Direc TV is one of the largest satellite TV service providers company in the United States of America. From the large number of channels, the programs that only DirecTV has to offer, and the dependability, the company cannot be faulted for a flood of customers for home television services. But what if you wish to stream DirecTV on your smart TV? For instance, can the internet-connected TVs be used to stream DirecTV? Okay, let’s take a closer look.
What is DirecTV?
Before you get a little acquainted with DirecTV, it is a direct broadcast satellite service provider of television and audio programming that transmits digital satellite signals directly into households situated in the United States of America today, there are hundreds of channels including premium movies, sports packages, and many more. DirecTV calls for the installation of a satellite dish at the customer’s home and a receiver to demodulate the signals being transmitted by the satellites. That content is then viewed on your television.
The options being compared here are the use of a DirecTV set-top box and the utilization of apps on a smart TV.
In the past, to be able to access programming through the DirecTV service, you would have to use a DirecTV set-top box connected to your television through HDMI. This box is in charge of all the connections to your dish and can be regarded as the bridge between the satellite signals and your screen. Again, without the DirecTV receiver box, it is impossible to decode and translate the signals to a normal television.
However, today most smart TVs are shipped with some set of apps, which are similar to applications that are installed in a smartphone. Some examples are Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Pandora and more. The question is. .. is DirecTV one of those available apps?
Is it possible to install a DirecTV application on a smart TV?
However, it must be noted that currently, DirecTV does not provide a native app for smart TVs. If your smart TV does not have an app that can be downloaded through the TV’s app store, you can in no way access DirecTV programming exclusively from the device.
Though you can’t download and install the DirecTV app directly on smart TVs, other streaming applications let you watch some of the live TV channels without a satellite dish or receiver box. For instance, there are applications such as Sling TV and YouTube TV that allow you to watch live television on smart TV through an internet connection. However, the channel listings are different from DirecTV so do not expect to get the same package or channels.
Can I Use a Smart TV to Stream DirecTV?
While a native DirecTV streaming app is not available, there are still a couple of options that allow you to view DirecTV content on your smart television:
1. Plug a DirecTV Receiver Box
The easiest solution is to plug your existing DirectTV receiver box into one of the HDMI inputs on your smart TV. It will also enable your TV to show the DirecTV programming that is being streamed through the set-top box as you would see it on a normal TV. You only need to use the DirecTV remote to control other aspects like channels, recording, and many others.
Some more advanced receiver models like the Genie even allow streaming of recorded content to mobile devices or additional set-top boxes in other rooms. But you still have to have an initial receiver connected to your satellite dish even with these newer units.
2. Smart TV technology like Chromecast or Airplay
Another method of ‘casting’ DirecTV to your smart TV is by using screen mirroring technologies such as Google Chromecast or Apple AirPlay. The benefit here is that instead of buying yet another cable box, you would only need to buy a small dongle for your TV.
Here’s a quick overview of how this would work:
Chromecast – plug this device into your television through the HDMI port. From your phone or tablet, you can stream content to that device with supported apps such as YouTube. Then you can cast recordings or live TV from the DirecTV app to the TV can be done.
AirPlay – For instance, if you are using an Apple iPhone or iPad, AirPlay is used for streaming content on the smart TV. Launch the DirecTV application on your iOS device and then locate the AirPlay symbol to select your TV as the streaming destination.
Despite that, they do present some drawbacks in the form of delays in the quality of the streaming or compatibility with devices. However, in general, when it comes to getting DirecTV in front of your smart TV, screen sharing is a good way.
Conclusion
Most streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu come with individual apps for smart TVs, but this satellite service from DirecTV does not directly interact with such television sets. Satellite broadcast signals still cannot be watched on the television directly, they are first received by a receiver box.
However, for current DirecTV users, there is the availability of HDMI ports, or other wireless streaming platforms to have content aired on the smart TV. New customers who need access to multiple TVs around the home but do not want cables running all over the house do have some workarounds such as the wireless Genie Mini.
Perhaps, DirecTV will enter the smart TV market directly shortly. But for now, with these added measures, streaming followers of the satellite service can get channels, recordings, as well as many other things on the new Internet-enabled TVs.
Transform your viewing experience with DirecTV! Call us today at +1 855-213-2250 to explore our plans and find the perfect package for you. Our experts are ready to assist you and get you set up with top-notch entertainment. Don’t wait—contact us now!
