Sending mp4 video to TV

mjmorris335

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Hi,

I have a Windows 10 laptop with a second monitor attached. I have it set up so that I can drag various things (such as videos, Chrome tabs, etc.) to the monitor. This all works fine.

I also have a 32" Panasonic TV sat next to the second monitor with a Chromecast attached.

With VLC open on the second monitor and its new Renderer facility (I know it's only beta, at the moment) I can send mp4 video to the TV via the Chromecast. However, some videos play and some don't. Am I correct in assuming that there's some on-the-fly conversion going on? If so, why would some files play and some not?

I tried to bypass the Chromecast by buying one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B073GL3RC8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It was set up so that the output from the laptop was sent to both the second monitor and the TV,
but all that happened was the laptop screen turned itself off and I got the same screen on both the second monitor and the TV.

What I need is to be able to play these videos on the TV ideally without having to hotswap HDMI leads.

Any ideas gratefully received,

Mike
 
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Yeah, an HDMI splitter will just duplicate the signal. You shouldn't have lost the laptop screen though.

For driving two independent external screens you either need a device that combines multiple screens and presents it to the computer as one large one (e.g. DualHead2Go), a device that converts another video output on your laptop to HDMI (VGA, Thunderbolt, DisplayPort etc.) or a device that adds a video output to your laptop - typically a USB video device (often sold as USB to HDMI adaptors).

What connectors does your laptop have or what model is it?

I'm not sure about VLC's chromecast output. Chromecast was always an odd beast. Are all the videos in the same encoding format (H.264 etc.)?
 
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Chromecast has very limited media support, particularly in the audio department.

To use that your best option is something that can transcode the content in real time making it playable on Chromecast, Emby or Plex would be the obvious choices, you install their server then the PC client or via the web interface and you should be able to cast content to the Chromecast.
 
Thanks for that. I have Plex installed and, casting via the Chrome browser, all that happens is the TV says 'Loading...' for a minute or so and then says, 'Sorry, something went wrong...'
 
Try the desktop clients (desktop app on Plex site or get Plex app from Win10 Store), there should be a players icon in the bottom right corner and maybe chromecast appears there.

If Plex still wont work then thats a strange one for sure, try Emby as a last ditch effort.
 
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