Do you want to connect your Android smartphone to your TV? Being able to watch your photos, videos and other content on the big screen without worrying too much? You can cast content from your smartphone and thus project it on the TV. Various options are available and we will see how to proceed according to your situation.
Increasingly, users are consuming content from a mobile device. But sometimes we feel the need to connect your smartphone to the TV. Wireless options are the easiest to use today, with Google Cast technology used in particular by Chromecasts or even the Miracast alternative which is losing ground.
Connect your Android smartphone to a television: wireless options
Google Cast (Chromecast)
Google Cast is accessible on both Android smartphones and iOS devices. Many applications are compatible. Most TVs running Android TV integrate the protocol directly. This is also the case for the best Android TV Boxes. If you don't have one, all that's left is the option of Google's famous Chromecast HDMI dongle.
To stream content from your smartphone to a TV, you must first have configured Chromecast to connect to your home Wi-Fi network. The smartphone must also be connected to the same network. Then in most applications you will find a "caster" icon. Tap on it and the smartphone will list the surrounding devices that have the Cast feature. If your TV is the only one, select it and the content of the smartphone will automatically appear on the screen.
Many applications and video games are Google Cast compatible. Among them, there is YouTube, Netflix, Disney +, Spotify or even Google Photos. The latter allows you to easily stream your photos and slides to a TV, and even videos. Alternatively, you can use the AllCast application which allows you to play any multimedia content from your phone on a TV with Chromecast or on a Smart TV.
Miracast
Miracast is older technology than Google Cast, but it still hasn't gone by the wayside. Developed by the WiFi Alliance consortium, it works with WiFi-Direct, which means your TV does not have to be connected to the home Wi-Fi network. The link is made directly between the smartphone and the TV. But the Mircast has a big flaw: it requires, unlike the Chromecast, that the screen of the mobile remains constantly on.
Most smart TVs with integrated WiFi have this functionality natively. But for those who do not have it, it is still possible to opt for a Miracast dongle. Microsoft's is still the benchmark (Microsoft Wireless Display Adaptater). It is available on the firm's website at € 70 or much cheaper on Amazon, at € 45. They can also be found cheaper on the web, in addition to alternatives that can cost up to less than 20 euros.
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Cast your smartphone to TV: wired options with MHL and Slimport
MHL is the first true wired technology to cast the content of your smartphone on a TV. It is quite old today, but still works and is often updated. It is now compatible with the USB Type-C port and allows the broadcasting of streams in a definition of up to 8K.
To cast the content of your smartphone, you need a special USB to HDMI cable that converts the signal from the mobile into a stream readable by the TV. You just have to position yourself on the HDMI output of the television. MHL consumes a lot of power, which can drain your smartphone's battery quickly. This is the reason why most adapters have a block around the HDMI output, which helps to supply power to the smartphone.
The Slimport is an alternative technology. It works on the same principle, with the difference that in addition to HDMI, it supports the good old DVI, VGA, and DisplayPort outputs. The technology is also more energy efficient.
But the biggest problem with these wired options remains the support. Indeed, most smartphones and even recent TVs do not support MHL and Slimport, to the chagrin of users who have kept their habits despite the advent of wireless options.
