How To Connect A Roku to A Projector?

Roku has become a household device since its introduction in 2007. The streaming device was designed to bring entertainment to every room of the house without having any wires connected to the device.

Roku is a brand name for a line of media streamers from Roku Inc., a privately held company headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Roku devices allow consumers to access their favorite content right from their comfort zone and play it on large-screen through an HDMI connection.

Due to the current scenario of Covid-19 going on people want to watch their favorite movies in the comfort of the house on a bigger screen with the help of a projector. But many users don’t know know how to connect a Roku to a projector? So, in this article, we will go step by step to know the process with a simple guide.

How does Roku Service work?

Roku offers a variety of models ranging from $49 to $99. Roku also offers a free version called Roku Express. There are two types of Roku Express: one with HDMI input and another without HDMI input.

Remember the Roku with HDMI input will work with a projector that is capable of receiving an HDMI connection. However, there are some limitations while using this type of Roku which we will discuss in the article below.

If you feel that Roku is not the right device for your projector then there are other streaming devices are also available in the market like Chromecast, Firestick, Nvidia Shield, etc.

Purpose Of Using Roku Services On Projector?

Roku sticks are great for playing movies or TV shows on your big screen. You can also stream content like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and many more without paying extra for the cable connection. Connecting your Roku to a projector is easy. Plug your Roku device into an HDMI port and connect it to a WiFi network.

You can use an HDMI cable to connect your laptop to your projector. Or, you could purchase a VGA adapter to convert your computer into a video source for your projector. If you want to play movies from your Roku onto a TV screen, you need to connect it directly inside the HDMI input of the television. 

How to connect a Roku to your projector? (Step By Step)

Now it’s time to connect Roku to your projector with the steps written below. It’s a simple process to get things done.

1. First plug both of them into a power supply. Make sure the device is plugged in correctly. 

2. Turn the projector on and you will see the  “Power On” flashing on the lower right corner. This means that the projector is ready to be used.

3. Click “Play” located in the upper right corner of the screen. If it doesn’t work, try restarting the projector.

4. Now open the Roku app and click “Settings” located on the left-hand side of the home screen. Choose “System Settings” from the list.

5. Scroll down to find “Input Device.” Your Roku should show up automatically, so scroll down to find it.

6. Enable the “HDMI Input” box if you want to set it up to act like a traditional audio/video system instead of a Roku.

7. Hit the “Save” tab located at the end of the page.

8. Now all you have to do is close out of everything that pops up and hit power.

9. The Roku should now start streaming live television or videos through your projector.

10. Enjoy.

• Other References Roku Not Running Properly 

How to connect a Roku to a projector (wirelessly)? 

There are many ways to connect a Roku to the projector wirelessly. You can use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, infrared, or even a USB connection. However, we will focus only on the wireless options here.

The best way to connect a Roku to any projector is using Wi-Fi technology. It is extremely easy to set up and works flawlessly. So let us go ahead and learn how to connect a Roku to projection using Wi-Fi.

• First thing first, make sure that you have an HDMI wireless transmitter to connect the Roku to the projector.
• Connect the Roku device to HDMI wireless transmitter
• Connect the receiver with the projector now with the help of an HDMI cable.
• Now connect all the three devices together and power up the projector.
• You will see the Pop up saying a device is connected to the projector.
• Now launch the Roku application on the Roku device and log into your account.
• Select ‘Setup’ from the main menu and follow the instructions.
• Once the setup is complete, you can enjoy watching movies on the big screen.

How to connect a Roku remote to a projector [Virtually]?

Now when you connect the streaming device to any instrument like a 4k projector, television, or any other device the Roku remote will work automatically without any problem. But if you lost your remote and you don’t know how to run the device then below is the guide on how to connect Roku remote to a projector virtually.

1. First, you need to download the Roku Remote App on your smartphone.
2. Launch the app and select the ‘Remote’ option.
3. Select ‘Roku Remote’ in the search bar.
4. Click on ‘Add Device’.
5. Enter the name of your Roku remote and click on ‘Next’.
6. Confirm the details by entering the code sent to your phone.
7. Once done, click on ‘Done’.
8. Your Roku remote has been added successfully.
9. Now you can control your Roku remotely from anywhere.

How to Project Roku Sound On External Speakers?

Now we all know that projector sound system is not up to the mark but still, there is one solution which makes things better. Yes, you guessed right. With Roku, you can easily project audio on external speakers using an HDMI converter kit/audio extractor.

• Connect the Roku device with the HDMI audio converter box.
• Plug the audio converter HDMI port into the headphone jack of the projector.
• Now connect your external speaker to the audio converter box.
• Turn on all the devices one by one and you will hear the sound coming from your external speakers.

Some audio extractor comes with a 3.5 mm audio jack. So you can also connect your external speaker inside a 3.5 mm audio jack with the help of an AUX cable.

Does Roku Work with any Projector?

The answer depends on what kind of projector you have. Most projectors will play video from any streaming device. If you have a digital projector, it may be able to display anything which you want to see on your bigger screen.

Disadvantages Of Connecting Roku To Projector

You will see a movie that is related to science-fictional or some web series that requires high-end audio codecs then your projector might not able to play the sound you might be hoping for. So always check before buying a product whether it supports the required features or not.

Also, make sure if you are going with a 4k Roku device then your projector should also support a true 4k projection system to avoid any viewing compatible issue.

Conclusion

The best way to connect a Roku to your projector is by using HDMI cables. This will allow you to stream content from your Roku device directly onto your TV screen. If you don’t want to spend money on HDMI cables, you could try connecting it through a USB cable instead.