To stream from a computer to a streaming device, you will need to first ensure that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Next, you will need to download and install a media server application on your computer, such as Plex or Windows Media Player. Once the media server application is installed, you can then select the files or media that you want to stream from your computer to the streaming device. Finally, you will need to open the media server application on your computer and select the option to "cast" or "stream" the media to the streaming device. The media should then start playing on the streaming device.
Best Streaming Devices in 2024
1
Rating is 5 out of 5
Roku Ultra | The Ultimate Streaming Device 4K/HDR/Dolby Vision/Atmos, Rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro, Ethernet Port, Hands-Free Controls, Lost Remote Finder, Free & Live TV
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Super-fast startup: Stream your favorite channels like Netflix, Apple TV+, Prime Video, and more in a snap
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Our best Wi-Fi: Enjoy fast, seamless TV streaming in any room in the house with our best Wi-Fi and Ethernet
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Cinematic streaming: Stream in 4K, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+, plus Dolby Atmos sound
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Our best remote: Roku Voice Remote Pro is conveniently rechargeable with personal shortcut buttons
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Hands-free voice controls: Say “Hey Roku” to play entertainment, power up your TV, and find your lost remote
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Private listening: Use wired or wireless headphones to crank up the volume without disturbing a quiet house
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No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote
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Watch what you love: Stream a massive selection of free, live, and premium TV including 350+ free live TV channels
2
Rating is 4.9 out of 5
NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV Pro Streaming Media Player; 4K HDR movies, live sports, Dolby Vision-Atmos, AI-enhanced upscaling, GeForce NOW cloud gaming, Google Assistant Built-In, Works with Alexa
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The Best of the Best. The world’s most powerful Android TV streaming media player upgraded to Android TV version 11. Enhance HD video in real-time to 4K for clearer, crisper visuals using next-generation AI upscaling. 2x USB 3.0 ports for storage expansion, USB cameras, keyboards, controllers, and more. Plex Media Server built-in, 3 GB RAM, and 16 GB storage.Connectivity Technology : Bluetooth 5.0
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Dolby Vision - Atmos. Bring your home theater to life with Dolby Vision HDR, and surround sound with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital Plus—delivering ultra-vivid picture quality and immersive audio
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4K HDR Content. Get the most 4K content of any streaming media player. Watch Netflix, Amazon Video, Apple TV+, Disney+ and Google Play Movies & TV in crisp 4K HDR, and YouTube, Hulu, and more in 4K. Stream from your phone with built-in Chromecast 4K.
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GeForce NOW Cloud Gaming. GeForce NOW instantly transforms SHIELD TV into a powerful PC gaming rig. Play over 1000+ titles and nearly 100 of the biggest free to play games. The new GeForce NOW RTX 3080 membership unlocks GeForce RTX 3080 gaming servers in 4K HDR, the shortest wait times and longest session lengths, with RTX ON including ray tracing and DLSS graphics for supported games.
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Voice Control. The built-in Google Assistant is at your command. See photos, live camera feeds, weather, sports scores, and more on the big screen. Dim the lights and immerse yourself in your favorite show or music using only your voice. And control your SHIELD hands-free with Google Home or Alexa and Amazon Echo. Format/Container support: Xvid/ DivX/ASF/AVI/MKV/MOV/M2TS/MPEG-TS/MP4/WEB-M
3
Rating is 4.8 out of 5
Amazon Fire TV Cube, Hands-free streaming device with Alexa, Wi-Fi 6E, 4K Ultra HD
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Our fastest-ever streaming media player - Brings lightning-fast app starts with an octa-core processor and is 2X as powerful as Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
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Hands-free Alexa with built-in mic and speakers - Control your compatible TV, soundbar, and receivers with your voice, even from across the room.
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Seamlessly navigate between your entertainment - Connect compatible devices and easily go from streaming to your cable box, game console, or webcam.
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Smoother streaming with the latest in wifi tech - The first-ever streaming media player that features Wi-Fi 6E support.
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Picture quality that puts on a show - Feel every scene with true-to-life, cinematic 4K and support for Dolby Vision, HDR, and Dolby Atmos audio.
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Endless entertainment - Stream more than 1.5 million movies and TV episodes. Watch favorites from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Peacock, and more, plus listen to millions of songs. Subscription fees may apply.
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Designed to protect your privacy - Built with privacy protections and controls, including an off button that electronically disconnects the microphones.
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Manage your smart home right on screen - Use Alexa to start video calls, check the weather, get a live view of your Ring cameras, and more.
4
Rating is 4.7 out of 5
Roku Ultra LT 4K/HDR/HD Streaming Player with Enhanced Voice Remote, Ethernet, MicroSD with Premium 6FT 4K Ready HDMI Cable, Black
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Power, picture, performance: Roku Ultra LT has a quad-core processor and is great for smooth wired and wireless streaming. It's perfect for heavy streaming in HD, 4K, and HDR and delivers the kind of powerful performance you want on your home's main TV
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Smooth streaming: Get a connection that stands up to whatever you want to stream with dual-band wireless or use the Ethernet port for wired streaming
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Brilliant picture quality: Experience your favorite TV in stunning detail and clarity; whether you are streaming in HD, 4K, or HDR, you will get stunning picture quality that is optimized for your TV with sharp resolution and vivid color
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No more juggling remotes: Power up and adjust the volume on most televisions, control your player, and enjoy private listening with the enhanced voice remote and included headphones; use your voice to search across channels, turn captions on, and more in a touch
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Lots of extras: Roku Ultra LT is packed with features you will love, including microSD for extra channel storage; use the included headphones to pump up the volume on your shows without disturbing the house. Bundle Includes Premium 4K HDR 6FT HDMI Cable.
5
Rating is 4.6 out of 5
Tablo 4th Gen 2-Tuner Over-The-Air (OTA) DVR - Watch, Pause & Record Live TV, News, Sports & Movies Throughout Your Home Over Wi-Fi - Pairs w/Any TV Antenna - 50+ Hrs Recording - No Subscriptions
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WATCH, PAUSE, RECORD, & REPLAY LIVE TV: Enjoy live TV from major networks, including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC(2), as well as a curated selection of free live streaming TV (FAST) channels
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WHOLE-HOME ACCESS: 1 DVR pairs with any TV antenna to let you watch TV on multiple compatible devices at once, including smartphones, tablets, as well as smart TVs & streaming players from Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Chromecast w/ Google TV(1)
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NO SUBSCRIPTIONS OR HIDDEN FEES: Pay once for the Tablo device and watch and record your favorite live, local TV shows, along with free streaming TV channels without contracts or ongoing fees(4)
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RECORD MULTIPLE SHOWS: 2 tuners within this device allow you to record one live TV channel while watching another for viewing flexibility
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WATCH, PAUSE, RECORD LIVE TV: Watch, pause, and record live TV, including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as a curated selection of free live streaming TV (FAST) channels
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RECORD 50+ HOURS: Never miss a moment with 128GB of onboard recording storage; add up to 8TB of external USB storage(3) to record even more
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GET MORE TV CHANNELS: Access more than 60 additional free streaming channels you can’t get with your TV antenna alone, enhancing your endless free-TV experience(4)
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TIME-SHIFT VIEWING: Start watching in-progress recordings—perfect for catching the action from the beginning or skipping to the good parts
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EASY SETUP: Connect the Tablo DVR to ANY TV antenna; connect it to your home network via Wi-Fi or using the included Ethernet cable; download the Tablo app on your smartphone or tablet and follow the setup instructions(4)
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WI-FI CONNECTIVITY: The only OTA DVRs with Wi-Fi, Tablo devices let you position your TV antenna wherever it can get the best signal reception, then wirelessly streams live and recorded free TV content throughout your home to compatible devices.
6
Rating is 4.5 out of 5
Roku Express 4K with Voice Remote Pro - Roku Streaming Device 4K/HDR, Rechargeable Roku Remote, Hands-Free Controls, Lost Remote Finder, Free & Live TV - Amazon Exclusive
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Brilliant 4K picture quality: Stream in 4K HDR with sharp resolution and vivid color optimized for your TV
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Seamless wireless streaming: Enjoy a seamless streaming experience with fast Wi-Fi performance
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The ultimate Roku remote: Roku Voice Remote Pro is conveniently rechargeable and includes TV controls and personal shortcut buttons
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Hands-free voice controls: Say “Hey Roku” to play entertainment, control your streaming, power up your TV, and even find your lost remote
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Headphone Mode: Plug headphones into your remote to crank up the volume without disturbing a quiet house
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Find your lost remote: Say “Hey Roku, where’s my remote?” and your Roku remote will play a sound
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No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote
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Upgrade to Roku streaming: All your favorite channels are front and center, plus your device is always improving with automatic updates
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Simple setup: It’s easy to get started with everything you need included in the box—just plug it in and connect to the internet
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Watch what you love: Stream a massive selection of free, live, and premium TV including Prime Video, plus free live TV channels and local news on The Roku Channel.
7
Rating is 4.4 out of 5
Echo Dot (5th Gen, 2022 release) | With bigger vibrant sound, helpful routines and Alexa | Charcoal
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OUR BEST SOUNDING ECHO DOT YET – Enjoy an improved audio experience compared to any previous Echo Dot with Alexa for clearer vocals, deeper bass and vibrant sound in any room.
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YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC AND CONTENT – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
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ALEXA IS HAPPY TO HELP – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
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KEEP YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
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DESIGNED TO PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY – Amazon is not in the business of selling your personal information to others. Built with multiple layers of privacy controls, including a mic off button.
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DO MORE WITH DEVICE PAIRING – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, create a home theatre system with Fire TV, or extend wifi coverage with a compatible eero network so you can say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering.
What is the best audio format for streaming music from a computer to a device?
The best audio format for streaming music from a computer to a device is typically considered to be FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) or WAV (Waveform Audio File Format). These formats provide high-quality, lossless audio with little to no compression, resulting in the best possible sound quality for streaming music. However, it's important to note that larger file sizes may be a downside of using these formats for streaming, as they can consume more bandwidth and storage space. Ultimately, the best audio format for streaming music will depend on the specific needs and preferences of the user.
How to adjust video quality settings for streaming from a computer to a device?
To adjust video quality settings for streaming from a computer to a device, follow these steps:
- Open the streaming software on your computer (e.g. OBS, XSplit, etc.).
- Locate the video settings within the software.
- Look for options to adjust the video resolution, bitrate, and frame rate.
- Lower the video resolution to reduce the quality if you are experiencing buffering or lag.
- Adjust the bitrate to control the amount of data being sent over the network. Lowering the bitrate can help improve streaming performance.
- Consider changing the frame rate to a lower setting if needed.
- Save your settings and start streaming to see if the changes have improved the video quality.
It's important to note that adjusting these settings may impact the overall viewing experience, so it may require some trial and error to find the right balance for your specific setup and internet connection.
What is the most common reason for buffering issues when streaming from a computer to a device?
The most common reason for buffering issues when streaming from a computer to a device is a slow or unstable internet connection. This can be due to a variety of factors such as network congestion, bandwidth limitations, distance from the router, or interference from other devices. Other possible reasons for buffering issues could include insufficient processing power or memory on the computer or device, excessive background processes, or streaming high-quality video that requires more bandwidth than your connection can handle.
What is the best screen resolution for streaming from a computer to a device?
The best screen resolution for streaming from a computer to a device will depend on various factors such as the capabilities of the device, the internet connection speed, and the streaming platform being used. However, a common recommended resolution for streaming is 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) as it provides a good balance between quality and file size. Some platforms also support higher resolutions like 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) for viewers with compatible devices and internet connections. Ultimately, it is important to test different resolutions and settings to determine the optimal streaming quality for your specific setup.
What is the process for streaming photos from a computer to a device?
To stream photos from a computer to a device (such as a mobile phone or tablet), you can follow these steps:
- Ensure that both the computer and the device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- On your computer, locate the folder or files that contain the photos you want to stream.
- Open a web browser on your computer and visit a file-sharing website or cloud storage service such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud.
- Upload the photos to the file-sharing website or cloud storage service.
- Once the photos are uploaded, open the same file-sharing website or cloud storage service on your device.
- Sign in to your account and locate the folder or files that contain the uploaded photos.
- Download or view the photos on your device. You can also save the photos to your device's storage if needed.
Alternatively, you can use a file-sharing app or software to transfer photos directly from your computer to your device via a USB cable or Bluetooth connection.
Overall, the process may vary depending on the devices and services you are using, but the general steps involve uploading the photos from a computer to a cloud storage service, and then downloading them to a device.
How to stream a video playlist from a computer to a streaming device?
To stream a video playlist from a computer to a streaming device, you can do the following:
- Make sure your computer and streaming device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open a media player on your computer that supports streaming, such as Plex, VLC, or Windows Media Player.
- Create a playlist of the videos you want to stream on your media player.
- Open the media player on your streaming device (such as a smart TV, Roku, Chromecast, or Apple TV) and search for the media server on your computer.
- Once you have located the media server, navigate to the playlist you created on your computer and select the video you want to stream.
- The video should now start playing on your streaming device. You can navigate through the playlist and select different videos to watch.
- Enjoy streaming your video playlist from your computer to your streaming device!
