Xiaomi Redmi 5, despite its age, remains a reliable multimedia device, but the 5.7-inch screen often seems too small to watch movies or photos. The desire to bring content to the big screen of the TV is a natural need for users who want to have a more immersive experience. Fortunately, modern technology allows you to broadcast the image to almost any model of TV, whether it is an old device with HDMI or a modern Smart TV.
The connection process depends on the type of TV you have and the accessories you need. There are two main areas of action: wired connection via HDMI cable and wireless data transfer over Wi-Fi. The first option ensures no delays, which is critical for gaming, and the second provides usability without unnecessary wires.
In this article, we will take a look at all possible scenarios, including the nuances of the Android 7.1 Nougat operating system on which this smartphone is based, and learn how to activate hidden features, which adapters really work, and which are marketing hoaxes. We will also cover the topic of streaming video through applications and use. DLNA-servers.
Wired connection via USB-C and HDMI
The most reliable way to get a high-quality picture without compression artifacts is to use a cable. However, owners of Redmi 5 need to know one critical technical detail. This smartphone features a USB 2.0 Type-C connector, which, unlike more expensive flagships, does not support the Alt Mode video transfer standard, which means that a simple USB-C adapter on HDMI will not work.
To implement a wired connection, you will need an active adapter that uses the technology. MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link or DisplayLink specific drivers: These devices connect not only to the phone port, but also require external power, usually via an additional power supply. USB-Without power to the adapter, there will be no signal to the TV.
Why is the cheap adapter with AliExpress not working?
If you have found the right active adapter, the setup process is as follows:
- 🔌 Connect the adapter to the charging port of the Xiaomi Redmi 5 smartphone.
- 🔋 Give power to the adapter (connect the charger to the USB-port).
- 📺 Connect the adapter and TV with a cable HDMI.
- ⚙️ Switch the signal source on the TV (Input or Source button) to the appropriate port.
Once connected, the TV will have a desktop mirror display, which will be limited to the smartphone, most often 1280×720 or 1920×1080, and the sound will also be transmitted via cable, allowing the TV to be used as an external speaker system.
⚠️ Warning: Using substandard active adapters can overheat your smartphone charging port. Watch the temperature of your device in the first 15 minutes of operation.
💡
For Redmi 5, only active externally powered adapters are suitable, simple passive cables will not work due to the lack of a video output in the phone controller.
Wireless broadcast via Wi-Fi and Miracast
Wireless has become the de facto standard for media transmission. Xiaomi Redmi 5 supports the Miracast (Wi-Fi Direct) standard, which allows you to broadcast the screen to compatible TVs without using a router, which means that devices connect directly to create their own network.
To get started, make sure your TV supports Screen Mirroring, Wi-Fi Display, or has a built-in Miracast receiver. On modern Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, or Sony, this feature is often built into the system and does not require additional software installation. Older models may require an external dongle adapter like Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter or AnyCast to connect.
The algorithm of actions for the user:
- Open the notification curtain on Redmi 5 swipe from top to bottom.
- Find and activate the Cast button or Wireless Monitor.
- If the button is not in the curtain, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Broadcast.
- Turn on the function and wait for the available devices to be found.
- Select your TV from the list to start syncing.
☑️ Diagnosing problems with Miracast
It's important to note that when you're wireless, there's a slight delay between what you're doing on your smartphone and what you're displaying on the screen, which is normal for Wi-Fi technology, and that the quality of the image can change dynamically depending on the level of the signal and the interference in the air.
Use of Chromecast technology and applications
If your TV doesn’t support Miracast natively, Google Chromecast technology is a great solution, which can be either a standalone console that connects to HDMI or an integrated feature in modern Smart TVs (Android TVs or Google-certified TVs). Unlike full-screen mirroring, Chromecast allows you to stream specific content from apps.
This method requires that both the Xiaomi Redmi 5 and the TV be on the same local Wi-Fi network. Open the application from which you want to show content (for example, YouTube, Netflix, VLC Player), and find the broadcast icon (rectangle with waves in the corner).
Benefits of using Chromecast over full screen mirroring:
- 🎬 Battery savings: the smartphone does not encode the video stream constantly, but only acts as a control panel.
- 📱 Multitasking: You can fold the app or use other phone features while the video is on the TV.
- 🚀 Stability: less interface freezes, as the decoding is done by the TV or console.
If there is no built-in feature in the app, you can use the Google Home app, which allows you to stream a Chrome browser tab or the entire screen of a smartphone to a Chromecast-enabled TV. To do this, open Google Home, select the device and click Translate screen.
DLNA and Local Media Servers
The DLNA protocol is ideal for viewing photos and videos stored in Redmi 5 memory, which does not require a mirror display of the screen. The smartphone acts as a server (or client), providing access to files over the local network.
Most TVs today have a built-in media player that supports DLNA. You don't have to install complex programs. You just have to enable the feature in your phone's settings. In the MIUI shell, this is often implemented through a standard video player or file manager.
Consider the table of compatibility of popular methods for different tasks:
| Method | Image quality | Delay (Latency) | Battery consumption |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI (Wire) | Maximum (Lossless) | Absent. | Low (in the diet) |
| Miracast | High (compression) | Medium (0.5-2 sec) | High-pitched |
| Chromecast | High (flow) | Minimum | Medium. |
| DLNA | Original file | No (control) | Low. |
To use DLNA through standard MIUI tools, open a gallery or video player, select a file and click Cast or Broadcast. If the TV is not visible, make sure it has Media Server or Mobile Access.
⚠️ Attention: When in use DLNA Some video formats (for example, MKV With certain codecs) may not play on the TV, even if the phone reads them.
Third-party applications to expand functionality
Android 7.1 is sometimes not enough to work with specific TV models, and third-party apps from the Google Play Market come to the rescue, emulating different protocols and finding devices that the system ignores.
One of the most popular solutions is the TV Cast or AllCast app, which allows you to stream not only videos, but also a browser, and even games, and often relies on creating a local web server on your phone that opens on your TV through an embedded browser.
Popular broadcasting apps:
- 📲 LocalCast: It works well with you DLNA Chromecast, supports subtitles.
- 📺 Web Video Cast: Allows you to send videos from websites directly to your TV without buffering your phone.
- 🖥️ TeamViewer QuickSupport: Not only can you see the screen, but you can also control your phone from your TV (if the TV supports Android app installation).
💡
If the broadcast app is unstable, try turning off the guest network function on the router. Devices should be on the main network with the same frequency range (preferably 5 GHz for video).
Installation of such applications may require additional permissions. MIUI system is known for its aggressive energy saving, so to stable the translator you need to go to the settings of the application and prevent the system "Clean Memory" or "Close background processes".
Solution and optimization
Users often face technical difficulties in setting up, and the most common problem is that the TV simply "can't see" the phone, which may be due to Wi-Fi security settings. Make sure the router doesn't have client isolation, which prevents devices on the same network from sharing data.
Another common problem is desynchronization of audio and video, which often happens when wirelessly connected due to a lack of processing power of the Snapdragon 450 processor installed in Redmi 5 to encode video in real time, in which case it is recommended to reduce the resolution of the output image in the broadcast settings or switch to a wired connection.
If there is no sound when connecting via HDMI:
- Check the sound settings in the TV menu.
- Make sure that the phone settings (Settings → Sound and vibration) do not select the “Hearphones only” mode.
- Try restarting both devices with the cable connected.
⚠️ Warning: Long screen broadcasts, especially in high resolution, cause significant heating of the Redmi 5 body. Remove the protective case while watching movies to avoid trotting (decreased performance) and possible disabling of the display.
💡
The stability of wireless broadcasting is 90% dependent on the quality of the Wi-Fi signal and the absence of interference in the air, so the router must be in line of sight.