Sometimes you want to show the whole family or company at the same time photos or videos that are available on your smartphone, then you can use the device to connect to a regular TV. This will not take much time, but your guests will be able to enjoy a high-quality image, sharing with you pleasant memories.
How to do it?
If we talk about how to connect a smartphone to a TV, it should be noted that previously DLNA technology was used for these purposes, which allowed only photos, videos or music to be transmitted. But now that there is screen mirroring technology, the range of available content has expanded significantly, which included games and other applications in high resolution, accompanied by stereo sound.
Connecting a smartphone to a TV at the moment is carried out in various ways, because today the electronics market provides a considerable choice in this area. All presented options are actively competing with each other. There are specialized wired devices, as well as their wireless counterparts. Some of them assume absolute openness, while others are aimed only at working with certain brands, which must be taken into account when choosing.
Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL)
Connecting a smartphone to a TV can be done using the specified technology. This is currently one of the most widely supported open standards for the mirroring method. MHL is available on most smartphones, tablets and televisions, with the exception of products manufactured under the Panasonic brand.
Its application will require the presence of an additional MHL adapter connected to the mobile phone via the traditional USB interface. In addition, the adapter has an HDMI connector, which is designed to connect to a TV, as well as an additional micro-USB, which allows you to charge the battery.
Intel Wireless Display (WiDi)
If we talk about how to connect a smartphone to a TV yet, it is worth noting that this technology is supported exclusively by Intel laptops with Core I processors - the second and fourth generations based on Windows.
Netgear has developed its own WiFI adapter, which is designed to support technology with HDMI.
Miracast
Understanding how to connect a smartphone to a TV, it is worth saying that this technology combines the best of the two previous ones, and is also characterized by an open standard and wireless connection based on WiFi Direct. However, this standard is still quite new, so not all devices support it, but only the top-end smartphones and televisions of the brands LG, Sony and Panasonic. The latest models of televisions began to be equipped with NFC technologies, and it provides the opportunity to initiate screen mirroring technology in the simplest way by placing the device in close proximity with a tag or remote control.
Samsung AllShare Cast
Speaking about how to connect a smartphone to a TV, it is necessary to talk about specialized devices. AllShare Cast has functionality similar to the previous one, however, it is an exclusive standard that works only with Sony brand products. In addition, this company produced a separate HDMI adapter, characterized by compatibility with all modern brands of TVs.
Apple AirPlay
This proprietary technology can be easily used if you use the prefix Apple TV. With it, you can display an image from an iOS device via wireless. The presence of optical audio outputs allows you to connect the device to the home theater system.
How to control a TV with a smartphone
The development of the Internet and the connection of TVs to it has led us to a new era in which you can use your smartphone as a remote control. Using a telephone, you can select the channel you need to view, adjust the volume, and use a more convenient keyboard for surfing the Internet.
So, if you already know how to connect a smartphone to a TV, then it is worth considering the issues of its use for control. This feature is most relevant in cases where you want to take advantage of the intellectual capabilities of your gadget. Not all televisions support remote control via smartphones, but recently more and more models that are equipped with this feature have been released. To know for sure, it is worth visiting the website of the manufacturer of the TV, where you can read its specifications.
It is worth considering not only the issue related to showing the smartphone screen on a TV, but also how to establish a connection between these devices in order to be able to remotely control it.
First of all, you need a wireless home network through which your gadgets will communicate. If there is no router with support for such a function, you can purchase it in a specialized store. You should now connect the TV to your home network using a wireless or wired connection. With a cable connection, problems usually do not arise, since you just need to connect the cable to a special connector.
Using Wi-Fi requires installation. Next, you need to go through the network settings menu. First, a step-by-step installation is carried out in the television menu, after which the home wireless network installed earlier is selected. Next, you need to enter a password to enter, after which everything will be ready to work. You should now download the Remote App for your smartphone. The choice of an application depends on the brand of the TV. For example, you need to connect a smartphone to an LG TV, then you should find this particular brand in the list.
Before you start using your phone for control, you will need to pair it with the TV. To do this, you must open the application, and then clearly follow the instructions provided. Now you can take advantage of new features.
There are certain limitations. The most important thing here is the lack of Wake-On-LAN function on most TVs. This means the inability to turn on the TV from a smartphone.