Use Smart TV Wirelessly as Second Monitor

[Bim2]

Helping a friend try to use Smart TV as second monitor.  Laptop doesn't find the TV - both are registered on the wireless network with the MAC addresses.  I downloaded and installed 5 drivers recommended at the HP site - didn't help.  Is it possible to do this as the laptop is currently configured?  If not, would upgrading to Windows 10 do the trick?

[Huffer]

The tv has to support receiving wireless display or Miracast, and your laptop's wireless card has to support casting to one of those devices. It is not enough that the tv and the laptop are on the same wireless network. 

[Bim2]

Thanks for the input.  I am fairly sure the TV accepts the wireless transmission as I am able to display my laptop (upgrade to W10 from W8.1) on my Samsung Smart TV - virtually identical to the one that my friend has.  To be sure, I'll take my laptop to my friend's apartment and see if I can make it work on the TV there.  If so, then I guess I can isolate the problem to the friend's laptop.  I'll report back after I get that done.  Is there any device or component I should look for on the friend's laptop to see if it has the wireless display or Miracast feature? 

Later post - Just looked at Miracast adapters and they run anywhere from $12 on Ebay to $100 from retailers - most in the $40 - $50 range.  But even after one gets an adapter, that doesn't mean the laptop will broadcast.  I'm not sure I have the smarts to figure out whether or not the laptop has the necessary features to support a Miracast adapter. 

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

Some SMART tvs have a widi or miracast receiver built in. My LG does, for example. Upgrading to Windows 10 just changes the way you set up the casting it does not add capability to the wireless card. I note the laptop listed in your post appears to have a Pentium dual processor and I thought that ruled out Intel WiDi. As I understand you have casted from your laptop but have never been able to cast from your friend's older HP laptop. Odds are that laptop is not capable of casting.  

There are inexpensive options from google (Chromecast) and amazon for wireless dongles which plug into the tvs HDMI port and can accept casting from any wireless device. 

[Bim2]

Huffer,

Thanks so much for the input.  Excellent information presented very well.  I ran a "DXdiag" and the results didn't have any references to WiDi or Miracast which is consistent with your assessment that the friend's laptop is probably not casting capable.  I haven't had a chance to try mine on her TV but will in the next day or so.  

I have discussed the situation with her and I think she is leaning towards a new laptop that is casting capable.  The current one is over 7 years old.  She said she would prefer to do that over throwing money at a fix that might or might not work.    One last question - in looking for a new laptop, what should one look for on the wireless card to make sure it is casting capable? 

[Huffer]

Look for something with the WiDi certification which also means it will do Miracast. Anything you buy with an Intel Core (i3, i5, etc) processor and an Intel wireless card these days will be WiDi capable. 

I also have to correct myself. I googled around a bit and it appears any laptop running Windows 8.1 or higher can cast to a Miracast capable receiver so theoretically the old beast could do it. The quality of the casted image does depend on the quality of the video the laptop can produce, however. So I think if you want to have your laptop be an entertainment center you are best off with a new one. My last comment is that current model Smart TVs do not really need a computer because essentially they are a computer. They will have an amazon and netflix app in the Smart options and a web browser so there is really nothing you can do on the laptop and cast to the TV you can't just do on the tv unless maybe you want to show homemade content...family videos, powerpoints, etc. And even those you can do from the TV if you set up a home media server. 

[Bim2]

Once again - thanks.  Just a comment - my friend wants to be able to cast the laptop to her 60in TV because of failing eyesight.  She has a difficult time using the 15 or so inch screen on the current laptop.