Simplest way to stream content directly from tablets to tv

SimonBalaam

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I'm looking into ways of streaming content held locally on samsung galaxy tabs straight on to my tv. We have a smart samsung tv in one room and that is seemless but our main tv is a panasonic normal plasma. I've been looking at all the different types of streamers but am getting all muddled up on which is the most simple and direct to connect. Chromecast was my initial favourite but I've now come across roku and now tv. Also I have heard it might be possible with Apple TV too.

Can anyone give me a clue on the best cost effective solution that works like airplay or the link between the samsung tablets and tv's?

A plus would be using it for apple devices but it's not really essential.

Thanks

Simon.
 
What media types have you got on your tablet ?

Chromecast at £30 seems the best option initially. Apple TV is £99 and pretty limited so I can't see that ever being 'cost effective'. Now TV you need to hack to make it useful so depends if your up for that. Roku, it can do a job but again its fussy about formats. Your Samsung tv is either using DLNA or miracast, do you know which you using ? Samsung might call it allshare
 
I probably have no problems having a go at hacking a now tv if it's not going to brick it! As for my samsung tv it's in of these
ImageUploadedByAVForums1398592211.818315.jpg


What can I use on chrome cast to just send videos directly. The majority of files are in mp4

Thanks. Simon
 
Your tv will be using DLNA, whatever Samsung want to call it.

To send stuff from your tablet to Chromecast I'd use an app like Allcast (Google Play Store) or BubbleUPnP
 
I borrowed the borther in laws Apple TV lastnight and used allcast and that seemed to work quite well but looked a bit clunky in getting things to cast. I was hoping I could get youtube working too but that doesn't look like an option with Apple TV!
 
AppleTV is meant only to work with iOS devices not Android. Apps like Allcast use a reverse engineered version of Airplay which does not offer 100% compatibility with Airplay standard.

Chromecast is effectively Google's answer to Airplay and the Youtube app has a cast button built in to beam content to the Chromecast receiver.

Your TV might support DIAL which is a more primitive cross platform standard that works sort of like Chromecast/Airplay, if you load the Youtube app on the Samsung TV then go into the Android Youtube app and press the cast button the TV might appear there without needing a Chromecast adapter.

Allcast/Bubble UPnP should work out for pushing MP4 videos stored on the device to the TV over DLNA.
 
I wont be using the Samsung TV most of the time anyway so I might give a Chromecast a go. I have just seen WD TV though! Can this do a similar thing? Sorry for all the questions!

Thanks

Simon
 
No the WDTV Live is a digital file player (avi/mp4/mkv etc.) it is similar to the media player built into the Samsung TV just a bit better. It's primarily meant for playing media streamed from a PC/NAS or USB source not the Internet.

It does have some basic portals like Youtube/Netflix but it doesn't have Chromecast/Airplay or app support.

The markets been waiting quite some time for something that combines those two in a slick manner and isn't a hacked together affair, basically an AppleTV with an app store so you can load apps on it and make it do different things.

The Amazon FireTV is exactly that though it's not available here yet and Google have their own official AndroidTV in the works as well and Apple are rumoured to be preparing an AppleTV with an app store.
 
OK fair enough. I think I may take a punt on a chromecast and see how I get on. Thanks for your help.

Simon
 
Right well I tried Chromecast and its not great for this. I have tried several apps and I can get Audio up on the screen nothing but black!!
I got a Now TV box for £10 just to have a play. I thought i'd cracked it with Playto but nope it seems glitchy too.
Thinking about a Miracast device now but I dont know if a Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 & a Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 are completely compatible but i'm guessing my samsung tv above has a form of Miracast built in and that works well. I just need to do this on other Tv's now!!

So much time wasted playing with this! lol
 
Does the Chromecast not work with Youtube app ?

If it does not then something is wrong, the other apps may not properly interface with Chromecast or something else could be going on, the Chromecast is not an ideal device to stream mp4/avi/mkv media to. Plex media server on a PC will transcode the content to make it work using Plex on your phone/tablet as the controller to push to Chromecast.

But there are various weak links in that chain like network speed and so on, some android apps try to do the same like Allcast but Android devices typically do not have the processing power to transcode video properly in real time but a PC should do.
 
Well for the little time i tried it youtube worked fine. Oddly enough the most reliable device I have used to date is the AppleTV I borrowed from my brother in law!!! And that seemed to work well. I think I might have just saved my money and got one of those!!

I have seen this but i'm not sure if it will work either!!

Sumvision Cyclone Micro 4 With Miracast and Network DLNA - 7DAYSHOP.COM
 
By the sounds of it the chromecast worked fine for it's intended purpose (internet streaming media) but if your using it to play digital videos avi/mp4 etc then thats were it wont work so well.

Those gadgets are basically a miracast receiver and DLNA media player combined into one, people have had very mixed experiences with them. On paper it should handle media playback better than a Chromecast for avi/mp4 but it wont work out so well for internet streaming media, thats what the miracast bit is for.


An Android box might be something else to consider, the biggest one is the Amazon FireTV, it has a media player on it's app store ViMu player that can handle common file types and it also doubles as a DLNA receiver, you can also install apps like AirBuddy to emulate Airplay support. The only problem is the FireTV isnt available here yet but it is coming out just no known ETA.

There are other generic Android boxes you can buy locally but quality level is not so good compared to the FireTV.
 
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Well the chromecast has gone back. Time do have a look around for alternatives! I really don't want to go down a media server route unless I have to!
Thanks for your help.
 

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