Modern Xiaomi TVs running on Android TV offer a wide range of multimedia content. However, many users often face the need to bring to the big screen photos from a gallery or video shot on a smartphone. This may be necessary to show a presentation, view a family archive or run the game on a large display with high detail. Fortunately, the Mi Home ecosystem and Android standards allow you to accomplish this task in several ways that do not require complex cables.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all the current methods of synchronizing devices, ranging from built-in system functions to specialized applications. You will learn how to set up Miracast to mirror the screen without delay and how to use Google Chromecast technology to stream videos. DLNA Using third-party software for older TV models.
Before you start setting up, you need to make sure that both your smartphone and your TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This is a fundamental condition for most wireless data protocols. If a router distributes a network at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, make sure that both devices are in the same segment, although modern routers often combine them automatically.
Use of the built-in Mi Remote and Cast function
The easiest and most reliable way to stream content is to use the built-in MIUI for TV or Google Cast shell capabilities. In Xiaomi TVs, this feature is often called Translation or Screen Cast. To activate, you need to go to the app menu and find the appropriate shortcut. If it is not on the home screen, it can hide in the folder with system utilities.
On a smartphone, the algorithm depends on the version of the operating system and the shell. Owners of Xiaomi phones just drop the notification curtain and find the button "Translation" or "Projection". After searching for available devices, the name of your Xiaomi Mi TV or Android TV will appear in the list.
For users of other brands, such as Samsung or Honor, the process may be different. Often you need to open the Google Home or YouTube app. If you use YouTube, clicking on the TV icon in the corner of the video will send the video directly to the big screen, bypassing the full mirroring of the phone's interface, saving battery power and reducing the load on the processor.
⚠️ Warning: The first time you connect to a TV screen, you may have a request for permission to access the device, you must confirm the connection with the remote control within 30 seconds, otherwise the attempt will be rejected by the security system.
The quality of the image transfer depends on the speed of your Wi-Fi router. For transcription of video in 4K or 1080p resolution at high frame rates, it is recommended to use a 5 GHz network. In the 2.4 GHz range, micro-latency or compression artifacts are possible, especially if the signal is weak.
Configure with Mi Home and Mi Remote
The official Mi Home app is the central control node for Xiaomi’s smart appliances, which not only allows you to manage devices, but also use your smartphone as a remote with advanced features. To get started, you need to download the app from Google Play or the App Store and log in to your Mi Account.
When you add a TV to your list of devices, you get a "Translation" button (sometimes labeled "Cast") in the remote interface, and you click on it and you start looking for displays on the local network, and the advantage of this method is that you have stable connections, because the protocol is optimized by the company's engineers specifically for their equipment.
The app's functionality allows you to control not only the video stream, but also the cursor, which is especially convenient when navigating web pages or complex application menus that are inconvenient to browse through a standard remote, and also allows you to transfer files: photos and documents can be opened directly from your phone on a TV screen.
☑️ Checking before connection
It’s worth noting that some features require a stable internet connection on the TV itself, not just on the local network, which is necessary to authorize Xiaomi Cloud services that synchronize commands between gadgets.
Miracast Technology and Wireless Display
Miracast is the standard for wireless image and sound transmission. Unlike Chromecast, which streams content from the Internet, Miracast broadcasts exactly what is happening on your smartphone screen in real time, ideal for showing games, presentations or watching videos from local files that do not support online streaming.
On Xiaomi TVs, the feature is often hidden in the signal source menu, and you press the source select button on the remote and select "Wireless Display" or "Miracast" and then the TV goes into standby mode.
On a smartphone with Android 4.2 and higher, the feature is called Wireless Monitor, Smart View (Samsung) or Translation. Once turned on, the phone starts scanning the air. When you detect a Xiaomi TV, you pair. It's important to understand that when you use Miracast, the phone's screen may go out to save energy, but the broadcast will continue.
| Parameter | Miracast | Google Chromecast | DLNA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of transmission | Screen mirroring | Streaming content | Transfer of media files |
| Dependence on the phone | High (screen active) | Low (can be rolled) | Medium (the player must work) |
| Delay (Latency) | Minimum | Depends on the buffer. | Absent. |
| Sound quality | Compressed (often AAC) | High (up to 5.1) | Original (without compression) |
If you notice a desynchronization of sound and image when using Miracast, try reducing the output resolution in your phone settings or getting closer to the router.
What to do if the TV can’t see the phone?
Streaming through Google Home and Chromecast built-in
Because Xiaomi TVs run on Android TVs, they have built-in support for Chromecast technology. It's one of the most convenient ways to watch videos from YouTube, Netflix, Twitch or online cinemas. You don't have to manually configure anything to work if the devices are on the same network.
Just open the supported app on your smartphone, click on the icon of the rectangle with waves (broadcast) and select your TV. The video will play on the big screen, and the phone can be used as a remote control or switch to other tasks.
The Google Home app lets you stream the entire screen of your smartphone, even if the app doesn't support native casting. Opening Google Home, select your TV from the device list and click "Translate screen" button, which creates a virtual bridge through which the video stream is transmitted.
⚠️ Note: When broadcasting the full screen via Google Home, notifications to the phone (messages, calls) will be displayed on the TV.
The picture quality of the Chromecast is often higher than Miracast, because the TV itself decodes the video stream, receiving data directly from the Internet, rather than through the phone, which reduces the load on the smartphone battery.
Use of DLNA and Media Players
The DLNA protocol is designed to share multimedia content, which doesn't mirror a screen, but is great for viewing photos, listening to music, and running video files stored in a phone's memory, and requires a media player like VLC for Android or a built-in Media Player to be installed on the TV.
The smartphone will also require a controller app. The Xiaomi gallery has a built-in "Send to DLNA" feature. When you select a photo or video and click the broadcast button, the phone will offer a list of available devices. When you select a TV, you will send the file to play.
The alternative is to use BubbleUPnP or analogues, which provide a more flexible interface to control the playback queue, so you can create a playlist of video files in different formats, and the TV will play them sequentially without the phone.
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To transfer heavy video files (4K, HDR) over DLNA, make sure that the codec format (e.g. HEVC or H.265) is supported by your Xiaomi TV, otherwise the file may not open or play without sound.
The main advantage of DLNA is that you can control playback from your phone, so you can pause, rewind or change the volume from another room, so long as the phone stays on the Wi-Fi network.
Connection problems and their solution
Despite the ease of setting up, users may encounter a number of technical difficulties, the most common being that the TV doesn't appear on the list of available devices, often due to the router or antivirus security settings on the phone.
Another common situation is low frame rates or twitchy images, which indicate overloading of the wireless channel, and if you have microwave ovens or neighbouring routers on the same channel, the quality of communication decreases.
You can use the built-in Android tools to diagnose. Go to Settings → About TV → Status to see the strength of the Wi-Fi signal. If the signal level is below -70 dBm, it is recommended to move the router closer or use a Wi-Fi repeater.
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The stability of the wireless connection depends critically on the distance to the router and the absence of physical obstacles (concrete walls, metal cabinets) between devices.
Connection via HDMI cable (Alternative method)
If wireless methods do not produce the desired result or require maximum quality without compression, you can use a cable connection. Modern smartphones with a USB Type-C port will require a Type-C to HDMI adapter. Older models can support output via MHL or SlimPort.
The TV will identify the connected device as an external signal source, switch the source to the appropriate HDMI 1 or HDMI 2 port, and the image will appear automatically, often in the resolution corresponding to the phone's matrix, or in the native TV resolution.
This method is ideal for gamers, because the input lag is minimal when wired, and the cable connection does not require network setup and works even when there is no Internet connection.