There are times when you're watching something on your phone and you want to share it with the room or just see it on a bigger display. Those with Android devices have a few options, including built-in features, third-party apps, and cable hookups. Let's break down your choices, from the simplest solution to the most complex.
Cast With Chromecast
If you have a Chromecast dongle or a smart TV with built-in Chromecast support, your best bet is to see if the app you want to watch on TV supports casting. If so, you can send content from your phone to the TV with a few taps.
Supported apps include Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, and Google Photos, though many of them already live on your Android TV or Chromecast with Google TV.
Make sure your device is on the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast or smart TV and tap the square cast icon in the app. Choose the compatible device to which you'd like to cast. Casting is the ideal option for apps with copyrighted content, since apps like Netflix will black out the video if you try screen mirroring.
Android Screen Mirroring
Screen mirroring is best for apps that don't contain protected content or officially support casting. You will still need a Chromecast or compatible smart TV in order to use this feature, which can then be connected to the Google Home app.
Once the target device is added to your Google Home, Open the app and tap the plus (+) icon in the top-left corner to add a device, if needed. Otherwise, tap the device to which you want to cast and tap Cast my screen at the bottom to place your phone screen on the TV. When you're done, tap Stop mirroring in the app.
Some Fire TV and Roku streaming devices also support with screen mirroring, though check with Amazon and Roku, respectively, to ensure compatibility for your specific devices.
Support for screen mirroring has varied by manufacturer since the feature was introduced with Android version 5.0 Lollipop. Many phones have a Cast button built into the phone's settings or in the pulldown settings shade. Samsung's phones have something called Smart View to connect and share to and from your mobile device.
Connect With an Adapter or Cable
If you don't have a Chromecast-compatible device, use an HDMI cable and adapter to connect your phone to your TV and mirror what's on your screen. You have a few different options here, and which one you choose will depend on the type of display you're connecting to, how long, and—most importantly—whether or not you'll need to charge your phone while doing it.
The simplest option is a USB-C to HDMI adapter. If your phone has a USB-C port, you can plug this adapter into your phone, and then plug an HDMI cable into the adapter to connect to the TV. Your phone will need to support HDMI Alt Mode, which allows mobile devices to output video. This method will take up your charging port, unless your adapter has a charging port.
If you have an older Micro USB-style port, you will need a micro USB to HDMI adapter. With this method, your phone will need to support a different protocol called MHL. If you have a supported phone, hook it up to the adapter, then attach an HDMI cable and connect it to a TV.
Stream With DLNA
If the previous options don't work for you, most internet-connected TVs support a streaming protocol called DLNA, which will let you stream your own music and videos to your TV. Be warned, though, that Netflix (and any DRM content) won't be supported here. Fortunately, this still covers most things you might want to send from your phone to your TV.
LocalCast is a simple and free app that lets you stream your own music, photos, or videos to a DLNA device like a smart TV or console. It also supports streaming to Chromecast targets, which is handy if you want to share your own files on a TV without mirroring your entire screen. The app even allows you to stream from Google Drive, Dropbox, and web pages. AllCast is similar to LocalCast, but you must upgrade to the premium version to remove ads.
The popular media management app Plex also works as a DLNA streamer, though in a less direct way. A Plex server running on your computer can host music, photos, or videos, and stream them to your TV. You can use the mobile app to browse your library, pick which media to stream, and send it to the television via Chromecast or DLNA.
The downside to using the Plex app is that the computer where you set up your server will need to be on and connected to the internet any time you want to stream your files. However, Plex does allow you to host media files far larger than the ones that would fit on your phone.
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"TV" - Google News
July 07, 2021 at 07:49PM
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How to Connect Your Android Phone to Your TV - PCMag
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