While lots of my listeners would love to jump into the world of online streaming, the big question they often have is how to watch online videos on your TV screen. After all, not everyone wants to squint at a smartphone screen to watch their favorite show, or gather the family round a laptop for movie night.
Fortunately, getting your TV in on the streaming action isn't that hard. I've rounded up the most popular streaming options and I'll tell you what it takes to hook them into your TV. So, let's get started.
Before that, however, if you do want to
watch broadcast TV - it's still the best way to get local news and
sports after all - don't keep paying a monthly fee. Click here to learn how you can watch high-definition broadcasts for free.
Streaming gadget
This is the obvious place to start. Streaming gadgets like the Roku, AppleTV, Fire TV, Nexus Player and others are built exactly for this purpose. Click here for the full details of the popular streaming gadgets.Any of them will plug into your TV via a standard HDMI cable - HDMI is the main type of connector for home entertainment gear - and you're done. If you have an older TV without HDMI, you can get the Roku 1 or 2, which have component video connections for hooking up to older TVs.
Of course, a streaming gadget will set you back anywhere from $50 to $100. Plus, not every gadget supports every streaming service. AppleTV is the only one that supports iTunes, for example, and it doesn't support Amazon Instant Video. Click here to learn the pluses and minuses of the major streaming services.
Pros: Easy to setup and control
Cons: Pricey for some; One gadget won't support every service
Tablet/Smartphone
Most major streaming services have free smartphone and tablet apps to pick and watch videos. That means a tablet or smartphone makes a good streaming gadget, and you probably already own one.You might even have an old one lying around you can re-purpose. Click here for more things you can do with an old smartphone or tablet.
The only downside - when you're not on the go - is the small screen. Fortunately, quite a few tablets - including my affordable new KomandoTab™ - and even some smartphones have an HDMI or micro-HDMI port.
You can plug a cable right from your tablet or smartphone into your TV, and start watching. That's easy, but it does mean getting up to start and stop the video, unless you have a long HDMI cable or sit close to the TV.
As an alternative, you can stream from your mobile gadget to the TV wirelessly with the $35 Chromecast. This USB-drive sized dongle plugs into a free HDMI port on your TV.
Your smartphone or tablet connects to the Chromecast wirelessly and streams video from a compatible streaming app - most popular streaming apps are compatible now. That way you can keep your tablet or smartphone close to control it.
Pros: You probably already own a tablet or smartphone, so it won't cost much
Cons: Not every phone or tablet supports every streaming service; Your phone or tablet might not have HDMI
Laptop/Desktop
The most powerful streaming gadget around is one you already have in your home - your computer. Unlike other streaming gadgets, it can stream from any online service or website through the Web browser.Plus, you can load up home movies, photo slideshows or anything else you want to display. You can do this manually or grab an all-in-one media front-end program like Kobi (formerly XBMC).
Even better, connecting a computer to a TV isn't as hard as it might seem. Some computers already have an HDMI connector you can use to connect to a TV.
If you have an older computer, it might only have the older DVI or VGA connectors, but some TVs have those as well. You can also get DVI to HDMI adapters.
Note: VGA is so old it won't give you very good quality video, so don't bother using it. Click here for a full rundown of the difference between HDMI, DVI and VGA.
If that's all your computer has, and you feel up to it, you can add a
$70 third-party internal or external video card that has HDMI.
The only other thing to think about is how to control the computer from a distance. Your best option is a wireless mouse and keyboard.
Pros: You probably have a
computer that will work, so it won't cost much; Streams anything you
can watch on your computer; Watch home videos or photo slideshows
Cons: Might need to add
HDMI with a new video card or buy a Chromecast; Need a way to control
the computer from a distance; May be out of place if you put it in your
living room
Smart TV
Of course, you might be able to skip the extra hardware and just get a TV that can stream video on its own. Most TVs you'll find on sale now are "smart" TVs. They include apps that support most major streaming services, aside from iTunes, of course.That does mean buying a whole new TV, which is going to be a bit expensive. So, you should only take this option if you're already planning to buy one. Click here for my essential HDTV buying guide.
Note also that smart TV software isn't quite as flexible or powerful as third-party options, unless you get one running Google's Android TV. And either way, until Apple makes a TV, no smart TV is going to connect to iTunes.
Pros: No extra hardware cluttering up your living room; Easy control
Cons: Expensive if you don't already own one; Limited future flexibility with streaming options and apps
