Viewing on TV using a wireless modem (1 Viewer)

[Artiee]

Hi.

Here's my situation: I will have a PC with a wireless modem attached to it. That system is in a separate room so using a HDMI/whatever cable isn't possible. I want to view video files on my TV, either from streaming services like Netflix/Prime Video or by viewing media files on my PC.

Obviously my TV must have a wireless connection to connect to my modem but what else? As far as I know, a TV with Android TV can have installed an app that takes care of this but TVs with Android TV aren't exactly the cheapest.

What are my options? I'd like to find out if there are cheaper options than Android TV screens.

 

[DaveF]

Easiest and best is just buy a Roku or FireTV or AppleTV or whatever streaming device you like and plug it into your tv.

If you to watch local media that’s on your pc, install Emby, Plex, or kodi server on the pc and use the client software on the streaming device you got for the tv.

 

[Artiee]

A small update:

My modem has to be in the living room and my PC is in another room, about 12 meters of cable length away. The plan is to install an ethernet cable that goes from the living room to my PC.

With that in mind, does the advice about using my TV to view local media on my PC still stay the same with regards to the server software? My TV has Android TV and it has built-in Chromecast.

 

[DaveF]

The short answer is: Yes.

The longer answer depends on what you want to accomplish, your budget, and your aesthetics.

If you want to use Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc, and don’t mind spending. $50 to $100, buy a brandname streaming box. The apps work better and easier than on a PC.

If your goal is not subscription streaming, but watching personal media, you’ve got options. If this is for a few files viewed infrequently, see if your TV of disc player or AVR can play media from a USB drive.

If that’s no good, and you have very limited budget and no time, by a 12m HDMI cable and run it direct from PC to TV to direct play.

If you have time to sort things out and can afford the software, pick a server/client combo run Emby or Plex or whatever on your PC, and use client on a streaming box. And use the streaming box apps for Netflix and the Plex app for your media.

In all this, the issue of whether to run Ethernet cable is just a matter of if your WiFi is inadequate for streaming content. If your WiFi isn’t good enoug, then run network cable. If your WiFi is fine, then skip the cable if it’s an unnecessary hassle and expense.