Modern smartphones like the Xiaomi Redmi 8T have powerful screens, but a truly immersive experience when watching movies or photos often requires a large diagonal. Android device owners often face the need to stream content to a large TV screen, but not everyone knows how to do it correctly. There are several proven methods, each of which has its advantages depending on your TV model and available accessories.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to connect your phone to a TV to watch movies from the Internet on Android Xiaomi Redmi 8 T. We will look at both wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and Mi Drop, and wired solutions via HDMI. You will learn about the nuances of setting screen resolution and ways to eliminate image delays, which is critical for comfortable viewing video content in high quality.
The setup process may seem complicated only at first glance. In fact, the MIUI operating system installed on your device already contains all the necessary tools for screen duplication. You don't need to be an engineer or have deep technical knowledge to enjoy your favorite TV shows on a 50-inch panel. The main thing is to choose the right connection method that matches your hardware.
Preparation of equipment and compatibility check
Before you start any manipulations, you need to make sure that your equipment is ready to go. Xiaomi Redmi 8T has a USB Type-C port that supports video transmission, but not all cables are the same. For a wired connection, you will need a special USB-C to HDMI adapter that supports the MHL or Alt Mode standard. Conventional charging cable is not suitable here, since it only transmits energy and data, but not video stream.
If you plan to use a wireless connection, make sure your TV supports Miracast technology or the built-in Chromecast. Most modern Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Philips have these features out of the box. It is also important that both devices — both the smartphone and the TV — are on the same local Wi-Fi network. Different frequencies (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) can sometimes create visibility problems, so the ideal option is to connect both gadgets to the same access point.
⚠️ Attention: Using cheap adapters without video output support can overheat the phone's charging port.Make sure the adapter is certified to transmit video.
Check the operating system version on your Redmi 8T. For stable broadcast functions, it is recommended to use the current version of MIUI. Updates often contain corrections for communication protocol errors and improve compatibility with new TV models. Go to the settings and check for updates to exclude software conflicts.
Wireless connection through the built-in function "Translation"
The easiest and fastest way to display an image is to use the standard system feature, which is called Cast in the MIUI shell, which doesn't require you to buy any additional cables, and works on Miracast protocol. To start, open the notification curtain and find the Translation icon. If it's not on the home page, click on a pencil or three dots to edit the panel and add this widget.
Once activated, the phone will start searching for available devices. The TV also needs to run an app to receive the signal. It can be called "Screen Share", "Miracast", "Translation" or "Wireless Display." Once the devices find each other, click on the name of your TV in the list on the smartphone screen.
The quality of the image depends on the power of your router and the distance to it. Wi-Fi Direct creates a direct connection between the phone and TV, bypassing the router, but the initial handshake occurs over the network. If you notice a desynchronization of sound and video or image artifacts, try to approach the router or TV.
⚠️ Note: When broadcasting via Wi-Fi, the Redmi battery 8T It discharges much faster. It is recommended to keep the phone connected to the charger during long browsing.
An important advantage of this method is the ability to manage content directly from your phone.You can fold an application, respond to a message or check notifications, and the image on the TV will remain unchanged (unless you exit the broadcast mode completely). FPS This method may not be suitable due to a possible input delay (input lag).
Using the Google Home app for Chromecast
Many modern TVs have built-in support for Chromecast built-in technology, which allows you to stream content from specific applications (YouTube, Netflix, Movie Search) or the entire screen of your smartphone. To work this method, your Xiaomi Redmi 8T must have installed and updated the Google Home app. It is often preinstalled, but if it is not, download it from Google Play.
Launch the app and make sure you're logged in to your Google account. It automatically scans the network and finds compatible devices. Select your TV from the list. In the device control menu that opens, click the "Cast my screen" button. The phone will request permission to record the screen - confirm it.
What to do if the TV is not visible on Google Home?
A feature of this method is the high stability of the connection when streaming videos from the Internet. When you run a video in the YouTube app on your phone and select the broadcast icon, the phone acts only as a remote control, and the video is downloaded directly by the TV over the Internet, which saves battery power and reduces the load on the Redmi 8T processor.
However, if you want to show exactly what is happening on the phone screen (such as a presentation or a game), the screen duplication mode is used, in which case the image quality may be limited by the resolution of the smartphone screen rather than the TV, which, when zooming on a 4K matrix, may not give a perfect picture.
Wired connection via USB-C to HDMI adapter
For users who value maximum image quality and no delays, the best solution is a wired connection. Xiaomi Redmi 8T supports video output via USB Type-C port, but as mentioned earlier, you need an active adapter. Connect the adapter to the phone's charging port and insert an HDMI cable into it that goes to the TV.
Once connected, Android automatically recognizes the external display, a copy of the smartphone image will appear on the TV screen, and unlike wireless methods, it transmits a signal in native resolution supported by the phone, without compressing Wi-Fi compression artifacts, which is especially important for watching movies in high bitrate.
☑️ Checking wired connection
It is worth noting that when wired, the phone may not charge if the adapter does not have an additional power port, in which case the battery will be consumed, although slower than with active Wi-Fi broadcasts. For long sessions, it is better to use an adapter with simultaneous charging (Power Delivery).
| Parameter | Wireless (Wi-Fi) | Wireless (HDMI) |
|---|---|---|
| Image quality | Depends on the signal (compression) | Maximum (no compression) |
| Delay (Latency) | High (not for games) | Minimum |
| Battery charge | Fast-spending | Slow flow/charging |
| Convenience | High (no wires) | Requires an adapter. |
Broadcasting via DLNA and third-party players
If you don't need to duplicate the entire screen, but just run a video file stored in your phone's memory or on network storage, use DLNA technology. This allows you to transfer media files directly to the TV, which acts as a renderer. To do this, you need to install a powerful video player on Redmi 8T, for example, VLC for Android or MX Player.
Run a video file in the player, click on the select button of the output device (TV icon or triangle) and select your TV from the list. The TV itself decodes the video, so the file format should be supported by its built-in player. This method is ideal for viewing heavy 4K files, which can slow down when wirelessly duplicating the screen.
💡
Use a VLC player if the standard gallery doesn't see the TV. VLC has built-in DLNA device search and supports a huge number of audio and video codecs.
The advantage of DLNA is that you can turn off your smartphone screen or use other applications, and you can play back on your TV, and the phone works like a data stream server, but it's the interface that makes it easier to manage rewinding or subtitling.
It's important to understand the difference between this and broadcasting. With DLNA, the TV plays the file itself, retrieving data over the network. When broadcasting the screen, the phone renders the picture and sends the finished video stream. For older TVs with slow Wi-Fi, the DLNA module can work more stable.
Customize the image and fix problems
After successful connection, additional adjustment may be required. Sometimes the image does not occupy the entire TV screen or has black bars. In the Redmi 8T settings, in the Screen section, you can try changing the resolution or refresh rate if the adapter and TV allow it, and the aspect ratio settings are often located in the menu of the TV itself (the "Aspect" or "Format" button on the remote).
A common problem is that there is no sound on the TV when you have an image. In that case, check the audio settings in Android. When you connect to HDMI, the sound should automatically switch to the external system. If that does not happen, go to Settings → Sound and vibration → Output and select HDMI.
⚠️ Note: If the phone screen goes out when you connect the cable, and there is nothing on TV, try reducing the screen resolution in the hidden developer settings or changing the cable HDMI More quality (version 2.0 and higher).
For advanced users, you can activate the developer mode, you need to click 7 times on the build number in the About Phone section. In the Developer menu, you can find the item "Hardware GPU acceleration" or USB debugging settings, which sometimes affect the stability of the video output, although standard methods usually work without interfering with these parameters.
💡
The key to a stable picture is using 5GHz Wi-Fi for wireless methods and high-quality shielded wired cables. Don't skimp on adapters if you want to enjoy 4K content without artifacts.