Xiaomi smartphone owners often encounter a mysterious feature called Cast, finding it in the quick settings menu or system settings. Many users mistakenly believe that this option is designed exclusively for streaming videos from YouTube or Netflix, but its capabilities are much broader and deeper.
The technology behind the name is based on Miracast and DLNA protocols, which allows you to transmit high-definition video without delay and loss of quality. You do not need additional cables, HDMI adapters or complex router settings if the devices are on the same network. Understanding the principles of this feature opens up access to creating a full-fledged multimedia system in your home, turning a regular TV into a smart entertainment center.
In this article, we will take a closer look at what the term Cast is about in Xiaomi’s ecosystem and why it’s a key feature for modern gadget usage. We’ll look at step-by-step configuration instructions, compare different connectivity methods, and answer the most common questions users have when trying to display an image on an external display.
What is Cast Technology and How Does It Work?
Cast (or "Translation" in Russified versions of MIUI) is a software mechanism that encodes a video stream from your smartphone screen and transmits it over your local Wi-Fi network to the receiving device. Unlike simple video streaming, where the phone acts only as a remote control, here you have a complete cloning of what you see on your display, which allows you to show presentations, gallery photos, game interfaces or even a desktop in high resolution.
The basis for this work is the Miracast protocol, which is a wireless media standard that allows devices to detect each other and establish a direct connection (Wi-Fi Direct) or work over a common network. In Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, this module is built deep into the system, which ensures stable operation and low signal latency. It is important to note that the technology does not require an Internet connection, only active Wi-Fi communication between gadgets is enough.
The key advantage is that you can stream not only video files, but also audio and even game graphics in real time. Hardware acceleration in Snapdragon processors allows you to encode the video stream without significant battery load, although power consumption is still increasing compared to conventional use.
⚠️ Note: When using the Cast function in screen mirroring mode (full copy), the smartphone battery discharges much faster. It is recommended to keep the device connected to charging or have PowerBank on hand for long sessions.
There is also a mode where the app on the phone (like YouTube) sends only a link to the video to the TV, not a video stream, in which case the phone works like a remote, and you can fold the app or lock the screen, and playback on the TV will continue.
The main scenarios of using the broadcast
Understanding what this gives the user in practical terms helps unlock the potential of the device. Use scenarios are many: from home theater to educational purposes. Xiaomi smartphones with their powerful screens are often used for consuming content, but 6 inches diagonal is not enough for a comfortable viewing in the company.
One of the most popular scenarios is gaming. Mobile games with high-quality graphics, such as PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact, are much more pleasant to perceive on a 50-inch 4K TV screen. Input lag with a good Wi-Fi connection is minimal, which allows you to comfortably play dynamic projects. In addition, it reduces the heating of the smartphone, since it does not work in maximum brightness mode.
- 📺 Home Theatre: Watching movies from online cinemas or a local gallery on a big screen with surround TV sound.
- 🎮 Mobile Gaming: Output games on TV for deeper immersion and ease of control.
- 📊 Office and Study: Showing presentations, documents or web pages on a projector or TV during meetings without wires.
- 📸 Viewing photos: Quickly showing photos from a vacation or family archive immediately after shooting to everyone present.
Another important aspect is the educational process: teachers and lecturers can use a smartphone as a source of content by displaying material on a projector. Multi-screen allows you to simultaneously display an image from your phone and work on a computer if you use the appropriate software, but the basic Cast solves the problem of quick access.
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To reduce latency in games, try to connect both your phone and TV to the router via an Ethernet cable (for TV) or use a 5GHz Wi-Fi band.
Connection methods: Wi-Fi, Miracast and Chromecast
Users are often confused about the terms, as Xiaomi supports several data standards, the difference between them is significant and affects image quality and compatibility, the main difference lies in how the signal is transmitted and what requirements are imposed on the receiving party.
Miracast is a native Android standard, often simply called a Wireless Monitor or Translation. It works directly between devices. Google Chromecast (built into Android TV) uses a different technology where the phone sends a command and the TV downloads content from the network. DLNA allows only files (photos, videos, music) to be transmitted, but does not broadcast the screen in real time.
| Characteristics | Miracast (Translation) | Chromecast Built-in | DLNA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of transmission | Full screen mirroring | Team to launch the stream | File transfer |
| Dependence on the phone | High (screen should be on) | Low (you can fold the application) | Medium |
| Quality. | Depends on the Wi-Fi signal. | Maximum (flow from the network) | Original |
| Compatibility | Most Smart TVs | Android TV, Chromecast | Almost all Smart TVs |
In MIUI, these methods are often combined into a single button. When you click on the Cast icon, the system scans the available devices and suggests the appropriate protocol. If you have an Android TV, the system can suggest a "Miracast" or a specific application launch (Chromecast), and the right method depends on your goal: show the desktop or just turn on the video.
Why is there no sound in the broadcast?
Step-by-step: how to set up a broadcast on Xiaomi
The setup process on Xiaomi smartphones is as simple as possible by the company’s engineers. You do not need to install third-party applications, since everything you need is already built into the MIUI or HyperOS shell. Before you start, make sure that your TV is on and supports the Smart TV feature or has a connected TV set-top box (Mi Box, Chromecast, Apple TV).
The first and most important step is to check the network. Both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If your router distributes networks at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz with different names, make sure that the phone and TV are in one of them. Different subnets can block device detection.
- Lower the notification curtain on Xiaomi’s smartphone swipe from top to bottom.
- Find the Broadcast icon (may be called "Cast", "Wireless Monitor" or "Projection").
- If there is no icon, click on the pencil (revise the menu) and add it from the list of available ones.
- Click on the icon and wait until the end of the search for available devices.
- In the list that appears, select the name of your TV or console.
- On the TV screen, a request for confirmation of connection may appear - confirm it with the remote.
Once the phone is successfully connected, the image will appear on the TV. A floating broadcast control menu can appear at the top of the smartphone screen, allowing you to turn off the microphone (if used for calls) or interrupt the connection. To exit the broadcast mode, you just need to click on the icon in the notification curtain again.
☑️ Checklist before connection
⚠️ Note: If the search for devices does not give anything, try temporarily disabling the function"AP Isolation in your router settings: This security feature prevents devices on the same network from seeing each other, which blocks Cast from working.
The solution: Connection and quality issues
Despite the system’s fine-tuning, users may face difficulties, and the most common problem is that the TV can’t see the phone or the connection is constantly breaking, often because it’s not a Xiaomi smartphone, but because of the network settings or outdated software of the receiving device.
If the image is broadcasting but with delay or artifacts, it indicates a channel bandwidth problem. High-resolution video requires a steady data stream. Try to get closer to the router or switch to a 5GHz frequency that is less loaded and provides data speed.
In cases where there is sound and no image (black screen), HDCP protection is likely to work. This happens when you try to broadcast protected content through the system mirror. The solution is one: use the Translation button inside the video player itself (for example, the icon of a rectangle with waves in the corner of a YouTube video), rather than a system function.
- 🔄 Reboot: Banal shutdown and turn on router, TV and smartphone solves 80% of detection problems.
- 🔥 Firewall: Antiviruses or firewalls on your computer (if you are broadcasting on a PC) can block Miracast ports.
- 📡 Drivers: Make sure the TV has updated the software to the latest version.
- 🔋 Energy saving: Aggressive power saving settings on Xiaomi can kill the background broadcast process.Add Translation app to exceptions.
Also worth mentioning is the problem of desynchronizing audio and video. If actors' lips are not moving in the rhythm of their voice, try to lower the output quality in the source app settings or restart the session. In some cases, turning off and re-energizing Bluetooth helps, as it can cause interference in the 2.4 GHz range.
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The stability of the connection depends on the quality of the Wi-Fi signal and the absence of physical obstacles between the router and the devices.
Alternative methods and third-party applications
If standard MIUI tools don’t work or are not functional enough, the Android ecosystem offers many alternatives. Third-party apps can provide advanced settings such as changing bitrate, screen resolution, or streaming over the Internet (not only locally).
One popular solution is Google Home, which allows you to manage Chromecast devices and stream the screen with more flexible settings, and there are specialized programs for gamers to stream the image on a PC with minimal latency, which is critical for competitive games.
For owners of TVs without Smart TV can be used USB-Miracast-enabled adapters, they connect to the port. HDMI And they emulate a wireless receiver, and in this case, the Xiaomi phone will see them as a normal wireless monitor, and it's a great way to shred an old TV.