How to Mirror Your Android Phone to TV via USB C to HDMI

Introduction

In the last article, DP Alt Mode was explained and according to the article, not all phones support DP Alt Mode. That is, DP Alt Mode, a video streaming capability activated in Type C connectors is not supported by all Type C connectors. For instance, new android phones with type C connectors, like the Xiaomi and Samsung A series, have no video output when connecting them to a TV via USB C to HDMI cable.

However, there are other ways to get your non-compatible DP Alt Mode phones to transmit video & audio signals onto a larger screen. The two major ways to get this done are through a wireless connection or a wired one. For the purpose of this article, we will be looking at the two other ways you can cast your phone screen onto your TV using a wired connection for phones that does not support DP Alt Mode.

Why do you need a Larger Screen?

You might be thinking that you necessarily do not need a larger screen hence, might not need the information in this article. However, think about this

1. What if, in your working place, you urgently need to show something on your phone to a group of potential customers? Without you connecting your phone to a larger screen, you can't get it done.
2. Your 3 kids are watching a particular cartoon on your smartphone which is not available on theirs and they seem to be quarreling since they can't all get a good view of the cartoon. A simple solution is just to cast your screen onto a larger screen. With this everyone can have a nice movie time.

It wouldn't be a good idea to want to transmit audio/video signals from your phone to a larger screen and you do not know how to go about it. Hence, let's quickly take a look at two ways you can cast your smartphone screen onto your monitor or television using a wired connection.

1. MHL cable adapter

Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) just as the name implies is one of the ways you can connect your Android Phone's screen to your (HD)TV. Digital video signals can be transmitted using a regular USB connector thanks to MHL. The MHL output from a mobile device must be transformed using an MHL converter in order to be used with a micro-USB/USB C port.

However, the mobile device still needs MHL capability even though many mobile devices use the USB C/micro-USB connector and MHL adapters can be plugged into your mobile device. Your mobile device's MHL compatibility is a hardware specification, so it cannot be fixed by installing any kind of update. That is, for you to be able to send video & audio signals to your TV using an MHL adapter, your phone must be MHL compatible.

It is good to also know that, you can utilize this Mobile High-Definition Link adapter to connect your smartphones and tablets to other high-definition devices such as projectors and audio receivers.

2. DisplayLink adapter

There are varieties of smartphones with different compatibilities. Therefore, the beauty of carrying out a function lies in having different options to utilize in carrying it out. If your smartphone does not support HDMI Alt Mode, it should support MHL or DisplayLink. DisplayLink is a company formerly known as Newnham Research. They create the DisplayLink USB graphics technology, which uses USB, Ethernet, and WiFi to link PCs and displays. Additionally, it enables a single computer to connect to many monitors.

This DisplayLink software support Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS, and Linux operating systems. Therefore, with your DisplayLink adapter you can cast the small screen on your android to a larger screen effortlessly. Seeing that a DisplayLink adapter supports most Android smartphones, let's quickly take a look at how to use a DisplayLink adapter on an Android phone.

How to use DisplayLink Adapter on Xiaomi Phone

To cast your Xiaomi phone on your television using the DisplayLink adapter, you need an OTG cable with USB C to USB 3.0 (female port). Also, you need a DisplayLink adapter with USB 3.0 and an HDMI port. After having these two devices, go to the DisplayLink website and download the Android DisplayLink software.

Right on the download page, you will see download APK, click and then it will lead you to another page. On this other page, scroll down and click on the blue link that says "accept & download". After this, connect your OTG adapter to your phone and connect the OTG cable to the DisplayLink adapter. If it isn't working, open the DisplayLink app on your smartphone and refresh at the top right corner.

Using the DisplayLink adapter on your Xiaomi phone is quite easy if you can follow the steps above. However, for more practical steps, check out our test about using DisplayLink adapter on Xiaomi phone.

Conclusion

We are in a busy world today. Hence, we tend to appreciate technological devices that enable us to live our lives with ease. And this is one of the beautiful goals of Apple. With your Apple Watch 8 series, you can operate your iPhone. Hence, you do not have to hold your phone every time. That is ease.

In the same manner, you can easily cast your smartphone screen on your TV in the cool of the evening after work and enjoy your movie with some nice cookies without having to stressfully hold your phone. Another benefit you get is that your eyes get more relaxed with a larger screen than with a smaller screen.

Finally, you might see no reason to cast your smartphone or tablet screen onto your monitor or TV presently. However, you can quickly go through this article to learn how it works in case you will need to. It is good to also point out that you can cast your smartphone screen to a larger screen without the use of any adapter or cord (wireless connection) if you prefer.

Author: Yuusuf Oluwaseun Adetona