Gaming on a PC is more or less a go-to for most gamers worldwide. We look to buy high resolutions monitors, the latest gaming mouse, and the most technically advanced keyboards to get a competitive edge. Still, we all love and enjoy playing games in our living rooms every once in a while.
The ever-changing technology plays an integral part in getting the best user experience. Still, there are some games we want to enjoy on a bigger screen.
Setting up PC games on a TV was not that simple if we go a few years back, but you can play your PC games on a TV now thanks to technological advancements.
You can buy some of the best 4K TVs like Android TVs and Samsung TVs now for playing PC games on TV and relaxing on a couch after a long day at work.
There are two main options for this, Steam Link and Remote Play. The first option lets you stream PC games from the PC to other devices, including a smart TV. And the second option is Remote Play, which enables you to play PC games remotely on different devices, on various networks.
We will go over how to play PC games on TV wirelessly and by using a wired connection and set it up in an easy-to-apply manner.
Important Things to Consider Before Starting
It would help if you had both your primary PC and your TV connected to the internet via an ethernet cable for best performance. And if that does not work, you can consider a HomePlug adapter, which will provide a more stable connection than Wi-Fi. Let us discuss essential considerations before delving into the topic.
Input Devices and Steam Controllers
The Steam Link supports several input devices, both USB-based and wireless.
All the USB devices are elementary, you have to plug them in, and they will work right away. And for a Steam Controller, follow these simple steps:
- First, switch on the Steam Link
- Hold steady the X button on the Controller, and press the Steam button.
- It will go into Discovery and Pairing mode and should work from there.
Wired vs. Wireless Connection
Gamers look for a faster connection, and streaming games with high resolution and 60 frames per second (fps) is not a straightforward task for any network. And since most of these games are being played in a team with a set strategy, you could end up struggling with a poor connection.
You can connect the Ethernet cable using the port in the physical connections area.
On the other hand, we have seen vast improvements in Wireless connections. However, they are still not reliable enough in most cases. You can encounter a Wi-Fi dead spot as well as interference from other nearby devices and networks.
How to Set Up Your PC
To answer how to play PC games on TV, you first have to set up your PC for playing PC games on TV. There are multiple steps involved; we will go through them one by one.
- First, enable Remote Play on your PC from which you want to stream games. Access Steam on the PC in use, and click on Steam> Settings> Remote Play. Check the Enable Remote Play option in the dialog box.
- Add non-steam games by clicking Add a Game. Pick the games you want to play on your TV, and then click Add Selected Programs.
- Now, download the Steam Link app on your TV. The app for Android TV is available on the Play Store, and for Samsung TV, it is available on Samsung Smart Hub.
Now it is ready to go for the next step. Just make sure it’s connected with a stable local network connection and running Steam.
Set Up the Steam Link on Your Smart TV
Now it’s time to set up the Stream Link to your Smart TV. This part is explained next in an easy-to-apply and straightforward method. The Steam Link device will require three things in order to perform best: a power cable, an Ethernet network cable, and an HDMI cable.
Plugging these cables correctly to the required places is essential. The power cable is plugged into the wall, the HDMI cable into your Smart TV, and the ethernet cable into your router.
After plugging in these cables, the Steam Link will begin to function. The next step is to configure it, which is explained in the next part.
The Ethernet connection will automatically download the update. It will then ask you to select a language you want to use. Select the language and press apply.
Set Up the Display and Resolution
Now you have to configure the Display and Resolution settings. It can be done by accessing the Steam Link, which will run you through two screens.
Start by adjusting the screen scaling. You can also use your gaming controller to do that on the other screen, tune-up settings such as scaling, CEC, and the resolutions.
Make sure to pick and select the refresh rate according to your TV. In most cases, the default settings cover up almost everything. CEC is an important feature that allows the management of connected devices with your TV through a single controller/gaming pad.
It remains essential to use CEC only when needed. Otherwise, there is no need to use this option.
Pick and Connect Your Host PC
Next, the Steam Link will now try to detect available devices nearby that are currently running Steam automatically.
If you have set up everything, as mentioned before, on your PC, it will appear on the menu, and you have to press A-button on your Controller to proceed. And in case it is not listed, search for it.
The search option will prompt you for information that will help the Steam Link find your PC. It will have a specified PC name or an IP address.
After selecting the host name or an IP address, the Steam Link will show a four-digit PIN that you need to enter on the host PC to confirm the connection. Just look at your host PC, and you should see that a prompt has appeared asking for the code. Type the code to gain access. From here, it will take you to the main menu and you are set for PC gaming on your Smart TV.
Conclusion
Playing PC games on TV is quite straightforward. The critical considerations discussed before setting your TV for PC games remain essential. You just have to enable Remote Play and connect a controllerr. Having some of the best gaming computers is also helpful.
You can access the Steam Link app on your smart TV, both for Android TV and Samsung TVs, and play your PC games on it.
Sometimes you will struggle with the lack of quality and some connection issues. Try to improve the quality by lowering the Quality settings from High to more Balanced or Fast in the Steam Link app on your Smart TV or try upgrading your connection.
