All the ways to connect an Android phone to the TV to see the apps on the big screen, both via USB-HDMI-MHL cable and wireless.
Android phones and tablets are usually not too big. Although we have a large device, its screen is unlikely to exceed 6 inches in phones and 11/12 inches in tablets. There are things that definitely look much better on screens of 30 or 40 inches, such as good television. Today, we review the most common methods to transmit the content of our Android phone to the TV screen. Do you fancy it?
On the other hand, you will be interested in knowing how to connect a Windows laptop, how to connect an iPhone or iPad to your TV if you have an Apple smartphone or tablet, or how to connect a Mac or MacBook to your TV if you have a macOS computer or laptop.
Reasons to mirror your Android to your TV
The reasons for wanting to do so can be several:
Games
Many titles charge a totally different sense if we play them on television. It is not the same to play alone with your mobile phone, in a corner, than to share it with your friends on the TV in the living room. If we also add a gamepad to the equation, we can turn our Android mobile into a fully functional console.
Photos, music, and video
Another important reason to broadcast the phone to the TV is to share on the big screen all those photos and other multimedia content that we have stored. There is no color!
The 6 methods that work best to connect an Android phone (or tablet) to the TV
Would you like to broadcast a video, a slideshow or a series of photos from your smartphone to your TV? I assure you that it is much simpler than what you imagine, and you can do it even without the clutter of cables. That said, let’s see what are the best alternatives to connect our Android smartphone to the home TV. Ready to meet them? Let’s start then.
Chromecast from Google
This is the fastest method to visualize the content of the mobile on a TV without too many complications. The Chromecast is a small device with an HDMI connector that can be plugged into the TV and has a price that is usually around 30 euros. We just have to pair it with our Android device and we’ll have it set up.
To emit on the big screen, we only have to press the “Send” button that appears in the drop-down of quick adjustments of the terminal. Some applications also usually include this button within their corresponding menus, within the app itself (YouTube, browser, etc.).
In the following tutorial, we can see the detail How to set up Google Chromecast on Android.
Buy Chromecast from Google Store
Fire TV Stick
Amazon’s best-selling device as an alternative to the classic Android TV Box and Chromecast also allows you to broadcast from the mobile to the TV. For this, we only have to synchronize our Fire with the mobile and send the screen to the Stick.
It is a more expensive device than the Chromecast, but it offers many more features than this, with games, apps, and others.
Wireless Dongle with Miracast
If we prefer to throw in other directions, we can also get a “dongle”. It is a type of device very similar to the Chromecast: a small device with HDMI output that we connect to the TV to act as an intermediary between the TV and our Android.
To connect to a dongle with Miracast from a device with Android 6.0 or higher, just go to ” Settings -> Connected devices -> Send screen “, and select our dongle. The good thing about these devices is that they are usually cheaper than a Chromecast or a Fire TV Stick.
See the list of the Dongles with Miracast
Uses a USB to HDMI converter
Another feasible alternative, although somewhat less comfortable (since we would not emit wirelessly) is to use a USB to HDMI adapter. This type of converters allows us to take the data from the USB or USB C output of our phone and convert it into a video and audio signal that we can connect to the TV via HDMI. There are 2 types of connections:
- MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link): offers HD output and surround sound of 8 channels. There are adapters for both micro-USB and USB type C.
- Slimport: It has low power consumption, which means that we can connect the phone to the TV without consuming a large amount of battery. Some cables also include a micro USB port to connect the charger cable.
The compatibilities are varied. So before buying a cable or USB to HDMI adapter, it is best to make sure it is compatible with our brand and terminal model (the easiest thing, by doing a Google search).
See converters from USB to HDMI
Connect your phone or tablet as a USB cable
This option is a bit more badass since it consists of connecting the Android terminal with a cable as if it were a USB stick to use. In this way, although we will not be able to transmit the screen, we will be able to open and reproduce all the photos, videos and images as if it were a normal and current Pendrive.
Of course, it is necessary that our TV has USB input (something that is not so usual, on the other hand, in old TVs).
See USB cables
Send content wirelessly by DLNA
In addition to televisions, there are many other devices, such as consoles and Blu-ray players that are compatible with the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) protocol. This means that if we have the right app installed on our Android we can stream content directly to the TV. For this, we need an app like AllConnect, BlubbleUPnP or Plex.
Download AllConnect Android App Here
Download BubbleUPnP Android App Here
Do you know any other method that is worthwhile to bring the screen of an Android to TV? If so, do not hesitate to go through the comments area! And, please do share this article with your social friends. Thank you.