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I’ve acquired a TV for my garage, the main idea is for YouTube videos for bike maintenance etc.
I was just going to get a Fire Stick for it but wondered about plugging an actual computer in to it instead, I don’t have a spare computer.
Is there a cheap & easy way of getting something that will get me a useable browser that isn’t painfully slow to use. Something like Chrome OS on a Raspberry Pi?
Needs to be cheap as possible <£50.
Ta
Raspberry pi has major supply issues which has pushed cost up significantly. Even without that, once you add a keyboard, mouse, power supply, case, memory card etc its definitely the wrong side of £50.
Assuming you have a smartphone and really just want youtube then a chromecast is probably easier than a browser on the tv. You can screen mirror your phone browser too - but its not an amazing experience.
I've never used a firestick but if you control it via a remote control it will be even worse that a chromecast.
You just need a chromecast, surely?
Firestick comes with YouTube app installed and the search via the remote is not bad, or you can use voice control search
I presume the OP wanted browser functionality in addition to YouTube, as otherwise, yes - crazy to hook up a computer rather than some kind of streaming device. If a browser is what is trying to be achieved, then screen mirroring from a laptop to a suitable device would be easiest. If the available laptop happens to be a mac (or iPhone/iPad), then I'd look at a used AppleTV for filling the YouTube app function and screen mirroring.
Android Box with a wireless keyboard with trackpad?
depending on your phone, you can just plug in a usb-c to HDMI adapter (about £15) and just mirror the screen from there. Chromecast also works but its compatibility isn't quite as good IMO. We do the USB-C adapter thing when we go on trips to allow us to watch whatever we want on the villa TV
I'd just whack a firestick on it personally. Cheap and no faffing.
What do you actually want, do you want to browse the web or do you want YouTube?
I mostly want YouTube and other streaming services for when I’m tinkering in the garage, so yes a fire stick.
But just had an idea that if I’m going to buy one could I make it into a basic computer for little money instead.
I’ve never used a firestick but if you control it via a remote control it will be even worse that a chromecast.
I can AirPlay to it from my phone though so the streaming side of things isn’t an issue.
so i forgot that I have a bluetooth keyboard & mouse in the cupboard unused. But I've just connected it to my firestick and am typing this on it. Not the greatest web experience but seems useable.
Just need to see if I can scale / zoom the pages out a bit.
I'll get a firestick for the garage i think.