How To Use Your Big
Sometimes your laptop screen just isn’t big enough. Here’s how to set up your TV as a second display for your PC so you can use it for everything from streaming movies to online classes.
The computer is where many of us spend a good deal of our day working. It’s also where students will likely be spending a lot of time taking classes for the foreseeable future. And it just so happens to be the ultimate media and gaming device, capable of playing more music, video, and games than any other platform. There’s just one catch: Most;monitors; are smaller than the average TV. So why not connect your;laptop;to your;TV for a far more compelling work and learning experience on a bigger screen?
You can, and there are several different ways to do it. Not every method is suitable for every situation, though. Depending on where your TV is, where your computer is, how your home is set up, and what media you plan to use your TV screen for, you need to consider exactly how to connect your laptop to your TV.
These techniques don’t just work for laptops. If you have a desktop PC, you can connect it to your TV the same way. Of course, desktops are less portable, so if it’s located far from your TV, it might not be as convenient or work quite as well.
Using Google Chromecast Device
If your TV isnt smart or doesnt have WiFi, then you can buy a Google Chromecast device. It plugs into your HDTVs HDMI Port and connects your TV to your home network to which your computer is also connected. Chromecast supports over 100+ streaming services including Netflix, Youtube, Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+, HBO, Plex etc. Also you can cast any tab on Chrome browser to the TV. Just look for the Cast button from supported Apps and services and youll be able to view content on your TV.
Now if you dont have a Smart TV with WiFi, dont forget that you can go the Cable route. Simply connect your Laptop to TV using HDMI cable and you are done.
Alright, there you have it, how to cast content from your Windows 10 Laptop to Smart TV.
Image: CNet
Stream From A Windows 10 Pc To A Firestick
There are a few things youll need to check before you can stream from a PC to a Firestick on Windows 10. Before getting started, make sure that the Firestick is set up properly and that your PC and Firestick are on the same Wi-Fi network.
Projection Modes
- Duplicate This is the default projection mode and basically mirrors everything thats happening on your PC. This is ideal if you want to share something on a larger screen but wont need to use the PC. By default, Windows 10 also silences any notifications so they dont pop up while your sharing something.
- Extended; This enables using the Firestick and your TV as a second screen. Its the better option if youre looking to stream from a PC to a Firestick while using the former.
- Second screen only; This mode lets you use the larger screen as the primary display.
To exit display mirroring, you can simply press any button on the Firestick remote. Keep in mind though that accidental presses will cause this mode to end as well, and youll have to go through the pairing process all over again.
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Streaming Games From Pc To A TV In Any Room
You currently have five options to stream video games from a desktop or laptop computer to TV:
We’ve listed these in ascending order of effectiveness. So, while using a Miracast dongle will let you stream a PC game to your TV, it won’t be as responsive as Nvidia GameStream or Steam Link.
How To Cast A Windows 10 Desktop To A Smart TV
1. Depending on the type of TV remote you have, press the “Home” or “Input” button.
2. Using the remote, select “Screen mirroring” or “Project” depending on which kind of casting you wish to do. You may need to select “Apps” first, depending on your TV model.
3. On your computer, go to the settings menu, and select “Devices.”
4. Underneath “Bluetooth & other devices,” click on “Add Bluetooth or other device.”
4. Click “Wireless display or dock.”;
5. In the menu that appears, click on your smart TV to begin casting.
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How To Connect Your Computer To A TV
You would;think that;connecting a computer to a TV is rather straightforward: You just grab an HDMI cable and tether the two together, right? But what if a PC doesnt have an HDMI port? This guide shows how to connect your computer to a TV on the three major PC platforms ;Windows 10, MacOS, and Chrome OS with several wired and wireless methods.
Connect To Any Hdtv With A Wireless Display Adapter
The previous option is dependent on having both a smart TV and a high-speed Internet connection. This isnt always the case. Alternatively, a wireless display adapter like the;ScreenBeam Mini2 may work for you.
The ScreenBeam Mini2 requires a TV with an available HDMI port and aUSB port. It does not need cables;nor a home Wi-Fi network. Plug the wireless display adapter into the TV. It creates its own direct, wireless connection with a Windows 10 PC or laptop using Miracast technology.;
Other wireless display adapters may require you to set up an account, provide a credit card and even charge a monthly fee. ScreenBeam Mini2s plug-and-play design makes it as easy as plugging in the adapter and pairing your devices.
ScreenBeam Mini2 is compatible with devices running Android 4.2+ and Windows 8.1+/10 .*
*Note: ScreenBeam Mini2 is not compatible with Apple devices.
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Mirror Your iPhone iPad Or Ipod Touch To A TV
Just For Games: Steam Link
Valve released the;Steam Link;a few years ago, and while it didn’t make many waves, we were impressed by its performance. It was a media streamer designed specifically for PC games. You connected it to your TV, paired a controller with it, and you could play games on your computer through it. Your PC handled all of the graphical processing, and the Steam Link managed the audio/video and input data. It was surprisingly responsive if you had a very good wireless connection, or even better, could connect at least one of the two devices in the chain to your router over Ethernet.
The Steam Link as a device has been discontinued, but Valve has released apps that do the same job with software on a variety of devices. You can install;Steam Link;on Android TVs, Apple TVs, and Samsung TVs, or even on a Raspberry Pi if you want to build your own Steam Link box.
Steam Link is specifically designed for games, so you’re not going to be able to do much general media streaming or screen mirroring with it. In fact, since it depends on Steam’s Big Picture mode for an interface, you can’t actually access any content not directly available on Steam. It isn’t a solution if you just want to watch movies and TV shows . You can work through your PC’s desktop by minimizing Big Picture mode through Steam Link, but it’s an awkward, unreliable solution.
Pros:;Low latency for PC gaming.
Cons:;Not suitable for streaming non-PC game content.
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Why Use Your TV As A Second Screen
If you’re working from home, the biggest benefit to connecting your computer to your TV is being able to use it as a second monitor. TVs are bigger screens and generally farther away from your face than monitors, but you can easily toss a few Chrome tabs with Slack, your email client, and any useful information or messaging services up there so you can see if you need to respond to anything at a glance. Keep in mind a second-screen system only works with a few of the methods listed below, though.
This can be a big advantage for students, too. A large screen offers a bigger, clearer view of presentations and speakers, and allows for easier collaboration if a number of students are attending remote classes at once. If a laptop or tablet screen doesn’t seem like it’ll be big enough for schoolwork, a TV will do the job.
All of these methods let you stream media to your TV, so if you have lots of videos on your hard drive or only visible through a web app you can send them to your TV. You can also use Plex to simply share your entire local media library, along with a slew of online services, directly to your TV with a simple menu interface.
You can even game this way. An HDMI cable is the best way to do this locally, but Steam Link has proven surprisingly capable of streaming locally networked gaming from your PC to your TV.
Connect Windows 10 Pc To Smart TV
Multimedia files can be projected/played on a Smart TV from a Windows 10 PC by the following methods:
1. CAST : Media is streamed in compressed file format from a source device to the media player on a receiver device which decompresses the file stream to play the media in real time.
2. PROJECT;: The;image displayed on the screen of a device is replicated on the display screen of another device in real time. In essence, the video-out port of the sender device is connected to the video-in port of the receiver device. The bandwidth required for Screen Project is much higher than Cast, because the;pixel data stream between the source and receiver is raw video in;decompressed format.
3. DLNA : A Media File;is streamed from a media storage Server on request from a media player Client which decompresses;the file stream to play the media;in real time. Cast is a variation of DLNA where the sender initiates media streaming to a ready-to-connect receiver listening on a common Wired / Wireless network.
1. CAST:;Cast is the easiest method to play a multimedia from a PC on to a Smart TV called Smart as they have an Operating System. However file formats supported for casting are limited to MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV for video and MP3, WMA, WAV for audio. The audio system of the TV can either be built-in or externally connected to a Hi-fi system.
On Windows 10, Casting is the simplest and most reliable choice for playing multimedia files from PC to any TV.
;Mirroring is enabled on the Smart TV.
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Stream Games To TV With Miracast And Wireless Hdmi
You’ll find several wireless HDMI systems available that are compatible with desktop operating systems. Wireless HDMI enables the transmission of audio and video signals between two devices, making other technologies in this list possible.
Early wireless HDMI devices have been superseded by Miracast. Miracast is the standard for wireless connections. With support for Windows, you can stream games from your PC or laptop to your TV via a compatible dongle.
Several smart TV manufacturers also include Miracast support. As such, you might even be able to stream games to your TV without spending money on a Miracast dongle. If you need a dongle, they’re generally available for under $100.
How To Stream Video From Pc To TV Using Hdmi Cable
In order to connect your PC to your TV, you need to have a good look at what ports your PC and TV provide. One of the easiest ways to link both devices is via HDMI cable. Now lets take you through how to stream video from PC to TV by using HDMI cable.
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Screen Mirroring: How To Connect A Pc/android Phone/android Tablet To A TV
Googles Chromecast plugs into the back of your TV and mirrors web pages from the Chrome web browser, using your home wireless network to connect to a laptop or mobile device running the browser.
This enables you to stream any internet-based video, and even files stored locally by dragging them directly onto a Chrome tab and casting it. Chromecast streams up to 1080p, and in most circumstances, it delivers smooth, stutter-free video.
That is not an end to the Chromecasts talents, however. For those occasions when you need to display an application on your TV that does not have built-in Chromecast support, it is also possible to display the entire content of your PC or Macs desktop.
Setting Up A Dlna Server On Windows
Assuming that your PC is running Windows 7 or higher, it can serve your media without additional software. Windows Media Player is, among other things, a DLNA server, but you have to enable it first.
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In WMP 12, select Stream > Turn on media streaming from the menu bar at the top.
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In Windows 10, youll now see a permissions dialog box. Click;Turn on media streaming;one more time.
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This brings you to another;dialog box that allows you to control which devices on the network can receive the stream.;
Dont worry about this box at the moment. Just click OK;at the bottom, but;you may want to return to it at another time.
You can also find DLNA servers for other operating systems, including Android, iOS, Mac OS X, and Linux. Consumer network-attached storage systems almost always contain DLNA server software as well.
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Connect Using Chromecast Or Chromecast Built
If you have a Chromecast device connected to your TV or your TV has Chromecast built-in, you can use the Chrome browser on your computer to cast Netflix to your TV.
On your computer, open the Chrome browser .
Sign In to netflix.com.
in the upper or lower right corner of the browser.
Select the Cast icon from the upper or lower right side of the screen.
Select your computer from the list of available devices to cast Netflix to your TV.
Select a TV show or movie to watch and press Play. You can control the playback from your computer.
Mirroring With An Hdmi Cable
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A standard HDMI cable is still the best way to get your PCs screen onto a TV. This is true whether that computer is a living room PC using a;TV as its only video output,;or PC with its own monitor thats mirroring the contents of the primary display to the TV.
Getting this solution hooked up;is pretty simple. You probably already have an HDMI cable. If you dont, you can buy a cheap cable;like this one; and skip the unnecessary;expensive cables. Plug one end into an HDMI port on the back of your TV and the other into the HDMI port on your laptop or desktop. Switch the TV to the necessary input and youre done! You can also use the display options on your PC to configure how the display;workswhether the TV mirrors your main display or functions as a secondary desktop.
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Thats the theory. In practice, many modern laptops dont ship with a built-in HDMI portat least, not a full-sized one. Modern, super-thin laptops just dont have space for those large ports. You can still connect your laptop to a TV with an HDMI cable, thoughyoull just need the necessary adapter for the port your laptop does include.
Be sure to check exactly what type of port your laptop has before purchasing such an adapter.
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What You’ll Need To Do Before Casting A Windows Desktop To A TV
Before you begin casting, a few requirements must be met for the process to work.
1. Your television must be a smart TV and have its Wi-Fi capabilities turned on in order to successfully cast your computer screen to your TV. Your smart TV must also be connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer.
2. Both your smart TV and your computer should have Bluetooth enabled.
3. Make sure that your smart TV and your computer both support Miracast. You can check this using the Connect app, which can be found under the Start menu on your Windows 10 computer.
4. Update your TV’s and computer’s drivers to make sure they are the most recent version.
5. Make sure your TV isn’t an Apple TV the method to cast on an Apple TV is different from that of other smart TVs, and this guide won’t be completely applicable to an Apple TV.
Once you’ve met all of these prerequisites, you can start casting.