Modern smartphones have long since ceased to be just devices for calls, becoming powerful multimedia centers that users tend to use on large screens. Xiaomi’s broadcast feature, which will be discussed in this article, allows you to duplicate images from a smartphone to a TV, monitor or console, providing comfortable viewing of videos, photos and presentations. It is a built-in system feature that does not require the installation of third-party software, making it available to millions of owners of devices of this brand.
Many users confuse the concept of “broadcast” with conventional cable connection, but wireless technology provides a completely different level of freedom and convenience. In the operating shell of MIUI and the new HyperOS, this functionality is implemented as deeply as possible and integrated into the “curtain” of notifications, which makes it easier to access. Wireless screen duplication works on the basis of Miracast and Chromecast standards, providing a stable connection on the local Wi-Fi network.
Understanding how this technology works will help avoid typical connection errors and audio desynchronization. In this article, we will discuss in detail the technical aspects, how to adjust for different types of TVs and solve possible connection problems, you will learn how the standard function differs from game modes and how to achieve minimal latency when displaying images.
The principle of wireless image transmission
The technology is based on Wi-Fi Direct, which allows devices to communicate directly without going through a router, although in some scenarios, using a shared LAN is still necessary. When you run a feature on a smartphone, it starts scanning available signal receivers, which can be Smart TVs, media consoles or computers with the appropriate software. Xiaomi uses its own implementation of this protocol, optimized for fast transmission of high-resolution video stream.
It is important to note that picture quality is directly dependent on channel bandwidth and device distance. If you plan to stream video in 4K, make sure your router supports the 5GHz standard, as 2.4GHz may not be able to handle the flow of data, causing jerks and buffering. Connection stability is a key parameter to consider before using it.
The system processor encodes the video stream in real time and sends it to the receiving device, which decodes the signal and outputs the image. It is during the encoding and decoding phase that delays can occur, especially if the device's resources are occupied with background tasks. Therefore, for heavy tasks such as games, it is recommended to close unnecessary applications before starting the broadcast.
⚠️ Attention: During active broadcasting, the power consumption of the smartphone increases significantly, since the Wi-Fi module operates in the mode of constant transmission of large amounts of data. Keep an eye on battery levels or connect the device to a power source to avoid a sudden shutdown at an important moment.
There is also a difference between simple mirroring (Screen Mirroring) and smart broadcasting (Cast).In the first case, the TV display displays an exact copy of what is happening on the phone's display, including notifications and system messages.In the second case, the application on a smartphone (for example, YouTube or Netflix) simply sends a link to the video stream to the TV, freeing the phone screen for other tasks.
How to start broadcasting from Xiaomi phone to TV
The process of activating the feature is as simple as possible and takes only a few seconds. First, make sure that your TV is on and supports Smart TV technology or connected to a console with similar functionality. Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network, which is a prerequisite for detecting each other.
Unlock your smartphone and lower the top notification curtain down to open the Quick Access bar. Find an icon called Translation or Cast (sometimes it can hide in the second page of the menu, so swipe left). Once you click, the system will start searching for available devices within the network range.
Once your TV name appears on the list (such as LG WebOS, Samsung Tizen or Android TV), click on it. The TV screen may have a request for confirmation of connection, which you need to receive using the remote control, and then the image from the phone will instantly appear on the large screen.
☑️ Checklist before connection
If the automatic search didn't work, you can use an alternative route through your system settings. Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Broadcast. You can see more details about the status of the connection and start the search manually. In some versions of MIUI, you can use the PC Translation feature, which allows you to use the computer as a second monitor.
For Apple owners, it’s worth noting that the new Xiaomi models support the AirPlay protocol, which means you can stream an image from an iPhone or iPad to a Xiaomi smartphone if the latter has the appropriate utility installed, or vice versa, use the iPhone as a remote for a TV through the Mi Home.
Configuring quality and delay parameters
The quality of the output image can be adjusted depending on your needs and network capabilities. In the engineering menu or through special optimizer applications (often preinstalled in game shells), you can prioritize the quality of the picture or response speed. For watching movies, you better choose high-resolution mode, even if this will add a small delay.
In game modes, the situation is diametrically opposite: minimal latency (input lag) is critical here, so that actions on the controller or touchscreen are instantly reflected on the screen. The game mode in the Xiaomi broadcast settings often turns off some visual improvements for the sake of frame rate.
| Parameter | Meaning for video | Importance for games | Impact on the network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permission | 1920x1080 or 4K | 1280x720 | High. |
| Frequency of personnel | 24-30 FPS | 60 FPS and higher | Average. |
| Bitreit | High-pitched | Medium. | High. |
| Priority | Image quality | Response speed | Depends on the regime. |
Don't forget the resolution of your smartphone screen. If you're streaming from a device that has a non-standard aspect ratio (e.g., 20:9), a TV with a classic 16:9 can have black bars on the sides, which is normal behavior of the system, keeping the proportions of the original image intact.
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To reduce latency when playing online shooters via live stream, try temporarily disabling Bluetooth on your smartphone, as it can cause interference in the 2.4GHz band used by the Wi-Fi module.
Using a function in different scenarios
The use cases go far beyond just watching gallery videos, and office workers often use this feature to show presentations and reports at meetings, connecting to corporate displays or projectors, eliminating the need to search for adapters and pull wires through the entire conference room.
In the educational process, teachers can display material from their tablet or phone to an interactive whiteboard, and students can display their projects directly from the workplace if the infrastructure of the educational institution allows them to connect to the common network, and wireless communication is a key factor in mobility.
Gamers use live streaming to stream mobile gameplay on Twitch or YouTube, connecting the phone to a PC via OBS, which sees the device as a camera. However, this requires more complex setup via ADB or special receiver apps on the computer, such as ApowerMirror or LetsView.
⚠️ Warning: When broadcasting sensitive information (banking apps, personal correspondence), remember that everything that happens on the smartphone screen is visible on the TV. Use the "Video Only" mode in the player apps so as not to show notifications to messengers.
It’s also useful for in-car navigation if the head unit supports Miracast, and you can display the navigator map on the car’s regular screen, although this often requires touch-input emulation, which not all TVs support.
The Secret to Stability
Compatibility with different TV operating systems
Xiaomi's ecosystem works well with Android TVs, because they share the common Google Cast platform, and in this case, the connection is almost instantaneous, and the functionality is enhanced by the ability to control TV from your smartphone, you can use the phone as a remote, type text on the smartphone keyboard to search on the TV.
With Samsung devices running Tizen and LG with WebOS, compatibility is ensured through standard protocols. However, the functionality can be slightly reduced: for example, it may not work to transmit sound to the external acoustics of the TV in high quality, if you use the old standard of Bluetooth codecs.
For older TVs that do not have smart-functions, there are special ones. HDMI-Miracast-enabled whistles, they connect to the port. HDMI And they create an access point that the phone connects to, and in that case, Xiaomi's phone will think it's connected to a regular Smart phone. TV.
- 📺 Android TV: Full integration, support 4K HDR, voice-control.
- 🍏 iOS (AirPlay): Works on new Xiaomi models, requires the installation of the recipient on TV.
- 🌐 Miracast: The Universal Standard for Samsung, LG, Philips and other brands.
- 💻 Windows 10/11: Built-in Connection feature allows you to use your PC as a monitor.
It’s important to consider the version of the TV’s operating system. On older models, the Smart Hub can run slowly, causing the video stream to twitch even if the smartphone itself is very powerful.
Troubleshooting and troubleshooting
Despite the technology, users can run into problems, and the most common is that the TV is not visible on the list of available devices, 90% of the time it is solved by checking that both devices are connected to the same router subnet, sometimes providers set up customer isolation, which blocks direct connection.
Another common problem is desynchronizing audio and video, and if actors' lips don't get into their voices, try lowering the output quality in the broadcast settings or rebooting the router, and cleaning the Cast Service cache in the application settings also helps.
If there is an image but no sound, check the mixer settings. When connected, the sound can switch to the phone speaker instead of the TV. Click the sound icon in the notification curtain and select the output to the external device.
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The main reason for connection problems is the difference in the versions of Wi-Fi security protocols or the use of a guest network that isolates devices from each other.
In rare cases, resetting your smartphone network settings helps. Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth. This will not delete your personal data, but will return network settings to factory values.