A smart TV has the capability to connect to the internet and stream content from services like YouTube, Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, Spotify, and many others. If you have an old TV, you might miss all the fun. Lucky for you, there are various ways in which you can connect to the internet and stream music and videos using your old TV. It’s fascinating, right? This article will show you how to turn your old TV into a smart TV so that you can access such services and much more. You may not have to spend a lot of money as some of these devices are relatively cheap.
Devices that can turn your old TV into a smart TV
As long as your old TV is perfectly functional, you can upgrade it to a smart TV using the following devices:
- Apple TV
- Amazon’s Fire TV devices
- Chromecast with Google TV
- Gaming Consoles: Xbox and PlayStation
- Blue-ray players
- Android TV-Based Media Player
- NVIDIA Shield TV
- Facebook’s Portal TV
- Set-Top Boxes
- Roku
- Old PC or laptop
How to turn your old TV into a smart TV
Now that you know the devices you need to turn your old TV into a smart TV, let’s look at how you can use each one of them.
1. Apple TV
Apple TV is an HDMI device that you can plug into your old TV to give it capabilities to connect to the internet and stream content online. If you have an apple device such as an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, or any other Apple device, it will be easier as the interface will be familiar to you. You are also allowed to sign in with your Apple ID. Apple TV gives you access to all major streaming channels, including Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video.
In addition, Apple TV supports Airplay which allows you to mirror your screen and stream apps from your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
2. Amazon’s Fire TV devices
If you are an Amazon Prime Subscriber, you should opt for Amazon’s Fire TV devices. These devices work coherently with your Prime subscription. All you have to do is plug the device into your HDMI port and link a familiar interface to your Amazon account. These devices come at different costs with the Fire Stick Lite being the cheapest option and the Fire TV Cube being a premium option that is entirely voice-operated.
With Amazon’s Fire TV devices, you can access all the major streaming services on your old or non-smart TV, including Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Peacock. Whichever Fire TV device you use, you can cast content from your Google Chrome or Android web browser. The devices also feature Alexa and have a remote controller that can be used to control other compatible smart home devices, browse for information on the internet and find content to watch.
3. Chromecast with Google TV
This device is fairly similar to Amazon’s Fire Stick as it also plugs into your non-smart TV’s HDMI port and allows you to connect to the internet wirelessly. Earlier Chromecasts enabled you to stream content from an Android or Chrome web browser. New makes have Google TV built-in, a feature that turns your non-smart TV into a smart TV. With Chromecast with Google TV, you can access all major streaming services, such as Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and Netflix. Additionally, its Play Store allows you to install numerous other apps you may need.
4. Gaming Consoles: Xbox and PlayStation
Almost all modern game consoles are designed with the capability to connect to the internet and allow you to stream content online even if you don’t have a smart TV. Popular game consoles that support streaming services are PlayStation and Xbox. To be specific, Xbox models that support streaming services include Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and Xbox 360. For the PlayStation models, PS3, PS4, and PS5 are the models to go for if you want to stream content online.
5. Blu-ray players
Although earlier Blu-ray players had no such capabilities, modern ones are modified to allow you access to streaming services. The modern players thus have the capability to turn your old TV into a smart TV. Most Blu-ray players even have built-in streaming apps. Netflix is the most common app built-in smart Blu-ray players, some devices support NOW TV too. So, if you want to play your Blu-ray discs without missing the fun of streaming Netflix, you should get your smart Blu-ray player. Common brands include LG, Toshiba, Phillips, Sony, Toshiba, and Magnavox.
6. Android TV-Based Media Player
Using Android TV-Based media is also another way in which you can turn your old TV into a smart TV. There are many Android TV-based devices such as the Realme 4K Smart TV, Xiaomi Mi TV stick, MarQ by Flipkart Turbostream, and Nokia Media Streamer. Such devices feature native audio and video streaming apps. Android TV-Based media players come with a remote controller, saving you the trouble of relying on your smartphone or tablet to control media playback and volume. They also have Google Assistant to help you get answers to your questions, control smart home products and browse for information on the internet.
7. NVIDIA Shield TV
The NVIDIA Shield can also come in handy when you want to stream content online using your old TV. The device also has the capability to stream games to your PC if it is GeForce-powered. It has pre-installed streaming apps like YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies, and Plex in addition to the NVIDIA Games app. In case you need additional streaming services, you can simply install those available in the Play Store including Apple TV+, Disney+, and Hulu.
8. Facebook’s Portal TV
Facebook’s Portal TV plugs into your non-smart TV to enable access to streaming services. This device has a built-in HD camera to enable you to do video calls if you want to. Even more, you can watch Facebook videos with friends, as well as access Facebook services such as Workplace and Zoom.
9. Set-Top boxes
Apart from giving you access to live TV channels, modern set-top boxes may as well have streaming options. These devices can therefore turn your old TV into a smart TV by enabling internet access, the ability to cast shows and movies from your computer or mobile device wirelessly, and by adding downloadable apps. Examples of such apps include the Tata Sky Binge+, DishTV Smart Hub, and Airtel Xstream Box.
10. Roku With Roku, you can choose to use either a Roku streaming stick or box. Whichever device you choose, just plug it directly into your old TV’s HDMI port and connect to Wi-Fi. This will enable you to stream content from apps like Amazon Prime Video, Spotify, Catch-up TV apps, Netflix, and many others.
Also Read: What are the Negative Effects of Technology?
Old Laptop or PC
Apart from fro all the above devices, your laptop or PC can do just fine in turning your old TV into a smart TV. All you need is to connect your old TV and your computer using an HDMI cable so that you can stream content from the internet. You can stream video and audio via your browser or you can install streaming apps. This arrangement can also give you access to Google Assistant and Alexa via your computer.
To tell if your TV is a smart one or not, you need to check if it can connect to the internet and stream audio and video seamlessly. It should also have an AI-powered voice assistant. If your TV cannot do any of these independently, it is not a smart TV. Therefore, you will require one of the above devices and plug it into your TV’s HDMI port to make it work as a smart TV. You will then be able to gain access to:
- Connect to the internet via an Ethernet port or Wi-Fi
- Screen casting feature
- Audio and video streaming apps like Disney+, Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar, Hulu, etc.
- Digital voice assistants such as Google Assistants, Siri, or Alexa.
Those are the different ways in which you can turn your non-smart TV into a smart one. Using the above devices is easy and gives you a chance to save some money since you won’t have to buy a smart TV at all.
