Connect the phone to the TV wirelessly
Let's start with a review of the main technologies that allow you to connect the phone to the TV wirelessly. There are several to choose from, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses: try to identify the one that best suits your needs and, above all, the type of smartphone and TV in your possession, and use it by following the instructions below. .
G
G is a technology developed by Google through which you can transmit audio / video content to your TV and mirror Android or a computer via the Chrome browser.
Its main advantages are accessibility and cross-platform compatibility. Google Cast, in fact, works through chromecast, a sort of key (technically called a “dongle”) that connects to the HDMI port of the TV and can be powered either by the TV itself (via a USB port) or by a common electrical outlet. Alternatively, if you have a Smart TV with Android TV and integrated Google Cast support, you can send content to the TV without using the “big G” dongle.
Chromecast is priced at 39 € on the official Google store and in the main electronics chains. Currently on the market there are two variants: a base, which is the one I told you about so far, and one with support for 4K resolution, apps and with remote control included, which costs 69,99 € (it can also be purchased on the Google store).
A little while ago I mentioned the high degree of compatibility of this technology. Google Cast, in fact, can be used on all Android devices equipped with Android 4.2 and later (on which it also allows you to mirror the screen) and on iOS 9.1 and later through special applications (in this case, however, there is no support for screen mirroring). I also point out the possibility of installing the Google Cast extension in the browser Google Chrome and cast your computer screen to your TV, regardless of whether it's a Windows PC, a Mac, or a Linux computer.
But what exactly does Chromecast allow to do? As we said before, thanks to the many applications compatible with this device and its multi-platform support, Chromecast allows you to view streaming video and audio content from services like YouTube, Netflix, Infinity and Spotify, just to name a few, view content from the local network through special apps to download on your smartphone or Chrome ed mirror, that is, to transmit the screen of Android or computer in real time. It should be emphasized that mirroring is very fluid and almost free of lag (ie delays compared to the video source), a feature that allows you to use apps and even games on the TV without too many problems.
To use this technology, simply connect the Chromecast dongle to an HDMI port on your TV (which, of course, can also be non-Smart) and configure the device using the app Google Home available for Android and iOS. The communication between the various devices and the Chromecast takes place via Wi-Fi, so you need to configure a wireless network on the dongle and connect all the devices to be used for the transmission of content to the latter.
The next steps, given their simplicity, it is almost useless to explain them: to transmit an audio / video content from the smartphone to the Chromecast just start playing it on the phone and press on thetransmission icon (the screen with the Wi-Fi waves next to it), while to mirror the Android screen just go to the menu Settings> Display> Cast screen operating system and select the Chromecast name in the list of available devices.
If you want to know more about how Chromecast works, I suggest you take a look at the guide I wrote on the subject.
Miracast
Miracast is another very popular wireless technology, which allows both to stream content to the TV, and to mirror smartphones, tablets and PCs. It takes advantage of the Wi-Fi Direct system, which means that it allows devices to communicate with each other without having a support Wi-Fi connection (i.e. without going through the router). It guarantees a maximum resolution of 1080p and has few lag (although in a higher number than those of Chromecast). It is perfect for watching movies or showing how apps work in public, while it may prove unsuitable for playing very fast-paced video games (where every split second can be decisive for winning or losing a game).
Unfortunately, the compatibility of this technology is still "patchy". In principle it should work on all devices equipped with Android 4.4 or higher, on devices Windows Phone / Windows 10 Mobile, on PC Windows most recent and on Smart TV of various brands, but in reality not all manufacturers have decided to adopt it and therefore it is necessary to check its availability on each device (in this regard, I invite you to do a search on Google or any other search engine). For sure it is not compatible with Apple devices using another technology - AirPlay - which I'll tell you about shortly.
How does Miracast work? If you have a TV and a smartphone equipped with Miracast technology support, you can make the connection between the phone and the TV by activating the mirroring on the mobile phone, then selecting the TV from the list of available devices and waiting for the “magic” to happen. TV and smartphone must be at a maximum distance of about 7 meters, otherwise the signal may be obstructed. If your smartphone supports Miracast technology but your TV does not, you can overcome the problem by purchasing a adapter to connect to the HDMI port of the TV.
To stream a video with Miracast, all you have to do is start playing it on your smartphone and press ontransmission icon which appears at the bottom right. If you want to mirror your phone screen instead, go to the menu Settings> Display> Cast screen di Android or on the menu Settings> Project screen di Windows Phone / Windows 10 Mobile. Più facile di così ?!
AirPlay
AirPlay is a proprietary technology of Apple that allows you to transmit streaming audio / video streams with a maximum resolution of 1080p and to mirror iPhone, iPad e Mac. Its performances are of the highest level, the lag are really minimal, but it must be said that it has two big "flaws": its compatibility is restricted to Apple branded devices (at least officially) and to use it on the TV you need to buy the Apple TV, a media center to connect to the TV available in two versions: one 32GB base which supports Full HD resolution and a more advanced one, called Apple TV 4K, which is available in versions from 32GB o 64GB and supports UltraHD / 4K content. It can be purchased directly from Apple's website and at major electronics stores.
AirPlay works over traditional Wi-Fi networks, so all devices involved in streaming content (in this case the iPhone and Apple TV) must be connected to the same wireless network. To send an audio / video content to Apple TV from iOS, just start playback on the device, press the icon of AirPlay (the screen with the triangle in the center) and select the name of the Apple TV give the menu check if you press.
To mirror the screen, however, you need to swipe from bottom to top (on iPhone 8/8 Plus and earlier) or swipe from top to bottom in the upper right corner of the screen (on iPhone X and later) to call up the Control Center of iOS, press on the toogle dedicated to the reproduction of contents (the one at the top right), tap on the icon of AirPlay, select the item Apple TV from the menu that appears and activate the function duplication of the screen. If you need more information on this, feel free to check out my tutorial on how Apple TV works.
DLNA
If you want to connect your smartphone and your television just to send videos to the latter, you could also opt for the old technology DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), which allows you to transmit audio / video content between devices connected to the same wireless network. It is supported by all the main models of computers, tablets, smartphones and Smart TVs on the market (as well as by NAS, network hard drives, video game consoles and other devices), but it is good to specify that it does not allow mirroring of the screen.
It should also be noted that it does not support all video file formats. In some cases, the problem can be solved by activating a real-time conversion of the transmitted videos, but this operation can lead to small blocks during viewing (especially on videos in Full HD format).
How is DLNA technology used? To cast a video through the latter, all you have to do is use a smartphone and a TV compatible with it (I suggest you do a search on Google or any other search engine to find out if your devices are actually compatible) and use one of the many apps that allow you to take advantage of DLNA technology: one of the most popular is iMediaShare, available for free download for both Android and iPhone.
Connect the phone to the cable TV
You prefer connect your phone to cable TV? No problem: you simply have to choose the cable to buy well and make sure that it is compatible with your smartphone (if you do not already have one available).
If you use one Android smartphone, know that due to the different allocation of ports that the devices of the "green robot" are equipped with, there are various types of cables to use. If you have a registered cell phone Samsung, HTC o Sony, for example, you should be able to solve your TV connection problems by purchasing a MHL cable, which must be connected to the microUSB port of the phone and the HDMI port of the TV and offers a maximum resolution of 1080p.
For other devices, such as i Google Nexus / Pixelinstead, a Slimport adapter which connects to your TV via HDMI cable (purchased separately) and offers resolution up to 1080p.
If you own a iPhone equipped with Lightning connector (iPhone 5 and later), you need to buy a Apple Lightning to Digital AV Adapter which allows you to connect the phone to the HDMI port of the TV and guarantees content in Full HD quality (1080p). If, on the other hand, you have an older iPhone (iPhone 4S and earlier), you must use a Apple 30-pin digital AV adapter which also connects to the HDMI port of the TV and guarantees Full HD resolution for apps and HD (720p) for videos. You can buy them using the links below.
If you want to deepen the subject and get more information on how to connect the phone to the TV with cable, I suggest you consult the in-depth study that I have just linked to you.
How to connect the phone to the TV
