Technology is blurring the boundaries between devices, turning a smartphone into a universal media control panel. Broadcasting the screen to a large display allows you to enjoy photos, videos and games in the highest quality. Owners of the Xiaomi ecosystem often face the need to sync their gadgets, whether it is Mi TV or third-party models with Android TV.
The pairing process depends on many factors: the version of the operating system, the type of connection and the specific device model. There are both wireless protocols that allow freedom of movement and cable connections that guarantee signal stability. Understanding the nuances of each method will help to avoid delays and desynchronization of sound.
In this article, we will take a look at all the current ways to display images, how to activate hidden functions, what applications to install, and how to configure a local network for instant response. The manual covers both standard MIUI tools and advanced settings for power users.
Preparation of equipment and network
The first step to successful synchronization is to properly configure your network environment. Both devices must be on the same local Wi-Fi network. This is a fundamental requirement for most wireless protocols, such as Miracast and DLNA. If a router is giving out a signal at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, make sure that the phone and TV are connected to the same frequency, although modern routers often combine them into a single network.
Check the software's relevance on both devices. On Xiaomi TV, go to Settings → About TV → System Update. Outdated firmware may contain bugs that block the detection of external devices. Similarly, upgrade your smartphone operating system to the latest available version.
⚠️ Note: If your router has a guest network or customer isolation feature (AP Isolation, devices won't see each other. Make sure these features are disabled for the main connection.
High-resolution video (4K HDR) requires high bandwidth to be stable, and data speeds directly affect the lack of buffering, ideally using a Wi-Fi 5 (ac) or Wi-Fi 6 (ax) router.
Wireless broadcast via Miracast (Translation)
The most popular method in the Xiaomi ecosystem is based on Miracast technology, which is often called “Translation” or “Wireless display” in the MIUI shell, which allows you to duplicate images from a smartphone to a TV in real time without the latency characteristic of streaming video.
To activate the feature on your Xiaomi TV, you need to open the list of apps and find the standard Broadcast (or Miracast) app. After you launch the app, the TV will go into standby mode. On your smartphone, lower the notification curtain and find the Translation icon. If it is not available quickly, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Broadcast.
Once you turn on the search, the phone will find the devices available. Select your Xiaomi TV from the list. On the TV screen, you may see a request for confirmation of connection, which you need to accept by the remote. The quality of the picture depends on the power of the Wi-Fi module and the distance to the router.
☑️ Checking before connecting Miracast
It's important to note that using this method, the smartphone screen may go out to save energy, but the broadcast will continue. DRM-protection (e.g. Netflix or Movie Search) can show a black screen instead of a video when duplicated, requiring the use of built-in Chromecast.
Using the built-in Chromecast
Xiaomi TVs are powered by Android TV, which means native support for Google Cast technology. It's a more advanced way to stream content from specific apps without duplicating the entire screen of a smartphone.
To take advantage of this method, open a video or music app (YouTube, Spotify, Netflix) on your phone. Find the Chromecast icon (the rectangle with the waves in the corner). Click on it and select your TV from the list of available devices. The video stream will be downloaded by the TV directly from the Internet, which reduces the load on the smartphone.
The advantage of this is that you can use your phone for other tasks while you're watching, you can respond to messages or browse the Internet without interrupting the playback on the big screen, and the image quality is often higher, because the TV decodes the stream itself.
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If the Chromecast icon doesn’t appear, make sure that the smartphone has Google Play Services installed and the Google Home app updated to the latest version.
You can use voice commands through Google Assistant to control your broadcast, and just say, "OK, Google, play the video on your TV," and the system will try to run the content on the big screen, which is especially convenient when the remote is far away or busy.
Wired connection via HDMI and USB-C
When the wireless network is overloaded or requires maximum quality without compression, a cable connection comes to the rescue. To connect a Xiaomi smartphone to a TV via HDMI, you will need a special USB-C to HDMI adapter. Not all smartphones support video output through the charging port.
The technology that allows video transfer is called MHL or DisplayPort Alt Mode. Check the specifications of your phone model. Xiaomi's flagship models (Mi series, Xiaomi Pro) often support this feature, while budget Redmis may not have the hardware output capability.
The connection is simple: an adapter is inserted into the phone's charging socket, and an HDMI cable connects the adapter and the free port of the TV. Once connected, the TV automatically detects a new signal source. Switch the input source to the corresponding HDMI 1 or HDMI 2 port.
| Type of connection | Equipment required | Audio support | Delay. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miracast | Wi-Fi router | Yes. | Low/Mediocre |
| Chromecast | Wi-Fi router | Yes. | Minimum |
| HDMI (cable) | USB-C adapter, HDMI cable | Yes (up to 7.1) | Absent. |
| DLNA | Wi-Fi router | Yes. | No (file) |
⚠️ Note: When using cheap adapters, the image may not appear or be unstable.Use certified cables with support HDCP to view protected content.
The wired connection is ideal for gaming, as it provides zero input lag, and you can charge your phone through this port if the adapter has an additional USB connector for power, which is critical for long sessions, since video output quickly consumes battery power.
Broadcasting through DLNA and third-party applications
If standard methods don’t work or you need to transfer a specific file, DLNA comes to the rescue. It allows you to broadcast media content (photos, videos, music) from your phone to your TV over a local network, and for this purpose, you need to install a media center application on your smartphone, such as VLC for Android or BubbleUPnP.
Run an app on your phone, select the video file you want in your device's memory. In the play menu, click the "Cast" button and select your Xiaomi TV. The file will play on the big screen. Unlike Miracast, it transfers the file itself, not the screen image.
There are specialized applications from Xiaomi, such as Mi Remote or Xiaomi Home, that allow you to not only stream content, but also fully control the TV, use the phone as a touchpad or keyboard to type text, which is especially true, given that it is quite inconvenient to type text with the remote.
Secrets of the VLC application
To transfer heavy files without loss of quality, you can use the SMB method, but this requires more complex network storage (NAS) or computer configuration. However, for most users, it is enough to simply run a file through a media server.
Resolving problems and adjusting quality
Even with the right setup, there can be problems: audio desynchronization, image artifacts, or connection breaks. A common cause is Wi-Fi overload. Try to switch the router to a less loaded frequency or channel. Using the 5GHz band is preferable for video transmission.
If the sound is behind the video, check the audio output settings on your TV. Under Settings → Sound → Digital output, try changing the format from "Auto" to "PCM." This often solves the problems of codec compatibility in wireless broadcasting.
To improve performance, close your background apps on your smartphone. RAM is needed to encode the video stream in real time. Also make sure that the TV has an option to speed up image processing, if it is available in the engineering menu or the developer settings.
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Connection stability is more important than maximum resolution. Better to reduce the quality to 1080p, but get a smooth picture without jerking.
In rare cases, a complete reset of network settings on both devices helps. DNS refresh IP-Addresses that can eliminate addressing conflicts in the local network.