Using a 40" SmartTV as a wireless laptop monitor

[mabrowndog]

I bought my mother a Samsung 40" Smart TV recently. Here's what I want to be able to do in descending order of importance:
 
* Play videos for her that I've saved on my hard drive (mostly .mp4, some .avi & .mpg).
* Show her photos, either in a slideshow or individually.
* Play music (mp3) for her through her TV speakers rather than the chintzy laptop speakers.
* Show her streaming video from YouTube and other sites.
* Show her web pages, with the TV mirroring my inputs and mouse movements.
 
[The TV has a built-in browser that includes YouTube, but it's a pain in the ass to navigate using the remote, and I haven't yet decided if it's worthwhile to buy a wireless keyboard.]
 
Here's what I'm working with:
 
* Lenovo x120e notebook, 64-bit
* Windows 7 Professional, SP1
* Bluetooth capable, but not yet enabled
* WiFi through Comcast (if it's relevant, internet speeds on Cape Cod are much slower than their service in populated areas, since the demographic here is generally older, and there's no Verizon Fios here for them to compete with.)
* The TV is already wirelessly connected to her router as a recognized device.
 
I've looked around online at various devices (dongles?) that you apparently plug into the USB port on the TV, but many of the descriptions and reviews are well above my pay grade in terms of the latest technical jargon and confusing acronyms, and they seem to have exceptions and disclaimers (won't work with X, can't do Y, etc.).
 
So rather than continue to search aimlessly, I was hoping someone here could help me cut to the chase -- or tell me I simply can't perform these functions that way with that specific TV and/or my current computer.
 
Thanks in advance!

 

[smastroyin]

I assume it has an extra HDMI.  If you don't care about dealing with some wires, the best thing may be just to get a VGA to HDMI converter and just use the TV as your screen.  Or, your laptop may have an HDMI out and you don't need the converter.

 

[Couperin47]

Keep it simple and you will have zero problems. Your laptop has an hdmi output: Get a really good high bandwidth cable to connect: 
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10255&cs_id=1025503&p_id=10508&seq=1&format=2
 
Very thin flexible and 15 feet so you're not tethered directly in front of the screen.

 

[zenter]

I assume it has an extra HDMI.  If you don't care about dealing with some wires, the best thing may be just to get a VGA to HDMI converter and just use the TV as your screen.  Or, your laptop may have an HDMI out and you don't need the converter.

 
I believe he's looking for a wireless solution - click an icon on my computer, hit something on my TV remote, and it's a second screen.
 
MBD: The off-the-top-of-my-head solution is Chromecast which supports some low-level screen mirroring, but I haven't done much research. IIRC, the key "feature" needed for this kind of streaming/mirroring is Miracast. I've been wanting to do something like what you say with my laptop, but never got around to it (and my TV is dumb). If I discover anything, I'll let you know.

 

[smastroyin]

Sure, but I think this is one of those deals where you can choose two of:
 
- Reliable
- Inexpensive
- Convenient
 
If you insist on wireless, the top three things on the list can be accomplished wirelessly through Windows Media Center, but you have to then want to deal with Windows Media Center.  And you either buy an XBox and connect it to the TV, or learn all of the configurations that will make it work with the TV.  Samsung's help page isn't functioning properly right now, but they have a whole section dedicated to this.  That is where I would start. 

 

[SumnerH]

I believe he's looking for a wireless solution - click an icon on my computer, hit something on my TV remote, and it's a second screen.
 
MBD: The off-the-top-of-my-head solution is Chromecast which supports some low-level screen mirroring, but I haven't done much research. IIRC, the key "feature" needed for this kind of streaming/mirroring is Miracast. I've been wanting to do something like what you say with my laptop, but never got around to it (and my TV is dumb). If I discover anything, I'll let you know.

Chromecast is cheap, but the quality blows.

You could get a wireless HDMI streamer if 1080p resolution is enough: http://www.amazon.com/Nyrius-Transmitter-Streaming-Satellite-NPCS549/dp/B009E6R89C/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_1 for one example.

 

[AlNipper49]

If this was my mother and I wanted her to not be frustrated I'd buy her a Mac and an Apple TV and then call it a day.  
 
Every other solution will have some level of "cobbled together", which may be fine depending on how sensitive Momma Dog is to this stuff.

 

[zenter]

If this was my mother and I wanted her to not be frustrated I'd buy her a Mac and an Apple TV and then call it a day.  
 
Every other solution will have some level of "cobbled together", which may be fine depending on how sensitive Momma Dog is to this stuff.

 
If Momma Dog is anything like my mom, she finds Apple products frustrating and is unwilling to adapt, especially at the asking prices versus an already-owned "perfectly-good" Windows laptop.
 
For example, she has a older iPad (no longer getting OS updates) and recently ranted about how "those idiot Apple 'geniuses' expect me to spend $500 of my good money for a new iPad when I have one right here that works fine?" She's now looking at getting a Kindle Fire. To be fair, my mom's no luddite and was doing database systems analysis and project management when I was a tyke, so her perspective may not be the same as Momma Dog's.

 

[AlNipper49]

 
If Momma Dog is anything like my mom, she finds Apple products frustrating and is unwilling to adapt, especially at the asking prices versus an already-owned "perfectly-good" Windows laptop.
 
For example, she has a older iPad (no longer getting OS updates) and recently ranted about how "those idiot Apple 'geniuses' expect me to spend $500 of my good money for a new iPad when I have one right here that works fine?" She's now looking at getting a Kindle Fire. To be fair, my mom's no luddite and was doing database systems analysis and project management when I was a tyke, so her perspective may not be the same as Momma Dog's.

 
LOL in her case I would agree completely.  

 

[mabrowndog]

Thanks for the responses so far.
 
* Regarding the Mac/Apple TV option: My mother will not be viewing any of this stuff on her own. She's 85, disabled, extremely high-strung, and technologically allergic (not just challenged). Re-setting the clock on the microwave oven after a power outage is a Herculean task for her. So it will only be when I'm around to show her this stuff.
 
* Regarding Chromecast: Unless I'm missing something, it seems to only be useful for online streaming content. Will it allow me to open audio/video/image files on my hard drive, and display them on the TV?
 
* Smas, you're spot on regarding the Samsung help page. It's a big reason I ended up with glazed-over eyes and an Excedrin headache as one Google result after another told me about everything except what I was looking for. And when I sought out Samsung devices on Amazon, Newegg, etc., the confusion multiplied.
 
* Video quality isn't that important. Not only would 1080p be more than sufficient, I think 720p would be just fine -- even on a 40" screen. She has a regular digital cable box and stubbornly doesn't want an HD box despite the TV's capability. This new TV replaced a 17-year-old 32" Sanyo tube TV, and it's taken me years to convince her of the benefits of a flat screen.
 
* While a cord is indeed the simplest solution (as Couperin47 notes I do have an HDMI output on my laptop), it's not the most practical. Nothing against that hot blonde, strip-teasing, lemonade-spilling, DirecTV marionette, but based on logistical hurdles (mom's walker and her chronic packrat-induced clutter) the less wires the better.
 
However, if I did opt for that 15-foot cord, is it essentially a plug & play setup once I connect the laptop to the TV? I.e. will it instantly start functioning as an external monitor, mirroring my laptop? Or do I have to configure one or both devices? I realize I'd need to set the TV's input to HDMI# (for whatever input I connect it to), but anything beyond that?

 

[smastroyin]

You would select the proper input on the TV.
 
Then you would hit Shift-F8 on your laptop until it was in the proper setting (mostly likely sending signal to both the laptop screen and the TV).
 
Unless you keep your laptop at native 1080p (1920x1080) it should auto-resize to this when you switch the output.  

 

[jayhoz]

You would select the proper input on the TV.
 
Then you would hit Shift-F8 on your laptop until it was in the proper setting (mostly likely sending signal to both the laptop screen and the TV).
 
Unless you keep your laptop at native 1080p (1920x1080) it should auto-resize to this when you switch the output.  

 
Is Shift-F8 specific to Dog's Lenovo?  All the laptops I have had use Function-F4.

 

[smastroyin]

Good point, that is for my laptop.
 
It will be whatever cycles the display on yours.  I was just trying to illustrate the simplicity.

 

[jayhoz]

Good point, that is for my laptop.
 
It will be whatever cycles the display on yours.  I was just trying to illustrate the simplicity.

By making it confusing?  

 

[smastroyin]

Looks like Function-F8 on the Lenovo, btw, but that's just looking at a keyboard.
 

 
Dog, I'm sure you can figure this out on your own, but one of your function keys will have that little screen icon that indicates the proper key sequence for cycling the display options.

 

[Couperin47]

OK, wasn't aware of the complete situation, in that case spends a few more bucks and get this:
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10255&cs_id=1025506&p_id=9430&seq=1&format=2
 
that's a 30 ft version, now you run it along the perimeter of the room and feed out to her location in a manner that avoids any likelihood of tripping or interference. You can also leave the laptop set in the position where it feeds both the local and remote screen and just have her turn down the laptop volume when the TV is on ?
 
EDIT:
 
This is actually less expensive and probably a better option: http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10255&cs_id=1025507&p_id=9170&seq=1&format=2
and there are 40 and 50' versions if it's a really big room.....

 

[SumnerH]

My HDMI streamer (and others like it) will operate exactly like a cord, just without the wire. And more expensive.

 

[mabrowndog]

Looks like Function-F8 on the Lenovo, btw, but that's just looking at a keyboard.
 
Dog, I'm sure you can figure this out on your own, but one of your function keys will have that little screen icon that indicates the proper key sequence for cycling the display options.

 
Yeah, I just checked it out and it's the F7 key. Thanks, Steve.
 

OK, wasn't aware of the complete situation, in that case spends a few more bucks and get this:
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10255&cs_id=1025506&p_id=9430&seq=1&format=2
 
that's a 30 ft version, now you run it along the perimeter of the room and feed out to her location in a manner that avoids any likelihood of tripping or interference. You can also leave the laptop set in the position where it feeds both the local and remote screen and just have her turn down the laptop volume when the TV is on ?
 
EDIT:
 
This is actually less expensive and probably a better option: http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10255&cs_id=1025507&p_id=9170&seq=1&format=2
and there are 40 and 50' versions if it's a really big room.....

 
Thanks for the additional sizes, but I already went ahead and ordered the 15-footer. I'll just hook it up on an as-needed basis, and then roll it back up and stow it in my laptop bag.
 
If the cable turns out to be too much of a hassle, I'll go with the device Sumner suggested. But if the cord will allow me to mirror everything from my own screen's output (along with the audio), then for the couple of times a week I do this perhaps it's the most practical route.

 

[Couperin47]

Well, not exactly...your wireless, if powered at the transmitter end (the laptop) by a usb port, then unlike a cable, will dramatically reduce battery life on each charge. I'm pretty sure they do give you a wall wart you can use to power it, but then, it's not really 'wireless' just a different kind of wire going...elsewhere.

 

[mt8thsw9th]

 

Part of the draw of SoSH is saving posted pictures of scantily clad females to my hard drive. 

 

 
 

I bought my mother a Samsung 40" Smart TV recently. Here's what I want to be able to do in descending order of importance:
 
* Play videos for her that I've saved on my hard drive (mostly .mp4, some .avi & .mpg).
* Show her photos, either in a slideshow or individually.

 
Goo!
 

 

[mabrowndog]

The cable arrived today, I gave it a test drive and it worked like a charm. So I took it over to casa de Mama Browndog after dinner, and the set-up was just as easy. Showed her some clips of her granddaughter singing, some Youtube vids of a million ducks crossing a road in Thailand, and a photo slideshow of some old family pics I scanned. She was ecstatic.
 
Pretty sure that puts me back in the running for 2014 Son of the Year.
 
Thanks again to all for the input & suggestions.