How to Connect Your Chromebook to TV?

According to Statista, there will be over 20 million Chromebooks sold and shipped in 2020.　Many Chromebook users – especially for those whose companies have standardized on the Google platform – want to connect to their TV when they are working from home.   Sounds simple – but like many things in life, it can be more complicated than it appears once you start.

Nearly every Chromebook has a video output port. The challenge is that different models have different cable connectors. For example, the spill-resistant and student-friendly Dell 3100 has a full-size HDMI port – and connects with a standard cable. But the elegant Google Pixelbook Go will support a 4K display through the USB-C port on the device – requiring either an adapter or special cable to your television. But once you get the cable connected – all you need to do is change the source to start working on your Chromebook using your TV.

If you have a Chromecast receiver, this is an easy way to connect your Chromebook to your TV. Assuming that the two devices are on the same network, you can cast your screen to the TV using your Chrome browser to enable you to share your screen. This is a nice option when you are wanting to show photos or videos on your device, or for occasional use.  If you are looking to use this in a traditional collaboration setting such as a classroom or a meeting room, then you may want to look at a wireless screen mirroring system to enable faster switching between presenters – or have multiple presenters simultaneously sharing the same screen.

If you want to have more than one person share a TV with a Chromebook or other device, then you will want to look at a purpose-built wireless screen mirroring system such as a BenQ InstaShow. While these are more expensive than a Chromecast receiver, they can facilitate better collaboration – and pay for themselves in time savings alone.  Here are some of the reasons you may want to use this to connect to your TV:

• Make it easy for guests and visitors to connect their devices to your TV (regardless of type)
• Enable you to change presenters instantly on your TV with a push of a button.
• Display multiple sources or presenters on your TV at the same time

There are also other reasons to look at these systems – including security and managing network bandwidth. 

If you want to use a TV to collaborate with a Chromebook, you may want to learn more about how to use these types of systems and determine which one might be the best one for your situation – and budget.