Can I Use Roku TV On A Monitor? 3 Things You Need To Know

So you’re browsing online for computer screens…

But wait…

You look at your Roku TV and thought:

“How about saving a few bucks and making this my monitor, instead?”

I’d say, that might not be a bad idea.

Keep reading to discover:

How to connect Roku TV to a PC.
3 awesome things to know about using Roku TV.
Why using Roku TV is better than buying a 2nd monitor.
And many more…

Can I use Roku TV on a monitor?

You can use Roku TV on a monitor because it’s user-friendly and compatible with a laptop or PC. Roku TV has a good refresh rate as well. Furthermore, you need to enable the screen mirroring feature of the Roku TV or use an HDMI cable to connect it to a PC.

Using Roku TV on a monitor – 3 things you need to know

#1: Roku TV is compatible with a laptop or PC

In case you don’t know yet…

Roku TV is a smart TV with Roku apps built into it.

With this feature, you don’t need to use a Roku streaming box or stick. Without those, you can still access Roku and its streaming apps.

In fact, this made Roku TV one of the best-selling Smart TVs in the year 2021.

And what’s more…

You can connect Roku to a computer and use it as a PC screen.

It has 3 built-in HDMI ports, so it extends to any PC or laptop with an HDMI port as well.

You can also use its screen casting feature.

Now, you can have a larger screen for your work-from-home set-up and a smart TV in one.

#2: Roku TV has a good refresh rate

If you’re looking for a monitor, you need to look for one that has a good refresh rate.

This is expressed in Hertz (Hz). And it’s defined as the number of times an image is refreshed.

So, the higher the refresh rate, the smoother monitor experience you’ll have.

Take the Hisense Roku TV, for instance…

It has a motion rate of 120Hz, so it reduces that lag in the screen.

This makes Roku TV a good option for gamers who want to play on a larger screen.

Moreover, you can also set your Roku TV if you’re using it for gaming mode. And here’s how:

Press Home on the remote.
Select Settings.
Choose System.
Click Advanced system settings.
Select Advanced display settings.
Choose Auto-adjust display refresh rate.

Note: It’s not always the TV screen’s refresh rate. Your internet connection also influences the input lag on your screen.

#3: Roku TV is budget-friendly

More people are actually switching to using smart TVs as PC screens.

And you know why?

Because it’s cheaper and the quality doesn’t disappoint.

TCL Roku TVs, for example, have superb picture quality. But the price range is only $150 to $2000 plus.

On the other hand, there’s TCL 3 Roku TV 2019 and Hisense U6GR. They’re the cheapest yet most promising among the Roku TV models.

In addition, Roku has partnered with TV brands and has hundreds of models. Those are:

Onn.
TCL
JVC.
Sanyo.
Philips.
Hitachi.
Hisense.
InFocus.
Element.
Westinghouse.

How to connect Roku TV to a PC

You can connect Roku TV to a PC by enabling the screencast feature of both devices. You can also use an HDMI cable to connect from the Roku TV to a PC. This will automatically make your Roku TV the second PC screen.

#1: Enable the screencast feature

Just like any Smart TVs in the market…

Roku TV can screencast to your PC or laptop in a breeze.

This is a good option to connect to Roku if you opt for a wireless connection.

But first, you need to enable the screen mirroring setting before you can connect to a PC. Here’s how to do it:

Turn on your TV.
Use your Roku TV remote.
Press the Home button.
Select Settings.
Choose System.
Click Screen mirroring.
Select Always allow.

Next, follow the steps below to set your Windows computer to connect to your Roku TV:

Using your mouse, go to the lower right part of your computer screen.
Click the speech bubble or Windows Action Center.
Choose the tab that says Connect.
Select the Roku TV and wait to connect.

#2: Use an HDMI cable

This is also a convenient way to connect with your PC.

In fact, this works with a Macbook laptop if you don’t have an Apple TV.

So, to connect your Roku TV using the HDMI port, here’s how:

Connect the HDMI cable to your Roku HDMI port.
Plug the other end of the HDMI cable to your PC or laptop’s HDMI port.
On your Roku TV, select the source and choose HDMI.

If your Mac doesn’t have an HDMI port, you can use this Mini DisplayPort Thunderbolt to HDMI display adapter.

Note: The screen mirroring automatically happens once connected through HDMI. This works for most Smart TVs being used as a second PC screen.

Moreover, you might have a problem with how zoomed-in the apps or files are.

So, here’s how to set up your second monitor if you’re using Windows:

Click the Start button.
Select Settings.
Choose System.
Click Display.
Go to the Multiple Displays Section.
Change the size of text, apps, and other drop-down menus to select the appropriate scale.

You can also do this quick shortcut on your laptop or PC:

Right-click on your desktop screen.
Click Display Settings.
Go to Multiple Displays Section
Change the size of text, apps, and other drop-down menus to select the appropriate scale.

Now, if you’re using a Macbook, follow these steps:

In your system preferences, select Display settings.
Choose the resolution settings that you prefer.

BONUS: Roku has an app built for Windows 10

Losing the remote control is the most inconvenient thing of all.

But thanks to the Roku app, this problem is solved.

Roku App can be installed on any Windows 10 device.

It works as a virtual TV remote controller. With that, you can switch TV shows or channels as you like.

How awesome is that?

Furthermore, the Roku app for Windows is free to download and use. It’s available on both Android and iOS devices.

Note: Your Roku TV and your app need to be connected to the same network.