Use of Thunderbolt port to HDMI adaptor

[StarShot]

I have a MBA with a Thunderbolt port. Yesterday I bought a Roku Stick which works great on a TV with a HDMI input. I was hoping to use the Roku for travel, interfacing it with a Thunderbolt-HDMI adapter that I've have for a couple of years.

I want to see the Roku Stick output on my MBA if possilble, but when I hook it up with my adapter, it doesn't work. Is the Thunderbolt port ONLY one way out of my MBA? The Roku Stick only outputs via HDMI.

 

[bent christian]

I have a MBA with a Thunderbolt port. Yesterday I bought a Roku Stick which works great on a TV with a HDMI input. I was hoping to use the Roku for travel, interfacing it with a Thunderbolt-HDMI adapter that I've have for a couple of years.

I want to see the Roku Stick output on my MBA if possilble, but when I hook it up with my adapter, it doesn't work. Is the Thunderbolt port ONLY one way out of my MBA? The Roku Stick only outputs via HDMI.

Thunderbolt is definitely bi-directional. It seems as though Roku may have disabled capabilities for to avoid recording by the user. Whatever the reason, you are not the only one.

https://forums.roku.com/viewtopic.php?t=63479

 

[Boyd01]

Unless I'm missing something here, you're talking about Apples and Oranges. The thunderbolt port on your MBA is also a MiniDisplayPort that is just used to connect monitors. Your adapter is converting MiniDisplayPort to HDMI, not thunderbolt to HDMI. The Roku is designed to be plugged into a video monitor and the MBA does not have video input so naturally it won't work. Same plug, different functions.

If you want to connect an hdmi device to your MBA you could get something like this, although I don't think it makes much sense just to use a Roku (you would also need a thunderbolt cable and they aren't cheap!)
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...dlkulsdzminrec_Ultrastudio_Mini_Recorder.html

Also, while this device will work to connect a video camera via HDMI to your Mac, it may not work with the Roku because of copy protection, to prevent you from recording commercial TV content.

 

[Meister]

Unless I'm missing something here, you're talking about Apples and Oranges. The thunderbolt port on your MBA is also a MiniDisplayPort that is just used to connect monitors. Your adapter is converting MiniDisplayPort to HDMI, not thunderbolt to HDMI. The Roku is designed to be plugged into a video monitor and the MBA does not have video input so naturally it won't work. Same plug, different functions.

If you want to connect an hdmi device to your MBA you could get something like this, although I don't think it makes much sense just to use a Roku (you would also need a thunderbolt cable and they aren't cheap!)
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...dlkulsdzminrec_Ultrastudio_Mini_Recorder.html

Also, while this device will work to connect a video camera via HDMI to your Mac, it may not work with the Roku because of copy protection, to prevent you from recording commercial TV content.

I own the UltraStudio Mini Recorder and it won't work for what the OP is trying to do.

It only works with devices that are compatible (Cameras specifically designed for external recording) and only with the Black magic recording software.

 

[StarShot]

Thanks for the replies. Connecting my Roku Stick to my MBA would have just been an extra bonus. My main thought in getting it was to have a source to connect while traveling. And it does also give me some channels in my home office when plugged into a non-smart tv.

 

[Boyd01]

Never used a Roku, but I thought the idea was that it allowed you to access online content on a TV. Since the MBA is actually a computer, can't you just access the same content directly on the web?

 

[HDFan]

The Roku stick does not have to be connected directly to a TV. Mine is plugged into the MHL port of my Oppo BDP-105D media player and works just fine. My only issue is that it doesn't use the wired network that the Oppo has but has it's own WiFi connection. I also have gotten HDCP copy protection warnings sometimes when I try to play videos, say from Amazon Prime, but if I remove the stick and replace it the problem goes away.

Here's a consumer reports article about MHL. Probably doesn't apply in your case, but placing here for completeness.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2012/08/what-is-mhl-and-why-should-you-care/index.htm