If we do not have a Smart TV, but it does have HDMI connectivity, and we also want or need to see what we are viewing on our computer on a much larger screen, the reality is that it is quite easy to know. And, fortunately, there are multiple solutions so that the computer screen (desktop or laptop) can be shown on the television with few problems and saving a lot of money.
Of course, most of the solutions that we propose this time will require the use of an additional application on the television or the purchase of additional hardware, either a connection device or something as simple as an HDMI cable.
1. Chromecast
It is perfectly possible to use Chromecast from your computer. In this way, if we have a Google smart device, we just have to place it on the back of the TV (specifically connect it through HDMI), and automatically send windows from macOS or Windows easily, as long as those tabs are within Chrome, although it also works with other functionalities, as could be the case with Chromebooks.
We just have to place them in the Chrome menu (we will have to click on the three vertical points that we will find located in the upper right part of our screen), and then choose Transmit . Now, it is necessary to choose our Chromecast from the list, and we should almost immediately start to see the current browser tab on the TV.
It is possible to modify both the tabs and the applications, being able to change them, but the Chromecast will continue to display the tab from which the content was sent for the first time.
This is a useful option for websites and photos, although not so much for videos. However, some popular video platforms, such as YouTube, can work with Chromecast directly, interacting with the system. To do this, we will only have to click on the Chromecast button that we will find in each YouTube video.
There are also different streaming platforms that have begun to offer this possibility, so we would only have to download their application to the computer. A good example can be found on Movistar TV.
2. AirPlay
If you work with a device that runs macOS, and in turn you have an AirPlay device, as could be the case with the popular Apple TV connected to the television, it is possible to make the screen of our Mac appear on the big screen. So simple and at the same time so simple. In fact, it is possibly one of the easiest solutions.
Incidentally, Apple is currently rolling out AirPlay support to many third-party smart TVs, which would make this option even more available.
If we have an AirPlay device connected and configured, and it is also connected to the same WiFi network as our Mac, after clicking the AirPlay button it should automatically appear in the menu bar. We will only have to choose the device, and the screen will be extended automatically to include the space where the television is located.
3. Miracast (on Windows 10)
Miracast is a standard that we also find in a wide variety of devices, among which is the popular Amazon Fire TV, although it is true that compatibility with devices developed by Amazon is irregular and non-existent in the most recent models.
If we don’t have other options available for a Windows 10 wireless connection, we could choose to purchase a dedicated Miracast device.
Although we will find cheaper options in many stores, Microsoft, for example, offers a fairly simple option called Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter , which offers the possibility of sending what we have on our computer, mobile phone or tablet wirelessly to an HDTV screen or to the monitor.
Once we have connected our wireless adapter, and we have turned it on correctly, the connection process is simple. We just have to open Settings , click on System , Display and Connect to a wireless screen . From this moment the link will be established.
