Streaming from laptop to TV

[Hosenbugler]

Dear All
I've connected my laptop via HDMI cable, to my smart TV. However, whilst the screen is top notch, I don't get any sound from the TV, it just plays off the laptop speakers, which are of inferior standard to the TV.

Probably making a schoolboy error, but is therwe a way I can stream the sound to the TV, as well as the imagery. ?

Any advice

The laptop runs on Win 8.1

Cheers.

[Mr E]

Is this as simple as changing audio out to HDMI?

[MitchT]

I'm a Mac user but I had the same issue. I went into the audio settings on my laptop and there was a list of connected devices. I selected the TV from the list and the sound then started to come from the TV speakers instead of the laptop speakers. Sorted! Also, it seems to have remembered this since and automatically just uses the TV speakers now.

I would imagine there's an equivalent setting in Windows but I'll leave it to a Windows user to elaborate further.

[Ridealong]

Mr E said:

Is this as simple as changing audio out to HDMI?

This ^^^
For what ever reason my old HP laptop XP Windows 2009 would never automatically switch, I had to do it manually by right clicking the speaker icon and open/change audio settings..

[dudleybloke]

Can you steam over dlna?

[Hosenbugler]

Thanks all,
Iff I boot the TV first, and then the laptop , the laptop sees the TV and allows me to set it as default in the sound settings. All going fine.

I watch a lot of Youtube, but they bombard me with ads , to the point of being really irritating. Browser on my laptop has an ad blocker whicjh will improve matters.

Cheers

[MitchT]

Hosenbugler said:

I watch a lot of Youtube, but they bombard me with ads , to the point of being really irritating. Browser on my laptop has an ad blocker whicjh will improve matters.

Tell me about it! I watch a ton of YouTube stuff. Never been troubled with ads when watching on my laptop. Then I watched some stuff via the YouTube app on my TV and was gobsmacked by the number of ads. A 25 minute video would have about four "ad breaks" which each consisted of a long and totally irrelevant ad kicking in at a totally inopportune moment right in the middle of some dialogue. Made the video totally unwatchable. I get that content creators have to monetize their work but they need to do it in way which doesn't make it totally unwatchable, otherwise people will use ad-blockers or disengage altogether. Anyway, laptop to TV connection has eradicated the problem.

[Truckosaurus]

Similarly, when I stream from my Mac to the tv via HDMI the sound comes out of the TV speakers but not the sound bar connected to the TV. I think it is because the soundbar is also connected via an HDMI cable so the tv is confused.

[Hosenbugler]

To be honest, I don't mind the odd ad, but Google/Youtube are making the channel unwatchable. Leaving the viewer wondering which was longest , the video they wanted to watch , or the adverts.

I can see what they are up to, they want people to pay for ad free streaming , so bludgeon users with ads.

I watch videos on various subjects , one of them being firearms channels. Channels Google love to de-monetise , yet still fill with ads.

Still, it's a good site with no ads , I reckon in the end they will force some kind of pay to view on users, so make the best of while still can.

[Corso Marche]

I don't mind the ads too much, if it means the channels are earning enough to continue creating content.

For those with smart TV's based on Android TV I'd suggest trying the SmartTubeNext (Beta) app. It blocks the adverts and in-video sponsorship pieces automatically, so can transform the YT experience on smart tvs. It's seeing very active development and if you need to eliminate adverts it's the way to go.

The flip side is you can see Google are clearly moving toward providing an international platform with free streaming channels earning from adverts, just how TV was before everything worth watching was subscription. That has it's appeal too, as nobody wants multiple subscription payments every month.

YT Premium also removes adverts of course, but I've never tried that despite receiving regular offers of free trial periods for the service.

[anonymous-user]

Not sure what equipment you use but there are loads of options to achieve wireless screen mirroring and playback between laptops / phones and the TV.

Unless you have a specific need to connect with a HDMI cable, wireless options are easier and more convenient.

[Collectingbrass]

Corso Marche said:

For those with smart TV's based on Android TV I'd suggest trying the SmartTubeNext (Beta) app. It blocks the adverts and in-video sponsorship pieces automatically, so can transform the YT experience on smart tvs. It's seeing very active development and if you need to eliminate adverts it's the way to go.

Can I get that via the app store on the smart TV or do I need to get a teenager in?

[Corso Marche]

Collectingbrass said:

Can I get that via the app store on the smart TV or do I need to get a teenager in?

You'll need to sideload it yourself, but trust me - it's definitely worth it.
The TV APK is available midway down the page;

https://smarttubenext.com/

(The first download links I think are for 'regular' android platforms).

If you already have another app store such as Aptoide TV or similar installed it might be worth checking if they have it listed - save you sideloading. But you won't find it in the Play Store - all is explained at the link above.

[anonymous-user]

Alternatively you can use a free VPN to change your location to Argentina and take out YouTube premium. If your bank doesn’t charge fees/marksup on foreign currency purchases it works out, at the current exchange rate, at 88p/month. You only need the VPN to take out the subscription, then you can watch as normal. I’m sure eventually they’ll stop you from doing this so I’m making the most.