Modern smartphones like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 have evolved into powerful multimedia centers capable of storing thousands of hours of high-resolution video. However, mobile screens are physically limited in size, making watching feature-length movies or family videos not always comfortable, and it is at such moments that you want to bring the image to the big screen of the TV to enjoy quality pictures and sound.
There are many ways to stream content, from wireless protocols like Chromecast and Miracast to wired connections through the Internet. HDMI. But often users are looking for a simpler and more direct method of connecting through the Internet. USB-It's important to note that the video signal is transmitted directly through the cable. USB (through HDMI) It is technically impossible for most smartphones without special converters, but USB-connection plays a key role in organizing access to files on the drive.
In this guide, we will discuss in detail how to use the capabilities of your Redmi Note 9 to play movies on your TV using the best way to play movies on your TV. USB-interface in conjunction with flash drives or through network protocols, which are often confused with direct USB-You'll learn about the nuances of the file system, the video formats and the features of the shell. MIUI.
Technical limitations and USB features on Redmi Note 9
Before you start connecting, you need to clearly understand the architecture of the ports in your device. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 smartphone features a USB Type-C connector that supports the USB 2.0 standard. This means that the port is able to transmit data and provide power, but it does not have built-in support for video output via an alternative mode (Alt Mode), which would allow you to transfer video signals directly to the monitor or TV via a simple USB-C to USB-A cable.
Many users mistakenly believe that connecting the phone and TV with a USB-USB cable will see a picture from the phone on the TV screen. In reality, the TV will perceive the smartphone as an external storage device (media player), if it supports the MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) function, or will not respond at all if the TV expects a video stream.
Nevertheless, USB-The port remains a critical element for local storage. USB-You can either have a flash drive or an external hard drive, connect it to your phone for check and then transfer it to your TV, or use the phone as a media server, and understanding these limitations helps you avoid buying unnecessary adapters that won't work with the Redmi Note 9 for the video output.
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For Redmi Note 9, don’t buy cheap adapters. USB-C on HDMI, Because the port doesn't support video output, use wireless methods or smart. TV applications.
Also worth mentioning is the USB OTG (On-The-Go) feature, which allows you to connect peripherals like flash drives, keyboards and mice to your smartphone, and while this doesn’t help bring images to TV directly, it’s a must if you’re planning to use your phone as an intermediate for managing files before playing them on your TV.
Preparation of equipment and configuration of the file system
To successfully watch movies through USB-You're going to need the right hardware, and the main thing is the drive that the TV will be reading from. USB-It is important to consider that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, like most Android devices, works best with the file system. FAT32 exFAT.
If your flash drive is formatted in NTFS (standard for Windows), the phone may suggest formatting it when connected, which will delete all data. TVs also often have limitations: older models may not see exFAT partitions, and new ones may not support FAT32 due to a 4GB file size limit. For high-quality movies (4K, HDR) this is critical, as a single file can weigh more than 4GB.
☑️ Checking connection readiness
The preparation process is as follows:
- 🔌 Connect your drive to your computer and check its file system.
- 💾 If you need more than 4GB of file support, format the disk in exFAT (compatible with most modern TV and Android).
- 📂 Copy movies into a root folder or create a clear directory structure.
- 📱 Connect the drive to the Redmi Note 9 via the adapter OTG, to ensure that the files are readable.
Pay attention to power consumption. If you're using an external hard drive, it may not be powered by the phone or TV port, and you need a self-powered drive or an active drive. USB-Smartphone Redmi Note 9 has enough power to power the flash drives, but HDD It can cause battery discharge or shutdown USB-port.
⚠️ Note: Before formatting the drive, be sure to save a copy of the data on the computer, as this process will completely destroy all the information on the flash drive or disk.
Method of direct connection of the drive to the TV
The most reliable and high-quality way to watch movies stored on your phone or rewritten to a flash drive is to connect the drive directly to the TV. In this scenario, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 acts as a content preparation device, and the TV takes over the decoding of the video, which takes the load off the phone's processor and saves battery power.
Modern Smart TV They're equipped with built-in media players that support popular codecs. USB-storage device, just insert it into USB-The system will automatically detect the new device and prompt you to open the media player menu. If that doesn't happen, look at the remote for the Input or Source button and select the appropriate one. USB-port.
Navigating files is done using the TV's remote control. Smart TV interfaces (whether Android TV, webOS or Tizen) are usually intuitive. You can sort files by date, name or size. If the TV's built-in player doesn't open the file (for example, no sound or black image), it means that the TV doesn't support the audio or video codec.
The table below shows the common formats and the likelihood of them playing on modern TVs:
| Container format | Video codec | Audio codec | Compatibility with TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| MP4 | H.264 / AVC | AAC | High (almost 100%) |
| MKV | H.265 / HEVC | AC3 / DTS | Medium (depending on TV license) |
| AVI | MPEG-4 | MP3 | Low (obsolete format) |
| MOV | H.264 | AAC | Medium (often Apple specific) |
If you have a problem with the lack of sound when viewing MKV-The TV does not support the Dolby Digital codec or DTS. In this case, it will help install a third-party player on the TV itself (if it is based on Android) or use the phone as a signal source through the TV. DLNA, what will be discussed next.
Using the Redmi Note 9 as a DLNA-server
Since direct USB cable connection to TV is not possible, the best alternative is DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) technology, which allows you to transfer multimedia content over a local Wi-Fi network, in which case Redmi Note 9 becomes a server that stores movies, and the TV is a client that plays them.
To implement this scheme, both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. In Xiaomi smartphones with a MIUI shell, the media content distribution function is often built into standard applications, but for advanced features, it is better to use specialized applications from Google Play, such as BubbleUPnP or LocalCast.
The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Install the DLNA server application on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9.
- Launch the application and allow access to the files.
- Select the video file in the application and click the broadcast button (screen icon).
- In the list of available devices, select your TV.
The advantage of this method is that the phone does not discharge as quickly as when broadcasting the screen, and you can use it for other tasks while watching. 4K-files, if the power of the TV allows.
⚠️ Attention: For stable employment DLNA Make sure that your router does not include customer isolation AP (AP Isolation, which prevents devices within the network from seeing each other.
What to do if the TV can’t see the phone?
Screen broadcast via Miracast and Chromecast
If your goal is to show the contents of the phone’s screen, rather than just running a file, you’ll need wireless broadcasting technology. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 supports Miracast protocols (the menu is called “Translation” or “Wireless display”) and Google Cast. USB-connection, but often this is the functionality that users are looking for who want to display the image on the big screen.
To activate Miracast, lower the notification curtain and find the "Translation" icon. If it's not there, add it through the Quick Access Edit menu. The phone will start looking for available displays. On the TV, you need to run the Screen Share app, Miracast or the like. Once connected, the image from the phone is fully duplicated on the TV screen.
Importantly, this is a way to make the phone use a processor and a graphics accelerator, which causes rapid heating and battery discharge, and the quality of the image may be lower than the native one due to real-time video compression, and there may be a delay in sound. For viewing static photos or presentations, this is a great option, but for movies it is better to use it. DLNA or USB-flash-drive.
- 📺 Miracast works directly between devices (P2P), Internet is not mandatory.
- 🌐 Chromecast requires Wi-Fi networking and frequent use of donor apps (YouTube, Netflix).
- 🔋 The screen broadcast significantly consumes the battery of the Redmi Note 9.
If you use apps like YouTube or Netflix, look for a live stream icon (a rectangle with waves) that will run the video directly over the Internet on your TV (via Chromecast), bypassing your phone screen, which is the most energy-efficient way.
Solving common problems and errors
There are a lot of technical challenges in the tuning process, and one of the common problems is that the TV can see. USB-It's often because the file system is formatted in a format that TV doesn't understand, or the folder structure is too deep.
Another common situation is audio and video desynchronization, which can occur when using weak Wi-Fi channels for DLNA or when trying to play high-bitrate videos over the network, in which case it is recommended to switch to wired connection of the flash drive to TV or reduce the quality of the stream.
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If the TV’s built-in player is not up to speed with the video format, the best solution is to install a third-party player (like a VLC) directly on the Smart TV, if the platform allows it.
Users also have to face the fact that the phone does not detect the USB-OTG Make sure that the settings are in place. MIUI Debugging mode is enabled or the correct mode is selected USB. Go to Settings. → The phone. → 7 times press "Version" MIUI", To activate the developer menu, then check the settings USB.
Sometimes the problem lies with the cable itself. Cheap cables can only work for charging and don't transmit data. Use the original Xiaomi cable or certified data-labeled counterparts.