Using a pc to drive a tv

[fourtwentyfour]

I have recently found YouTube videos take up much of my time. I like the educational ones about language learning, driving and those tradesmen who teach their skills and show useful ideas.

I use a relatively recent smart tv, but in time it will become less smart, like my others, I guess. The advantage of the tv is that I can be at some distance and control it by a remote, for pausing, moving videos back and forth, etc.

I think a better solution is to use a pc, but the distances between the pc, the monitor and the keyboard can be a problem. I don’t want to think about wifi, bluetooth, etc, my tin hat could be a safety issue!

I would be interested to know if a HDMI cable, or any other type of pc to tv cable, could be obtained in a reasonable length without diminishing picture quality, or is there some other way of carrying the signal? I wonder if there is a way of putting the pc audio/video on to the local network, to be picked up by the tv as if it were looking at the internet?

For control, can a remote be used to drive a pc? Is there an add-on receiver that can be configured to do the same tasks as for a tv?

Whilst I am here, can a mouse and keyboard use a non-rf means of connecting to the pc, other than long wires?

Thanks.

[mc2fool]

Do you not have a YouTube app on your smart TV?

I do, and that's fine for YouTube, but for Zoom/Teams use I used to have a 10m HDMI cable, one end of which was permanently plugged into my TV and was discretely run under the carpet at the edge of the room round to where I usually sit, and would be plugged into my laptop when needed. It worked fine, no degradation, but I bought a cheap one (a tenner IIRC) and after some number of plug-ins a couple of the "pins" buckled and, well, that was that.

As my TV (just) predates the Miracast standard (it has a Samsung pre-miracast option, that I could never quite get to work) I bought the Microsoft wireless display adapter, which works a treat. Not quite sure what your objection to WiFi is, but of course it does depend on your devices (both TV and PC) having WiFi...

[BobbyD]

Smart tv apps suffer a lot less from age since 4k became standard in my experience.

The HDMI bit is easy, yes you can, but be aware that not all cables are rated for the same resolution/frequencies, and not all HDMI cables are of equal quality. Also quality=/= price.

Recently I've been using these without a problem for longer runs: https://www.amazon.co.uk/KabelDirekt-Ca ... 157&sr=8-3

If you want easy wireless mouse/kb control from the sofa have a dedicated mouse (something which works on a good range of surfaces) and kb which never move from the vicinity of the sofa, run a usb extension under/behind it, plug the bluetooth/whatever receiver in to it, and you should always have a good connection. You can get some nice smaller keyboards which are ideal for keeping under the coffee table.

https://www.logitech.com/en-gb/products ... evice.html

https://www.logitech.com/en-gb/products ... board.html

If you get a multi device keyboard you may also be able to use it with your tv.

...but the app will probably last longer than you expect.

[servodude]

Smart tv apps suffer a lot less from age since 4k became standard in my experience.

The HDMI bit is easy, yes you can, but be aware that not all cables are rated for the same resolution/frequencies, and not all HDMI cables are of equal quality. Also quality=/= price.

Recently I've been using these without a problem for longer runs: https://www.amazon.co.uk/KabelDirekt-Ca ... 157&sr=8-3

If you want easy wireless mouse/kb control from the sofa have a dedicated mouse (something which works on a good range of surfaces) and kb which never move from the vicinity of the sofa, run a usb extension under/behind it, plug the bluetooth/whatever receiver in to it, and you should always have a good connection. You can get some nice smaller keyboards which are ideal for keeping under the coffee table.

https://www.logitech.com/en-gb/products ... evice.html

https://www.logitech.com/en-gb/products ... board.html

If you get a multi device keyboard you may also be able to use it with your tv.

...but the app will probably last longer than you expect.

We've gone for the logitech K400+
Does the job well and makes the PC a lot more useful than if I had gone down the HDMI CEC adaptor route
- that would probably have allowed us to use the remote - with the caveat that the PC UI would need to be remote friendly (which limits options quite a bit)

Our Plex app on the TV lasted less than a year before becoming obsolete

[BobbyD]

We've gone for the logitech K400+
Does the job well and makes the PC a lot more useful than if I had gone down the HDMI CEC adaptor route
- that would probably have allowed us to use the remote - with the caveat that the PC UI would need to be remote friendly (which limits options quite a bit)

Our Plex app on the TV lasted less than a year before becoming obsolete

The track pad on the 400 makes it very handy, the 380 is smaller, and also very useful if you are using more than one computer/tv/tablet....

Haven't used a remote on a computer since media centre became completely unusable on windows. Played around with a few alternatives but by that point the TV was just a better solution for most purposes except making recordings which could be transferred, trimmed, de-added, and converted. If the aim is to be able to stream/youtube I don't see how plugging a £30 stick in the back of the tv isnt a far better option than finding, installing and troubleshooting a remote friendly ui.

First modern flatscreen i bought the apps started being retired after a year or two. The three tvs I've bought since, two now oldish samsungs and a 2022 lg haven't lost any functionality, although I retired the oldest Samsung because it was struggling with certain types of scene which happened to make up most of my watching.

[Infrasonic]

https://www.hdmi.org/spec21sub/cablepower

[tractorian]

Does anyone know of a system whereby a transmitter/receiver runs from one of your computer's USB ports to the HDMI port on the tv?

[BobbyD]

Does anyone know of a system whereby a transmitter/receiver runs from one of your computer's USB ports to the HDMI port on the tv?

Not quite sure what you mean. What are you trying to do?

[mc2fool]

Does anyone know of a system whereby a transmitter/receiver runs from one of your computer's USB ports to the HDMI port on the tv?

Well it seems there at least used to be some:

https://visionaudiovisual.com/en/product/tc-hdmiw30c
https://www.iogear.com/product/GWHDKIT11C

but I can't, on a cursory google, find any in production now. Maybe with a less cursory search you'll have better luck.

But take a look at your TV's specs. Does it have Miracast capability? Sometimes more mundanely called something like "Screen Sharing".

If so then (assuming it's proper Miracast) all you'll need is a USB WiFi dongle for your PC. If not then a WiFi dongle for your PC and a Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter (HDMI) for your TV will do it. (This assumes you have a Windows PC, if anything else then DYOR!)

[servodude]

Does anyone know of a system whereby a transmitter/receiver runs from one of your computer's USB ports to the HDMI port on the tv?

Well it seems there at least used to be some:

https://visionaudiovisual.com/en/product/tc-hdmiw30c
https://www.iogear.com/product/GWHDKIT11C

but I can't, on a cursory google, find any in production now. Maybe with a less cursory search you'll have better luck.

But take a look at your TV's specs. Does it have Miracast capability? Sometimes more mundanely called something like "Screen Sharing".

If so then (assuming it's proper Miracast) all you'll need is a USB WiFi dongle for your PC. If not then a WiFi dongle for your PC and a Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter (HDMI) for your TV will do it. (This assumes you have a Windows PC, if anything else then DYOR!)

Certainly USB-C has recently found favour for driving displays from laptops; so if that's what's needed it will be simple to find a cable.

The more traditional USB ports might not be so accommodating

[tjh290633]

Has nobody used ChromeCast?

Works fine using your smart phone to control it.

TJH

[mc2fool]

Does anyone know of a system whereby a transmitter/receiver runs from one of your computer's USB ports to the HDMI port on the tv?

Well it seems there at least used to be some:

https://visionaudiovisual.com/en/product/tc-hdmiw30c
https://www.iogear.com/product/GWHDKIT11C

but I can't, on a cursory google, find any in production now. Maybe with a less cursory search you'll have better luck.

But take a look at your TV's specs. Does it have Miracast capability? Sometimes more mundanely called something like "Screen Sharing".

If so then (assuming it's proper Miracast) all you'll need is a USB WiFi dongle for your PC. If not then a WiFi dongle for your PC and a Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter (HDMI) for your TV will do it. (This assumes you have a Windows PC, if anything else then DYOR!)

Certainly USB-C has recently found favour for driving displays from laptops; so if that's what's needed it will be simple to find a cable.

The more traditional USB ports might not be so accommodating

USB display adapters have been around since USB 2.0 at a variety of prices, depending on spec, https://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-Video-Adap ... eo+Adapter, so for USB 2/3.n ports one could use one of those and a long HDMI-HDMI cable.

However, from transmitter/receiver I inferred (maybe incorrectly) that tractorian was looking for a wireless solution (hence my links).

[Gerry557]

There are several options open to you and several solutions already mentioned.

Casting from your phone or tab to the smart TV is normally the easiest but requires a simple set up. I don't know why you are against the wireless connectivity.

You can get a htpc, home theater personal computer and a long hdmi cable. Make sure its upto standard if it's a long distance. They can be expensive if its 4k and over 10m.

I don't use my htpc really these days but had the k400 keyboard. It gets more complicated with 4k and keeping everything up to date and running well. A driver update might ruin it and you spend time trying to figure out why it's not working when it was fine yesterday. If using 1080p things are simpler.

I think you are forcing yourself into worse options.

A chrome cast if your TV does not have it or Bluetooth would make more sense. Could you expand on why you are against it

[tractorian]

What I was looking to do was replace the HDMI cable with a wireless link.

[Watis]

This thread is now two threads in one. As Gerry557 says:

There are several options open to you and several solutions already mentioned.

However, the OP wants a cabled, non-wireless solution:

I don’t want to think about wifi, bluetooth, etc, my tin hat could be a safety issue!

Whereas tractorian wants a wireless solution:

What I was looking to do was replace the HDMI cable with a wireless link.

Both questions have had solutions proposed - but they're all mixed up!

Watis

[tractorian]

Wireless Display is the Windows 10 answer.

I set the Source of my Toshiba TV (already configured to access the internet for iPlayer and YOUTUBE) to Wireless Display. Then in Windows' Settings/Devices/Bluetooth I added the TV and connected. Now, when I want to use the facilty, I type WIN+P and select accordingly.

[mc2fool]

Wireless Display is the Windows 10 answer.

I set the Source of my Toshiba TV (already configured to access the internet for iPlayer and YOUTUBE) to Wireless Display. Then in Windows' Settings/Devices/Bluetooth I added the TV and connected. Now, when I want to use the facilty, I type WIN+P and select accordingly.

Yup, I was pretty sure that if you checked you'd find that your TV had Miracast capability (the standard used by Microsoft's Wireless Display) under some name or another.

I didn't realise you already had WiFi on your PC or I wouldn't have mentioned the dongle! Just to be clear about it, in case anyone wonders, Miracast (MS Wireless Display) uses WiFi Direct, that is, the WiFi connection is directly between your PC and the TV. It does not connect via your router, LAN, internet, or anything else.

It's a bit of a shame there isn't also an over-internet-protocol facility; while I can cast to my TV from my laptop, my desktop has no WiFi so I can't, despite the TV and desktop being ethernet'ed together (well, via a hub)....

[tractorian]

I haven't tried it yet, but I guess the link won't carry sound.

[mc2fool]

I haven't tried it yet, but I guess the link won't carry sound.

Miracast/MS Wireless Display? It sure does. You may have to change the sound output device to get it. If you have the loudspeaker on your taskbar then just click that and the Wireless Display should appear in the drop down list, or you can select it in the list in Settings -> System -> Sounds (it'll only be there when you're connected).

On my laptop I have FxSound installed ('cos Acer's sound is so crap) and when I connect the Wireless Display it automatically switches sound to it, however nothing comes out of the TV and I have to manually flip back to the laptop and then back again to the Wireless Display, at which point it works fine. Not sure is that's an FxSound bug or a Windows bug or a display adapter (TV) bug, and I've yet to get round to trying to figure out which, but just mentioning it in case yours doesn't work straight off; if so just try flipping back and forth.

When I disconnect the Wireless Display the sounds automatically comes back to the laptop without any problems.

[tractorian]

Thank you m2fool for all your help - I'll give it a try.