Alternatives to Facebook portal?

[SeaMoonWave]

So portal is £150, so would need to spend at least £300 for 2 families, £600 of we all want to see each other on Christmas Day not on a small screen. Looking at the one that puts the other person on your TV.

Any alternatives? Everyone has an iPhone. All have laptops/desktops, but looking to broadcast on the TV so more natural during present opening etc, can play charades etc. Can you cast from phone to TV and record the same way? I know the portal tracks movement etc, but it really is out of budget.

Eh.....zoom?

Web cam sitting on top of tv, then zoom on laptop either cast to tv or hdmi cables to tv. Bit of a faff to set up though.

Zoom or Skype (does anyone still use Skype these days?)

DH uses Duo but I don't know if you can have more than one person on a call.

Thanks, but it’s for a relative with an older non smart TV so was looking for the actual specifics/cancelling needed to get it up on the TV. Have zoomed with them on their computer, was just trying to get it on the TV and make it so they can set it up them selves with no one going in their house

Send them a lead to plug the laptop in to the tv

An HDMI cable?

I don't understand these new devices. Why not just run a cable from the laptop to the tv?