Ok, this might seem an odd question, but I've been thinking about how I REALLY need to limit my screen time, both tv time and wasted internet time, and was wondering if anyone knew how to do the following:

So I'm moving soon, and I've decided I'm not getting cable, but really that's not saying much as most of the time that I watch "TV" it's either netflix, hulu, amazon prime video or some other channel through my Roku, and yes, I will want to be able to watch those channels, but I want control over how often I can watch them so I can basically force myself to be more productive.

So I know that there are site blockers one can use on the computer (I have a macbook laptop) where you can pre-program various sites that you waste too much time on to be blocked for various periods of time so you literally can't use them during those hours, and I really like that idea.

However, this seems like it would only work for the TV if one hooked up the laptop to the TV so that whatever was on your computer screen was then on the TV, and then used the site blockers.

I think this must be possible, but I'm not at all tech. savvy and not very computer literate.

Does anyone know could I go about doing this?

Like, I want to also be able to use the site blockers for any computer website I use too much, but that's very common, but using it to block an external TV is something I haven't heard of anyone doing, and I HATE watching netflix or movies of any kind through the small screen on my laptop, so basically, I want the option to watch netflix, prime video etc. through my tv screen via my laptop and block myself from doing so at different hours of my choosing.

Would i need to buy a roku like I have for my tv now (this one is my brother's so I'm not taking it) and hook the laptop up to that somehow, or would that not be necessary?

Would I simply go to the netflix or amazon prime video sites online, and then through some kind of cable that connects to my computer I could watch netflix,etc. on my TV screen through that?

And could i then use site blockers so I basically couldn't watch TV at certain times?

What would I need to have to do so? Some kind of HDMI cable?

It's just a coincidence that it's new years, not an actual resolution, but I'll be damned if I haven't realized that I could really be more productive with less screen time, so I literally want to block myself so I'll find better things to do.

Any advice would be great.

Same here, haha. I’m laughably bad with this stuff. But I got my first smart TV not too long ago (as a gift, wouldn’t have been my idea!), so, I’m a little less behind the times now...

For wirelessly “projecting” your laptop onto a TV screen, I think AirPlay would do the trick. It should be on your Macbook. I don’t quite know what you mean when you say you have a Roku - do you have a Roku smart TV, or just a streaming device that plugs into an HDMI port? If the first, you might already have AirPlay on the TV. AirPlay seems to be a pretty standard feature on smart TVs.

Happy 2023, and good luck getting the screen-time under control - always a struggle, I’m in the same boat.

Thanks.

I'm not sure how to describe the Roku other than to say it's just a cord that I connect from my TV to a surge protector and then I have 2 remotes, one to switch the Tv to roku mode and then another that says Roku on it which is for controlling the channels. It doesn't actually appear to hook directly up to the cable box though. When I use the first remote it has 3 modes: TV (I'm not actually sure what that one is for) HDMI1/DVI which is for the cable and ordinary channels, and HDMI2 which is the mode where the Roku works and I can watch Netflix, Prime video, etc.

So which one is that?

I have never heard of Airplay before. What is that exactly?

Okay. I think you can disregard my question about Roku smart TVs versus Roku streaming devices. (I used a Roku TV once at a vacation spot about a year ago, so, kind of a distant memory...) It seems that most/all (?) current Roku devices can use AirPlay.

AirPlay I can only describe by saying: It’s a feature on your Mac (assuming your Mac is current enough) that can take whatever you see on your Mac’s screen and display it simultaneously - wirelessly - on a compatible separate device such as a smart TV...or any TV already set up to run a Roku device. (Among other devices.)

I have a Macbook too. When I want to take what’s on my Macbook screen, and have it show on my smart TV at the same time...I open AirPlay on my Macbook through the icon near the top right corner; and as I do this, I also open AirPlay on my smart TV via the TV’s input options. (I don’t have Roku, but I have a smart TV that’s already equipped with AirPlay.) From there, I just follow the prompts on both devices - it’s pretty user-friendly.

There are some limitations to this approach - I don’t think it’ll work with Netflix or YouTube, for example.

Sorry if this isn’t especially helpful. (I’m perpetually 10-15 years behind on technology, haha. Plus I’m about ready to fall asleep now.) You can probably find tons of articles that explain it more competently if you Google “airplay from mac to roku”: Here’s one -
https://www.alphr.com/mirror-mac-to-roku/

I've used Roku, Firestick, and Apple TV. I have to say the most intuitive, best designed one is the Apple TV. I don't know if any will do what you're after though. I don't believe they're designed for that kind of control or complexity of use. That's just a guess. The Roku in particular, at least from my limited use of it, is incredibly basic. From what I can tell, it's simply a conduit for all the streaming services. There's a reason it is 1/4th to 1/6th the price of an Apple TV. One of the things I don't like about the Roku is that it doesn't appear to ever shut off. Honestly, the Roku is a weird device that had me scratching my head a few times. I didn't care for it.

Interesting. I've never heard of smart tvs or Airplay, but after asking my brother he said none of this is really necessary and that he already uses an HDMI cable without the Roku to make whatever is on his computer screen appear on any normal TV, and as such, if you use site blockers on the neflix site or amazon prime site or youtube site, then that will also prevent you from projecting those sites onto your screen for periods of time.

So basically, the Roku isn't at all necessary in the equation, and i don't think Airplay or a smart TV is either.

Seems less complicated than I thought. I want to try this out for sure to better control my screen time.

See my last post.

I actually think all that's necessary is an HDMI cable and any old normal tv with site blockers on the computer.

Not sure why i didn't ask my brother before but he said he just goes to whatever website, whether it's netflix or amazon prime video or youtube or whatever, hooks up the comp to the tv with the HDMI and then whatever is on the computer screen appears on the tv.

Then if you want to block yourself for periods of time to be more productive, just use site blockers and then you can't use those websites regardless.

So I guess the Roku is just not even necessary at all.