Julianne Mercer, Negosentro.com | It’s not fun trying to watch your favorite television see series on your tiny smartphone screen, especially when you have a television with a much larger screen just sitting right there. If you don’t already know how to connect your favorite device to your television, then this article is for you. These are all the ways you can enjoy all the quality streaming services available today on the big screen in your house rather than the small screen in your pocket.
- Get Wired
Smartphones and Tablets
Using an HDMI cord is probably the simplest way to connect your favorite handy little gadget to your television set, no need for a Wifi connection or entering passwords. Nearly all newer model smartphones and tablets come with a micro HDMI port. You’ll need a special kind of HDMI cord, called an HDMI to micro HDMI cord, these cords have two different sized connectors. One side is a regular HDMI, that one is for your TV. The other side is a much smaller micro HDMI and that one is for your smartphone or tablet.
Next you will have to find the HDMI port of your television set, all newer models have them. Then connect the other end of the HDMI to micro HDMI cord into the micro HDMI port on your smartphone or tablet device, it’s the same port you use to charge it. That’s it! You’re ready to go. You will now be able to mirror your device’s screen on your TV. Remember to be cautious with the cord, it can be dangerous for small children and animals if they accidentally trip over it. It could also damage your mobile device or television. Apple owners (iPhone, iPad, and iPod) will have get a special HDMI adapter to connect their iOS device to their television because Apple doesn’t use the more common micro HDMI port.
Laptops and Computers
Connecting a laptop or desktop computer to your television is the same process as connecting a tablet or smartphone, you’ll just have to use a different cord. The computer will have the same size HDMI port as the television, so both connectors will need to be the same size. Unfortunately, not all computers have HDMI ports. If your computer does not have one, there are still options.
First check for a micro HDMI port, it’s the same as the port used to charge most tablet and smartphones and many laptops have them. If not, then check for a display port. If your computer had one then you can purchase a display port to HDMI adapter. If your computer has neither of those then your best option is to go wireless.
- Wi-Fi
Tablets and Smartphones
While the using an HDMI, cord is the simplest and quickest way to connect your smartphone or tablet device to your television set, it is certainly not the easiest and maybe not even the most convenient way. Going wireless requires you to purchase an extra gadget if you don’t have have smart TV. These gadgets can range widely in price, but there are many affordable options available.
You can scream your favorite television shows and movies from your smart phone and tablet, devices such as Google Chromecast, Roku, or Amazon Fire stick will allow you to stream from your device and use it at the same time! These devices connect to your television via an HDMI port and then using your phone (some even come with their own remote controls) you can connect to your home WiFi. Using this method, you can cast streaming apps from your phone, but you can also mirror your smartphone or tablet screen to the television screen. If you have an Apple iPhone, iPod, or iPad and an Apple TV then you can use Airplay to cast your small iOS screen to your big Apple screen.
Laptops and Computers
You can use those same devices to connect your laptop or computer to your home television set! Just use the same process.
- Turn Your TV into a Smart TV
There are special devices available to turn your regular television into a smart TV without using your Smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. These devices typically called a “smart TV box” or “smart TV stick” come with their own remote and have already have most popular streaming services, like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Vevo, Crackle, and Amazon Instant Video, already installed and ready to go. You just plug the device into your television’s HDMI port, set it up using the included remote and connect to your Wi-Fi. The most popular smart TV boxes and sticks on the market today are Roku Stick and the Amazon Fire Stick, but there are many generic and easily affordable options out there.
Remember to read the instructions of any device you purchase and take your time deciding which one you feel is right for the device you are using.
