How to stream from PC to TV

ways to stream video games from PC to TV

Do you want to play your favorite PC games on your TV?

But a problem often arises: your computer is in one room, and your TV is in another.

It is impractical to run a long HDMI cable between rooms. The answer is streaming games from your PC to your TV over your home network.

Here are some methods you can use to stream games from PC to TV.

Nvidia gamestream

Offering a solution similar to Steam Link, Nvidia Gamestream (accessible via an Nvidia Shield TV device) is also capable of streaming video and other media from the Internet.

This, along with the built-in game controller and remote control (both with built-in microphones for voice commands), explains why it is significantly more expensive than the Steam Link. Note that a suitable Nvidia graphics card will set you back an additional 100.

Once set up, if you have a computer or laptop on the same network with a suitable Nvidia GTX series GPU, the Nvidia Shield TV can control streaming games from your PC to your TV.

Meanwhile, if your gaming rig isn’t empty space, Nvidia Shield TV will let you stream video games from the cloud. GeForce NOW is available for 7.99 / month and will stream games to TV via Nvidia Shield TV Box.

Miracast and HDMI Wireless Streaming

You will find several available HDMI wireless systems that are compatible with desktop operating systems. Wireless HDMI allows audio and video signals to be transmitted between two devices, making the technologies you see below possible.

Earlier HDMI wireless devices (such as those using Intel’s WiDi and AMD Wireless Display) have been superseded by Miracast. Miracast is the standard for wireless connections. With Windows support, you can easily stream games from your PC or laptop to your TV via a compatible dongle.

Some Smart TV manufacturers also include Miracast support, which means you can even stream your favorite games to your TV without spending money on a Miracast dongle. If you need a key, it’s usually available for less than 100.

Chromecast and Apple TV

As you read above, you may have considered some alternatives based on the hardware you already have. For example, you might have an Apple TV or Google Chromecast.

Unfortunately, these solutions do not work reliably. For example, although it is possible to display your PC screen with Google Chromecast (using the Chrome browser), the results are poor.

Unfortunately this doesn’t fit our purpose and the lag is terrible, making most games unplayable.

AirPlay, meanwhile, has similar limitations when it comes to Apple TVs. Although there have been attempts to hack Apple TV for streaming, the results are currently inadequate.

Curiously, it is not possible to stream PC games from PC to TV via Xbox One. Instead, Xbox Play Anywhere lets you play games on both your Windows PC and your Xbox One with a single purchase.

For example, you can play Gears of War 4 on your PC while a family member is watching TV, and then continue playing on Xbox One when they leave the house.

This is not the type of streaming you want, but it is a great solution nonetheless.

Steam Link

Steam Link was originally a separate piece of hardware that can be used as a service compatible with Android phones and tablets. Most importantly, it can also work on Samsung Smart TVs and even Raspberry Pi (see below).

Every game in the Steam library can be streamed using the Steam Link, creating your own virtual game console.

If your PC is running Steam and you have In Home Streaming activated, you can stream games. This is activated in Steam Settings and requires the TV, connected streaming device, and computer to be on the same network.

Using Android TV? Here’s how you can use the Steam Link app for Android. This is probably the best way to get a PC experience on Android.

Create your own Steam link with Raspberry Pi

If all of these options seem a little expensive, but you have a Raspberry Pi 2 or later, you can replicate the Steam Link functionality on a small computer.!

Thanks to Valve’s dedicated Steam Link software, the Raspberry Pi is ideal for streaming PC games to your TV.

What’s more, you don’t have to be limited to playing Steam games with your Raspberry Pi. With Parsec game streaming software, you can stream PC games to your Raspberry Pi.

How to stream games from your PC to TV using Nvidia Shield!

It doesn’t matter which digital download service you use or how you installed the game. When the Raspberry Pi is connected to your TV, games will be streamed in your living room.

You can now stream PC games to your TV

While some of these solutions can be costly, overall they are more cost effective and require less noise than a long HDMI cable. Let’s recap the ways to stream video games from PC to TV:

• Miracast and Wireless HDMI
• Steam Link from Android
• DIY Raspberry Pi Steam Link Box
• Nvidia gamestream
• Chromecast / Apple TV / Xbox Play Anywhere

Which one should you choose? It’s a daunting challenge, but if you’re looking for an affordable, game-focused solution, then Steam Link makes sense. Not only is it cheap, it’s easy to set up and has a controller for companion play.

We display video, photos and music on the TV screen from a computer or laptop

All you need to do is open the folder with the necessary files on your computer, right-click on a video file, audio, or photo and select “Transfer to device”. Our TV should appear on the list. We choose it.

It’s pretty much the same in Windows 7. The “Play to” item. I show it on the example of displaying a photo on TV.

After that, a small player window should open, where we can control the playback of the file on the TV.

You can add other files to the playlist (by dragging and dropping them there). delete them, pause, rewind, adjust the sound, etc. That is, we can control the entire process of playing a movie on TV from a computer.

The TV will automatically start playing videos, photos, or music.

Click on the “Enable Media Streaming” button.

Then make sure that there is a check mark next to “Allowed” in front of your TV (although, as far as I understand, this is not necessary) and click Ok.

Try transferring the file to the TV again. In the future, this window should not appear.

Thus, you can play on the TV not one file, but a whole folder with video, music, or photos. In the same way, right-click on the folder and select “Transfer to device”, or “Play to”.

The photo will immediately appear on the TV screen, and in the player on the computer.

And if you watch a movie through “Movies and TV” in Windows 10, then you can play it on TV directly from there.

Open the menu, click on “Transfer to device” and select your TV.

As you can see, nothing complicated. Sometimes the player itself freezes with a list of files in the queue. Usually, you just need to wait a little.

If the method that I described above does not work for you, then you can try to configure the DLAN in another way. Here are some instructions:

How to output video (movie) from computer to TV via Wi-Fi

In this article, I will show you an easy way by which you can display a movie, or other video, photo, music from your computer or laptop to the TV. In this case, we will output the video to the TV via Wi-Fi. That is, without wires. Which is very convenient, since the computer and the TV can be located in different rooms, and we do not need to lay a cable or come up with some complicated connection schemes. With this solution, you can send any media content to the TV screen. We will do everything using the standard Windows tool. No third party software. I tested on Windows 10 and Windows 7.

How to Play Movies From PC to TV Using Wireless

First, I’ll tell you in a nutshell how it works. Everything is built on DLNA technology, which I have already talked about many times in various articles on this site. Modern TVs with Smart TVs and Windows have DLNA support. This is already enough for us to be able to play video, music, or watch a photo (which is on the computer) on the TV screen. In this case, the model and manufacturer of the TV does not play a special role. I tested on Philips with Android TV and LG. On TVs Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, etc., it still works. The main thing is the presence of Smart TV and connection to the router.

The only condition is that Smart TV TV and laptop (or stationary computer) must be connected to the same router. That is, to one Wi-Fi network. Both devices do not need to be connected via Wi-Fi. It is also possible through a network cable. The main thing is through one router.

I use this feature a lot myself. Most often for watching movies on TV that I downloaded to my computer. In order not to copy the movie to a USB flash drive and watch it from the USB flash drive on the TV, I just output the movie directly from the computer. I also often display photos on the TV screen when I need to watch them in a large company. It is very convenient and fast. I have two Smart TVs connected to my router and I can send any video, photo, or song to one of the TVs in a few clicks. From any PC or laptop on my home network.

This feature works great on Windows 10. Before writing this article, I decided to test it on a computer with Windows 7. Everything works there as well. There are practically no differences compared to Windows 10.

If the computer does not see the TV or video does not play

The scheme seems to be simple, the function itself is built into Windows, but problems and various errors are not uncommon. Since everyone has different devices, the solutions may differ. Let’s try to find out the main reasons for some of the problems.

• The computer does not see the TV in the playlist. When we click on “Transfer to Device” the TV just isn’t listed. First, just wait a little (the menu should be open). Make sure your TV has a Smart TV function and is connected to the same router as your computer. In my case, I didn’t have to adjust anything on the TV. It just needs to be turned on and connected to the router.
• A certain video file does not play on the TV. Error “Format not supported” or “File not readable or not found”. Yes, it happens. I’ve come across it myself. What this is connected with is not clear. The TV may not really support the video file format you are trying to play on it. Or maybe there is some problem on the computer. I just tried to transfer a movie from under Windows 10 to the TV and an error appeared on the TV that the file was not readable, and on the computer “An unexpected device error”. Although other files were played. And in Windows 7, we managed to play this movie on the same TV.
• The movie stops playing or freezes. My playback also stops sometimes, but only when I open a heavy 4k video. This is most likely due to insufficient connection speed (weak router). Regular HD and Full HD videos should play without lag. For 4k video, it is better to use USB drives or external hard drives. Or connect to the router via a Wi-Fi network in the 5 GHz range.

You can share your problems and successes of this article in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев. Good luck!

Instructions for connecting a TV to a computer via HDMI

First of all, it is worth taking into account the fact that there is no universal connection method. This is due to the fact that each TV model has its own characteristics. To figure out how to connect a computer to a TV via a cable, you should first read the user manual and find out where the required connector is located on the case.

Experts recommend turning off both devices before connecting. This is believed to make synchronization more efficient. After that, you need to connect the computer to the TV via HDMI by inserting the cable plugs into the corresponding connectors on the PC and TV. After that, you need to turn on both devices and perform further configuration.

• Indicate the signal source on TV. This is done differently on different TV models. Usually it is enough to press the Source button on the remote control. On some TVs, the Input key performs the same function. Select HDMI input as source.
• On the computer, you need to go to the desktop, right-click and click “Screen Resolution”. Windows will redirect the user to the appropriate section of the settings. In the “Display” field, select the name of the TV device, and in the “Multiple displays” field, select “Show desktop only for 2”. As a result, the image transmitted by the computer should appear on the TV screen.

You can use the WinP keyboard shortcut to quickly change the display mode. With its help, you can quickly switch between the image on the monitor and the TV, if necessary, change the resolution in the parameters.

S-Video signal

This technology is now considered obsolete. S-Video is a four-pin connector through which the video signal is transmitted. The data transfer rate is faster than conventional composite cables. However, in comparison with HDMI and DVI-D, the interface quality is much lower.

It should be borne in mind that on new TV models such connectors are practically absent. This is because they use SCART, a wired interface that uses a similar digital-to-analog conversion technology.

Why you may need to connect a computer to a TV?

When connected to a computer, the TV acts as a monitor. It is very convenient for realizing PC multimedia capabilities. The user has the ability to view photos, videos, movies on the big screen.

Often, screen characteristics significantly exceed those of a monitor. Therefore, anyone who prefers to watch something on the big screen can connect to the TV, and then return the monitor to its original place.

A similar operation is relevant when conducting business meetings, training events, when it is necessary to demonstrate presentations. In order not to spend money on a projector and auxiliary equipment, it is recommended to connect a computer to a TV and display the necessary information on a wide screen.

Lovers of computer games do this too. There are a number of ways that you can display your game image on a TV through your computer. Obviously, playing on the screen is much more interesting and enjoyable, and the overall atmosphere of the process is deeper.

How to connect a computer to a TV via S-Video and RCA?

These methods are also used in cases when you need to connect an outdated TV to a PC or laptop. A standard RCA cable consists of three cords, each of which carries a specific type of signal.

The main difficulty that a PC user may face is that new computers do not have special outputs for connecting this cable. In this case, it is recommended to use a VGA-RCA or HDMI-RCA adapter.

How to display an image from a PC to a TV screen via RCA:

• Turn off both devices first. This is necessary to protect the video card.
• Connect the cord to the appropriate jack on the TV and computer. The yellow wire is connected to the video input (Video Input), the white and red wires are connected to the left and right audio inputs, respectively.
• After plugging in the cord, you need to turn on the TV and then the computer. On the remote control, you must press the Input or Source key and select the source of the desired signal source. On some TVs, to display the picture received from the PC, just press the AV button.

The S-Video cable is connected in the same way. However, it should be borne in mind that most computers do not have a connector for this cable. It is best to use another connection option or, as a last resort, purchase a special adapter.

As already noted, RCA and S-Video technologies are considered obsolete. They are inferior to HDMI in all respects and cannot provide a stable connection between devices. The limiting image resolution when connected in this way does not reach the Full HD standard.

A way to connect a computer to a TV via USB

You cannot directly connect the TV to a computer via USB, as this will not lead to any result. To pair with this cable, you need an auxiliary USB video card. The task of this device is to convert a digital PC signal to an analog.

How to connect a Windows 10 computer to a TV via Miracast?

If your TV supports Miracast, you can use this wireless technology to transmit signals from your computer or laptop. This interface is based on Wi-Fi Direct technology. Therefore, if the TV does not support this interface, then you will not be able to use Miracast.

• You need to enable Miracast on your TV. If there is no separate block with activation function in the menu, just make sure that Wi-Fi signal reception is turned on on the TV.
• On your computer, you need to open the Start menu and go to Settings. Here you need to select the “Devices” section.

• Next, you need to open the “Connected devices” section. A list of all devices that are paired to the PC via different connection types will be displayed here.
• To find the TV, you need to click the “Add device” command. When asked to add, you must select the “Miracast” receiver. When the computer finds the TV, it will be in the “Other devices” list. You need to click on the name to make a wireless connection.

Having determined whether it is possible to connect a computer to a TV using Miracast, you should note that this will not work in all cases. Some Wi-Fi routers do not support this mode of operation.

You may also need auxiliary drivers to connect. Due to physical obstacles or other negative factors, the signal between PC and TV may be too slow, in which case it is impossible to broadcast video.

Way to connect computer to TV via VGA

This connector is present on almost any computer and laptop. But on modern TVs, VGA is gradually disappearing due to the emergence of more advanced technologies. If the TV does not have this connector, you can use an adapter cable that transmits the signal from VGA to PC and converts to HDMI.

A key feature to keep in mind is that VGA is designed to carry video only. To play back sound from a computer through the speakers, you will need to connect on a different channel, which in turn requires an auxiliary cable.

How do I connect my computer to a TV over Wi-Fi? Instructions

The wireless module is built into many TV models. They are usually used to browse internet services. Windows 10 computers have a function for projecting an image to an external display using Wi-Fi Direct. If this option is supported on the TV, then there will be no problems with synchronization.

How to connect a computer to a TV via WI-FI:

• First of all, you need to turn on both devices and make sure that Wi-Fi on the TV is activated. By default, TV can connect to a home router, in this process it does not matter.
• On a Windows 10 computer or laptop, open the Start menu, go to Settings and find the Display section. At the bottom of the window, there is a field labeled “Connect to Wireless Display”. After clicking on this command, the computer will start searching for devices. Select the detected TV in the window on the left and connect.
• When trying to connect to TV, as a rule, a corresponding request appears. It must be confirmed, otherwise the connection between the devices will not appear. It should be noted that the first attempt to establish contact between the devices may not work: the first connection, the computer sends the encryption keys to the TV. But in the future it will be possible to quickly connect a PC via Wi-Fi.
• By connecting your PC to the TV, you can perform additional setup. To do this, in the window where the search and pairing was performed, you need to click “Additional display options”. From here you can view the properties of the connected display and, if necessary, change the properties of the video adapter.

When considering how to connect a computer to a TV wirelessly, it should be noted that the data transfer rate over Wi-Fi is lower than over HDMI. Momentary delays may occur when playing videos or launching games, especially if the signal quality between devices is poor.

In addition to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth wireless technology can also be used to pair devices. Many TVs support this communication technology. By activating Bluetooth on the TV, you can search for a device on your computer and connect. The speed of data transfer via a Bluetooth connection is slightly lower than via Wi-Fi, however, for viewing photos or videos of low quality, it is quite enough.