--- title: I built my own streaming box, and it beats every smart... description: An old Ryzen 5 laptop with 4GB RAM was repurposed into a streaming box that outperforms modern smart TVs, which typically ship with weak decade-old processors... canonical: https://daily.dev/posts/i-built-my-own-streaming-box-and-it-beats-every-smart-tv-i-ve-owned-2wrdrnaaq twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:site: @dailydotdev og:type: website og:site_name: daily.dev og:title: I built my own streaming box, and it beats every smart TV I've owned | daily.dev og:description: An old Ryzen 5 laptop with 4GB RAM was repurposed into a streaming box that outperforms modern smart TVs, which typically ship with weak decade-old processors... og:url: https://daily.dev/posts/i-built-my-own-streaming-box-and-it-beats-every-smart-tv-i-ve-owned-2wrdrnaaq og:image: https://api.daily.dev/og/posts/2wrdRnAAq.png og:image:alt: I built my own streaming box, and it beats every smart TV I've owned og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 630 og:locale: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # I built my own streaming box, and it beats every smart TV I've owned **[XDA Developers](https://daily.dev/sources/xda-developers)** · 5 min read · 1 upvotes · 1 comments ## Summary An old Ryzen 5 laptop with 4GB RAM was repurposed into a streaming box that outperforms modern smart TVs, which typically ship with weak decade-old processors and 1-3GB RAM. Windows was kept instead of Android TV or Linux because it has working drivers and full streaming app support without DRM issues. Streaming services were installed as web apps, Kodi was connected to a Jellyfin library for local media, and KDE Connect turned a phone into a remote trackpad. The TV itself is now used only as a display, with its smart features disabled via basic TV mode. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: ## Questions this post answers ### How can I turn an old Windows laptop into a streaming box for my TV? Connect the laptop to the TV over HDMI, set the TV as the only display at its native resolution and highest supported refresh rate, and route audio output through HDMI. Install streaming services as web apps so they appear like normal apps in the Start menu, use Kodi connected to a Jellyfin server for local media, and pair a phone via KDE Connect to use it as a trackpad and remote control. _daily.dev surfaces more home-lab and DIY hardware projects for developers building their own setups._ ### Why is an old laptop better than a Raspberry Pi for building a DIY streaming box? An old laptop already includes everything needed, such as Wi-Fi, built-in storage, an HDMI port, its own power supply, and a cooling system, so nothing extra needs to be purchased. A Raspberry Pi requires sourcing a case, power supply, storage, and other accessories separately, making a repurposed laptop a simpler all-in-one option for a streaming box. _developers comparing repurposed hardware options can find more DIY project breakdowns on daily.dev._ ## Community discussion Top comments from developers on daily.dev. **@amizzo** · 0 upvotes > You lost me at "Windows was kept" ## Similar posts on daily.dev - [My cheap mini PC does what every streaming box refused to let me do](https://daily.dev/posts/my-cheap-mini-pc-does-what-every-streaming-box-refused-to-let-me-do-3sktpaiwz) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments - [Smart TV software ages terribly, so I built my setup around a streaming box instead](https://daily.dev/posts/smart-tv-software-ages-terribly-so-i-built-my-setup-around-a-streaming-box-instead-lt2sdpwhe) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments --- Tags: [#windows](https://daily.dev/tags/windows), [#jellyfin](https://daily.dev/tags/jellyfin) 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