Making A Wireless PC to TV Connection

If you have a laptop or desktop computer with an average sized screen, you've probably thought "Wouldn't it be great if I could magically beam my computer screen to my nice big flat panel HDTV in the living room?" 


Poof... you can! Some computers can connect directly to a television set with an HDMI cable, effectively turning your HDTV into a second monitor.  But this is practical only over relatively short distances, and the cables can be messy and expensive.  Computers that don't have HDMI outputs can make a wired connection to an HDTV by using a converter.


But hey, we were trying to do this wirelessly. So enter the age of the wireless video sending device. By connecting a wireless video transmitter to your computer, and a wireless receiver to your television, the problem is neatly solved. So how does it work, and which device is best for wirelessly sending websites, YouTube videos, photos, games and other content from your computer screen to the TV?

Let's look at several wireless PC to TV devices to determine which is right for you. Some of them will even send what's on your smartphone or tablet to your living room television screen!

Wireless PC to TV Options


WiDi (also called WWi-Fi Direct) is a technology from Intel that lets you stream HD 1080p content wirelessly from a WiDi-enabled computer to an HDTV. If the HDTV also has the WiDi feature, no cables or extra software are needed. Other HDTVs can be used by adding a WiDi adapter such as the Actiontec ScreenBeam Pro ($104), or the HP's Wireless TV Connect Kit ($159).  Below is the video for Actiontec's ScreenBeam Pro.

You can stream videos, music, photos and games from PC to TV, in high definition with surround sound. WiDi has low latency, which minimizes screen lag for interactive applications like videos and games. If you have WiDi on both your computer and your HDTV, this is an excellent solution.

Chromecast is a new gadget from Google that lets you wirelessly beam content from a PC or (or an Android smartphone or tablet) to an HDTV set. Stream internet content such as Netflix, YouTube, HBO GO, Hulu Plus, or Google Play Movies. You can beam web content via the Chrome browser, or use the screen mirroring capability to send whatever is on your PC screen to your HDTV. 

With a price tag of just $35, this has become a very popular device for bringing the small screen to the big screen.

Sewell Direct's Wireless PC to TV Converter connects to any PC, video game console or other VGA source with the included cable.  The SW-28760 sends both audio and video signals to your TV from up to 150' away.  Connect the receiver to your TV via video/audio cables.  In addition, this unit can be utilized as a wired VGA to TV converter box with S-video, RGB and composite outputs. 

This unit is 480i VGA (not HD), so it's not recommended for text based applications such as email, unless you use a font of 14 points or larger.  And although it'll send whatever is on your screen to your TV, the relatively low-res VGA signal may result in grainy videos.  The Sewell Converter is very reasonably priced at $79.95.


All of the wireless PC to TV devices do pretty much the same thing -- sling content via wifi from your computer to your TV -- yet each has features that are unique. You may not need HD quality video, or the ability to stream wireless video 150 feet through walls. And of course, there's always the wired option for sending your PC screen to the TV. (See the first gadget mentioned near the top of this article.) 

Although the wires may be unsightly, you'll get better video quality, and eliminate the potential for interference from appliances and other signals floating around.

When choosing, check compatibility with your computer, operating system, and personal requirements. Look for actual customer reviews to how they perform in real-world situations. Have you used a wireless device to transmit from your PC screen to a TV?

They are tons more options out there, we've just highlighted a few.