Modern multimedia capabilities of smart TVs allow you to turn ordinary movie watching into a full-fledged cinema. Xiaomi Mi TV and Android TV set-top boxes are ideal for this, but many users still do not know how to properly organize the output of images from a personal computer, this may be necessary for watching movies, showing presentations or just for easy surfing the Internet on a large screen.
There are several proven methods, each with its own advantages and disadvantages: You can use wireless technologies like Miracast or Chromecast, or you can prefer a reliable wired connection through a wireless network. HDMI-The choice of the particular method depends on the model of your TV, the operating system of the laptop and the quality of your home network.
In this article, we will take a look at all the options available so you can choose the most suitable for your situation, we will look at the nuances of setting up Windows and macOS, and also pay attention to solving typical connection problems.
Equipment preparation and network setup
Before you start directly configuring the broadcast, you need to make sure that all the components of your multimedia system are ready to work. The fundamental condition for wireless protocols to work is that the devices are on the same local network. This means that both the laptop and the Xiaomi TV must be connected to the same router.
The ideal option would be to use a wired TV connection if possible, or to connect both devices to the 5GHz Wi-Fi standard, which will ensure minimal latency and high picture quality. Check that the TV has the latest firmware installed, as older versions of the software may not work properly with new data standards.
☑️ Checking before connection
Also worth paying attention to connectors if you plan to use cable.Make sure your laptop has an HDMI output or an appropriate adapter (such as USB-C to HDMI).Older models may require VGA or DVI, but in the context of modern Xiaomi TVs, we will focus on the digital interface.
⚠️ Note: When using wireless broadcast, make sure that the router does not include Client Isolation, otherwise devices will not see each other on the network.
Wireless broadcast via Miracast (Windows)
The most popular and built-in way for laptop owners with Windows 10 or 11 is Miracast (Wi-Fi Direct) technology. Xiaomi TVs based on Android TV have built-in support for this standard, which allows you to broadcast the screen without installing additional software.
To get started, open the Start menu and go to the system settings. You need to find the projection section. In Windows 10, this is done through the Win + K keyboard combination, which instantly opens the wireless display connection panel.
If your Xiaomi TV is on the list of available devices, just click on its name. On the TV screen, you may see a request for confirmation of connection, which you need to confirm with the remote, and then the image from the desktop or extended screen will appear on the large display.
What if Windows can’t see the TV?
It is worth noting that the quality of the transmission depends on the power of the Wi-Fi signal. For watching high-resolution (4K) video or games, this method can give a small delay (input lag), which is critical for dynamic scenes.
Google Chromecast built-in technology
Because Xiaomi TVs run on Android TV, they have native support for Google Cast technology, which allows you to stream content from Google Chrome or compatible apps directly to your TV without having to go through Windows system settings.
Open the Chrome browser on your laptop. In the upper right corner, click on the three-dot menu and select "Cast." The browser will scan the network and suggest a list of available devices. Select your Xiaomi TV from the list.
In the window that opens, you can choose whether to stream a browser tab, an entire screen, or a specific media file, which is especially useful for displaying presentations or watching videos from websites that do not have a built-in Cast button.
- 📺 Open the Chrome browser menu (three dots).
- 📡 Select the "Translate" option (Cast).
- 🖥️ Click Sources and select Translate Screen".
- ✅ Click on the name of your Xiaomi TV.
The advantage of this method is that it has a stable connection and can control playback directly from the laptop, but the load on the computer's processor can increase, because it is the coding processor that encodes the video stream.
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To reduce the load on the processor when broadcasting through Chrome, close the unnecessary tabs and background applications that consume a lot of operatives.
Streaming from MacBook via AirPlay
Apple owners often face the question of how to connect a MacBook to an Android TV. Fortunately, modern Xiaomi TVs support the AirPlay 2 protocol, which makes the process as simple and native to the Apple ecosystem as possible.
Make sure your TV has AirPlay enabled. This usually happens automatically, but in some MIUI TV firmwares you need to activate the function in the settings. On macOS, click on the Control icon in the menu bar and select Screen Mirroring.
Your TV will appear on the list of available devices. Once you select and enter the confirmation code (if necessary), the image from the laptop will appear on the TV. The picture quality with AirPlay is usually higher than with Miracast, thanks to better optimization of the codecs.
⚠️ Note: If you’re using an older Xiaomi TV model without built-in AirPlay support, you’ll need to install a third-party app, like AirScreen or AirPin, from the Google Play Store on the TV itself.
This method is ideal for displaying photos, videos from the iTunes library or working with documents in a format optimized for macOS. Latency is minimal, which allows you to comfortably use the laptop as a remote control.
Wireless connection via HDMI cable
If wireless methods do not provide the desired quality or stability, the “gold standard” is always the cable connection. HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) transmits uncompressed video and audio signals, ensuring maximum image quality.
To connect, you will need an HDMI cable. One end is inserted into the laptop port, the other into the Xiaomi TV connector. After the physical connection, you need to switch the signal source on the TV by pressing the "Input" or "Source" button on the remote and selecting the appropriate port (for example, HDMI 1).
Windows will automatically detect a new display device. You can choose to work on a duplicating screen, expanding the desktop, or only displaying the image on the second screen. For games and watching movies in 4K HDR, this is the only sure option, ensuring that there are no compression artifacts.
| Parameter | Wireless (Wi-Fi) | Wireless (HDMI) |
|---|---|---|
| Image quality | Depends on the signal (compression) | Maximum (no compression) |
| Delay (Latency) | High (not for games) | Minimum |
| Convenience | High (no wires) | Medium (need cable) |
| Stability | Medium | Tall. |
| Recommendation | Photos, videos, presentations | Games, 4K movies, work |
When using long cables (more than 5 meters), make sure they meet HDMI 2.0 or higher to support 4K resolution at 60Hz. Cheap cables may not be able to handle high bandwidth.
Use of third-party applications (DLNA and others)
In cases where standard tools do not work or require advanced functionality, third-party solutions come to the rescue. The DLNA protocol (Digital Living Network Alliance) allows you to broadcast media content (photos, videos, music) from a laptop to a TV without duplicating the entire screen.
A popular solution is to use the VLC Media Player app on your laptop. Open the video file, click Play -> Render and select your Xiaomi TV in the list. The TV will act as a network player, decoding the stream yourself.
There are also dedicated screen mirroring software, such as LetsView or ApowerMirror, which often require the client to be installed on both a PC and a TV (via an APK file or app store), which can be useful if the built-in OS functions are not working properly.
- 📲 Install the receiver app on TV (if required).
- 💻 Run a transmitter program on a laptop.
- 🔗 Enter the pairing code displayed on the screen.
- ▶️ Select a file or screen mode to transfer.
The downside of these methods is often the availability of advertising in free versions or the need to purchase a license to unlock full resolution and the absence of watermarks.
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Third-party applications are a great solution for specific tasks, but for everyday use it is better to optimize the built-in functions of the system.
Addressing problems and delays
Even with the right setup, users can face problems: audio and video out of sync, low resolution, or periodic connection breaks, most often due to congestion of the Wi-Fi channel or insufficient router power.
If you see a picture "twitching", try to lower the output resolution on your laptop or switch to the 5 GHz range. Also helps to close the background programs that actively use the network (torrents, downloads). In the settings of the Xiaomi TV, you can try to turn off the power saving Wi-Fi module.
For audio delays in player or system settings, you can add artificial audio delay to sync it to the video sequence. In Windows, this is done through the sound control panel, in the properties of the playback device, the "Advanced" tab, or through third-party mixers.
⚠️ Note: If you are connected to HDMI no image, but there is sound, try changing the refresh rate of the screen (hertz) in the Windows display settings at 60 Hz or 50 Hz, as some older cables do not support high frequencies when you are on the screen. 4K.