What You Need To Mirror Your Android Phone To Your TV
To start, you’ll need an Android phone or tablet running Android 5.0 or later. That version of Android was released in 2014, so odds are your phone or tablet is running a newer version of Android. You can check by opening the Settings app and going to About phone and looking for Android version.
In addition to an Android phone or tablet, you’ll also need a streaming device, like the recently released , a TV with Chromecast built in or a smart display like the . If you don’t know whether your TV has Chromecast support, the best way to check is to see if it shows up as an available casting device when you follow either method below.
Screen mirroring is built into the Home app.
How To Hook Up Your iPhone Or iPad To Your TV With Hdmi
For this method, you need a TV with an HDMI port, an HDMI cable, and a Lightning Digital AV adapter so you can connect your iPhone or iPad. You can find an HDMI cable at any store that sells electronic accessories. Ill include a couple options for both the HDMI cable and Lightning AV adapter below with links. Once you have the cable and adapter you need, its the simple task of connecting the dots. First though, lets cover the gear you need.
If You Have An iPhone iPad Or Ipod Touch With A Lightning Port
STEP 1: Buy a Lightning Adapter
For the latest Apple devices with USB-C connectors, buy this adapter USB-C to HDMI
For Apple devices with Lighting connectors, buy this adapter
STEP 2: Plug inthe lightning connector of the adapter into your phone or tablet
STEP 3: Connect an HDMI cable between the Adapter and one of your TVs HDMI port
STEP 4: On your TV, switch the input to the HDMI port you connected to.
STEP 5: Play! Your entire devices screen should be mirrored on your TV. Launch the DribbleUp app and get going!
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Screen Mirroring Without An Internet TV Box
If you don’t have a Chromecast or Fire TV Stick, you may still be able to mirror your device’s screen. Whether you can will depend on which TV, smartphone or tablet you own.
Newer TVs have screen mirroring software built in. You will usually need to head into your network menu to enable it. You may also see ‘wi-fi direct’ in the same menu. This software enables file-sharing between devices without the need for an internet connection. It’s worth turning this on too, as it’s another potential way of getting what’s on your phone on to your TV.
Your phone will also need screen mirroring capabilities. Different manufacturers have different names for it. Typically, you’ll find screen mirroring in the quick access menu or in the network settings of your device.
- Huawei’s screen mirroring app is called MirrorShare.
- On Samsung phones it will either be called Screen Mirroring or Smart View.
- HTC’s app is called HTC Connect.
- Sony keeps it simple by calling its app Screen Mirroring.
- On LG phones it is called Miracast.
The names are the same across each brand’s smartphones and tablets.
Retrofitting Your TV To Accept Bluetooth
Its really really easy to retrofit your existing TV to support a Bluetooth headset. What youll first need to do is check your TV to see if it has a 3.5mm audio jack anywhere in the back If you do, youre good to go for the next steps. If you dont, and have a TV that even predates the addition of those well have to dial back a step.
If your TV doesnt have a 3.5mm audio jack, youre going to need an analog to digital converter. Those can be a bit tough to find though there are a couple for sale on the Best Buy website right now through Marketplace partners.
Once youre sufficiently jacked up then its time to go shopping for a Bluetooth dongle/adapter. Thankfully, these are available in many places and youve got a lot of different options to choose from. Its likely that youre only going to have one pair of headphones working at once, but if you do need more than one going simultaneously, shop around and look at your options. Most of the lower end dongles wont support more than one set. However, with a bit of research, you should be able to find a hookup that will let you adapt more than one pair of headphones to it.
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Lightning To Aux Or Rca
One of the easiest ways to connect your iPhone to your home theater is via an AUX or RCA ports. Most commonly, you can use the standard lightning to AUX adapter thats included with your iPhone, and buy a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable to connect to your receiver. These cables are easy to find, and pretty much every A/V receiver will have the necessary AUX port on the back.
But, if you want to simplify further, lightning to aux cables like the VoHappy Aux Cable are a great option too. And theyre a decent bit longer than Apples adapter. Some newer receivers may have a direct AUX input as well. Similar to when connecting to an AUX cord in your car, use a standard AUX cord and plugin directly to the receiver.
If you want to use the RCA method, youll need a different adapter, or set of cords, either a lightning ot RCA cable or a 3.5mm to RCA cable that you then use with the lightning to 3.5mm adapter that came with the iPhone.
Using Apple TV Or An Airplay
If you have an Apple TV, you can use its features to almost instantaneously connect your phone to your TV. You can use the options to stream music, presentations, share photos on your TV, see videos and more. Some of the latest TVs also have Airplay built in, meaning you can connect directly using the process below.
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Thunderbolt 3 And : Layering Even More Speed On Usb
Perhaps the most useful protocol that a USB-C port can support is Thunderbolt 3, or the emerging Thunderbolt 4. Either one adds support for up to 40Gbps of throughput, alongside reduced power consumption and the ability to move as much as 100 watts of power over the interface.
A USB-C port with support for Thunderbolt 3 or 4 means that a single cable is all you need to push power and transfer a large amount of information to and from even a complex device like a computer, something many laptop manufacturers have been quick to take advantage of. Some models of Apple’s MacBook Pro boast four Thunderbolt 3 connectors, which is as many as we’ve seen to date, and it gives you more expansion potential than you ever had with earlier versions of USB.
Now, like with DisplayPort over USB-C, not every USB-C port you see necessarily has Thunderbolt 3 or 4 support. Check a device’s spec sheet or documentation for the Thunderbolt details to be sure. Some devices may have more than one USB-C port, with only some supporting a Thunderbolt spec.
That Thunderbolt uncertainty will change with the USB4 standard. USB4 ports, which have just started showing up on scattered laptops here in early 2021, support Thunderbolt 3 speeds by default, while remaining backward-compatible with USB 3. They make use of the same physical connector shape of USB-C.
Screen Mirroring With A Fire TV Stick
Alongside the Chromecast are many other devices that let you mirror content to your screen.
Follow these steps to start mirroring using an Amazon Fire TV Stick.
- Go to the Settings menu on your Fire TV Stick.
- Select Display & Sounds followed by Enable Display Mirroring.
- On your phone, select the screen mirroring option from the quick-access menu.
- Select the Fire TV device you want to connect with.
Check out our to see how it compares to Chromecasts, Rokus and Apple TVs.
Don’t worry if you don’t see a screen mirroring function on your device. There are other ways to connect.
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Pros Of Connecting Via Hdmi Mhl Port
Connecting via an HDMI cord is preferred because it offers impressive flexibility. If youre looking to stream a YouTube video or Netflix episode to your TV, using an HDMI cord will allow you to connect both audio and video to your system with a single connection.
Not only will you have the ability to stream both audio and video to your television, but youll be taking advantage of the MHL technology that was made specifically for this purpose. If you have extra HDMI cords available, using the HDMI MHL port is definitely a great option.
One: Choose Your Method
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AirPlay Screen Mirroring with Apple TV:
This is, in my opinion, the easiest way to watch your iPhone or iPad on your TV. Thats because if you already have your Apple TV set up, you dont need any new cables or programs to AirPlay your iPhone screen to your TV screen. Ill go over how to use AirPlay below.
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HDMI with an AV Adapter:
If you already own an HDMI cable, this method could be the easiest for you. All you need on top of the HDMI cable is an AV adapter to plug into your iPhone or iPad. HDMI is the second easiest way to connect your iPhone or iPad to your TV, you just need the proper cables.
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Connect Android Phone To TV
While you can always connect Android Phone to TV using a MHL cable, the wireless options as available on most Android devices are more efficient and easy to use.
Irrespective of the Model of your Android Phone, you should be able to connect Android Phone to TV, using one of the methods as provided below.
How To Use Screen Mirroring On iPhone With Apple TV
You can also use screen mirroring with an app and an AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.
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Pros Of Connecting Via Aux Or Rca
Connecting with this method is arguably the easiest of them all. As stated before, all receivers should have the necessary AUX and RCA ports. Both of these methods are straightforward and can be used by anyone, regardless of their previous audio knowledge.
Most of us already have an AUX cord. Simply plug in theAUX cord to the back of your receiver, and hook the other end up to the lightning adapter on your iPhone, and youre ready to enjoy a high fidelity audio experience.
Slaying The Cable Monster: What You Need To Know About Hdmi Cables
TVs have come a long way in the last few years, and HDMI has been evolving to match. Here’s what you should know about buying video cables for your TV, and why a cheap cable will usually provide the same performance as an expensive one.
We’re solidly in the age of 4K resolution, with 8K starting to heat up . That doesn’t even consider high dynamic range , which can process more information per pixel thanks to wider ranges of light and color. That’s a lot of data to send from your media streamer, Blu-ray player, game console, or PC to your TV, and you’re going to need a cable for it.
HDMI is the established standard for sending both video and sound from a home entertainment device to a TV over one cable. It’s the best way to hook up DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray players video game consoles and streaming media devices. If you’re hooking anything up to your TV that’s less than a decade old, HDMI is the way to do it. If you don’t already have an HDMI cable , or if you just want to rearrange your home theater setup and find yourself lacking the slack you need, you’re going to have to buy a new one.
Shopping for HDMI cables should be a simple process, but a wealth of choices, a wide range of prices, and a handful of potential holes to trip into can make it seem confusing and difficult. You need the right cable for the job, and ideally you want to spend as little as possible for it. After all, it’s just a cable. Right?
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How To Connect Your Android Phone To A TV Wirelessly
There are different methods you can use to connect your Android phone to a TV wirelessly. These include using Google Chromecast, Android Screen Mirroring, Smart View, and Roku.
Google Chromecast
You can use a to mirror the content from your Android phone to your TV. If you dont have a Micro HDMI port on your device, Google Chromecast is an affordable alternative that allows you to wirelessly connect your Android phone to a TV.
There are so many cool things you can do with Chromecast besides casting video from YouTube, Netflix, or casting your entire desktop. Chromecast relies on your Android device for it to cast your phones screen to your TV.
Once you plug the Chromecast dongle into your TV, app to detect Chromecast and establish a connection to help you set it up. The Google Home app helps you mirror your Android phones display to your TV, but for apps like YouTube or Netflix, you can tap the cast icon or logo on your phones screen to cast.
Our step-by-step guide on explains everything you need to know about setting up the Chromecast and casting content from your device.
Android Screen Mirroring
Android also supports the screen mirroring function, which works for apps that dont have the Cast button. You can use the screen mirroring feature from the or check for a Cast button by pulling down the settings shade on your Android phone.
Smart View
Roku
DLNA App
You can also use the Plex app to select the media youd like to stream and send it to your TV via DLNA.
How To Connect Your iPhone To A TV Wirelessly
There are several methods you can use to connect your iOS device to a TV wirelessly. One of them is to use Chromecast, but you can also use the native AirPlay feature, Apple TV, or a DLNA app.
AirPlay
AirPlay is a feature on Apple devices that allows you to share music, photos, videos, and more from your iPhone/iPad to your TV. You can connect your iPhone to a TV wirelessly using AirPlay provided the devices are on the same WiFi network.
Apple TV
Apple TV is a set-top box by Apple that can stream Netflix, HBO or other services, deliver music from Apple Music, play games from the App Store, and also act as a hub for HomeKit-compatible smart home devices.
Apple TV supports AirPlay, which means you can connect your iPhone to your TV wirelessly, and stream audio and video content. Connect your iPhone and Apple TV to the same WiFi network, and then connect to Apple TV via the Control Center.
DLNA App
If you have a Smart TV that supports DLNA, you can connect your iPhone/iPad to your TV wirelessly using a compatible DLNA app. You can install a DLNA-compatible iOS app for your TV such as 8player Pro, TV Assist, or ArkMC, but check the app developers website for instructions on how to use the app with your TV.
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Cons Of Connecting Via Hdmi Mhl Port
The most obvious disadvantage to this method is the additional adapter thats required. If youre using an iPhone, youll need to buy something like the Ceinsi Lightning to HDMI Adapter in order to get this functionality out of your lightning port. Apple accessories arent necessarily cheap, but once you buy the adapter, youll just need a standard HDMI cord to connect.
Some might prefer a wired connection for a variety of reasons, but in reality, it can be inconvenient to have another cord lying around. Theres no way to avoid the added clutter of having yet another HDMI cord to deal with when using this method.
Hdmi Cable & Lightning Digital Av Adapter
There are Digital AV adapters available for iOS devices with 30-pin Dock connectors, which you can find on Apples website. As youll see below, these cables and adapters can quickly add up in price, which is why I recommend buying a used or refurbished Apple TV and AirPlaying your content to your TV. Nevertheless, heres where you can get what you need to hook up your iPhone or iPad to your TV with HDMI.
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How Can I View My Samsung Smartphone Screen On My TV
Watching content on your smartphone has never been better, with infinity displays and crystal clear resolution, but sometimes you need to show off your incredible photos and videos on a bigger screen. Your Samsung smartphone or tablet can connect to a TV through a Wi-Fi or HDMI connection to display your screen.
Please note: the process of sharing your screen to a TV differs depending on the make and model of both your TV and device. The following instructions are for sharing the screen of a Samsung device to any TV.
All recent Samsung smartphones and tablets have an inbuilt feature that allows you to display your screen on TV’s with a Wi-Fi connection. This connection is established using Wi-Fi direct technology and requires the feature to be enabled on both your TV and device. Find out more about how to check the internet settings of your TV
Turn on screen mirroring on your TV
The process of turning on screen mirroring will vary depending on the device you are using and the TV you are connecting to. On Samsung TV’s you can find the feature in one of three places:
Older models: Press the button, then select the Screen Mirroring source option.
Newer models: Select Menu on your remote then navigate to Network, then Screen Mirroring
Most recent models will allow you to save a device list in order to view and manage connected devices within the TV. You can do this in the Settings menu at: General > External Device Manager > Device Connection Manager > Device List