How I turned my previous TV right into a monitor without spending a dime

Samsung DeX is maybe essentially the most under-utilized built-in Galaxy smartphone function. By merely plugging a Samsung cellphone into a TV or a monitor, you’ll be able to unlock a tailored desktop expertise, outputted instantly onto the bigger panel.

Samsung has been slowly however steadily iterating on its desktop-like interface for quite a lot of years, leading to what’s at the moment a reasonably sturdy PC expertise.

For the longest time, I have been fascinated with DeX and it is implications for the way forward for cell computing, and but I’ve struggled to discover a use case that matches into my private workflow.

Then, the right alternative arose — a family TV improve left me with an previous, small, flatscreen panel with none cable field or sensible performance to name its personal. Unwilling to let my previous TV accumulate mud or grow to be e-waste, I turned to DeX.

This is how I did it.

What’s wanted for DeX to work

To get Samsung DeX up and operating, you will want a vacant show of your individual — this may very well be an previous, small flatpanel, or a pc monitor with both HDMI or USB-C help.

Then there’s the cellphone consideration: Samsung has a handy support website that lists any and all DeX-compatible Galaxy gadgets. Older telephones just like the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9 each require bespoke DeX docking hardware, whereas all newer fashions operate with out this constraint.

Do not forget the dongle

My Galaxy S20 has a USB-C port with help for HDMI output, and my previous TV has an HDMI enter port. To sq. this circle, I merely used one of many many USB-C hub equipment presently accessible available on the market.

I occur to have a Satechi hub, which options ports starting from USB-A, Ethernet, microSD, and, in fact, HDMI. You may as well go for a easy USB-C to HDMI dongle from any accessible retailer.

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Getting DeX up and operating

As soon as you’ve got gathered the mandatory {hardware}, the setup itself is close to easy. Samsung has completed good work in making all the course of a plug-and-play expertise:

1. Plug your Galaxy into your TV, utilizing a dongle or hub to transform from USB-C to HDMI.
2. Ensure that your TV’s on-screen enter mode matches the bodily port that you’ve got plugged your cellphone and dongle into.
3. Unlock your Galaxy and settle for the immediate asking for permission to entry DeX mode.

In the event you plug your cellphone into your TV and easily see a mirrored model of the cellphone display, swipe down in your notification panel, and faucet on the DeX fast setting tile.

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From right here, you may also head to Settings –> Connections –> Bluetooth to wirelessly pair a keyboard and mouse to your setup. You may as well use your Galaxy’s show as a makeshift trackpad, which could be enabled by way of your notification panel.

In the event you’re completed taking part in round with DeX, or just wish to untether your cellphone out of your flatpanel, comply with these steps:

1. Press the Apps button, which could be discovered within the decrease left nook of the interface.
2. Faucet on Exit DeX.
3. Unplug your Galaxy.

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So, can a TV DeX setup actually exchange a PC?

Nearly, however not fairly

As a proof of idea, operating Samsung DeX on my previous, small flatpanel largely hit the mark. All of the hallmarks of an interface geared in the direction of productiveness are current and accounted for — an software drawer analogous to a PC Begin Menu, a taskbar, a number of floating and cascading home windows, and so forth.

In case your workflow consists of utilizing web-based providers, searching the web, and phrase processing, you’ll be able to completely get by with simply DeX. Nevertheless, the Android ecosystem nonetheless would not help sufficient optimized large-screen purposes. Lots of the in-app experiences nonetheless give off that unshakable feeling of constraint, such as you’re being shackled to the inherent rules of cell software program.

TVs are designed to be mounted on the wall or positioned in an leisure heart

Placing apart the necessity for a considerably unpleasant dongle or USB-C hub, the most important DeX downside I bumped into from a {hardware} perspective has to do with the TV show itself.

Not like commonplace pc screens, which supply adjustable viewing angles, TVs merely aren’t designed with desktop utilization in thoughts. My previous flatpanel is sufficiently small to make it an excellent measurement for a desk, but it surely gives nothing in the best way of adjustability. Mileage varies primarily based on TV mannequin and desk setup, however if you happen to decide to retool an previous flatscreen panel, you’ll be able to anticipate to ask undesirable neck pressure into the equation.

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Trying in the direction of the long run

Flagship telephones throughout the board lean in

The sheer quantity of processing energy a contemporary flagship cellphone accommodates is nothing in need of exceptional. Different Android OEMs are fortunately starting to take the plug-and-play idea critically, which merely wasn’t the case just a few quick years in the past.

Motorola is one such OEM main the pack with its ‘Ready For‘ PC interface, and Google itself has been internally twiddling with a local desktop mode since at least 2016.

​​​​​​I loved my experiment of operating DeX on my previous TV, and the novelty issue by no means wore off in the course of the check interval. I streamed YouTube movies, I browsed the online, and I typed up segments of this text throughout my transient stint. For all of those duties, the expertise was not solely a serviceable one, however a nice one.

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That being mentioned, DeX nonetheless lacks a lot of the specialised software program that many PC customers depend upon to get work completed. In my case, the dearth of full-fat Adobe apps is a reasonably important roadblock to deal with.

Throwing within the accompanying ergonomic challenges, I finally pulled the plug on DeX and went again to my trusty M1 iMac setup. I is probably not a full-time convert fairly but, however I can safely say that this would possibly not be the final time I experiment with utilizing my previous TV as a DeX PC.

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FAQ

Q: Which Samsung gadgets help DeX?

This is the present lineup of gadgets that help DeX.

Q: What’s Samsung DeX?

Inititally launched in 2017 as a puck-like hub with USB, Ethernet, and HDMI ports to hook up with the Samsung Galaxy S8 sequence, DeX means that you can connect with an even bigger platform to view smaller cell apps. Basically, it permits for a laptop computer show of a cell app model. You may join to point out Samsung DeX on a monitor, pill, TV, or laptop computer show. Along with utilizing the apps already put in in your cellphone and exhibiting them on an even bigger display, you may also reply and make calls whereas utilizing DeX.