How to Make Your Dumb TV Smart With These 5 Gadgets

Published Apr 1, 2025

Brady specializes in gaming, entertainment and everyday gadgets, such as computers, tablets, gaming consoles, streaming, and hardware. He's been tackling those topics for MUO since 2021.

However, Brady's expertise on said topics stretches back to 2018, when he began offering tech advice and writing how-to guides at Techzillo.

At the same time, he'd start his journey as a gamer reviewer at Hardcore Droid, before expanding into game journalism atTwinfinite andGamepur. Putting aside game journalism, he now focuses on writing human interest stories atThe Nerd Stash.

When Brady isn't working, you'll find him writing fiction, having a blast with his kids, and playing Scrabble with his wife, Maggie.

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Your dumb TV might be stupid, but it can still learn new tricks with a few choice gadgets and become better than an expensive smart TV in minutes.

5 Breathe New Life Into an Old Computer

usb, hdmi, and rca ports at the back of vizio smart television — Brady Meyers / MakeUseOf

My aging laptop has an old Intel i5-7500 with 8GB RAM; it isn't exactly the definition of speed. However, it works perfectly fine purely for running Netflix, Max, or my Plex server. More importantly, all it takes is connecting an HDMI cable. If you have an old computer or a laptop, you can do the same, likely with the same cable, since HDMI is standard.

It's just like hooking up your computer to a monitor. At the back of your dumb TV will be an HDMI port, assuming it isn't more than around 15 years old. Plug in an HDMI cable, run it to the computer, then switch the HDMI channel to its respective port (typically labeled by the port).

As long as your computer can connect to Wi-Fi, you're good to go. If not, you'll have to run an Ethernet cable from your modem to the computer. Better yet, go direct connect anyway and experience a better stream.

4 Streaming Devices Are an Easy Option

the 2024 roku ultra and remote next to a TV — Roku

Unless you want to haul a laptop all over the house every time you want to stream on your dumb TV, having a streaming device will give you simple access to an exhaustive list of apps. Having one plugged into your TV more or less turns your dumb TV into a smart TV, with many of the bells and whistles. Iuse my Roku Express in novel ways, like casting mobile games on the big screen.

Roku has multiple options, from the affordableRoku Express to the more expensiveRoku Streambar.
Amazon has a couple of devices, too, such asFire TV Stick HD (which also has a 4K model) and theFire TV Cube.
Apple TV 4K is also an excellent choice, given that it comes with three months of Apple TV+ (where you can watch the excellent Severance!).

None of these streaming devices require a subscription, but you must create an account. Once connected, you can download streaming apps from their respective app stores.

3 Gaming Consoles Can Offer a Wealth of Content

Game consoles are no longer limited to just gaming. It's entertainment from top to bottom, including streaming services you can download straight to the console for free, though you'll still need to subscribe to them.

This is one of the more expensive options, so I wouldn't recommend going down this path unless you intend on, well, gaming too. However, there is a cheaper option, and that's buying a used game console from the last generation, like an Xbox One or PS4. And since those are last-gen consoles, used games are cheap, too.

Any streaming apps you want can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store or PlayStation Store.

2 Connect With Your Phone or a Tablet

Although it isn't usually a feature explicitly advertised, your smartphone and tablet can connect to TVs, too. The method is nearly identical to connecting a computer to your dumb TV through an HDMI cable. However, the cable you'll need has to match the charging port on your phone.

For example, if your phone or tablet has a USB-C port, like Android devices or the latest Apple devices, you need a USB-C to HDMI adapter, like theAnker 310. Apple devices with a Lightning port need aLightning Digital AV Adapter. If, by chance, you have neither, you have to get more creative aboutconnecting your phone to a TV with USB.

Connecting it is super simple: connect one end to the charging port and the other to your dumb TV. Your screen will cast to the screen.

1 Subscribe to a TV Package

If you have cable, your cable box may give you access to streaming apps natively. For example, I used to own the Arris Xi6—one of Xfinity's TV boxes—and when I spoke into the remote (or opened the TV menu), I could launch streaming services like Peacock and Netflix. Peacock was even wrapped into my cable bill (for better or worse).

TV boxes aren't as prevalent as they once were, but Spectrum has theXumo Stream Box,Xfinity has X1, and Verizon Fios hasFios TV One and Fios TV+. Excluding Spectrum, you'll need a service plan to use those set-top boxes, unfortunately.

I frequently use more than one of these gadgets daily, and you probably will, too. Part of the reason I bought a console was to play games and stream good movies. Don't limit yourself to just one.

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