Channels & viewing

[Carlynn]

I got my ctv activated on my tv but can only watch the stuff it says is free.   I can however watch all the movies etc on my desktop computer.   I have no idea why.   Is there a way I can stream from my computer to the tv to be able to watch all the content on my tv?

I have looked to see if there is anywhere I can buy a subscription but it says it is free to watch ctv.

This is a roku tv that I just bought.  I am a new user to the roku so have some challenges to work out.

[RokuEuniceL]

Hi @Carlynn,

Welcome, and thanks for posting to the Roku Community!

We're happy to assist you with your inquiry. Please be advised that you can stream from your computer to the Roku TV to watch all the content on your Roku TV. You can check out this link here to screen mirror your Android or Windows device to your Roku TV. On the other hand, to be better assisted with your subscription inquiries, you can contact our Accounts and Billing team since they are the specialized department to best cater to your inquiry. To contact them, kindly refer to this link here. Select the Accounts and Billing option to be directed to their contact information.
Best regards,
Eunice

[Carlynn]

I read all the info you sent me about screen mirroring.   I still have a question.   I have a pixel 6a google phone and when I go to cast on it it will only show me my google speakers on the list.   It will not show my tv.   

I have chatted with the people at google and they tell me I have to have a chromecast to be able to cast to my tv.    What I want to know is is there any way I can cast from my phone with the roku app to my tv?

[Strega2]

In the link above I noticed an interesting exception: “In general, if your device is running Android version 10.0 or later (and is not a Google branded device running OS 6.0 or later, like a Google Nexus or Pixel), it likely supports screen mirroring.” 

[Carlynn]

This was the question I asked.

What I want to know is is there any way I can cast from my phone with the roku app to my tv?

[AvsGunnar]

@Carlynn 

There are a few different casting apps I use to cast any internet streaming videos through my Roku devices to my TV.  There were a few changes to the Roku OS in update 11.5, so the following apps have been updated to conform to the Roku standards. (Basically, you will install the app/apk on your phone or mobile device, and then a companion receiver from the Roku Channel Store gets installed on your Roku device).  The older method used to allow these casting apps to use Roku's native "Play on Roku" protocol, but this was prohibited by OS 11.5 over security concerns/potential for malfeasance, hence the updates to these apps to the new standards.

All the below are available in the Play Store. The companion receivers are, again, available in the Roku Channel Store.  All the free versions work just fine (some ads on phone, but nothing too intrusive).  The paid versions remove the ads and add some features like bookmarks, etc.

My preferred casting app is Web Video Caster. (both free version and one-time paid version of about $4.00 or so).  This is the one I primarily use.

https://channelstore.roku.com/en-ca/details/dd37e6d096d3197a9578787890118e33/web-video-caster-receiv... (Canada)

https://channelstore.roku.com/details/dd37e6d096d3197a9578787890118e33/web-video-caster-receiver (US)

Another good one is Castify (aka Rokify).  Both free and paid version.

https://channelstore.roku.com/en-ca/search/castify (Canada)

https://channelstore.roku.com/search/castify (US)

Other one you can look at is tubio

https://channelstore.roku.com/en-ca/search/tubio (Canada)

https://channelstore.roku.com/search/tubio (US)

-------

You can also use a laptop with an HDMI cable and plug directly into your TV if you want to stream content to your TV. (bypass the Roku altogether).

I actually just use Web Video Caster both on my mobile devices and on laptop (desktop version) that allows wireless casting through my Roku devices so pretty much covers any casting and mirroring needs I have.  Anything else I need to get to the TV is satisfied by using the HMDI cable directly from the laptop.

[Carlynn]

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my problem.  I am a senior and it is very hard to figure out all these things. 

If I use my laptop I would have to have one end of a usb cable in my laptop and the other end in to the hdmi in to the back of the tv.   Can you put apps on a laptop as I assume I would have to have the app of what I want to mirror on my laptop.

I will try what you suggested.

[AvsGunnar]

@Carlynn 

The two methods of casting (easily) would be the following.

First method. (using Web Video Caster as example)

1. Go to the Play Store and install Web Video Caster app on your phone.

2. Go to the Roku Channel Store (either from your Roku device or the links provided above) and install the companion receiver.

3. Open the Web Video Caster (WVC) app on your phone and it will find your Roku device.  In each of these apps there is a "web browser" in which you type in the web address of your content.  You will go to the CTV website (https://www.ctv.ca/) and then select the show you want to watch.  You then press the "casting button" in the app and it will push the show to your TV through your Roku device.

Each of these casting apps are very similar and have some tutorials you can watch on how to use, as well as some instructions on your phone that walk you through it.  Web Video Caster has a website https://www.webvideocaster.com/home that has a video tutorial to give you an idea how it works for the Roku. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMCcM15wlpQ&list=PLSPZ1KPtXzhoT3Tn6sly3yy01AX3_iUHZ&index=5

---

Second method. (Using HDMI cable to TV)

1. Plug one end of HDMI cable into TV and the other end of the HDMI cable into your laptop. (not the USB port. The laptop has to have an HDMI port).

2. There are different methods depending of whether using Windows or Linux OS on your laptop, but you configure the laptop to use your TV as an "extended desktop".

3. You then just navigate to the website of your content using your preferred web browser and you will see the content on your TV.  You don't install any apps on the laptop itself.  You are basically just using your web broswer and the HDMI cable.  Essentially, anything you can see on your laptop will be sent to your TV via the HDMI cable.

The above method is not technically "casting", but more using your TV as a secondary monitor.

-----

Feel free to post back if you still have any questions.

[Carlynn]

I need some more help.   I have the web caster on my phone and tv.   I also put  the receiver on both tv and phone.

I have the phone playing the movie and the movie is showing up on my tv screen but when I go to play nothing happens and it does not start the movie.

Don't know what I am not doing wrong.  Do you have any suggestions?

[AvsGunnar]

@Carlynn 

Need a few more details where you are getting stuck.

Make sure both the phone and the Roku device are on the same network (wifi), so Web Video Caster (WVC) can find your Roku device.  After you type the web address into the WVC built in web browser and you find something to play, the yellow icon in upper right of the WVC app on the phone should begin to flash/pulsate.  You press on the yellow icon (which is the cast button) and the video should start playing on your TV. (WVC on Roku will automatically launch if already connected.  If not already connected, WVC will pop-up a window asking which device it should connect to).

----

Feel free to post back with exactly what you are doing (step by step) and what you are seeing and maybe can see what is going on.