When I found a bargain streaming dongle promising “HD casting to your TV for under $30,” I couldn’t resist. The TVBuddy Streaming Device showed up in my feed, big smiles on happy users, so I thought, why not plug it into my old HDTV and see if it could breathe new life into it?
What Is the TVBuddy Streaming Device?
The TVBuddy Streaming Device is marketed as a plug-in HDMI dongle that lets you mirror or cast from your smartphone, tablet or laptop to a TV. The claims include Full HD 1080p, support for AirPlay, Miracast and DLNA protocols, no complex installation required. Some listings price it around $20-30 USD.
Why I Tried It
I’ve got a perfectly fine old TV in the guest room that lacks smart features. I didn’t want to spend a lot upgrading it, so the idea of a cheap streaming device sounded perfect. If TVBuddy worked decently, I could stream from my phone to that TV, catch shows, mirror photos… good value.
My Experience Using It
The device arrived quickly and looked like any HDMI dongle. I plugged it into my TV’s HDMI port, powered it via USB on the TV, switched the input… and was up and running in minutes. At first, I could mirror my phone’s screen and browse YouTube with relative ease.
However, issues began to appear that surprised me. The device claims Full HD 1080p, but the picture often looked softer, and there was noticeable lag when scrolling menus or loading apps. Also, the device essentially mirrors your source device… it does not run native apps of streaming services. That means you still need your phone/tablet as the driver, which defeats some convenience. This limitation is actually mentioned in some reviews.
Over a few weeks, I also noticed the WiFi was less stable than a proper streaming box, especially when I tried to stream video from a NAS drive. The dongle heated up, dropped connection occasionally, and firmware updates were non-existent. On higher resolution streams, buffering happened. For a device this low priced, I expected more reliability.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Very low cost option to add some casting functionality to an older TV
- Simple plug-and-play setup; I had it working within minutes
- Good for occasional mirroring from phone or tablet
Cons
- Doesn’t run native streaming apps so you’re limited to mirroring devices
- Performance was inconsistent, noticeable lag and weaker picture quality
- Stability issues with WiFi and higher resolution streams
- Marketing claims are inflated, “Smart streaming device” sounds better than what it delivers
- Support/firmware updates appear minimal to none
Build & Durability
Not applicable in the traditional sense, since this is a device. The build felt basic plastic, the dongle itself protrudes from the HDMI port unless you use an extension. It got slightly warm after prolonged use. No bad smells, but the “premium feel” was absent.
Product Claims vs. Reality
Claim: “Plug in and stream full HD from any device, no apps or drivers required.”
Reality: Yes, plug-in works, but you still need your phone/tablet; device doesn’t magically run streaming apps. Also, the Full HD claim is only sometimes met… quality and stability vary.
Claim: “Smart TV functionality for old TVs at a fraction of the cost.”
Reality: It adds mirroring functionality, but not full smart TV experience (app store, remote interface etc). So, if you expect Roku/Fire TV type features, you’ll be disappointed.
Is It a Scam?
I wouldn’t call it a full scam… you get a functioning device, and it does what many users expect: mirrors content to a TV. However, the marketing borders on misleading. The claims are much stronger than the real-world performance, and some consumer commentary strongly warns about limitations. So it’s more “over-promised budget gadget” than “fraudulent scam,” but you should buy with expectations tuned accordingly.
Ingredient / Material Breakdown
- HDMI dongle with USB power supply
- Basic WiFi (2.4GHz and in some versions maybe 5GHz)
- Works via AirPlay/Miracast/DLNA mirroring of a phone/tablet
- No internal app store or high-end processing claims verified
Where to Buy & Price Point
- eBay listings: as low as $15-25 USD for a “TVBuddy Caster” dongle.
- Official branded websites: around $49 USD or more for some listings.
- Many generic versions of similar hardware exist online for under $20… so actual value is likely closer to the lower end.
How to Use
- Plug the dongle into TV’s HDMI port and connect power via USB.
- Select the HDMI input on the TV.
- Connect your phone/tablet to the device’s WiFi or use your home WiFi as required.
- Use AirPlay/Miracast or DLNA to mirror your device screen to TV.
- For streaming, use apps on your phone; the dongle simply projects them.
- If you move device to a different TV, repeat setup.
Alternatives to Consider
- ONN Google TV 4K Streaming Box
- Roku Streaming Stick HD
- Google TV Streamer 4K
- Roku Ultra 2024
Conclusion — Would I Recommend It?
If you’ve got an old TV and simply want a very low-cost way to mirror your phone/tablet to the screen, then yes, TVBuddy can work. But if you’re expecting it to act like a full-fledged smart streaming device with native apps, 4K HDR support, smooth playback and minimal lag, then no, you’d be better off spending a little more for a higher-quality box. For the price I paid, it’s usable, but it certainly requires compromise.
Would I buy it again? Probably not… I’d pick a better supported streaming device for similar or not much more cost.
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