I woke up one morning, and I decided that I needed to upgrade my viewing experience, and what a better option would be than setting up a projector in my living room for a cozy movie night. My family and I aren’t much of a fan of cable boxes, so I looked for some other alternatives to add to the entertainment.
So I just thought there must be other people who want to know how to watch TV on projector without cable box, which is why I must share my method of how to do it. These options would most probably be both convenient and affordable for many of you.
How to Watch TV on Projector Without Cable Box
Even if you don’t have a cable box, you can still enjoy a movie night streaming TV content on your projector; however, you’ll need a wireless connection. There are a lot of available online TV streaming sites where you can find popular TV shows and movies. If your TV doesn’t support a wireless connection, you can use a Wi-Fi dongle.
These are just some of the options; I will share many more ways how to watch TV on projector without cable box in the next section.
Watching TV on a Projector Without a Cable Box? – No Problem; This Is All You Need!
Connect your TV and projector using an HDMI cable
Since almost all TVs come with an HDMI port, the easiest way to connect them to a projector is by using an HDMI cable. What you want to do is to connect the first end of the HDMI cable to the projector and then connect the second end to your TV. Now power both devices, and the connection will be established automatically.
Another alternative is to connect both devices wirelessly; however, you can only do this if you have a smart TV and a projector with integrated wireless features; otherwise, you would have to use a Wi-Fi adapter.
What you want to do is to place the wireless adapter into the HDMI port of your projector and follow the configuration settings. They are usually presented in a step-by-step wizard. Once you are done, you can connect both devices, and you’ll be able to stream online content.
Read more: How to Watch Netflix on a Projector
Choose alternatives
Get a TV antenna
Even though it’s not the fanciest option, TV antennas are still a good alternative to be used instead of a cable box for everyone who wants to cut the costs of a cable box as it still offers all the classic channels many of us normally watch.
Even though the networks are limited, you’ll still be able to access the local channels that stream popular TV shows, movies, and documentaries. The vast majority also offer live streaming of important sports events.
Connect to the internet
If you don’t have a cable box, and if the old-school TV antennas aren’t satisfying your needs, then the third choice is an internet connection. Most smart TVs have an integrated wireless connection feature, so all you need to do is connect the TV to your home wireless, and you can stream any content you like.
In this case, I would much prefer a wired connection since it’s much more stable in terms of connecting loading and lagging, which can be a problem with some streaming services.
So what you want to do is to connect the Ethernet cable to your TV and connect it to the router device.
Cable box alternative option for streaming content
Subscribe to the live-streaming platforms
One of the main reasons why most people, including me, have decided to cut the cord is because of the streaming platforms’ accessibility. Subscriptions to the live streaming platforms are way cheaper than a cable box, and you get the chance to choose the channel package.
Alternatively, if you are looking for no payment, no contracts, and no monthly fees option – you can go for some free online streaming platforms like Amazon News if you want to be noticed about the local events. I prefer USTVGO, Pluto TV, Hulu TV, Kanopy, and YouTube TV.
TV streaming sticks
Identical to the cable box, streaming sticks can be plugged into the TV’s HDMI port and allow you to stream various channels, plus you can take them anywhere with you when you want to have a movie night or in case your TV is too small, and you watch sports competitions on a bigger screen.
If you are after a no-nonsense and easy-to-use interface, Roku’s streaming sticks are convenient, allowing you to search through a wide library of movies and shows in 4K quality.
Rent from library
Libraries from where you can rent a variety of content are still a thing, and you can find a lot of classic movies, shows, and documentaries, including some of the most popular sports events in history.
Also read: What Kind Of Projectors Do Movie Theaters Use?
Personal Recommendations for Platforms to Stream Content
Here, I will list some of my personal favorite live TV streaming services that offer a pretty impressive channel portfolio, including some of the popular channels like Fox Stations, CBS, ABC, NBC, and more.
YouTube TV
If you are a sports fanatic, YouTube TV might be just the type of channel you are looking for as it is probably one of the few online TV streaming services that include individual leagues like NBA, Game Pass, and NFL.
Not to forget about the mainstream channels for news and documentaries. Since it offers a 4K stream, it’s also great for projection.
Hulu TV
It’s almost impossible not to mention Hulu TV, as it hosts exclusive content that there is just no chance you’ll be able to find on any other streaming provider, and this service is one of the many reasons why people don’t use cable boxes anymore.
It has solid entertainment content for the whole family, including kids’ shows like Disney Plus.
Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime is another great alternative to cable, and it’s also a budget-friendly option to get access to top-quality and unique channels with a pretty friendly user interface. There are content categories for everyone to watch, and if you are a fan of original TV shows and movies, they offer a lot of premium channels.