High-speed Internet connections have changed the way people use the web. They allow content makers and personalities to do live streams and bring content to their audience wherever and whenever.
And you don’t need to make do with your computer or smartphone to enjoy a live stream: You can watch it all on the big screen of your smart TV.
So, what can you expect from watching live streaming on your smart TVs?
About Smart TVs and Live Streaming.
Smart TVs can be used to view content from the Internet, including live streaming, which is the broadcast of video or audio over the Internet in real-time. While you can watch live streams via smart TVs, you cannot interact with or comment on them.
1. Can You Watch Live Streaming on a Smart TV?
Smart TVs let you watch live streaming through the different apps available in the TV’s app store.
While not all apps are available on all smart TVs, there are common apps available on most popular smart TV platforms, such as YouTube, where a lot of live streaming occurs.
2. Do You Need a Smart TV for Live Streaming?
A smart TV is an excellent way to enjoy live streaming. But they aren’t a necessity!
You can use other devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, to watch live streams.
All these devices have one common need for watching a live stream, though: They all rely on a high bandwidth Internet connection.
Check also what streaming platforms each TV is compatible with.
3. Five Live Streaming Apps for Samsung Smart TVs
The most notable app for live streaming content on Samsung smart TVs is the Samsung TV Plus app.
Samsung calls this service “free TV with no strings attached.” And this tagline holds.
The Samsung TV Plus app gives users hundreds of shows and live channels that can be accessed anytime. And like other streaming apps, the Samsung TV Plus app allows you to watch videos on demand and Live TV shows wherever you are.
That’s quite a lot for a free service.
You only need to download the Samsung TV Plus app and begin watching.
The Samsung TV Plus app is available for most Samsung smart TVs released after 2016 and is also available for some Galaxy smartphones.
Other apps worth noting that are available on Samsung smart TVs are:
- Pluto TV
- YouTube TV
- Facebook Watch
- Hulu + Live TV
Here are the demographics of Pluto viewers.
4. Four Live Streaming Apps for LG Smart TVs
Unlike Samsung, LG does not have a dedicated app for streaming live content.
But LG has apps that can bring you live-streaming content. These apps are:
- YouTube TV
- Facebook Watch
- Hulu + Live TV
- Pluto TV
5. Five Live Streaming Apps for Vizio Smart TVs
Unfortunately, Vizio does not have an app selection as wide as other smart TV brands for streaming live TV.
But in its cloud app drawer, you can access the following apps for live streaming content:
- Pluto
- CBS News Live
- Vudu
- Hulu + Live TV
- YouTube
6. Four Live Streaming Apps for Sony Smart TVs
Since it uses Android TV, Sony has access to most video streaming services. If you are looking for which apps are great on Sony for live streaming, here some recommendations:
- YouTube, including YouTube TV
- Hulu + Live TV
- Sling TV
- Pluto TV
- Facebook Live
- Now TV
- Sky TV streaming
We also have an article that answers questions about Sky TV working with Smart TVs.
7. Can You Get 4k Live Streaming on a Smart TV?
You can get 4k live streaming on your smart TV on the following conditions:
- Your smart TV can display in 4k resolution
- Your streaming service can support a 4k resolution
- Your Internet Bandwidth is at least 25 Mbps
These conditions are non-negotiable. Meaning, you need to fulfill all three to get a 4k resolution.
8. Can You Use a Smart TV to Broadcast a Video on the Internet?
You cannot record and broadcast a video through your smart TV.
Smart TVs that have built-in webcams or are compatible with third-party webcams can do video calls, but you cannot mirror these calls over platforms like YouTube or Facebook Live.
9. Can You Stream Live on YouTube with a Smart TV?
You can watch live streams from YouTube on a smart TV, but you cannot use your TV to broadcast or film for you.
Smart TVs were designed mostly to receive data, particularly videos. They were not designed to send data over the Internet for broadcast.
10. Can You Stream Live on Facebook with a Smart TV?
The Facebook Watch app for smart TVs is only for viewing videos on your smart TV, including those on Facebook Live.
You cannot use the app to stream or record on your smart TV.
11. Can You Stream Live on Discord with a Smart TV?
You cannot stream live on Discord with a smart TV due to the following reasons:
- First, smart TVs were designed for viewing and not broadcasting content over the Internet.
- Discord does not even have a dedicated app for smart TVs. While it has an Android app, it remains unknown if it will be stable on Android TVs or its derivatives.
If you are looking to watch a live stream from Discord, your best bet will be to mirror your screen to the smart TV via Chromecast or AirPlay 2.
Check the Discord user demographics here.
12. Can You Stream Live on Twitch with a Smart TV?
You can’t use your smart TV to stream on Twitch, as smart TVs were not designed for that purpose.
But you can watch content on Twitch using your smart TV using Chromecast.
Twitch is only compatible with Chromecast. Thus, your smart TV must have Chromecast built-in or have a dongle available for that purpose.
13. Can You Watch Live Streams on a Fire TV Stick?
You won’t have any problems watching live streams on a Fire TV Stick, as it supports many of the popular streaming apps that support live streams.
14. Can You Watch Live Streams on a Roku Streaming Stick?
You can watch live streams on a Roku Streaming Stick.
Like the Fire TV Stick, the Roku Streaming Stick supports plenty of live-streaming apps (or channels, in Roku’s vernacular). Many of these apps feature content that is streamed live.
15. Is it Better to Watch a Live Stream on a Smart TV, a Smartphone, or a Computer?
The advantage of watching a live stream on a smart TV is that you get to enjoy the broadcast on a large screen with higher image quality.
Note that you can’t engage with anyone while viewing a live stream on a smart TV, though. When you watch a live stream