Smartphone/Tablet-to-TV Recommendations

[X]

I've read about several ways that handheld device-to-TV is used...but before I dove into it myself wondered if any of you have this sort of set-up -- and what you've used and found success with?

 

[Crystallas]

I waited to reply, since I usually dominate these talks for whatever reason(seriously not trying to be like that). Then nobody posted.


So here goes.

Yes, been doing it for years. I built a few HTPCs, and one of my TVs is a so-called smart-TV that interfaces with different storage media and the internet to display compatible content. It works just fine on most devices, seeing they all use the same standards and nearly always use the same hardware to do it. ARMv7+ CPU and open standard media encoders on one of a handful of solid chipsets/FPGAs.

First, Identify what inputs your TV has. So if it's "smart", then you'll have USB for storage/thumbdrives(using USB to connect other devices is very limited so it's on a TV by TV basis for support)

If it's not smart, you identify the best source connections available. DVI/VGA and HDMI. You want a device that outputs to those devices, and vola.


I favor the HTPC setup because it's also an easy emulator machine and I have no problems with pulling content off my home network. The smart TV comes in handy on occasion, but I think they are really over-rated right now, and still not all that worth the price difference. The set-top boxes are also good, and most of them work as advertised. But not all set-tops are equal, you still need to shop them out for the features you want as some of them are simply unreliable.

I played with newer TiVo with smart options, parents have a Roku which is really awesome IMO. Sister had(note, had, apple TV) and TBH and not fanboyish, it was good too. The Xb1 and PS4 have these capabilities, so IMO that would be the best option for someone looking to get into this stuff as well as upgrade an old console. But if you don't want to upgrade a console, then of all the devices, I would say the Roku stuff seems to really give the user the widest range of options for the price. Chromecast works too, cheap, but hard to use if you don't have a compatible TV to start.

 

[Crystallas]

And if you wanted to know how they did this, which will cover most of your phones and tablets:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.roku.remote

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/roku/id482066631?mt=8

 

[ShiftyDevil]

I have a Chromecast and love it.

However, it's rather limited. It works for me because it did the very specific things I wanted and was only $30. Depending on what features you require there's a good chance it wont meet them.

 

[botfly10]

I connect to apple TV with cell phone and pc laptop using Air Parrot for work. The program is good, but apple tv is laggy.

 

[Unannounced Fart]

Chromecast is great, but there's only a limited number of applications that are compatible with it right now, but I'm sure the list of apps will grow. My family just uses Netflix and Youtube, and Chromecast is perfect for that. All you do is start playing a movie on Netflix on your tablet/phone, and it will get broadcast on your TV in a snap. It's only $35 and setup takes 5 minutes max. Here's a list of apps that are compatible with Chromecast:

http://www.google.com/intl/en-US/chrome/devices/chromecast/apps.html

 

[-Cago34-]

I bought a Chromecast like 4 months ago, it's sitting unopened on the hutch in my dining room. I should prolly check it out.

 

[-Cago34-]

I've read about several ways that handheld device-to-TV is used...but before I dove into it myself wondered if any of you have this sort of set-up -- and what you've used and found success with?

Not sure of your motivation for wanting to do this, but I hate paying for cable as I'm not home much most of the year (between work & fishing), plus I hardly watch any TV even when I am home.

I have a 2nd laptop connected by HDMI to my TV, and I use a wireless keyboard ($40) to control it from da couch. For me, this is perfect.

 

[gpphat]

Like others in the thread I have chromecast and I love it. I have Netflix and Hulu plus and it runs those apps with ease. I think the bang for your buck is there with chromecast and I would imagine the features and apps will expand in the future.

 

[94SupraTT]

I run Universal Media Server on my PC and have BubbleUPNP on my Android devices, I have an Ouya on my HDTV running XBMC. It meets all my needs.


BubbleUPNP transcodes media on my Android mobile devices to my TV that has a Ouya on it. Universal Media Server transcodes media on my PC to my Ouya. There is a plugin for XBMC called (Navi-X) there are a ton of live TV streams on it as well as movies.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...=W5_0hSocwHAabTsVgCJPRg&bvm=bv.65397613,d.cWc



[video=youtube;PrxmLg72TFY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrxmLg72TFY[/video]

 

[X]

Thanks, fellas!

 

[X]

I waited to reply, since I usually dominate these talks for whatever reason(seriously not trying to be like that). Then nobody posted.


So here goes.

Yes, been doing it for years. I built a few HTPCs, and one of my TVs is a so-called smart-TV that interfaces with different storage media and the internet to display compatible content. It works just fine on most devices, seeing they all use the same standards and nearly always use the same hardware to do it. ARMv7+ CPU and open standard media encoders on one of a handful of solid chipsets/FPGAs.

First, Identify what inputs your TV has. So if it's "smart", then you'll have USB for storage/thumbdrives(using USB to connect other devices is very limited so it's on a TV by TV basis for support)

If it's not smart, you identify the best source connections available. DVI/VGA and HDMI. You want a device that outputs to those devices, and vola.


I favor the HTPC setup because it's also an easy emulator machine and I have no problems with pulling content off my home network. The smart TV comes in handy on occasion, but I think they are really over-rated right now, and still not all that worth the price difference. The set-top boxes are also good, and most of them work as advertised. But not all set-tops are equal, you still need to shop them out for the features you want as some of them are simply unreliable.

I played with newer TiVo with smart options, parents have a Roku which is really awesome IMO. Sister had(note, had, apple TV) and TBH and not fanboyish, it was good too. The Xb1 and PS4 have these capabilities, so IMO that would be the best option for someone looking to get into this stuff as well as upgrade an old console. But if you don't want to upgrade a console, then of all the devices, I would say the Roku stuff seems to really give the user the widest range of options for the price. Chromecast works too, cheap, but hard to use if you don't have a compatible TV to start.

I want to be able to share video files (YouTube, home videos, streaming football games, etc) from tablet to TV. Will the roku do that? Since I've got a nexus tablet and a google phone should I look at the chrome cast?

I need your recommendation.


Sent from my phone...in my pocket...with my mind.

 

[Crystallas]

I want to be able to share video files (YouTube, home videos, streaming football games, etc) from tablet to TV. Will the roku do that? Since I've got a nexus tablet and a google phone should I look at the chrome cast?

I need your recommendation.


Sent from my phone...in my pocket...with my mind.

A bunch of people here have Chromecast, they'll give you the ins and outs.

I made my responses based on one assumption. You asking about taking videos of your future kid a few months back, and the concept that you wanted to play that back on a TV. And I never used a chromecast for that, nor do I know if they require you to upload your videos from your device onto some cloud service, in order to do so. The files should be in a format that is recognized by smart-TVs and most stream devices. So you could even pop the mSD card into a USB reader, and vola!

But between the Roku and chromecast, the difference seems to be about $10 and a few steaming options that Roku has, that chromecast doesn't. If those are worth anything to you, then it's better to go that route. If the extras are worthless to you, save the ten bucks. Pretty simple consumer advise.

 

[94SupraTT]

I want to be able to share video files (YouTube, home videos, streaming football games, etc) from tablet to TV. Will the roku do that? Since I've got a nexus tablet and a google phone should I look at the chrome cast?

I need your recommendation.


Sent from my phone...in my pocket...with my mind.

Do you have the 2013 Nexus tablet? IIRC, that one has an HDMI out.

Streaming media that resides on your phone/tablet is easiest through a UPNP server. However, if you are trying to stream basically a video that you are watching on your phone and "send" it to the TV it is much harder. That is limited in Android.

I have an Ouya running XBMC and it meets my needs. I really don't try to "cast" anything but I do stream media to the Ouya from my mobile devices.

 

[Unannounced Fart]

I want to be able to share video files (YouTube, home videos, streaming football games, etc) from tablet to TV. Will the roku do that? Since I've got a nexus tablet and a google phone should I look at the chrome cast?

I need your recommendation.


Sent from my phone...in my pocket...with my mind.

As far as I know, you CANNOT share video files directly from your tablet to the TV with Chromecast. If you upload a video to Youtube, you'll be able to do it, but you can't play video directly from your tablet. I tried playing a DVD from my laptop to TV, but Chromecast wouldn't allow me to do it. Don't know about Roku.

 

[Crystallas]

I don't know why it's such a big deal to transfer the files from your phone to your computer, then burn them onto a DVD for long term storage? We're talking home videos, right? You might want to keep some of those.

:shrug:

But yeah, I know the roku lets you do it from your android or ios phone with their app.

 

[94SupraTT]

I don't know why it's such a big deal to transfer the files from your phone to your computer, then burn them onto a DVD for long term storage? We're talking home videos, right? You might want to keep some of those.

:shrug:

But yeah, I know the roku lets you do it from your android or ios phone with their app.

I know that I don't want to do that for every video. Let's say someone is out filming their kid doing something funny in the yard. Do they really want to go through all of the steps you just mentioned to quickly rewatch what was just done? I doubt it.

Also, if they were to upload them to say Google Drive (or any cloud service) they could access the video from anywhere. For important videos I agree, archive them to physical media. However, scenarios like the one I listed above might not warrant burning to a DVD.

 

[Crystallas]

I know that I don't want to do that for every video. Let's say someone is out filming their kid doing something funny in the yard. Do they really want to go through all of the steps you just mentioned to quickly rewatch what was just done? I doubt it.

Also, if they were to upload them to say Google Drive (or any cloud service) they could access the video from anywhere. For important videos I agree, archive them to physical media. However, scenarios like the one I listed above might not warrant burning to a DVD.

Seems to self-regulate nicely. Wouldn't you say? Keep all the good stuff, and stop daddy from hijacking the TV with every little video(and just rewatch them on the device itself).