Although almost all streaming movies and series services they have their web version so that we can see what we want (Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video or specific channels such as Antena 3 or La Sexta through Atresplayer) you may want to have a Smart TV with all its functions. Applications of the different channels, streaming platforms and much more. And there are devices that allow it.
Devices with Android TV and sticks
We can use devices that connect to an HDMI or USB port and that allow us to access an interface similar to that of the Smart TV. But we must bear in mind one thing: we cannot do it from a laptop but this trick or this option is designed for the monitor. At laptop or graphics card case, HDMI port It is an output port as is the one of the device or stick with Android TV or Google TV, so it will not work. You should plug it directly into your monitor but not into your computer as such.
Amazon Fire TV
Amazon has several devices in its Amazon Fire TV range. From the most basic stick, the fire TV Stick Lite model, to others like the Amazon Fire TV Cube that incorporates a smart speaker in addition to sending content to the TV. A recommended option is the Amazon Fire Tv Stick 4K Max as long as your monitor is compatible. It offers us 4K quality to see series and movies clearly and It also offers us compatibility with WiFi 6. The remote has voice control with Alexa and direct access buttons for applications such as Disney, Amazon Prime Video or Netflix. In addition, it has controls for the television: we have direct control and we can pause, change channels, increase the volume or mute.
One of the advantages offered by the Amazon Fire TV is that it not only has the possibility of viewing content through the applications but you can turn a monitor into a Smart TV with Amazon’s live channels in the “Live” section that allows you to view content over the Internet and that gives us access to channels such as La 1, La 2, teledeporte, Antena 3 and others.
Chromecast with Google TV
The Google Chromecast with Google TV is another of the best options today with a price of around 70 euros and with a resolution of up to 4K with HDR as long as your monitor is compatible. The great advantage compared to having a conventional Smart TV is that the main Google interface recommends content based on what we have seen, in the different accounts and profiles that we have open. You can see recommendations or you can see “continue watching” from the main screen without having to open Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or the others.
Another great advantage is that you can search globally in all your services: you can even use voice control to say OK Google and have it show you all the movies there is of your favorite actor on all the platforms you have started. Or you can search for a specific title, a specific genre, etc.
Xiaomi MI Stick
Among the most popular is also the Xiaomi stick. A stick of less than 30 grams that works with AndroidTV and that connects to the HDMI port of the television or, in this case, of your monitor or your projector. It is small, compact, takes up hardly any space and includes a remote with voice control with Google Assistant or with direct access to apps like Netflix or Amazon Prime video. It works with Android TV and allows us to download as many applications as we want: Netflix, HBO Max, Twitch, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video or others like Twitch or Spotify.
Supports DTS and Dolby Audio for surround sound and offers high-speed HD playback. In addition, it has Smart Cast that allows us to send videos from the phone or tablet to see on the monitor in a big way.
Xiaomi Mi Box S
In addition, Xiaomi also has its classic media player: the Mi Box S, 4K streaming player with Ultra HD and with integrated Chromecast and Google Assistant. It is around 60 euros and it works with Android. You simply have to connect the HDMI cable to your computer and it has a WiFi connection and a Bluetooth connection.
Unlike the previous one, it is not a stick but something larger so it can be a bit more annoying. The remote also works with the Google Assistant so we can ask it for the movie we want, tell it to turn up the volume or even control the rest of smart elements from our room.
Use an Android emulator on your PC
Another option to have Android TV on the monitor or on the PC and have a kind of Smart TV is to use an emulator. We can download Android Studio on our computer to have an emulator for the television version. It is compatible with Windows, with Mac and with Linux and we can download it from the Android Studio website.
You just have to download it, install it and follow the steps that it indicates. Also, you will have to allocate a memory that will use the emulator and the recommended is 2 GB pBut we can change it whenever we want. Once the download and installation is complete, we must configure it by following all the steps. The configuration is simple although it is in English but it has an assistant in which we simply have to touch on “following”And choosing between the options.
When you configure it you must choose Android TV, as you see in the image below. You choose the option and follow the steps. A floating window that will allow us to have a Smart TV on the monitor.
Access channel websites on the Internet
Although you are not going to convert the monitor into a Smart TV as such, there are options to watch TV over the Internet that will allow us to access the different channels without having a Smart TV or depending on an antenna. For example, do you want to watch tv in your room but you have no option to connect it … In that case, we can see something online from the specific applications of the different communication channels or groups or from general apps that allow us to access multiple content without having to buy any of the previous sticks or have no other tool beyond a subscription or the account that is included in your television package that you already have with your operator (or that your parents have contracted and that you also use)
Vodafone TV, for example, it allows us to access all channels and content from PC and Mac without having to install the application, directly from the web vodafonetvonline.es and logging in with our credentials. From here we can go to our channels, recorded programs, video store content and much more.
The same goes for Orange TV that allows us to access through the browser from orangetv.orange.es by logging in with our data and with an interface that will allow us to watch the different channels, movies, series or access the video store as if we were using deco or a Smart TV.
And also others like Movistar They allow us to do so: we turn the monitor into a Smart TV if we access it from the browser since we can watch delayed programs, live sports and everything you need without having a television antenna.
Also, there are other options like Tivify or like Pluto TV that do not really fulfill what we are looking for (turn the monitor into a Smart TV) with all the apps you want, but they do allow us access to many channels in addition to direct control, etc. Tivify and Pluto TV are free and have live channels, linear programming, on-demand content, and more.