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How to watch YouTube videos on your TV
When it’s time to watch this popular new YouTube video, what do you prefer to do: gather around a laptop, tablet or horror, smartphone or relax on your big screen TV? Although YouTube was designed for web browsers, it can easily find a home in your living room. All you need is the right equipment. If you do not have a smart Element TV that already has a YouTube channel, here’s an overview of the different ways to watch all the videos of your favorite cat from the comfort of your couch.
PlayStation 3 owners can stream all the YouTube content for free, but oddly enough, there’s no YouTube channel on the PS4 – not yet, anyway. There is, however, a simple workaround: open the PS4 web browser and go to www.youtube.com/tv.
On the Wii and Wii U, you simply launch the YouTube app – no subscription or additional fees required.
Google Chromecast
Since Google owns YouTube, it’s no surprise that the $ 35 Chromecast video dongle allows streaming to YouTube. Remember that you will need a compatible smartphone or tablet for this to happen.
Roku box
It’s a mystery for all ages: Roku’s streaming media boxes, which offer just about every streaming service known to man, do not support YouTube.
First, venture into the settings of your Roku and look up its IP address. Then, using Chrome or Firefox, download and run the installer. You may encounter an error message, but continue until the dialog box containing the instructions appears. These include entering the IP address of your box, then activating its developer mode. The whole process is a bit complicated, but it works.
Your laptop or tablet
If you are not interested in purchasing additional equipment, consider using what you already have. Any laptop with an HDMI output can easily be connected to an HDTV (via inexpensive cable) for a “traditional” YouTube viewing experience through a web browser.
Alas, this allows you to stay connected to your Element TV, which is not very convenient for surfing videos. Some Ultrabooks incorporate Intel’s WiDi technology for wireless screen capture on your TV, but in most cases you’ll need a device connected to the TV that serves as a receiver.
