Today’s multimedia capabilities go far beyond just watching on-air TV. Smart device owners often face the need to bring content from a small smartphone screen to a large TV display. Xiaomi Mi Box S or Mi TV Stick provide ample opportunities for organizing a home entertainment system, but the initial setup of the connection may raise questions for beginners.
There are several proven methods of synchronizing gadgets, each with its own advantages depending on the type of content being transmitted. Wireless protocols allow you to transfer videos and photos without unnecessary wires, creating a convenient environment for watching movies with the whole family.
In this guide, we will take a detailed look at the technical aspects of connecting mobile devices running Android and iOS to the ecosystem of Android TV from Xiaomi, you will learn about the intricacies of the Miracast and Chromecast protocols, as well as how to ensure stable high-resolution data transfer.
Preparation of equipment and compatibility check
Before you start setting up, you need to make sure that all the components of your system are ready to work. The basic requirement for a successful connection is to have both devices on the same LAN. The router must support 802.11n or higher to ensure that the channel is capable of running at a sufficient capacity.
Make sure your Xiaomi TV Box has an up-to-date version of the operating system installed. Outdated software may not contain the necessary drivers or have errors in the operation of network modules. You can check through the settings menu by selecting the system section.
⚠️ Note: If your router is in guest mode or has customer isolation (AP Isolation: Devices won’t see each other even when connected to the same Wi-Fi.
It's also worth checking out the Bluetooth version on your smartphone if you plan to use it as a remote or for audio transmission.Although video streaming usually goes over Wi-Fi, the assistive features often rely on a Bluetooth connection.Make sure the wireless modules are activated on both devices.
Wireless connection via built-in Chromecast
The most universal way to broadcast is to use Google Cast technology, integrated into the Android TV shell, which allows you to broadcast the contents of the screen or specific media files from supported applications, and does not require the installation of additional software on the console itself to start.
The process of launching the broadcast begins with a mobile device. Open an application that you want to see on your TV, such as YouTube or Netflix. In the player interface, find the characteristic icon of a rectangle with waves in the corner of the screen.
Once you click on the icon, the system will scan the available devices on the network, and your Xiaomi Mi Box will appear in the list, select it, and the video stream will switch to the large screen, and the smartphone can be used as a remote control.
- 📱 Open the app with video content on your smartphone.
- 📺 Press the broadcast button (Cast) in the player interface.
- 📶 Wait for your name to appear on the list.
- ▶️ Select a device to start signal transmission.
It's important to understand the difference between a full screen broadcast and a link. When you send a link (like YouTube), the phone is only a remote, and the quality of the video depends on the speed of the console. When you double the screen (Screen Mirroring), the load is placed on the processor of the smartphone.
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To minimize latency when playing or working with the interface, use the 5GHz Wi-Fi range if your router and console support this standard.
Broadcasting Android screen through the function "Translation"
If you want to show a video from an app, such as a presentation, gallery photos or a game interface, you will need a screen duplication function. In Android, it can be called Translation, Smart View or Wireless Monitor, depending on the manufacturer of the smartphone.
On the Xiaomi side, you need to activate the signal reception mode. Go to Settings, then select Apps and find the Wireless Display or Google Home system application. In some versions of the firmware, it is enough to simply have Wi-Fi enabled, since the Miracast protocol is active by default.
Run a search for displays on your smartphone through the Quick Settings Panel. The system will find available receivers. After selecting Xiaomi TV, a request will appear on the TV screen for confirmation of connection, which you need to receive by the remote.
The activation path on Android 11+:
Settings → Connected devices → Connection settings → BroadcastThe image quality of this connection is directly dependent on the power of the Wi-Fi signal. When using heavy graphical interfaces, there can be a slight decrease in frame rate. This is normal for wireless technologies for compressing real-time video stream.
☑️ Pre-broadcast checks
Using AirPlay for iPhone and iPad Owners
Apple users often believe that Xiaomi’s ecosystem is incompatible with their devices, but that’s not true. With AirPlay 2 support at the Android TV level, iPhone owners can easily output content without the need for additional crutches or complex router settings.
On the Xiaomi Mi Box, AirPlay is often built into the Apple AirPlay system application or requires you to install the official AirPlay Receiver app from the Google Play Store, unless it is preinstalled.
On iPhone, open Control Point (swipe down from the top right corner on new models). Click on icon Screen Repeat (two intersecting rectangles). Select your console from the list.
| Parameter | Android (Cast) | iOS (AirPlay) | DLNA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of connection | Wi-Fi Direct / Local | Local area network | Local area network |
| Delay. | Low. | Medium | Minimum |
| Quality. | Up to 4K HDR | Up to 1080p/4K | Original |
| Screen locking | Possible. | Possible. | Not required |
It is worth noting that when broadcasting from iOS in horizontal orientation, the image may not occupy the entire screen if aspect ratio_ The video doesn't match the TV. In the settings of the Xiaomi TV, you can change the zoom mode through the menu button on the remote.
Transfer of local files via DLNA and media servers
To view heavy video files stored in the memory of the phone, without loss of quality, it is better to use the DLNA protocol. It does not create a mirror copy of the screen, but transmits the media file itself, the decoding of which is taken over by a powerful console processor.
You'll need a media server app on your smartphone, like BubbleUPnP or the built-in Translation feature in Xiaomi file managers. On your TV, run the Media Player app or VLC for Android, which can see network storage.
Once you find a server on the network, just select a file to play, which is ideal for watching movies in high bitrate, since it does not load the phone's battery with image rendering and does not depend on Android interface lags.
⚠️ Note: When playing files with codecs that are not supported by the console (for example, some variations) DTS audio or rare video codecs, sound may be absent, and the video will twitch.
The advantage of DLNA is that you can control playback from your phone without having to lock it down with other tasks, so you can write messages or web pages while you're watching a movie on your TV, and that makes it easy to watch for long periods of time.
What to do if the file is not readable?
Solving and optimizing the connection
Even with the right setup, users can experience unstable connection performance, with frequent problems such as audio and video out of sync or periodic communication interruptions, most of which are due to Wi-Fi overload or weak signal.
Try rebooting the router and both devices, often by forgetting the Wi-Fi network on the console and reconnecting with the password, it resets the network cache and updates it. IP-local-network address.
If you use an old router that only operates in the 2.4 GHz band, interference from neighboring networks can significantly affect the quality of streaming. USB-Xiaomi Adapter Will Be the Only Reliable Solution to View 4K content.
- 🔄 Reboot the router and console Xiaomi.
- 📡 Switch Wi-Fi to 5GHz for faster speeds.
- 🔌 Use it. LAN-adapter for stable wired connection.
- 📱 Close background apps on your smartphone before broadcasting.
Also check if the router has a speed limit for certain devices. Some router firmware has QoS functions that can prioritize computer traffic, cutting down on the speed limit for the set-top box.
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The stability of a wireless connection depends critically on the distance to the router and the number of physical obstacles (walls) between devices.
Use of specialized applications
Standard tools are sometimes not enough for specific tasks, such as managing presentations or transferring a screen with non-standard resolution, in which case third-party solutions from the Google Play Store come to the rescue.
LocalCast or AllConnect lets you flexibly customize stream settings, add subtitles from external files, and even create slideshows of music-enhanced photos. They often have a friendlier interface than standard Android tools.
For gamers who want to bring a game from their phone to their TV with minimal latency, there are apps like Steam Link or Link to Windows that use their own compression protocols optimized for interactive content where every millisecond of response counts.