on demand! So it is probably the one I will go with. Here is the links:

http://larutv.com/ (One I will probably use)

http://nashdomtv.com/

I got Russian keypad stickers from this place a couple years back - http://webideas.com/stickers/ - they have a few color/transparency options and include set-up instructions. Don't let the flakey website fool you - they were shipped on time and I got what I paid for, no problems at all.

Also, thanks a lot for the 2 TV links! We've been trying to figure out a way to acquire some Russian TV into our household (via television - not computer), so I really appreciate that you linked these 2 sites! If you do end up going with one of those companies, please post an update on how it's all working out (or if it even actually works..hah).. thanks again!

[anka 1]

Vkontakte.ru has pretty much everything you could ever want to watch.

haha! gotta love me some vkontakte.ru! Seriously, though, you're right, vkontakte really has everything. I, personally, love all the radio apps...

[CarlosAndSveta 808]

Checkout Russiankeyboards.com. I bought my keyboard from there and have been satisfied with it. My keyboard has the English characters in white and the Cyrillic characters in gold. Of course you still have to set up your computer to type in English and in Russian.

[IrinaNMike 0]

For keyboard, Irina uses the transparent overlay and the dual language feature, so that I can switch to English if I want to do something on her computer.

I started out with four Russian-language channels on DISH (I think there are six available now), but Irina found a free service on the Internet that she liked better, and after a while, whe stopped watching DISH. The URL is http://www.russianinternet.com/. Her favorite station, which she watches several hours a day, is RTR Planeta. This station is also available on DirecTV, but with high-speed DSL and a 25-inch monitor, she is satisfied with watching on her PC.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I have been surfing around the web and searching for Russian TV in the USA. I have found a few options, figured I would share with everyone and if they had other options then I am all open for that too!

Russian TV in the USA is basicly 3 choices, Satalite (independant PanSat), Cable (Dish, Direct TV) and IPTV. The pansat type of stuff (http://www.pansatusa.net/), where you use a mini dish, decoder box and such, in my case as the satalite I would need to hit is so far away, in Texas I cannot see it, if you are east coast, then you may be fine. Number 2 would be Direct TV or Dish Network or Cable whatnot, offering other language channels, they do have some Russian. But, they are limited and for the most part are limited rebroadcast of whatever they choose to show. Not what I am needing. So the 3rd choice, IPTV. Now, of course watching your shows on your computer is not the most ideal, but I have now found a few companies that are offering a IP/TV setup box. This is of course connected and configured to the IPTV network provider you have signed up with and you get darn near EVERYTHING!! It is great, just like a usual cable bill each month, you can choose from Russian, Ukraine and many others. The one I am thinking of using has even Russian Language Movies on demand! So it is probably the one I will go with. Here is the links:

http://larutv.com/ (One I will probably use)

http://nashdomtv.com/

I am sure there are even more than this, but the LaruTV is great value you just get more channels for the money and they offer a lot of packages.

Now my question to everyone else out there.

If your bride wants to "chat" with her parents online, she is used to using a Russian Character Keyboard. What brands, models, types have you found? Where did you buy them at? How does it actaully work? Do I have to just temporarly change the language on the OS to be Russian? I have found some stuff online myself, but I am a bit fuzzy as to how they actually work, so anyone who has practical knowledge please share!!

Thanks!!

My wife's laptop, brought from Ukraine has dual characters. I bought 2 Russian USB keyboards in Ukraine at the local market. Find the guy selling electronic stuff. I paid about $10 each. I also bought a French USB keyboard at FutureShop in Montreal. I just plug them in to my laptop, switch the language on the tool bar and I am good to go. Our son uses a desktop with the USB keyboard and our older son uses a US bought laptop, switches the language and has memorized the Russian keys. I offered to buy him another keyboard and he says he does not need it.

[Brad and Vika 129]

I

If your bride wants to "chat" with her parents online, she is used to using a Russian Character Keyboard. What brands, models, types have you found? Where did you buy them at? How does it actaully work? Do I have to just temporarly change the language on the OS to be Russian? I have found some stuff online myself, but I am a bit fuzzy as to how they actually work, so anyone who has practical knowledge please share!!

I am in Ukraine now, and will buy a keyboard before I return. Let you know the details.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I

If your bride wants to "chat" with her parents online, she is used to using a Russian Character Keyboard. What brands, models, types have you found? Where did you buy them at? How does it actaully work? Do I have to just temporarly change the language on the OS to be Russian? I have found some stuff online myself, but I am a bit fuzzy as to how they actually work, so anyone who has practical knowledge please share!!

I am in Ukraine now, and will buy a keyboard before I return. Let you know the details.

If you are still in Odessa, take the number 148 little bus from in front of the Galleria Aphena Mall toward Gluska St. When you get to the end of the line there is a huge outdoor market there, I am sure someone will have them. I bought mine in Donetsk, but I used to go to that market often, it is not too far past the train station

[Rob & Oksana 0]

I'm new to this forum but just thought that I'd add some thoughts. Been married for over 5 years now and both my wife and son (stepson) have been naturalized.

We've had russian tv since Oksana's arrival. We've used Dish, then DirecTV, and now we have uVerse. Also tried LARUTV for a bit. Watching russian tv is kind of fun and I'm so use to it, I don't even notice it anymore. Oksana watches her soap operas everyday and discusses them with her mom almost daily. We discuss both global and local new events and have some interesting discussions on how things are reported between the different news medias. I don't think having russian tv in the house has hindered her learning english at all. It's dedication to studying and a commitment to taking serious community college courses that make the difference. Thankfully we're past that and now into psych, sociology, algebra, etc. Final words...it's hard enough for your fiancee/spouse to change everything in their life. If they want russian tv and it helps them, then give it to them. Besides, you can only watch Bolshi Gonki on Channel 1

A hidden benefit to russian tv, it helps my son to improve his russian language skills. We want to keep him fleunt in russian and that's a challenge for an almost teenager

A quick thought on calling...we bought my mother-in-law a magicjack and mailed it to her with $40 to buy a dedicated cordless phone. Now she has a local U.S. phone number and we have no more long distance phone bills. Works great!

On keyboards, do a search online for cyrillic key caps or stickers. You can buy the decals that go over the existing keys for a few $$$. They go under the existing letters so that you have both languages. When you install the russian language (in Windows), a little icon displays showing which language you're typing in. You can literally switch back and forth for each character if you wanted. Very simple and doesn't mess anything up.

Just my two cents

[shikarnov 7]

Both AT&T UVERSE and Verizon FiOS (both fiber-based IPTV solutions) have Russian channels as an add-on package. (Also, FWIW, UVERSE's Internet service is the best I've ever had in the United States - which, admittedly, isn't saying much. Go anti-regulation Republicans! Let's go back to dial-up speeds!).

As for keyboard stickers - these are what we use:

Orange - http://www.amazon.com/Cyrillic-keyboard-lettering-transparent-background/dp/B0010M6JO8

Green - http://www.amazon.com/CYRILLIC-KEYBOARD-LETTERING-TRANSPARENT-BACKGROUND/dp/B0039IGABI

Blue - http://www.amazon.com/CYRILLIC-KEYBOARD-LETTERING-TRANSPARENT-BACKGROUND/dp/B0010NUMJU

White - http://www.amazon.com/CYRILLIC-KEYBOARD-LETTERING-TRANSPARENT-BACKGROUND/dp/B000NK0278

Getting Russian keyboards working on a Mac:

• System Preferences
  
• International
  
• Drag Русский up so that it appears second, under English (or first, if you want the whole system to be Russian)
  
• Still in the International window, go to Input Menu
  
• Check Character Palette, Keyboard Viewer, and Russian PC (which mimics the Windows layout most Russians will know). Russian Phonetic is also available for us English speakers.
  
• Check Show input menu in menu bar.
  
• Click Keyboard Shortcuts
  
• Find the entries for Spotlight and uncheck them (since the usual CMD+SPACE keyboard switcher conflicts with it).
  
• Close out of System Preference.
  

For Windows folks, it's more complicated -- unsurprisingly. Check out this site http://winrus.com/ for more information. It's got complete instructions regarding the download and install of appropriate charactersets for your version. I've used this site as a reference every time I've needed (or had a friend who needed) Russian language support on a Windows box.

Good luck,

Z

Edited July 17, 2010 by shikarnov