9/19/2023 0 Comments Connect to tv![]() ![]() The most VPN-friendly smart TV OSes are Amazon Fire TV and Google's Android TV and Google TV platforms. Like any software or service, your first step here is to work backward from what's available for your operating system. When you hook up a VPN to your TV and connect to a VPN server, your ISP won't be able to see what you're watching or otherwise decipher any of the internet activity transmitted or received by your TV. This means that all of the internet traffic you're transmitting through that encrypted VPN connection is hidden from any entity with an intent to monitor your activity, including your ISP. When you connect to a VPN, you establish an encrypted connection between your device and the internet via a VPN server in a remote location. You don't want to risk losing access to your streaming account for any reason.Įven if unblocking geo-restricted video content on your smart TV isn't of particular interest to you, you may want to use a VPN on your TV as a way of preventing your ISP from being able to monitor your viewing habits or keep track of the internet activity being generated by your smart TV. Just make sure to check with your streaming service of choice to confirm that using a VPN doesn't violate its terms of service. Since the VPN changes your IP address to a US IP address in the process, the streaming service you're visiting will assume you're in the US and serve up American programming, even if you're across the Atlantic. If you’re not sure what speeds you’re currently getting, you can use our speed test below to find out.If, say, you're in the UK but you want to stream programming that's only available in the US, then you can hook your VPN up to your smart TV and connect to a server in the US. That said, the more devices are using your connection at once, the higher speeds you’ll need. Most streaming services recommend around 5 Mbps of download speeds for smooth, buffer-free streaming in HD - an easily reachable target for most homes. Make sure you’re getting enough download speeds You can learn more about choosing the right Ethernet cord in our guide. For Amazon Fire TV Sticks and Google Chromecasts, you’ll have to purchase an adapter separately, while Roku only includes one on its most expensive model. Of the four main streaming devices, only Apple TV has an Ethernet port on all of its models. But because they plug into your wireless router, your TV will have to be relatively close to your router to use a wired connection. While wireless connections have improved a ton in recent years, Ethernet cords still provide a more reliable connection in most homes. We also recommend taking the following steps to ensure the dreaded buffering wheel never derails movie night. Tips for getting the most out of your internet connectionĬonnecting your TV to the internet is only step one to a smooth streaming experience. If you’d rather invest in a new Blu-ray player over a streaming device, most models with Wi-Fi start around $70. But most models released in the past five years or so all tout their streaming ability as a key selling point. If you have an older model, it might not have the ability to connect to the internet. Granted, you won’t have access to as many apps as a dedicated streaming device does, but you’ll have no problem downloading popular services like Netflix and Hulu.īlu-ray players are slightly more hit-or-miss. Consoles as far back as PlayStation 3 (2006-2013) and Xbox 360 (2001-2013) come equipped with the ability to connect to the internet. If you’ve purchased a Blu-ray player or video game console in the past decade, you likely already have everything you need to connect your TV to Wi-Fi. Depending on which type your Android device uses, you may have to purchase an adapter. For Apple products, you’ll need a Lightning Digital AV Adapter, while most newer Android phones and tablets have a Type C connection (also known as USB-C) or Type D (Micro HDMI). If you don’t already have one lying around the house, they generally cost around $10 new.Ĭonnecting a smartphone or tablet usually requires an extra step. As it mirrors everything on your laptop, tablet or phone, you can use this method for things like sharing vacation photos or home videos as well.Īlmost every laptop has an HDMI port built into it, so all you’ll need in this case is the cable itself. If you only plan on using your TV for streaming every once in a while, you can probably get by just fine with an HDMI cable. Keep in mind, no matter which streaming device you go with, you’ll still have to subscribe to apps like Netflix and Hulu separately. ✘ Voice control doesn’t work as well as other streaming devices ✘ More expensive than other streaming devices ✘ Not compatible with Apple photos or Prime Video ✘ Have to download streaming apps to your device ✔ Lets you mirror your phone, tablet or laptop on the TV ![]()
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