Today’s users rarely watch content directly on a small screen, preferring to enjoy a high-quality picture on a large display. Streaming videos, photos or gameplay from a mobile device to a Xiaomi Mi TV has become the standard for home multimedia, which allows you to turn a regular evening movie viewing into a full-fledged theatrical experience without unnecessary wires and complex equipment.
There are several proven synchronization methods, each with its own features and advantages: you can use built-in Android operating system features, specialized applications from a developer or a classic cable connection. The choice of the specific method depends on your TV model, firmware version and type of content transmitted.
In this guide, we will take a look at all the current ways of connecting, from wireless protocols to the physical interface of HDMI. We will look at the nuances of network configuration, possible connection errors and how to fix them. Understanding these processes will allow you to maximize the potential of your smart technology.
Use of the built-in Chromecast feature
The most popular and convenient way is to use Google Cast technology, which is built into most modern Xiaomi TVs with Android TV shell.This feature allows you to transfer content directly from source apps such as YouTube, Netflix or Twitch, without the need to duplicate the entire screen of the smartphone.
To get started, make sure your phone and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This is a critical condition, because the broadcast protocol runs locally inside your router. Open the app with video content on your smartphone and find the characteristic rectangle icon with waves in the corner.
Click on this icon and the system will suggest a list of available devices. Select your Xiaomi Mi TV from the list. Once connected, the image from the phone will appear on the large screen, and the smartphone itself can be used as a remote control, pausing the video or changing the volume.
- 📺 Open the YouTube app on your smartphone and click the broadcast icon.
- 📶 Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi router subnet.
- 📱 Choose a Xiaomi TV in the list of available gadgets.
- ▶️ Enjoy content using your phone as a remote control.
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If the Chromecast icon doesn’t appear in the app, try to completely close and restart the source app on your phone, and update the app page on the TV itself.
It is important to note that when using Chromecast, video quality is automatically adjusted depending on the speed of the wireless connection. If the Internet is unstable, the resolution may decrease to avoid playback delays.
Screen broadcast via Miracast and the "Translation" function
If you want to show not only the video from the app, but also the entire screen of your smartphone, including menus, games or presentations, you should use Miracast technology. On Xiaomi TVs, this feature is often called Wireless Display or Cast, which creates a direct connection between devices, bypassing the Internet channel.
To activate the mode on the TV, go to the system settings. You need to find the partition responsible for connecting external devices. Depending on the version of the MIUI for TV shell, the path may differ, but it is usually in the signal sources menu or in the general network settings.
☑️ Setting up a wireless display
On an Android smartphone, the startup process is also standard: lower the notification curtain and find the "Translation," "Smart View" or "Projection" button. Once the environment is scanned, the phone will detect your TV.
⚠️ Note: When using Miracast, the smartphone screen will be completely duplicated on TV, which can lead to faster battery discharge and heating of the device.
Unlike Chromecast, it streams live video, so the lag can be noticeable when you move fast in games, but it's ideal for viewing photo galleries or showing documents.
Application Mi Remote and Xiaomi Home
Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers its own software solutions for managing equipment. Mi Remote app or more versatile Xiaomi Home allows you not only to control the TV as a remote control, but in some cases to initiate the transfer of media files.
The peculiarity of this method is deep integration with the system. If you have other Xiaomi smart home devices in your home, you can create a scenario where running a video on a TV will be part of the automation. However, for simple screen broadcasting, this method is used less often than standard Android protocols.
However, if standard methods don’t work, installing proprietary software can solve the compatibility problem.The Xiaomi Home app often has additional codecs and compression formats available that are better optimized for Mi TV processors.
| Method | Delay. | Quality. | Battery consumption |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromecast | Low. | High (up to 4K) | Medium. |
| Miracast | Medium | Depends on the signal. | High-pitched |
| HDMI cable | Absent. | Maximum. | Charging. |
| DLNA | Low. | High. | Low. |
Using DLNA to play files
The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) protocol is designed to transfer media files (video, photos, music) over a local network, and unlike screen duplication, the TV itself plays the file using the smartphone as a remote navigation control over the file system.
To implement this method, a media player or file manager with DLNA support must be installed on the phone, such as VLC for Android or BubbleUPnP. A media application must also be launched on the Xiaomi TV, often called a Media Player or Gallery.
Open a video file on your smartphone, select Translate or Cast, and select your TV. The file will buffer and play on the big screen, and the advantage of this method is that the phone does not load with decoding the video.
This is ideal for viewing heavy, high-resolution files that the phone may not pull in real time when the screen is duplicated, and the quality of the image remains the same, without the compression used in wireless video streaming.
Wired connection via HDMI and USB-C
If wireless technology is unstable or requires maximum quality without compression artifacts, use a cable connection. To do this, your smartphone must support MHL or DisplayPort Alt Mode technology via a USB Type-C port.
You will need a special USB-C to HDMI adapter, one end connects to the phone, the other to the free HDMI port on the Xiaomi TV, and after connecting, you need to switch the signal source to the TV by pressing the login select button on the remote.
Menu → Sources → HDMI 1 (or HDMI 2/3)The image will automatically appear. In this mode, the phone often goes into a special mode, optimizing the output of the image to the resolution of the TV, which is the best way for games where every millisecond of response is important.
⚠️ Note: Not all smartphones support image output via USB-C. Check the specifications of your model before buying an adapter to avoid wasting money.
What to do if there is no HDMI signal?
Solving Connection and Buffering Problems
Often, users are faced with a situation where the broadcast is interrupted or the phone does not see the TV. The main reason is almost always to set up the Wi-Fi network. Make sure that the devices are not spaced at different frequencies (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) if the router isolates them from each other.
Another common problem is outdated software. Check system updates on Xiaomi Mi TV through the settings menu. Often security patches or newer versions of Android TV fix Cast and Miracast protocol errors.
If the problem persists, try restarting the router. Long-term networking equipment can lead to buffer overflows or conflicts. IP-Addresses that prevent the establishment of a stable connection between gadgets.
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The stability of the broadcast depends on the quality of the Wi-Fi signal and the absence of software restrictions on the router (for example, customer isolation).