Modern Xiaomi smartphones have powerful screens and multimedia capabilities, but to view content on a large screen often requires displaying images on a TV. This is especially true for watching high-resolution movies, showing photos from a family holiday or running mobile games on a wide diagonal. Fortunately, the MIUI ecosystem and the Android operating system offer many built-in tools for wireless connection without buying extra cables.
There are several key technologies that can help you do this: the Miracast standard for full screen broadcasting, the DLNA protocol for media transfer, and Google’s dedicated applications. The specific method you choose depends on your TV model, the version of your smartphone firmware, and the type of content you plan to play. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at all the ways you can sync devices on a single local network.
Before you start setting up, you need to make sure that both your Xiaomi and Smart TV devices are connected to the same wireless Wi-Fi network. This is a fundamental requirement for most wireless data protocols to work. If the router supports dual-band, it is better to use the 5 GHz network to provide faster video streaming speeds without delay.
Technology of wireless image transmission
Understanding the differences between the main data protocols will help you choose the most appropriate method for your situation. Most often, users confuse these technologies, although they solve different problems and have their own technical features.
The first and most popular method is Miracast (often labeled as “Wireless Monitor” or “Translation”), which allows you to completely duplicate the image from the smartphone screen to the TV in real time.
The second method is DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), which, unlike Miracast, does not broadcast the entire screen, but allows you to transfer specific media files (video, photos, music) from the phone’s memory to the TV, in which case the TV acts as a renderer, decoding the video stream itself, which reduces the load on the smartphone battery.
The third option is to use Google Chromecast built-in, a proprietary technology from Google that allows content to be sent from supported apps (YouTube, Netflix, Spotify) directly to the TV, and playback is controlled from the phone, but traffic goes directly from the server to the TV without overloading the local network.
- 📡 Miracast - full mirror display screen, works without the Internet, only through Wi-Fi Direct.
- 🎬 DLNA — File transfer, allows you to control playback from the phone, but does not show the OS interface.
- 🌐 Chromecast – streaming content from apps, minimum battery consumption.
It's important to note that not all TVs support all of these protocols natively, if your older TV may need to use external adapters or consoles, but most of today's Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and other brands have built-in support for at least one of these standards.
Preparing devices for synchronization
Successful connectivity depends on the correct pre-setting of network equipment. Often users encounter problems precisely because they ignore basic network configuration requirements. IP-addresses to all connected devices.
Check that the TV is activated with Smart TV and connected to Wi-Fi. The TV menu may need to allow connections from external devices. For example, on some LG models, you need to confirm the connection request that pops up on the screen when you try to pair.
⚠️ Note: If your router divides the network into guest and main, make sure that the phone and TV are on the same subnet. Guest networks often have client isolation, which blocks the devices from being discovered by each other.
Also worth updating the software on Xiaomi smartphone. Manufacturers regularly release patches that improve the stability of the Wi-Fi Direct module. Go to the settings and check for updates for the system and applications of the system level.
☑️ Checking connection readiness
Broadcasting the screen through the built-in “Translation” function
The fastest way to display an image is to use the standard MIUI feature called “Translation” (Cast), which is based on the Miracast protocol and does not require third-party software installation; it is built into the notification curtain or available through the settings menu.
To start, unlock your smartphone and lower the top curtain down to open the control center. Find an icon called Translation (sometimes hidden in the second menu, swipe left). If there is no icon, tap on a pencil or three edit dots for the panels and add this element.
Once activated, the phone will start searching for available devices within range, a list of compatible TVs will appear on the screen, select your TV from the list, and a request for confirmation of connection will appear on the TV screen, which must be received by the remote control.
Path to the menu: Settings → Connection and Sharing → BroadcastIf the search is not working, try rebooting the Wi-Fi module on both devices, sometimes helping to temporarily shut down Bluetooth on your smartphone, as it can cause interference in the 2.4 GHz range, although modern devices usually correctly dilute the streams.
What to do if the TV is not found?
Using the Google Home app for Chromecast
For TVs with built-in Android TV or support for Google Cast technology, the Google Home app will be the best solution, providing a more stable connection and allowing you to manage media with minimal latency. This is an official solution from Google, integrated into most Android devices.
Download and install the Google Home app from the Play Market store if it hasn't already been installed. Launch the app and log in to your Google account.The program will automatically scan the network and find available Chromecast devices or Cast-enabled TVs.
Select your TV from the list of devices. In the control menu that opens, click the "Cast my screen" button. The system will warn you that notifications and other information will be visible on the screen - confirm the action.
- 📱 It is more stable than standard broadcasting MIUI.
- 🔋 Less battery life thanks to Google optimization.
- 🎮 Allows you to use your phone as a virtual touchpad for control.
The advantage of this method is versatility: you can stream Chrome tabs or specific application windows. Image quality is often higher and input lag is lower, which is critical for interactive content.
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To reduce latency when playing through Chromecast, close the background apps on your phone that consume traffic, such as torrents or cloud syncs.
Video and photo transfer via DLNA
If your goal is simply to watch a movie stored in your phone's memory or to show a slideshow of photos, using DLNA will be the most energy efficient, in which case the phone is only a remote control, and decoding the video is taken over by the TV's processor.
On Xiaomi smartphones, you can use the built-in MI Video player or gallery to do this. Open the video file, click on the "More" button (three dots) or the broadcast icon in the corner of the screen. From the list of available devices, select your TV.
An alternative and more powerful option is to use third-party media center applications, such as BubbleUPnP or VLC for Android, which support more file formats and codecs that may not be readable by standard system tools.
| Parameter | Miracast (Translation) | DLNA (Media) | Chromecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of transmission | Screen mirroring | Media file stream | The Internet stream |
| Battery consumption | High-pitched | Low. | Minimum |
| Internet dependency | Not required | Not required | Required. |
| Delay (Latency) | Medium/High | Low. | Low. |
When using DLNA, it is important to consider the format of the video file. If the TV does not support a specific codec (for example, HEVC or DTS audio), playback may begin without sound or not at all. In such cases, the player application on the phone may offer transcoding on the fly, but this will increase the load on the network.
⚠️ Attention: In the transmission of heavy 4K-file DLNA Make sure the Wi-Fi signal is stable. Interrupting the flow can cause the player to freeze on the TV, requiring it to restart.
Addressing problems and delays
Despite advances in technology, wireless connectivity remains sensitive to external factors, with the most common user complaint being the desynchronization of sound and video or periodic twitching of a picture, often due to overloading of the wireless channel.
If you're watching lags, try switching the router to only 5GHz. The 2.4GHz range is often clogged with signals from neighborhood networks and appliances, which creates interference. Also make sure there are no thick concrete walls between the router and the TV.
Another problem is that you can't find the device, so check the firewall settings on the router, and some providers or security settings may block the ports that are required for the SSDP or mDNS protocols that are responsible for detecting the devices on the network.
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The stability of wireless broadcasting is 90% dependent on the quality of the Wi-Fi signal and the absence of interference in the air, not just the power of the smartphone.
In some cases, resetting network settings on your phone helps. Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth. This action will delete saved passwords, but often resolves software driver conflicts.