# Connecting Bluetooth To Telvision: Cell Phone As Source Of TV, Radio, Music?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-bluetooth-to-telvision-cell-phone-as-source-of-tv-radio-music/576414
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 29, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-bluetooth-to-telvision-cell-phone-as-source-of-tv-radio-music/576414 "2011-03-29T18:59:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-bluetooth-to-telvision-cell-phone-as-source-of-tv-radio-music/576414/1 "2011-03-29T18:59:19Z")
I have a somewhat older flat screen, plasma television.
Was wondering if there is a gizmo that could be attached that would allow me to use my cell phone as a broadcaster of sorts, and watch TV, listen to radio and music from my cell phone?
I know some new televisions come with this built in, but mine doesn’t. Is there some relatively inexpensive way to set up my TV so I can show what I see on my cell phone on the larger screen?
P.S. Despite typo in thread title, I really do know how to spell television.
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### Author:  [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-bluetooth-to-telvision-cell-phone-as-source-of-tv-radio-music/576414/2 "2011-03-29T19:07:55Z")
Bluetooth doesn’t have the bandwidth necessary for quality video.
Some smartphones have HDMI outputs that can connect directly to a TV. iPhones have similar output attachments.
You can also stream video over WiFi or Ethernet to an Xbox 360, PS3, or similar device.
ETA: To be clear, the limitation is usually on your phone, not your TV. Most TVs only have a few input connectors and they’re pretty standard; your phone, on the other hand, has to be specially built to output external video in real-time and that has only recently become popular. There are still competing technologies sorting themselves out in the marketplace.
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### Author:  [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-bluetooth-to-telvision-cell-phone-as-source-of-tv-radio-music/576414/3 "2011-03-29T23:19:53Z")
Wouldn’t it be easier to just hook up your computer to the TV?
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### Author:  [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-bluetooth-to-telvision-cell-phone-as-source-of-tv-radio-music/576414/4 "2011-03-30T04:28:23Z")
What kind of phone do you have?
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-bluetooth-to-telvision-cell-phone-as-source-of-tv-radio-music/576414/5 "2011-03-30T17:18:55Z")
> [@Silophant](#):
>
> What kind of phone do you have?
I have a Samsung Galaxy S 4G.
That’s the thing - it has great quality and reception for lots of video and film, so I figured it would be great to just slap on to the television once in awhile, especially when watching the news on my direct app to German TV.
I know I can see it on my computer, or move my laptop to the living room, but thought this might be a quick and dirty way to just hook up my cell and watch something.
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### Author:  [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-bluetooth-to-telvision-cell-phone-as-source-of-tv-radio-music/576414/6 "2011-03-30T17:47:14Z")
A playstation 3 with a wifi router will do the trick. Your phone supports DLNA which will stream media to the tv. My brother has the same phone and uses this method.
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### Author:  [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-bluetooth-to-telvision-cell-phone-as-source-of-tv-radio-music/576414/7 "2011-03-31T07:27:24Z")
> [@DMark](#):
>
> I have a Samsung Galaxy S 4G.
>
> That’s the thing - it has great quality and reception for lots of video and film, so I figured it would be great to just slap on to the television once in awhile, especially when watching the news on my direct app to German TV.
> I know I can see it on my computer, or move my laptop to the living room, but thought this might be a quick and dirty way to just hook up my cell and watch something.
You can try the [official TV-out cable (RCA, unfortunately)](http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/ECC1TX1BBEGSTA), which will probably look like shit.
Or go the DLNA route if you have a device that supports it.
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [March 31, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-bluetooth-to-telvision-cell-phone-as-source-of-tv-radio-music/576414/8 "2011-03-31T17:32:56Z")
> [@Reply](#):
>
> You can try the [official TV-out cable (RCA, unfortunately)](http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/ECC1TX1BBEGSTA), which will probably look like shit.
I just found a similar (non-“official”) connector for 10 cents on Amazon - with shipping it will be $3.08 - so figure I will try it out.
I will get back to this thread in a week or so and let you know how it works (or doesn’t).