How To Enable Airplay 2 On Your Vizio Smartcast TV
On your compatible Vizio TV, you should be able to see the small AirPlay icon in the top-right corner of the SmartCast Home screen. If it’s there, you’re good to go. If not, then:
Step 1: Go to SmartCast Home by pressing the V button or Home button on your remote.
Step 2: At the top of the screen select the Extras menu.
Step 3: Highlight the AirPlay option and make sure that On is selected.
Plug In An Hdmi Cable
The most obvious approach is to simply connect an HDMI cable between the phone, tablet, or laptop and the TV. That can be more easily said than done, however: while virtually all modern televisions will have a spare HDMI port, the same cant be said for mobile devices.
A few tablets and laptops have mini- or micro-HDMI sockets, but less so in recent times. Current smartphones definitely dont. There are plenty of cables to help get around that issue, but as usual, the devil is in the details.
A high-quality USB C to HDMI cable will do the job for modern devices with a USB C port, but the device needs to support both USB C 3.0 and DisplayPort Alternate Mode. None of my phones or tablets, even brand new ones, have that support built in.
You may have better luck with other devices, especially Samsung ones, so just be sure to double-check the exact specifications of your device before you buy. Recent laptops are much more likely to support this: the above cable works perfectly with both laptops Ive tested it on, a Macbook Pro and a Lenovo Yoga 920.
If youve got an older Android device with a micro-USB port, you may be able to use either a Slimport or active MHL adapter to do the same thing. Again, its important to make sure your phone or tablet supports one or the other standard before purchase.
How To Connect iPhone To TV With Chromecast
The final and very economical option is using Google Chromecast. It is a cheaper alternative to the Apple TV. Even if you don’t have the cash to use Apple TV you can still use Chromecast to play video from phone to TV.
What do you need:
Google Chromecast iPhoneWi-Fi connection
Step-by-Step Guide:
Step 1: The first step is to connect the Chromecast dongle to your TV. You can do this by simply inserting Chromecast into a spare HDMI port on your TV.
Step 2: Next, you’ll need to connect Chromecast to a power outlet using the included USB power cable. From there you’ll see the “Welcome” screen once you have successfully connected Chromecast to with your TV.
Step 3: The next step is to download the “Google Home” app on your iPhone from the Apple App Store. To do this just search Google Home after clicking the “Search” icon and click the “Get” icon.
Step 4: Turn on Bluetooth on your iPhone. Once you have downloaded the app you’ll need to log-in with your Google Account and select a “Home”.
Step 5: You will now be able to select your Chromecast device that you want to set up. Next, you’ll have to authenticate Chromecast be entering in the code displayed on the Welcome screen on your TV.
Step 6: Then you’ll have to select the same Wi-Fi for both the iPhone and Chromecast.
Step 7: Congratulations! We’ve successfully set-up the Chromecast. But wait we’re not finished yet.
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Connecting Phone To TV Using Usb With Mhl
MHL is one of the most common solutions for connecting a phone to a HDMI TV with a micro-USB cable. This technology allows MHL-compatible devices such as smartphones and tablets to connect to televisions and projectors.
You can browse a list of MHL-enabled devices on the official MHL website.
To use Mobile High-Definition Link, you will need
- MHL-enabled phone
- USB to HDMI MHL adapter or cable
Although this is the general setup, the specific cable you’ll need varies. Google MHL cable to find a list of compatible cables.
To connect your phone to a TV using a USB cable and MHL, first hook up your phone via an MHL adapter. The adapter will require power either from a USB port on the cable or an external source.
Although MHL initially required a power connection, MHL 2.0 makes this non-essential. Still, since MHL does draw power from the mobile device, it’s wise to connect a power cable.
Next, connect your phone to your television with the MHL cable. After that, you should see your phone screen on your TV it’s plug-and-play.
Overall, Mobile High-Definition Link is one of the best solutions for connecting an Android phone to a TV using a USB cable.
Cast Your Screen To A TV Using The Google Home App
The most reliable and consistent way to mirror your Android phone’s screen is to use the Google Home app. If you’ve already set up any of Google’s smart speakers, Nest Wifi or Chromecast devices, you likely already have it installed. If not, you can .
Open the Home app and select the Chromecast device you want to use. At the bottom of the screen will be a button labeled Cast myScreen tap it. You’ll have to accept the prompt reminding you that whatever is on your phone’s screen will be visible on your TV to anyone in the room with you. You may also see a second prompt warning you if your device isn’t optimized for mirroring. I haven’t had any issues casting my screen when I’ve run into the warning. To stop casting your screen, tap on the button labeled Stop mirroring in the Home app.
There’s a shortcut: the quick settings panel.
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Mirror Livestream Videos To TV
One of the great things about screen mirroring is that it prevents you from having to watch content on small screens. Like livestreams on YouTube. You dont want to watch that on your little phone. Screen mirror all web videos to TV from your phone with the AirBeamTV app.
Discover this list with 30 free live cams on YouTube. And, stream it to your smart tv in record time.
Cast From Phone To Amazon Fire TV
Currently, only Android devices, not iOS, support screen mirroring on your Fire TV device. Step-by-step directions may vary slightly depending on your device and version, but big picture, here’s how to set it up:
To cast from an Android phone to a Fire Stick:
To cast from a Samsung® phone to a Fire Stick:
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How To Connect Your Apple Smartphone With TV
Apple AirPlay is the easiest way to connect an iPhone to a TV. The feature enables you to easily stream content through Apple TV. Make sure your smartphone and the TV are connected via the same Wi-Fi network and click on the screen mirroring option.
How to connect your smartphone with a Fire TV stick
Casting from an Android Phone to an is very easy. Follow these steps to set up your Amazon Fire TV stick for the screencast.1. Press and hold the Home button on the Amazon Fire TV stick to bring up the menu that shows the options for apps, sleep, mirroring, and settings.2. Next select mirroring.3. A new window will open which will show you the name of the smartphone with which you want to connect with.
To connect an Android device to tv you will have to follow these steps. 1. Use the cast feature on your smartphone to connect to the Fire TV stick. Make sure that the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on your smartphone are switched on.2. Select the Amazon Fire TV stick from the list of available devices and connect. Your phone will start casting on the Fire TV stick.
Connecting Your iPhone To Your Smart TV
Some models of smart TV actually have iPhone support built in look for a feature called Airplay on your TVs specs.
For TVs that dont support Airplay, there are specific apps, depending on the brand of your TV, that allows you to mirror what you are seeing on your iPhone on your TV. This way you can play games and stream your paid subscriptions on a big screen.
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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.
Can You Connect An iPhone Or iPad To TV With Usb
Wondering how to connect an iPhone to your tv with USB? Sadly, this isn’t possible. As iPhones and iPads don’t have USB, you can’t use this as a connection method. But you can connect iOS devices to a TV using a cable.
If you own an iPhone 5 or newer, it will have a Lightning connector. To connect your iPhone to a TV you’ll need the Lightning digital AV adapter for HDMI outputs, or the Lightning to VGA adapter if you have an older VGA display. Buy the cable that fits your TV and phone. Older iOS devices with the old 30-pin port instead use the 30-pin VGA adapter.
You can connect an iPad to your TV through the same means. Again, you’ll most likely need a Lightning cable for this. Only the iPad 3 and earlier use a 30-pin cable. All other iPads, including every iPad Mini and iPad Pro, use a Lightning cable.
Once you’ve plugged in your adapter, simply hook up the video output to your display. Then, your phone screen will mirror to the TV. Apple’s official Lightning adapters contain an additional Lightning port for charging while viewing content on a second screen.
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Cast From Phone To Roku
Usb To TV: Connecting To View Photos
Modern Android devices don’t support USB Mass Storage, so your TV won’t view your device as a true external drive.
This assumes that your TV or monitor features a USB input capable of displaying files from a connected storage device.
Simply connect your cable to your phone, then to the TV. With the standard USB end of the cable connected to your display, change the input on your TV to USB.
On Android, it’s likely you’ll need to change your USB settings to Transfer files or Transfer photos . To do this, drag down your notifications from the top of the screen when connected. In the menu, tap the USB is charging this device notification to change it.
Be aware that this doesn’t work with all TVs. In some cases, the USB ports are purely for firmware updates.
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How To Cast iPhone To TV With Chromecast
Many popular smart TV brands now come with Chromecast already built in. Just look for the Cast button!
Using A Plug And Play Cable To Connect Your iPhone To Your TV
If you have a TV that allows you to connect a USB to your phone you can get a Plug and Play cable that has an HDMI side, a USB connection and also the Lighting side for your iPhone, instead of having to buy two different cables. But bear in mind that certain HDMI cables will not support paid subscriptions and apps.
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Connecting A Phone To TV Using Usb Slimport
If you have an older phone, you might connect your phone to a TV with a SlimPort cable. While similar to MHL, SlimPort offers different outputs, but uses the micro-USB connection.
Whereas MHL is limited to HDMI, SlimPort outputs to HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, and VGA. This makes it better suited to a variety of displays, including older monitors and TVs with no digital inputs.
Unlike MHL, SlimPort does not draw power from mobile devices.
You’ll need the following to connect a phone to your TV using a SlimPort adapter:
- A micro-USB SlimPort cable or adapter
- Appropriate video cable for your display
Begin by plugging the SlimPort adapter into your phone. Then, attach the SlimPort adapter to your display using the proper cable. You should then be able to view your phone’s screen on a TV. Like MHL, it’s plug-and-play.
Video Casting Vs Screen Mirroring
To find the best tool for your needs, it is important to know the difference between mirroring and casting technologies, because both have different upsides and downsides.
Watch this video to learn the difference and become a Pro Streamer.
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If you prefer Screen Mirroring, we highly recommend the Screen Mirroring App.
Mirror your iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Mac or Chromebook screen to any other device screen. No wires needed, easy setup, live transmission in HD quality. Screen Mirroring shares your complete screen, including photos, videos, apps, games, websites and documents.
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How To Add The Screen Cast Button On Your Quick Settings Panel
If you do not see the Screen Cast button, you may need to add it to your quick settings panel.
Step 1: From your device’s home screen, swipe down from the top edge.
Step 2: If you don’t see the full list of settings, swipe down further.
Step 3: Tap the Pencil icon to edit the list of settings.
Step 4: Find the Screen Cast button and hold and drag it to the main list of quick settings apps.
Two Kinds Of Streaming: Mirroring And Casting
Before we dig into the ways you can stream from a phone or tablet to a TV, let’s quickly go over what that really means.
“Mirroring,” or “screen mirroring,” turns your phone, tablet or computer into a mini TV station, broadcasting everything you see on your device’s display to your TV. This can be super handy for when you want to use your TV as a monitor so that friends or family can see what you’re seeing and follow along – it’s awesome for planning trips or even to show someone how to accomplish a certain task on their own devices.
When there’s a particular movie, TV show, YouTube video, or song that you want to watch on your TV instead of your phone or tablet, this is typically known as “casting.” Casting is like sending a link to a friend, except in this case, the friend is your smart TV or streaming media device. Once you send the link, the media starts to play on your TV and you’ll usually be able to pause, skip forward, skip back, and stop the stream from the device you used to send the link.
For the purposes of this article, we’ll only be discussing how to mirror your devices.
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Use Ready Options For Video Transmission
Mostly all modern mobile devices are equipped with an integrated image transfer option to a TV screen. The only difference is that the name of the function varies depending on the manufacturer. For example, in Samsung devices it is called Screen Mirroring, Sony Mirror Link, Apple AirPlay. Despite the name, the principle of operation remains identical, the equipment is synchronized via Wi-Fi, and then the picture is sent onto a large screen.
After all, the ways described above depend a lot on the TV model you have. The more modern it is, the more opportunities you get. Read also how to send music to TV via Bluetooth connection here.
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How To Play Video From iPhone To TV
If you have an iPhone, you may not be able to play video from iPhone to TV using Apples built-in wireless display standard. Youll need a compatible Apple TV unit, like Apple TV 2 and up, which can cost $150 and up.
Television owners who dont have an Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible televisions can turn to Screen Mirroring apps, which work similarly. Just make sure to update your device to the most current software for the latest compatibility. Then take the following steps to play video from iPhone to TV, or using your iPad.
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