YouTube is one of the most viewed sites in Italy, especially among young and very young (but also slightly larger ones). For many users this site has become the natural substitute for TV channels, since you can only see the contents that interest you, follow the channels of the people (the YouTubers) whose videos you appreciate, comment or leave a Like, listen and see autoplay playlists etc.
In a nutshell, YouTube has paved the way for a world of personalized television content, where we only see what we like and we can in turn upload videos.
It is therefore easy to think that a lover of the service wants to see him in every room and everywhere!
In this guide we will see how to view YouTube videos on any TV, using all the authorized methods to allow viewing of the content.
1) Take advantage of the Smart TV YouTube app
All Smart TVs on the market integrate the YouTube app into the application park, so the first method that we would recommend uses the integration of Smart TVs with the video sharing service offered by Google.
To do this, simply connect the Smart TV to the Internet via WiFi or via an Ethernet cable and, once connected, locate the YouTube app in the Smart section of the TV.
The remote control of our Smart TV should allow direct access to the apps; if you don't know how to access, try reading the instruction manual to find out which is the right key to get the Smart screen.
On Samsung Smart TV for example the Smart section will be as in the image below; you can see the YouTube app among those available.
Once the app is open you should see the YouTube interface in TV mode, as shown in the image below.
From this app you can access specific sections such as Music, Sport, Gaming etc. or start a video after making a new search, using the bar on the top left.
By logging in with our Google account, we will get all the saved playlists, the display of the channels we follow and the videos that may be uploaded, all using the directional arrows and the confirmation button on the remote control.
The YouTube app allows you to obtain high audio and video quality, especially on FullHD and 4K TVs; unfortunately, it is not updated very often also because of the numerous operating systems present in today's Smart TVs (some TVs get the latest version of the app, other TVs have obsolete versions).
The only real flaw with this method is that the remote control is hardly a convenient tool for typing letters and numbers, making any new search frustrating.
2) Pair your smartphone with the YouTube app on Smart TV
To facilitate the use of the YouTube app on the Smart TV, you can associate the latter with the YouTube app on the smartphone: in this way you can search for the videos that interest you on the smartphone app (much more convenient to use for writing) then let start the video on the Smart TV app!
To make the association, simply open the settings of the YouTube app on the smart TV and tap on the Pair Device item; a sequence of numbers will appear, to be used on the smartphone.
Now let's open the Youtube app from your smartphone, tap on your user profile at the top right and then on Settings -> Watch on TV .
We insert the code on the Smart TV to associate the two devices.
From now on, it will be sufficient that the TV is turned on to see the Cast symbol appear at the top of the YouTube app on the smartphone, so that you can send any video playing on the TV without doing any type of search within the app .
READ ALSO: Full screen Youtube TV to watch videos on TV
3) The best alternative: Chromecast
If our TV is not Smart or the integrated app no longer works correctly, the first alternative we would recommend is the Chromecast, available for purchase from here -> Google Chromecast (€ 39).
This device connects to one of the HDMI ports on the back of the TV.
Once connected to the home WiFi network we will get a device to which to send all the videos directly from the YouTube app for smartphones or tablets, both on Android and on iOS devices (iPhone or iPad).
To take advantage of Chromecast, all we have to do is open the YouTube app on a smartphone (making sure that the TV is turned on and that the portable device is connected to the same WiFi network as the Chromecast) and tap on the Cast icon on the top right.
We select the name of the Chromecast device to make the association and start any video: the content will be played on the TV, while the smartphone or tablet will act as a convenient remote control.
The Chromecast is regularly updated completely automatically and therefore does not suffer from obsolescence like some Smart TV apps: just keep the app updated on your smartphone or tablet to always take advantage of the latest news of the service.
With normal Chromecast the maximum resolution is 1080p, while with Chromecast Ultra we can also see 4K videos (on 4K TVs of course).
4) Other methods of watching YouTube on TV
In addition to the methods that we have presented in the guide, there are other ways to watch YouTube on your home TV, just choose the one that suits you best.
- Amazon Fire TV Stick : a good alternative to the Chromecast, of which it follows most of the features.
Compared to the Chromecast, the Fire TV Stick has a dedicated graphic environment and standalone apps, therefore usable even without a smartphone.
NOTE: Google wants to remove Youtube from the Fire TV Stick, so unofficial apps will have to be used.
- TV Box : any TV Box is capable of playing YouTube videos; being based on Android, simply install the app from the Google Play Store.
- Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter : with this HDMI adapter you can add Miracast support to your TV, so that you can send the full screen of your smartphone on the latter while playing a video on Youtube.
- Apple TV : the Apple TV Box offers both the standalone app among those available via the remote control, and the transmission of videos from an iPhone or iPad via AirPlay, just open the YouTube app and associate the Apple TV as reproduction system.
- Intel Compute Stick : a small PC in an HDMI stick; with this device we will have Windows 10 and the dedicated YouTube app ready to be used on TV.
- Chromebit : this device is in effect a mini PC with HDMI connection and Chrome OS operating system; allows you to view YouTube from the integrated browser or from the dedicated app.
