How to use Zoom or Teams on your TV

A reader wants to know whether the Anker C300 webcam will also work with smart televisions in addition to a tablet.

This is a question I’ve pondered as well.

It sounds like it should be easy, but there are no smart TV apps for Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

There used to be a Skype for TV app, but it was discontinued several years ago.

You might think TVs with the Android operating system could use Android apps from the Google Play store, but you’ll find most TVs don’t have the ability to use a USB webcam.

One option would be to join the call on a computer, tablet or smartphone and connect to the TV to mirror or “cast” the output.

Here are some pointers from Samsung on mirroring to its smart TVs.

Many TVs are Apple AirPlay or Chromecast compatible. Many let you connect from Apple devices via AirPlay. You’ll have to read up on the features of your specific TV.

You can also connect your laptop or smartphone or tablet to your TV directly with an HDMI cable. You’ll have to do some research on what type of connection your device has, and you’ll likely need an adapter or special cable to connect your device to the TV.

Many laptops have HDMI ports, so a simple HDMI cable is all you need to connect to a TV and use it as a second monitor.

Smartphones and tablets will need a special cable or adapter. iPhones have a Lightning port, and Apple makes a Lightning to HDMI adapter. iPads use either

Lightning or USB-C ports. Android phones and tablets use USB-C. You can get cables or adapters for those.

Once you have the image up on your TV screen, you’ll need to place the camera where it will be most useful.

Try to put the camera close to the TV so that when you are taking part in the video meeting, your eyes will be looking toward the camera (and the TV) and not in another direction.

If you use a phone or tablet, you’ll be using the built-in camera, so you’ll need to figure out a way to mount the phone to keep the camera pointed toward you.

If you’re using a laptop, you can use the built-in camera or use an external USB webcam and mount the webcam on top of your TV.

Jim Rossman may be reached at jrossman@dallasnews.com.

Dreamstime/TNS If you have ever used Apple AirPlay to stream music or video from your phone to a speaker or TV or Google Chromecast to wirelessly send music or video to a TV, you’ll be a step ahead in putting Zoom or Teams on your television.