How to watch movies from a computer on a Xiaomi TV via WiFi

Modern Smart TVs from Xiaomi, running on the Android TV platform or PatchWall’s own shell, provide users with huge multimedia capabilities. However, embedded applications are not always able to reproduce specific video formats or files with unique codecs that your computer can open without problems, and it is in such situations that you need to transfer an image or video stream directly from the hard drive of a laptop or desktop PC to the large screen.

Fortunately, you don’t have to buy extra HDMI wires and pull them across the room, tripping over the cables. Wireless data transfer over a local WiFi network allows you to organize a convenient home theater in minutes. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of connecting, from standard broadcast protocols to creating a full-fledged media server.

It’s important to understand that the quality and stability of playback are directly dependent on the bandwidth of your router and the distance to it. Before you start setting up, make sure that both your computer and Xiaomi TV are on the same network. This is a basic condition, without which neither of the methods described below will work correctly.

Equipment preparation and network setup

The first step is to organize the LAN correctly. High-resolution video streaming, whether Full HD or 4K, requires a stable link. If your router supports the 5GHz standard, it is strongly recommended that devices be connected to this frequency, as it provides a higher data rate compared to the congested 2.4GHz band.

Check it out. IP-Although in most cases, the router automatically distributes addresses through the DHCP, Some methods for configuring access to folders may require knowing the exact IP-You can find out the computer's address by opening the command line and entering the command:

ipconfig

Find a line «IPv4-The address is in the section of your wireless adapter, and remember or write down these numbers, they will be needed to manually configure the connection in the file managers of the TV.

⚠️ Note: If your router is set up to isolate customers (AP Isolation, devices won't see each other even when connected to the same network, and you need to turn it off in your router settings.

Also make sure that your computer has access to network detection. In Windows, this is done through the Control Panel under Network and Sharing Control Center. Select your network profile and activate the Enable Network Detection option.** Without this, a Xiaomi TV simply won’t be able to find your PC in the list of available devices for broadcast.

Screen broadcast via Miracast and WiDi

The easiest and fastest way to display an image from your computer to your TV is to use wireless display technology. In Windows, this feature is called Connection, and it is based on the Miracast protocol. Xiaomi TVs have built-in support for this standard, so you do not need to install additional software.

To start streaming on the remote control of your Mi TV or Redmi TV, find the button with the image of the house or a separate “Mi” button. In the menu that opens, select “My applications” and launch the “Wireless Display” application.

Then go to your computer settings. Press Win + K or open the notification center and select Connect. The system will start searching for available devices. When your TV name appears on the list, click on it. In a few seconds, the desktop image will be fully duplicated on the big screen.

• 📺 Ideal for displaying presentations, photos or watching videos from browsers that do not support Cast.
• 🎮 It allows you to broadcast a low latency picture, which is important for some games, although for dynamic shooters, wire is better.
• 🔋 It does not require the installation of third-party programs, as the technology is built into the kernel of Windows 10 and Windows 11.

It's worth noting that when you use Miracast, the load is placed on the computer's GPU, because it encodes the video stream in real time, and if the system is slow, you may experience a decrease in image quality or compression artifacts.

Using DLNA to play files

If your goal is to just watch a movie on your hard drive, rather than duplicate the entire desktop, then DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) technology is perfect: It allows the TV to act as a renderer that takes media content from the server (your PC) and plays it on its own using embedded codecs.

In Windows 10 and 11, the media server feature is built in by default. To activate it, open Options and go to Network and Internet, then select Status and find the Shared Options link. However, more flexible management provides the standard Streaming Multimedia Options app, which can be found through a search in the Start menu.

In the window that opens, you'll see a list of devices on your network. Find your Xiaomi TV and set it to "Allowed" status. Then you can right-click on the video file, select "Cast to Device" and select your TV.

⚠️ Note: When reproducing through DLNA playback control (pause, rewinding) can be carried out only from the TV remote, and not from the computer keyboard.

For advanced users who lack the functionality of standard Windows tools, it is recommended to install a third-party server, such as Universal Media Server or Serviio. These programs are able to transcode video on the fly into a format that is understandable to the TV if the built-in Android TV player does not support the original file codec.

Building a Home Server with Plex or Kodi

To create a full-fledged library with movie covers, character descriptions and season-sorting, the best way to do this is to use specialized server software, which is led by Plex Media Server, which is installed on a computer, scans those folders, and creates a beautiful display case that is available on a TV.

The process of setting up is as follows: download and install Plex Media Server on your PC, register a free account, and add paths to your movie folders. Then, on a Xiaomi TV, download the Plex app through the Google Play Store or Mi Store. Sign in to the same account, and your library will open automatically.

The main advantage of this approach is the ability to broadcast video in any format. If the TV can not read a certain audio track or subtitles, the Plex server will transcode the flow on the fly (transcoding) into a compatible format, which requires sufficient power of the computer processor.

The alternative is a bunch of Samba and a file manager on your TV, and you can share a folder on your computer, and on your TV, through the Explorer app or VLC Player, select Network → SMB and find your computer, which is a method for those who prefer a classic folder structure without beautiful covers.

Broadcasting through the Google Chrome browser

If you watch movies through a web browser on a computer, such as an online cinema that doesn’t have a TV app, the best way to use the built-in streaming feature in Google Chrome is because Xiaomi TVs run on Android, they natively support the Google Cast protocol.

Open the Chrome browser on your computer and make sure you are using the latest version. In the upper right corner, click on the three dots (menu) and select "Cast".

You can choose to stream the current tab or the entire desktop, and if you choose Translate tab, the audio and video will go to the TV, and you can continue to work on your computer in other windows, which is a great feature for viewing content that is protected from direct download or copying.

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To reduce the load on the network when broadcasting from the browser, close the unnecessary tabs and background downloads so that the video stream is not interrupted.

It is important to consider that when broadcasting a tab, the browser compresses the video stream, which can lead to a slight decrease in quality compared to direct playback of a file on a TV. However, for most online services, the difference is almost invisible.

Solving buffering and quality problems

Even with the right setup, users may experience image slowdown or sound desynchronization, most often indicating a lack of WiFi bandwidth. A 4K video stream can require speeds of up to 50-100 Mbps, which is not always guaranteed by a wireless connection.

Try lowering the bitrate of the video or selecting a file with a lower resolution to check. If the problem persists, check the network loading with other devices, and it is possible that someone in the household is downloading large amounts of data or playing online games at this point.

⚠️ Attention: Use USB WiFi extension adapters (pigs) on a TV can significantly improve signal reception if the router is far away or behind thick walls.

Also worth updating is the TV firmware. Manufacturers often release updates that optimize network modules. Go to Settings → About TV → System Update and check for new versions of the software.

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WiFi connection stability is the key to success, with persistent buffering issues. 4K-Consider connecting the TV to the router via LAN-cable.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)