We are living in a digitally connected age. Everything moves around in perfect synchronization. Whether it the large-scale industrial IoT used in commercial construction or the network of smart devices in your home, one gadget interlocks with another to open more avenues of control for humans. This is precisely the attribute of technology which you can utilize for a better entertainment experience at home. In other words, you can finally give your eyes the relief they need from constantly squinting into a tiny smartphone screen, and start viewing content on the 65" Ultra HD LED TV which you've just bought. All you need to do is simply hook your phone with your TV and voila, entertainment & information in an explosive panorama!
I know you are wondering precisely how to do that. After all, that's the reason why you opened this article in the first place, right? Let me drag the suspense no more and come straight to the point. There are many routes which you can employ to sync your phone with your TV. Some of the best ones are mentioned below. Check them out.
Use a Streamer
This is the 'wireless' way of connecting your phone with the TV and is thereby, much more convenient. What you need for this method of transmission is a media-translating device, or a streamer, in other words. This compact device catches the Wi-Fi signals coming from your home router, and using that network, allows fluid communication to build between your two host devices. If it is an HD streamer, it will enable your TV to run the content streaming apps, like Netflix, from your phone in high-definition.
Though a streamer relies on the strength of a network signal to function properly, you will not face any issue of latency if you subscribe to a reliable internet provider in your area. Moreover, the following are the top-performing media streamers in the market:
Roku Stick: This is a USB-sized device which is highly powerful, portable and easy to configure. Once you attach your Roku stick to the HDMI port of your TV, make sure to turn on its 'screen mirroring' setting. After that, enable the casting option in your phone (preferably Android), touch the streaming icon and watch away.
Miracast: This is another popular streamer which uses the advanced Wi-Fi Direct standard to build a point-to-point connection between your Miracast-compatible phone and a recipient display TV, without the use of a router. If your TV does not support Miracast, then you will have to get an adapter like Actiontec's ScreenBeam kit to create the link. One of the best things about Miracast is that it runs content in both HD and 4K, taking your viewing experience to the next level. However, its compatibility issues often pose an unnecessary hurdle.
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AirPlay: This option in the iOS mobiles allows you to wirelessly beam content from your Apple phone to the set-top box on your TV. All you have to do is head over to the Control Centre of your mobile, open 'AirPlay Mirroring' and select the target TV to watch content wirelessly. One thing though, an Apple TV will be preferable for this sort of mirroring.
Even though 'wireless' is the word of the day, a cable essentially comes handy due to its inherent stability and reliability. You see, cables do not slow your streaming speed down just because your internet is patchy. They may be subject to wear and tear in the long run and are definitely a hassle in most cases, but at least, they do not interfere with the signal dispensation. You can choose from among the following cables for viewing content between your phone and TV:
MHL: Standing for 'Mobile High-Definition Link', this cable is one of the best methods for connecting your Android phone to your HD TV. What will you need? An MHL-enabled phone, an MHL adapter with cable, and a regular HDMI cable for the TV. Connect the cables to the right entry points, and create a three-way link between the phone, the adapter and the TV. Plug and play.
HDMI: Nearly all the television sets that are coming out today have an HDMI plug port in the back. Usually, these cables are fifteen feet or shorter, restraining your mobility. But you can get an extended wire for cheap online. One thing though. Make sure to get a MICRO HDMI cable because that's phone-friendly. Simply attach the two devices (phone and TV) with both ends of the wire and you will be good to go.
SlimPort: This cable is similar in function to the MHL mentioned above, but it's far more compatible with types of displays OTHER than HDMI (which is MHL's limit), like DVI and VGA, etc. Also, it doesn't draw its power from the linked mobile device. Cool, right? So, what will you require for this sort of connection? A SlimPort enabled phone, a SlimPort adapter with cable and a video cable to be attached to the display. Simply couple the wires where they need to go and you should be able to view your mobile's contents on your large-screened TV.
Lightning Adapter: An option for iPhone users. Most of the iOS devices these days come equipped with a Lightning connector. Just hook that up with a Lightning digital AV adapter using the right Lightning cable, and connect the video cable to the TV. That's about it.
USB: This route depends on your TV or monitor has a USB port. The rest is simple. Connect the phone with the TV via this common cable.
Wrapping Up
This article points out the ways, both wireless and wired, by which you can easily view your phone content on your high-resolution and large-screened TV, without having to worry about it too much.
Rimsha Ather is a professional writer with two years' worth of practical experience in content creation, curation, and marketing. Her blogging interests range from technology to travel, with the latter gaining special attention from the readers. On the side, she is a metal-enthusiast, an occasional painter and a culinary freak with flavorsome stories up her sleeve, which she occasionally pens for this site. Twitter:@wildflowerdust | LinkedIn: Rimsha Ather | Instagram: rimshhh.a
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