I subscribe to Netflix online movie rental service and mostly watch DVDs on the plasma HDTV. There are times when I’d like to take advantage of Netflix’s “watch instantly” streaming internet video service to view a movie now without waiting for a DVD to arrive in the mail. It’s simple to watch a Netflix movie on a computer screen, but I wanted to watch from the comfort of the couch with the family on the 40-inch plasma HDTV. I wanted a way to hookup the computer to the TV without buying a lot of new equipment.
Update: See this Roku Netflix player review for a low-cost and user-friendly way to watch Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Pandora radio and more instantly on your TV that will change your TV viewing experience!
Netflix from PC to TV
There are many Netflix Ready Devices on the market that make it easy to connect to the Internet and watch Netflix movies on your TV, the Roku player being one of the most popular. I do have an Xbox 360 that is Netflix ready, but it’s connected to another TV downstairs in the game room.
Since I already have an HP Pavillion laptop computer with an HDMI port, all I need to watch Internet video on my HDTV is an HDMI cable.
Connect a PC to a HDTV
Here’s the computer to HDTV connection diagram to watch Netflix, YouTube, Hulu or any streaming Internet video on the TV. If you’re like me, you already have a:
- Netflix subscription
- broadband connection
- WiFi router
- computer with a HDMI port
- HDTV
The the only thing I needed buy was a 6-foot HDMI cable.
Computer to HDTV Connection Diagram
Choosing an HDMI Cable
I bought the cheapest HDMI cable I could find locally, a Dynex 6.5 foot HDMI cable with gold plated connectors from Best Buy for $39.99 over the objections of the sales staff who insisted that only the much more expensive Monster or Rocketfish cables would do. (At $39.99 the cables were way overpriced and 5 times too much!) The Monster and Rocketfish cables are prominently displayed and I had to ask where the Dynex cables could be found – way off to the side at end of an isle.
HDMI signals are digital – zeros and ones, similar in concept to the Ethernet technology, carry very little power and are less subject to interference. The Best Buy salesman was thinking (or hoping I would) about analog audio signals and speaker hookups that need hundreds of watts and big, expensive cables for the best sound. This is not the case with digital.
Try the cheapest HDMI cable first. If it doesn’t work, return it. In the digital world there’s usually no difference in picture/sound quality between the low cost generic and the expensive cable brand.
HDMI Cable to Laptop Connection
The HDMI port and cable are shown here:
Laptop Computer HDMI port and Cable
Insert the HDMI cable fully into the computer’s HDMI port.
HDMI Cable Plugged into the Laptop Computer
HDMI Cable to TV Connection
This is the audio/video connections summary from the User’s Guide for my Philips plasma HDTV. It has two HDMI ports labeled HDMI 1 and HDMI 2. Either HDMI port can be used, I choose HDMI 1 for the cable hookup.
HDTV Audio Video Connectors
The HDMI cable from the computer is plugged into HDMI port #1 on the back of the TV. (The other cables at the upper right are my existing DirecTV connections for S-Video and analog sound.)
HDMI Cable Connection to the HDTV
Click here to continue reading Part 2 to configure Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Take care,
Bob Jackson
Copyright © 2013 HandymanHowTo.com Reproduction strictly prohibited.
Great article! I’m loving your website;
Hi, I fell blessed that I found your post while searching for hdtv converter. I agree with you on the subject Watch Netflix Instantly on your HDTV – Part 1 | HandymanHowto.com. I was just thinking about this matter last Saturday.
I use a powerful free Tivo type software called MediaPortal.
http://www.team-mediaportal.org
It is truly free i.e. not a demo, shareware or trial.
At this point I would only recommend it for people who are computer enthusiasts. Although it is getting easier to use.
It is very powerfull, feature rich and fully configurable.
I only use it as a DVD dukebox (kids movies mostly) and a supersized TiVo (3TB or storage).
Hi – Thanks, this is great. I ran into one issue – sound was not through the TV speakers. How ever when I play other videos on my PC through HDMI the sound works well.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Sundeep
No sound is a problem for many readers; it either works right away – or at least after rebooting – or not.
Best bet is to check with your PC manufacturer to see that your audio drivers are up to date and search the manufacturers support forums for ‘HDMI’ and ‘audio’ for any known issues.
Please reply here if you find a solution with the particulars of your computer.
Thanks
Great articule. I don’t have an HDMI port, but on my docking station, I do have a DVI port. Can I use an DVI to HDMI cable, and will that transmit the sound also? Thanks.
I haven’t tried DVI to HDMI, but my understanding is standard DVI does not have sound signals; you will need a second sound cable with RCA stereo jacks.
See these links:
DVI at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface
“Does DVI carry audio signals as well as video?” here:
http://www.cnet.com.au/does-dvi-carry-audio-signals-as-well-as-video-339270821.htm
Well how about a solution for those of us with new PCs but no HDMI port? Grrr. Perhaps a tutorial on how to use the ATT Uverse set top box and bring in Netflix that way??
> Well how about a solution for those of us with new PCs but no HDMI port?
Buy a Boxee Box – coming this summer (2010) by D-Link. It streams NetFlix and more! I was tempted by the Roku NetFlix player and I think Boxee will be a real winner with its huge variety of the supported media formats.
I may drop DIRECTV when I get my hands on a Boxee. My teenagers watch online content almost exclusively and my satellite TV viewing is down to maybe 3 hours per week for content I’ve saved on TiVo. 200+ channels of uninteresting blather for $95/month. Now if I could subscribe al a carte to the few channels that I like and skip the other junk for $30/month, that’d be a good value.
> Perhaps a tutorial on how to use the ATT Uverse set top box and bring in Netflix that way??
That’d be cool, but AT&T Uverse and Verizon Fios aren’t offered in my area.
Bob, I hope you win the lottery. You just helped an utterly confused tired working mom understand, in a very simple way, how to get Netflix watch instantly on my home TV. It’s guys like you that make the world better for the rest of us.
You should really consider a career in instructional design. I could use your expertise on the all the lame instructions on kids toys.
Again, I hope this nice gesture comes back to you, tenfold.
All my best,
Sara
I appreciate the compliments!
Thanks,
Bob
Hi I just got my LG LD550 HDTV it works great but when I turn on netflix I see the movie but I hear the sound from a regular tv show in the background not the netflix movie sound.Im also hooked up to a hdmi cable.
Is the Digital Output Device set as Default in Control Panel –> Hardware and Sound? What happened you clicked Test on the Advanced Properties tab as described in Part 2?
Is the sound coming from the TV speakers or your home theater system? Make sure the volume is turned up on the TV speakers and turn off your home theater system.
If that doesn’t work, look through the TV owner’s manual to see if the sound input source is selected independently of the picture input.
Lastly, make sure your PC audio drivers are up to date.
Hi Bob – old guy here struggling with the computer. I have Windows 7 PC and hooked up HDMI to HDMI computer to tv. Instead of the netflix movie the wallpaper from my computer shows up on the tv (no icons or anything else). Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!
Gene
Old guy? I’ve lots of gray hair, too!
Since you can see the Win7 wallpaper on the TV you’re almost there! Several suggestions:
* Try rebooting. I had to do this to get it working correctly on my Vista laptop.
* Change the computer screen to a lower resolution(s).
* Cycle through the Fn + F4 screen output selection keys (may be different Fn key on your PC): Computer only, computer + TV (HDMI), TV (HDMI) only.
There are several more troubleshooting ideas in the comments here and at the bottom of Part 2.
Please post back with what you find.
I have a visio wide screen with HD and hdmi capabilities.
Can I somewhow receive netflix movies directly to my tv, without going through my computer first? Is there some device that I can connect to my receiver on my tv and call up instance netflix?
thanks, Vic
Roku is a very popular, inexpensive and small internet appliance that supports WiFi for streaming NetFlix movies to your TV.
Here’s the full list of NetFlix Ready Devices.
Hi Bob– Looks like you are the man when it comes to Netflix streaming issues! Here is one for you. I just bought a Sony BluRay (BDP-S570) with Netflix. It’s connected to my mitsubishi 65″ DLP thru a standard HDMI connection (sound just comes out of TV speakers). For whatever reason, only certain Netflix instant access shows/movies have audio, but for most there is nothing. No sound at all, but the picture is fine. Have you ever heard of this happening? I’ve tried cutting the power off and on to the BluRay and also using a “faster” HDMI cable. But nothing has worked. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
It appears you need a firmware update from Sony for the BDP-S570 BluRay player to correct known sound problems.
Reference:
Sony releases firmware fix for sound dropout on BDP-S370 Blu-ray player dated August 27, 2010
My TV says to use the included VGA cable from the PC to the TV, as well as a cable for the audio. My PC doesnt have a HDMI jack either, so the VGA should work for you assuming you have VGA jacks.
HDMI is the best option if your TV supports it. VGA or DVI can also work.
What if I have XP and not Vista. Will these directions work for me?
The Control Panel configuration steps for WinXP will look somewhat different. I don’t have WinXP to illustrate the steps for you but these links at the Microsoft Answers WinXP forum should get you going:
1) WinXP HDMI Connection to TV.
2) WinXP Changing the Sound Output to HDMI
Hi we are trying to hook up netflix onour tv which is wifi and we need a code and of course i don’t remember it any way to change it or go around it of find it would be great. We called our internet and they think we have lost our minds. Husband having surgery soon he needs tv to watch and i need my mind back! can you help me?
So you have a WiFi enabled TV with on-board NetFlix support?
To activate your “NetFlix ready TV”:
1) Navigate the TV menu to the NetFlix icon or menu. See the NetFlix web site to find your TV and specific instructions for getting an activation code.
2) Select the NetFlix activation option on the TV. Write down the activation code.
3) On your computer, go to the NetFlix device activation web page and enter the code displayed on the TV.
Where do I find the Netflix icon on my LG LD550 TV? We don’t see it anywhere. When I look on the LG site, it says to find this info on the Netflix site; when I look on the Netflix site, it says to find this info on the LG site. Please help. We’re going crazy.
Strike that; we hadn’t finished the software update.
I have a Dell XPS M1210 laptop which does not appear to have an HDMI port [it does have 4 USB ports].
I’m interested in subscribing to NETFLIX but don’t know how I can stream from my laptop to my Sylvania HD set.
I get my cable & wireless interenet from Verizon FIOS and the cable box from FIOS has a UBS port in the front of the box. Would it be possible to use this feature to stream NETFLIZ from my laptop to the tv set.
Any advice you can offer would be most appreciated.
Thanks.
I’m not a FiOS subscriber, but my understanding is the FiOS USB ports are not active.
Since the Dell XPS M1210 laptop doesn’t have an HDMI port, you’ll have to get a VGA-to-HDMI converter box, for example the Atlona AT-HDVIEW VGA to HDMI Scaler/Converter (USB Powered) which costs around $80.
You’ll be happier, get better HiDef and save money with a Roku NetFlix player and hook it up to the TV with a HDMI cable.
I have Netflix and would like to start streamlining movies but I dont have any HDMI connection on my computer, is there any other adapter that I can buy (us to HDMI) besides the Roku Netflix player?
Computer to HDMI adapter/converters are available, although most cost as much or more than a Roku player and don’t perform nearly as well.
See the comments dated January 3, 2010 and April 28, 2011 at the end of the How To article for more information about HDMI adapters and specific products.
Have a Gateway PC that seems to meet minumum Instant Watch specs. HDMI output to HDMI input on a Samsung TV. Video is choppy on both PC and TV, otherwise fine.
What’s your guess on the choppy picture? PC settings? Something else?
Does one need a ‘Netflix’ ready device and activation?
Thanks
> Video is choppy on both PC and TV, otherwise fine.
If the video is choppy on your PC, it won’t be any better on the TV. Let’s try to fix your PC problem first.
Try the following fixes:
1) Log in to your Netflix account.
2) Click Your Account & Help at the top right corner of the screen.
3) Scroll down to WATCHING INSTANTLY ON YOUR TV OR COMPUTER.
4) Click Manage Video Quality.
5) Click Good quality (up to 0.3 GB per hour).
6) Try Watch Instantly and check the video quality.
If the video isn’t choppy, go back and to Step #5 and select Better quality (up to 0.7 GB per hour). Watch an instant movie. No choppy? Good, keep the video quality setting. If not, drop back down to Good quality.
What is your Internet connection bandwidth? If the Internet bandwidth is too small, say less than 1.0 megabits per second (Mbps) down, you’ll have trouble at anything than the “Good quality” setting.
Also check that you have the latest version of Microsoft Silverlight, no other background application are running (e.g. virus scan utilities) and no one else is using your Internet connection (e.g. someone watching YouTube videos on an iPhone, playing Internet games, etc.).
Let me know if this fixes the choppy Netflix streaming problem.
Thanks Bob I really appreciate the clear help.
I am able to operate at ‘better’ or best quality and get a good picture now. Only very slightly fuzzy.
I think I do have the latest version of Silverlight installed. (4.something.something). Unless 5 is out …
I have a good FIOS bandwidth. It normally howls. But it turns out that my kids were all playing around on the net from different parts of the house while I was setting it up. Good calls all around.
Many thanks,
BG
> But it turns out that my kids were all playing around on the net from different parts of the house while I was setting it up.
Ah, so your household maxed out on the FiOS 15/5Mbps Internet service. With so many connected devices in the house anymore (e.g. smartphones, game consoles, computers, IP media boxes, VoIP phones, IP cameras, etc.) it’s easy to max out your Internet bandwidth. I have four iPhones, three computers, Xbox 360, Roku Player, NetGear Skype phone, Insteon home automation and IP cameras. That’s about 15 Internet connected devices all competing for Internet bandwidth. This is why many ISP’s are worried and rolling out bandwidth consumption caps.
A partial solution for really important devices or services is to configure Quality of Service (QoS) policies on your Verizon FiOS router. See the FiOS user manuals for QoS instructions for your router.
For example, I configured my Linksys WRT54G WiFi router to give the Skype phone bandwidth priority so my wife’s calls to her relatives in Europe aren’t stomped on by my teenagers watching Internet videos.
What an e-world ! I thought we had a lot of devices, but it sounds like you have your own little analysis lab right in the house.
I will configure the router also. Again, really appreciate your advice. Netflix should be paying you !!
> you have your own little analysis lab right in the house.
Yes – my home LAN is becoming more like a small business network. I recently upgraded a NetGear GS110TP managed GigE LAN switch because the in-house traffic is becoming greater than the Internet link.
Take care,
Bob
Why must I have a router to watch netflix on hdtv? Is that always the case. Bob, you are a saint.
Do I need a standard, highspeed or cable with ethernet? These are the ones I see for sale. Thanks. I have HP pavilion with Vista.
Any HDMI cable will be fine – they’re all high speed digital. Try the “Amazon Basics” HDMI cable because it’s a quality reasonably priced cable. The $6 cable works just as well as a the name-brand $40 cable.
You can connect your computer directly into the broadband modem – no WiFi router required. Most people have more than one device that needs Internet access (iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle, laptops, etc.) and therefore have a WiFi router to provide wired or wireless Internet access to all the devices.