GADGET GIZMO SPECIAL STREAM AND PLAY HOW TO ONLINE VIDEOS ON YOUR TV

GADGET GIZMO SPECIAL STREAM AND PLAY HOW TO ONLINE VIDEOS ON YOUR TV





If you want to watch YouTube videos on your television, or stream those holiday videos from your laptop or pen drive to its big screen, you will need to buy a smart TV that comes with built-in Wi-Fi and digital format support. But if you think your existing `flatscreen' still has a few years of service left in it, you might want to consider a media player to convert your telly into a web-enabled entertainment centre. Just make sure your TV set has a free HDMI port...

CHROMECAST 2

Google's new Chromecast is a disc-shaped device that plugs into your TV's HDMI port to let you view photos, stream videos, and even run apps from your Android handset, tablet, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows laptop and Chromebook. You will, of course, need to install the Google Cast app on your smartphone, tablet or computer, and you will also need an active Wi-Fi internet connection.

Set up is fairly simple: Plug the Chromecast 2 into an HDMI port; power it up via a plug point; use the TV remote to switch the AV source to HDMI and follow the onscreen instructions to connect to your home Wi-Fi.The device comes with all the necessary instructions and cables you will need to set it up and get it running.

Once it is set up, you can use the Chromecast 2 to view YouTube, Netflix, Plex, NPR One and other video services on your TV .Just tap the Cast button in these apps.

Apart from streaming vide content from the web, you can use Chromecast 2 to mirror your phone and tablet screen, as well as browser tabs from your laptop. Plus, there are mobile apps like EZCast, LocalCast and RealPlayer Cloud that let you stream personal content from your smartphone and tablet.

http:www.google.co.inchromecast | `3,399

The Chromecast 2 is not equipped with internal memory where you can store multimedia files, nor does it include a USB port or a memory card slot for storage expansion. If you want to play content off a pen drive, memory card, or portable hard drive, then consider the HalfTicket TV devices or the Amkette EvoTV 2.

All three gadgets run on the Android operating system and support myriad audiovideo file for mats such as AVI, MP4, MOV, Windows Media files, MP3 and high-quality audio types like OGG and FLAC.

Setting these up is similar to the Chromecast: connect the player to a free HDMI port, power it up, switch your TV source, and follow the manual's instructions to connect to your Wi-Fi network.

HALFTICKET TV

This media player is available as a “Smart Stick“ or a “Streaming Box“. Both come preloaded with streaming apps that offer curated content for movies (HalfTicket) and documentaries (Documentary World). You get an app for children (HooplaKidz) that's packed with nursery rhymes and educational videos, as well as access to Google's Play Store from where you can install apps such as Facebook, Amazon and Flipkart.

The HalfTicket TV devices are equipped with motion-sensing remotes, which makes it easy to navigate its on screen user interface. That said, some Android apps might suffer from random lags, as they may not be compatible with large format displays. These niggles will require an over-the-air update to iron out optimization issues. Still, HalfTicket TV works well for streaming audio and video content from the internet. So which one should you buy? Well, consider the Smart Stick if you're looking for portability. This device comes with 8GB internal storage and a slot for microSD memory cards. You can even use its included USB OTG cable to plug in a pen drive or portable hard drive.

But if you want more connectivity options, then consider the Streaming Box. It has two USB ports, a microSD slot and an Ether net port for wired connectivity to your home network. If your TV doesn't have an HDMI port then you can use the included AV cable to make your TV `smart'.

store.halfticket.tv | `3,999 (Smart Stick), `4,999 (Streaming Box)

AMKETTE EVOTV 2

Like the HalfTicket TV players, the Amkette EvoTV 2 is also an Android-based box with access to Google's Play Store. But in terms of functionality, it packs in so much more. For instance, it works with the Google Cast app, so you can push YouTube videos to the player just like you would with the Chromecast. Plus, if you install its Chrome browser extension, then you can view the tab on your television too. The included “air mouse“ lets you input text quickly; control apps and movie playback. It is even possible to watch videos saved on your laptop, PC or Mac machines. For this, you need to install Serviio (serviio.org) on your computer; import the media files and launch its pre-installed companion app on the EvoTV 2.

The box comes pre-loaded with apps like Eros Now and Netflix for movies, and popular TV chan nels, which let you watch your favourite soaps and sports matches online.

The EvoTV 2 comes with four USB ports, one of which is utilized by the remote's wireless receiver. But you can use the three free ports to connect a portable hard drive, a pen drive and even a wireless keyboard.Plus, you get an SD card slot, so you can browse the photos you took with your digital camera on a bigger screen.

evotv.amkette.com | `6,999

TIP: You will need a good internet connection for smooth streaming of online videos. You should subscribe for a minimum speed of 5Mbps with preferably unlimited data. Also, these set-ups work best if the Wi-Fi router is in close proximity to your TV set for better wireless signal fidelity .

It should be noted that glass partitions and walls between the device and router will weaken your Wi-Fi signal thus marring your video streaming experience.

Ashutosh Desai

TOI28MAY16