Watching YouTube on hand-held devices is great but can strain your eyes and body. Desktops are also good but don’t allow you to comfortably watch videos with friends and family.
Watching YouTube on TV is the best way to stream your favorite videos on the platform. But my TV is old. How do I watch YouTube on an old TV?
There are multiple ways to watch YouTube on an old TV. These include casting the videos from a smartphone onto the TV, using a streaming device, a computer, and a gaming console.
This post gives an overview of watching YouTube on an old TV and shows different methods on how to watch YouTube on an old TV.
Overview of Watching YouTube on an Old TV
Smart TVs are one of the best technological advancements of the past decade. Their capability is fascinating because you can watch videos online, including movies, TV shows, and YouTube videos.
If you have yet to upgrade to a smart TV, you might feel left out when you visit your friends and find them watching interesting YouTube videos on TV. But do you know it’s possible to watch YouTube on an old TV? That’s right.
With a few workarounds, you can stream your favorite YouTube pet videos, podcasts, tutorials, and vlogs on your non-smart TV.
How To Watch YouTube on Old TV
Generally, you can watch YouTube on an old TV in the following ways.
- Casting the content from your smartphone to the TV screen.
- Transforming your non-smart TV to smart using a streaming device.
- Extending YouTube display from your computer to the TV using an appropriate cable.
- Using a compatible gaming console.
Method #1: Casting YouTube Content to TV Screen
A Google Chromecast lets you cast content from a smaller device onto a larger screen.
Follow these steps to watch YouTube on an old TV using Google Chromecast.
- Connect the Google Chromecast to your old TV using an HDMI cable.
- Plug the Chromecast into a power source via the provided power adapter and USB cable.
- Switch on your TV.
- Choose Google Chromecast as the source by selecting the connected HDMI port.
- Install the Google Home app on your phone.
- Launch the app and log in using your Google account.
- Use Google Home to connect the Google Chromecast to the same Wi-Fi network as the phone.
- Launch YouTube on your phone.
- Search for the video or playlist you want to view. Play the video.
- As the video plays, tap the cast symbol at the top right.
- Select “Google Chromecast” on the available devices.
- The YouTube video will start playing on the old TV.
Method #2: Using a Streaming Device
You can give your old TV smart TV capabilities using streaming devices. These include the Amazon FireStick, Roku, and Apple TV. The device will enable you to install apps like YouTube and stream content online.
For this tutorial, we will use the Amazon FireStick to demonstrate.
- Connect the Amazon FireStick to the old TV via the HDMI port.
- Plug the FireStick into a power supply using the provided adapter and USB cable.
- Switch on your TV.
- Select the HDMI port connected to the FireStick as the source.
- Let the Fire TV screen load, then set up the FireStick. You’ll see on-screen instructions to connect the stick to the home network and create an Amazon account.
- Click the “Find” button once you’re signed in to your Amazon account.
- Select “Search.”
- Type “YouTube” on the search bar, then select YouTube on the suggested results.
- Select the YouTube tile under “Apps & Games.”
- Click “Get” to install the YouTube app.
- Once the installation is complete, click “Open.”
- Log in to your Google account and start streaming videos.
Method #3: Using a Computer
You can watch YouTube on an old TV by channeling the videos from a computer. You need a compatible Video Graphics Array (VGA) or Audio Visual (AV) cable to do this. If your old TV supports HDMI, then use HDMI.
These are the general steps to watch YouTube on an old TV using a computer.
- Power off the TV and computer.
- Connect the HDMI, VGA, or AV cable to your computer.
- Connect the other end of the cable to your old TV.
- Turn on the TV and the computer.
- Adjust the display settings on your computer by navigating to “System” settings under the “Display” tab.
- Select “Duplicate these displays.”
- Open your computer’s web browser and navigate to YouTube.
- Start playing YouTube videos on the computer.
- The videos will play on the computer and TV concurrently.
Method #4: Using a Gaming Console
Modern gaming consoles support the YouTube app. You can connect your console to your old TV and stream YouTube videos on the large screen.
Follow these steps to watch YouTube on an old TV using a gaming console.
- Connect your gaming console to the TV.
- Turn on your TV and console.
- Navigate to the console’s app store to find the YouTube app.
- Open the app and sign in to your YouTube account.
- Start streaming your preferred YouTube videos.
Wrapping Up
That’s it! Those are the various ways to watch YouTube on an old TV. Which method do you prefer?
