I’m trying to watch videos from my Mac on my TV, but I can’t figure out the best way to stream media. My TV supports streaming, but I’m not sure which method or app to use and whether I need any extra hardware. Any advice or step-by-step help would be greatly appreciated.
So, I was getting sick of the usual shuffle—dragging HDMI cables, juggling Apple TV settings, basic AirPlay sputtering out right when you want to actually watch something. A friend finally convinced me to try out Elmedia Player, and, yeah—I’m not turning back.
The Simplest Solution I’ve Found
Okay, this is how basic it gets: you open whatever video file you have—could be some weird .mkv you grabbed, could be that vacation slideshow Grandma sent—inside Elmedia Player. There’s this little broadcast-ish symbol. Smack it, and boom, it lists your Chromecast, smart TV, AirPlay box, whatever you got on your network. Select your TV and watch it show up on the big screen, zero full-screen mirroring nonsense.
Why Bother With This?
- Universal Support
I’m not exaggerating—if you own anything made after 2012 that can call itself a “smart TV,” it’s probably in the list. Even my crusty living room TV from a housemate’s garage flung up in there. - No More Format Hell
You know how Apple TV chokes if you feed it anything but blessed .mp4s? Elmedia just… plays it. Weird codecs, random subs, obscure anime, birthday vids. No pre-gymnastics. It works. - Not Mirroring, It’s True Streaming
When I AirPlay directly from QuickTime, it’s like my Mac becomes an overheated potato. With this, the file itself does the work—all the resource pain stays on the TV. My MacBook fan doesn’t start screaming. - Full Control, Right at Hand
Volume, seeking, audio track, subtitles—tweaked from my Mac, without the TV’s sluggish remote. This alone is a game-changer when you want to skip grandpa’s entire firework sequence.
There’s No Catch (Just a Sanity-Saver)
Why would I pick this over just using AirPlay? Because AirPlay is picky. It’ll give up on weird files, or lag to the point you’re left watching buffering wheels. Elmedia isn’t fussy, and you don’t even need to be a tech wizard to set it up. If you want something super quick—something your less savvy family members can click through—this is about as hassle-free as it gets. You open, you click, you chill. That’s the whole process.
If you’re tired of playing IT support just to watch a dumb movie, this is the fix. Drop your own horror stories if you’ve tried other streaming tools—I’m collecting them for science.
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If you want to avoid the whole song-and-dance of finding yet another app (Elmedia Player is solid, as @mikeappsreviewer mentioned—can’t argue there if you hate format issues), there’s also the absolute barebones, no-install approach: use what’s already on your Mac and TV. If your smart TV supports DLNA, you can just fire up the ‘Media Sharing’ feature in System Settings > General > Sharing on your Mac (used to be called ‘File Sharing’ or ‘Media Sharing’ depending on your macOS). Your TV should be able to browse your Mac and play videos over your home network.
Now—hold on—this isn’t magic. It’s not as chic as Elmedia Player or AirPlay, and it can choke on certain files (DLNA, man, it’s stuck in 2008 sometimes). But you don’t need to buy or download anything extra. Just a few toggles and, ideally, ethernet (for less buffering) and you’re off. You do lose cool features (like controlling subs or audio tracks easily), and you might run into codec drama if you’re watching, like, .mkv anime rips. But for simple home vids or movies in MP4, works fine.
Alternatively, and yes, a little old school, HDMI still wins in reliability. If you want no lag, no wireless dropouts, and don’t care about cables, that’s a one-and-done. Not as elegant, but it just works, especially if you’re showing stuff for a big group and hate the WiFi “is it gonna connect?” lottery.
Bottom line: Elmedia Player is probably the best if you want something fuss-free and don’t mind a small install, especially for weird video formats. But don’t sleep on built-in Mac/TV streaming if you like to keep things minimal—just… temper your expectations if your collection is anything but vanilla. Or, y’know, keep a crusty HDMI cable in the drawer as the nuclear option. Every streaming method is a compromise, but at least we’re not burning DVDs in 2024.
I get the love for Elmedia—@mikeappsreviewer and @nachtdromer basically made it sound like the holy grail of Mac-to-TV streaming. To be fair, Elmedia Player is great if you’re dealing with wacky video files or you want one-click casting without all the Apple ecosystem drama. But, am I the only one that still just AirPlays direct from QuickTime (or even Safari for web vids) and finds it… fine? Sure, sometimes it whines about formats (who actually uses .mov these days tho), but for your average MP4 or quick YouTube, it’s still built-in and no extra installs.
Now, contrary to the “DLNA is stuck in the stone age” argument—ok, yes, it’s hit-or-miss, but Plex does it better. If you’re even somewhat organized about your videos, just install Plex Media Server on your Mac, and most smart TVs have a built-in Plex app. I’d say if you ever watch TV shows, or have a library, Plex is just easier to manage over time than treating every file as a one-off.
Honestly though, if you’re not wanting to fuss with third parties or weird settings, old-fashioned HDMI is king. No network stalling, no codec “surprises.” The wire never lies. Not glamorous, but when my parents visit and want to see a slideshow from 2010, it’s either HDMI or pure chaos.
If you’re adventurous, look at JustStream too—similar to Elmedia, but has a few different features. But if you want plug-and-play, trust your gut: Elmedia is probs your best bet for odd files and true streaming, Plex for big libraries, HDMI if you hate surprises, AirPlay if you’re lucky it works, and DLNA for the… masochists. Can’t say there’s a one-size-fits-all, but at least we’ve got options besides burning discs like it’s 2003.