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How to Make Your Videos TV-Friendly Now That Casting Is Shrinking

UUnknown

2026-02-06

10 min read

Creators: casting is shrinking. Follow this technical and creative checklist to make videos TV-friendly and discoverable on smart TV apps.

Hook: Your viewers are on the couch — not the phone. Make every upload TV-ready

Creators and publishers: if you still depend on viewers casting from phones to watch your work on a TV, you’re building on a disappearing foundation. Major platforms moved in late 2025 and early 2026 to reduce or remove casting support — Netflix publicly cut phone-casting in January 2026 — and smart TV apps plus native discovery surfaces now dictate reach. This guide gives a practical, technical and creative checklist so your videos are TV-friendly, discoverable in smart TV apps, and usable on streaming platforms without relying on casting as a fallback.

The context: why casting shrinkage matters for creators in 2026

Casting used to bridge the device gap: short-form creators could assume a phone-to-TV handoff. Now, the ecosystem is shifting — device makers and platforms prioritize native apps, tighter DRM and revenue control, and FAST channels. The consequence for creators: if your content isn't optimized for native TV consumption, you lose discoverability and monetization opportunities. Think of TVs as a distinct publishing platform with its own UX, technical constraints, and discovery algorithms.

Trends shaping TV-centric publishing (late 2025 — 2026)

Casting reduction: Major streamers scaled back casting support in early 2026, pressuring creators to rely on native apps and channel distribution.
FAST channel growth: Free Ad-Supported TV channels expanded in 2025–26, offering new distribution for brands and creators.
Codec evolution: AV1 adoption accelerated in 2024–2026; multi-codec delivery (AV1 + H.264/HEVC) is now standard to reach all devices.
Search and discovery: TV home rows, recommendation carousels, and voice search dominate discovery — metadata and thumbnails are now primary signals.

TV-friendly design principles — start here

Design for the 10-foot experience. That changes composition, pacing, titles and controls. Use these rules as your creative north star:

16:9 as baseline: Create a native 16:9 master for all TV releases. Vertical or square masters need TV-first rework (see encoding tips below).
Safe zones: Keep logos, lower-thirds and important action inside title-safe and action-safe margins (roughly 10% inset) so UI and overscan don’t clip content.
Readable typography: Use large, high-contrast type with simple weights — TV viewing distance demands bigger text (think 28–40px base on a 1920x1080 reference).
Controlled pacing: TV viewers prefer slightly longer scenes and fewer rapid cuts than mobile snack formats. Offer TV edits that respect that rhythm.
Remote-first navigation: Design playback UI (playback controls, chapters, CTA) for D-pad and four-button remotes — no hover, large focus targets, predictable tab order.

Technical checklist: encoding, containers, audio, captions

Smart TVs vary — but you can prepare one set of deliverables that covers most platforms by following multi-bitrate, multi-codec standards and accessible captioning. This checklist is the minimum production pipeline in 2026.

1. Master assets

Create a 16:9 master at your highest practical resolution: 3840x2160 for 4K originals, 1920x1080 for 1080p.
Deliver artful 16:9 re-framed versions of vertical content — center the subject and add blurred or branded sidebars when needed; avoid simple stretching. See our weekend studio and pop-up framing tips for fast reframe workflows.
Embed timecode and maintain a high-quality mezzanine (ProRes/HEVC mezzanine with metadata). For longer-term archives and re-encodes, consult composable capture pipelines for micro-events and mezzanine best practices: composable capture pipelines.

2. Video codecs & adaptive formats

Produce adaptive HLS and MPEG-DASH streams with both AV1 and H.264 renditions. AV1 gives bandwidth efficiency for modern TVs; H.264 ensures compatibility.
Offer multiple bitrate ladders: 1080p (2.5–6 Mbps typical), 4K (10–25+ Mbps), and lower bitrates for limited bandwidth scenarios. Tune ABR to expected TV network conditions.
Use CMAF packaging where platform supports it — helps unify HLS/DASH deliverables and reduce storage/packaging overhead.

3. Audio & loudness

Deliver at least a stereo AAC pass and, when possible, a Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) or Dolby Atmos object mix for platforms that support advanced audio.
Normalize to streaming loudness standards: target around -14 LUFS integrated for streaming platforms in 2026 (confirm platform-specific requirements).

4. Captions, subtitles & accessibility

Provide closed captions as separate files: WebVTT for web/HLS, TTML/DFXP for broadcast-style rendering. Include CEA-608/708 when required for linear distribution.
Offer subtitles in the top 3–5 target languages for your audience. Include accurate speaker labels and punctuation — discovery and watch time improve with good captions.
Keep a burned-in caption fallback for systems that strip files during ingestion.

5. DRM & packaging

Implement multi-DRM: Widevine, PlayReady, and FairPlay depending on platform. Many smart TV stores require DRM support to list premium content.
Use signed HLS/DASH manifests and token-based authentication for secure asset delivery.

Metadata, thumbnails and discoverability — the signals that matter

On TVs, discovery is often visual and metadata-driven. The thumbnail, synopsis and category tags are more important than ever.

Best practices for metadata

Titles: Keep titles concise and keyword-rich for TV search and voice queries. Use variants for different store fields (short title for home row, long title for detail pages).
Short synopsis (1–2 lines): This appears under the thumbnail or hovered card — make it hook-driven and clear.
Long description: Use structured fields: genre, cast, series/episode data, release date, season and episode numbers, language tags, and content rating.
Tags and categories: Use platform-specific taxonomy and general keywords like "how-to", "news", "cook", "sports" — these feed recommendations and search. For discoverability tactics beyond thumbnails, see our Digital PR & Social Search guide.

Visual assets

Create at least three image sizes: a square/icon for app tiles, a wide thumbnail for carousels (usually 16:9 at 1920x1080 or 1280x720), and a banner for in-app promotional slots.
Design thumbnails for legibility on large screens: bold text, centered faces, and high contrast. Test thumbnails on TVs at real sizes — technical SEO and card design advice can be useful: schema & snippets.
Use animated preview GIFs or short MP4 loops where platforms allow — these can dramatically lift click-through rates in home carousels. For quick capture and looped previews, check hardware and kit recommendations: the Vouch.Live kit.

UX checklist for native smart TV apps

Whether you publish to your own app or supply content through aggregators, request these UX features from partners or implement them if you build a native app.

Focus navigation: Ensure every interactive element is focusable and follows a logical D-pad order.
Large tap targets: Minimum 48x48 dp-equivalent focus areas; increase for children-friendly interfaces.
Resume & watch history: Persist resume positions and show clear "Continue Watching" tiles.
Chapters and thumbnails: Expose chapters so remote users can jump; add scene thumbnails in the seek bar for orientation.
Voice search metadata: Support long and variant title phrases so voice queries resolve to the correct item.
Parental controls and ratings: Include age gates and rating metadata — many app stores require them for listing.

Testing & QA matrix

Automated CI plus real devices is the right approach. Test these variables before release:

Playback across platforms: Roku, Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Android TV/Google TV, Amazon Fire TV.
Codec fallbacks: confirm H.264 and AV1 renditions stream correctly on all tested devices.
Caption rendering: check position, wrapping and language selection on each platform.
Remote navigation: test all flows with a TV remote and voice input where supported.
Performance: check startup time, first-frame time, and bitrate switching behavior under constrained networks. If you test in the field, consider portable power and live-sell kits to keep devices running: portable power & field kits.

Distribution strategies for creators and small publishers

Not every creator will build a native TV app — but you must get onto platforms where viewers discover content on their TV home screen. Here are practical routes:

1. FAST channels and aggregator partnerships

Distribute via FAST aggregators (The Roku Channel, Pluto/Paramount, Xumo, Tubi FAST programs, etc.) or use channel managers (Brightcove, Vimeo OTT, Mux’s stream packages) to simplify ingest. For FAST, provide linear-style metadata and MRSS playlists.

2. App stores & SDKs

If you have scale or a niche audience, invest in a lean native app. Use cross-platform frameworks carefully — Roku SceneGraph, Samsung Tizen SDK, and Android TV native stacks provide the best UX. Keep the app simple: browse, search, watch, account link. If you need a compact developer playbook for micro-apps and partner stores, see Building and Hosting Micro-Apps.

3. Smart TV storefronts and publisher portals

Many TV vendors operate partner portals for content ingestion. These can be faster than building an app but may impose stricter metadata and DRM rules. Treat each storefront like a mini app store SEO task: localized descriptions, thumbnails, and keywords.

Analytics: measure the right TV KPIs

Mobile metrics don't map one-to-one to TV. Track these core signals to optimize discovery:

Home-row CTR: Click-through rate from launcher tiles or carousels.
Session length: TV sessions typically longer; use session duration and average view percentage to judge edits.
Resume rate: How often viewers return to finish content.
Discoverability source: Distinguish search, recommendations, category browsing, home row, and direct channel subscriptions.
Buffering and startup: Measure first-frame latency and rebuffer events — critical for retention on TVs. For broader platform-level measurement and predictions, see Data Fabric and Live Social Commerce.

Creative tactics that win on TVs

Technical readiness is necessary but not sufficient. Shape your content to perform well on big screens and through remote interactions.

Two-minute hooks for longer content: Use strong visual hooks in the first two minutes to secure the remote viewer's attention. For examples in immersive and short formats, see the Nebula XR writeup on immersive shorts.
Episode splits and binge design: Structure longer pieces into episode-style chapters; TV viewers often binge when navigation is easy.
Host-forward framing: Faces read well on TV. Prioritize medium and close-up shots for narrative clarity.
Branded bumpers: Short 3–5 second intros help the platform credit content to your channel and maintain consistent thumbnails.
Call-to-action in-TV: Use on-screen CTAs that map to remote actions — "Press OK to subscribe" rather than "link in bio." For producer kits and quick CTAs in pop-ups and small studios, check the weekend studio to pop-up kit.

Quick pre-publish checklist (actionable)

Create a 16:9 master and TV-cut reframe for vertical videos.
Encode adaptive HLS/DASH with AV1 + H.264 renditions; include a mezzanine archive copy.
Deliver stereo + E-AC-3/Atmos where possible and normalize to -14 LUFS.
Provide WebVTT captions and at least 2 language subtitles; include burnt-in fallback.
Design TV-optimized thumbnails and 10% safe-zone-compliant artwork.
Populate structured metadata fields, SEO-rich short and long descriptions, and tags for voice search.
Test playback, captions, and remote navigation on at least three real device classes.
Upload to aggregator/FAST or submit to app store with DRM-enabled packaging.

"Casting may be shrinking, but TV is growing — treat smart TVs as a primary distribution platform, not an afterthought."

Final notes: futureproofing for 2026 and beyond

Expect more platform- and manufacturer-specific rules over time: exclusive codec support changes, new audio formats, and recommendation algorithm updates. Keep a modular pipeline so you can add a codec, swap DRM providers, or re-encode quickly. Build analytics hooks from day one so you can iterate creative choices based on TV-specific engagement data. For capture-to-publish pipelines that speed re-encodes, see composable capture pipelines for micro-events.

Actionable takeaways

Stop relying on casting: Prepare a TV-first 16:9 master and multi-codec deliverables.
Optimize metadata and thumbnails: They’re the primary discovery signals on smart TVs. Read more on discoverability in our Digital PR & Social Search piece.
Design for remotes: Make navigation, CTAs and captions remote-friendly and readable at a distance.
Deliver accessibility: WebVTT captions, multiple subtitle languages, and loudness normalization are non-negotiable.
Test across real devices: Emulators help, but real TV testing reveals key UX issues. For field testing kits, consider portable power and live-sell kits: gear & field review.

Call to action

Ready to make your channel TV-ready? Download our free TV-Friendly Video Checklist (includes encoding presets, metadata templates and thumbnail guides) or contact our publishing desk for a 15-minute strategy audit tailored to your content. Don’t wait for viewers to leave the couch — meet them there with videos designed for smart TV discovery and engagement.

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.