Reader Owns an Old 27-Inch TV But Wants to Stream – What Can He Do?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Follow me on X.

TV Answer Man, I would like to learn what it takes to stream so I can subscribe to Paramount Plus and other vendors. I have an older Samsung 27-inch TV. Is there a device that would work with my older TV or would I need to buy a new Smart TV? – Jim, town withheld.

Jim, Roku (streaming stick or device) is a great starter product for those who are unfamiliar with watching programming on the Internet. The product delivers thousands of channels for free as well as popular subscription channels such as Paramount Plus, Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video. Best of all, the Roku Streaming Stick can be connected with a single cable. But will that single cable connect to your TV, you ask?

Can You Connect Roku to Any TV?

I don’t know what kind of set you own, but the Roku Streaming Stick will work with any television that has an HDMI port connection. You take the HDMI cable, which is connected to the stick, and connect it to the HDMI port on your set. If you’re not sure your TV has an HDMI connection, most sets made in the last decade do. But you can also consult your TV’s manual or just look at the set yourself. The HDMI connection is usually in the back of the set, although sometimes it’s on the side.

Once you’ve established that your TV has HDMI, you can read our article here to learn how to how to set it up.

Current-generation Roku players must be connected to a TV with an HDMI port. However, if your older set does not have an HDMI port, and you have an older Roku device with a composite audio/video connection, you could connect the device to your TV.  Your device would have a port labeled, A/V or A/V OUT. And you would connect a cable from the player to the TV that has red, white and yellow connectors.

Jim, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!

Have a question about a favorite show or new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered television for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.