The Ultimate Guide to Screen Mirroring Between Devices
4 min readScreen mirroring uses wireless technology to display a portable device screen onto a larger screen. Users must keep the device running to keep streaming the content on the larger screen. Screen mirroring on iPhone or Android is useful for facilitating collaboration. It is excellent for setting up meetings with large teams. Both big and small organizations can leverage this technology. It allows developers to demonstrate new apps. Managers use it to share files, and students might do screen mirroring laptop to TV to engage in a brainstorming session.
Table of Contents
What is Miracast and its Use Scenarios?
Casting to TV from Android or another device is a common practice used by many organizations and individuals. People do it for different purposes but the main use cases include the following.
- Seeking enhanced entertainment. Phones and computers allow people to download and watch videos. Their screens are small and do not offer users the best view or entertainment. Due to this, users cast iPhone to TV to enhance the view.
- Seeking technical support. Devices often run into technical difficulties. Unfortunately, most people do not know how to solve them. They may share screen iPhone to allow a technician to view and offer assistance.
- Educating users. Interactive education is one of the styles of teaching used today. Educators use images and visuals to help make teaching better. Screen mirroring PC to TV can help make the process smoother.
- Conferencing. Conferences can be done online or in physical places. Presenters can turn on screen mirroring to help the attendees stay engaged.
Screen mirroring gives users great experiences but several programs such as Airplay can interfere with it. Both work by connecting to the internet and they could cause congestion due to limited bandwidth. Additionally, both require more space in the devices and they could run slow due to limited space. Users may decide to turn off Airplay to allow mirroring to run smoothly. Another reason why users need to turn off Airplay and allow mirroring is to save on battery. Airplay requires more power to run just like an iPad and design software. Apart from turning off Airplay, it is important to turn off iPad and other connected devices. Leave only the device you are mirroring to run.
The Process of Screen Mirroring
Screen mirroring can be done in many different ways. The device you are mirroring from needs to be optimized for mirroring. Several technologies allow users to mirror content/cast smaller screens to bigger screens. What is most important is to decide the best method and how to cast from iPhone to TV. Here are the different options to use.
Use Cables
The use of cables offers a simple way to connect one screen to the other and cast content. Two types of cables help this process run smoothly.
USBs
You may use a USB-C or lightning cable. The second option applies to Apple devices. Ensure both devices have USB or lighting ports. Next, connect the source side of the cable to the source gadget and the other end to the big screen. Once connected, the systems may perform configurations automatically. If it doesn’t, configure and begin to view.
HDMIs
If both devices have HDMI ports, you may use the cable to set up screen mirroring. The process is straightforward and all that you need to do is connect the cable to both devices.
Wireless Methods
Wireless options allow users to screen mirrors without connecting cables. Different technologies allow wireless mirroring.
- Miracast. Miracast lets devices interconnect remotely. It is a good option for HD screencasts. Users need to allow settings for a seamless flow.
- WIFI. Nearly every device today can be connected to WIFI. It is a built-in technology that activates mirroring by just touching an icon. Activate Wi-Fi on both devices and allow connection.
- Airplay/Cast. Airplay and Cast work similarly but the former is for iOS devices while the latter is for Android. Both run on Wi-Fi but users must enable them to start using.
Ensuring a Seamless Screen Mirroring Process
Several issues may arise when casting screens. It is necessary to take precautions to avoid frustrating issues. Mirroring may fail to run due to important issues such as.
- Incompatibilities. Incompatibilities could be based on devices or cables. If any of them are incompatible, the process might run into troubles soon. Confirm that they are compatible and take the right action if the need arises.
- Internet. The internet is critical in wireless screen casting. It must be smooth to allow flawless communication across the devices. Weak signals could cause disconnections and users may experience extended buffering.
- Security. Whether done online or by cables, mirroring could cause risks to data. Users need to check device safety and build secure walls before mirroring.
- Software. The software, including the operating system, could be compatible. However, poor update schedules could make it unstable. Working on ensuring the software is up to date.
Conclusion
Screen mirroring lets you achieve several goals such as entertainment and education. The process connects the device with a small screen to another device with a larger screen. The connection can either be done through cables or remotely. Users need to know the challenges that may arise during the process and mitigate them. They may include slow connection, network interferences, and compatibility issues.