Wi-Fi Direct

An old communication standard that allows a smartphone and a TV to "communicate" with each other without the help of a router.

Wi-Fi Direct is not the newest wireless data transmission standard that allows home gadgets to communicate with each other directly without the help of a router. For example, to share files, to display a picture from a smartphone on a large screen, or to relay a video stream. Usually, the picture is transmitted from a smartphone or tablet to a TV panel, which plays the role of a router.

The beauty of communication via Wi-Fi Direct is that the protocol is supported in most modern TVs, smartphones and tablets (it is sewn into Android 4 versions and higher), which run on a variety of operating systems. In addition, it is very easy to use: to connect, you need to enable the appropriate option on the TV, then switch to the advanced wireless network settings in your smartphone, click on the Wi-Fi Direct menu there and select the desired network name. The disadvantage lies in some simplicity and rudimentary. Wi-Fi Direct does not provide complex and elegant connections in the spirit of Miracast, DLNA or Airplay 2, allowing you to transmit sound or picture from multiple devices, etc. Rather, it is the basic data transfer protocol from which all the others have grown.

DLNA

A simple and flexible protocol for creating a home media network with a TV, laptop, media set-top box or NAS server. Supported in almost every TV.

Initially, the DLNA protocol was created for the simplest possible transmission of media data over a local network using the TCP/IP protocol. Its beauty is that gadgets communicate with each other in a kind of common network, allowing you to freely exchange multimedia content or files. To simplify, each network participant is assigned a specific role like household network devices (printers, servers, etc.), mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) or media players.

In the basic version, the role of the server is usually performed by a computer, and the client is a TV. In more classic versions of DLNA connection, the network forms 5-6 gadgets: a computer, laptop or NAS server plus a TV, smartphone or tablet. Less common are more complex home systems, the participants of which can be a printer and a SLR camera with a wireless module.

Despite the rich possibilities for setting up a multimedia network, the DLNA standard is good for its simplicity. To link multiple gadgets, you don't need to have the knowledge of a network administrator or wander the forums in search of help. The main thing is that the router to which the other devices will be connected does not belong to the Mesozoic era and supports Universal Plug and Play technology. Without it, the devices will not see each other. Plus, the gadgets themselves must support DLNA. This is also the main weakness of DLNA: a bunch of devices released at different times by different manufacturers may refuse to be friends with each other, connect correctly or receive a video stream with a codec that is not supported.

DLNA-enabled TVs

MHL

A somewhat outdated way of directly connecting a smartphone to a TV, which once seemed convenient.

The MHL standard is an analogue of Miracast and DLNA (note: about them below), but with one important difference: communication between a mobile device and a TV is carried out not wirelessly, but using a cable. Moreover, the cable is unusual, but specialized, which in fact is the illegitimate son of the HDMI and USB interfaces. This connection allows you to easily broadcast video even in 4K or play mobile games on a large screen without possible delays and lags.

In the past, MHL looked like a progressive technology, but in a world without wires, it is difficult for it to keep up with the times. It's much easier to transfer the desired audio or video stream via Miracast or Apple Play than fiddling with wires. Moreover, a highly specialized wire is needed, with micro USB/USB-C and HDMI connectors. It is also necessary that both devices support MHL technology. And this is the main problem, there are not so many TVs with the integration of this protocol on the market and these are far from the newest and most popular models.

However, there is still a certain charm in MHL. Moreover, the standard does not stand still and is developing. In 2015, the SuperMHL add-on was introduced, which introduced support for the HDR format and 8K resolution. And in addition to the micro USB connection, there are new cables with USB-C outputs.

TVs with MHL function

Miracast

A convenient way to transfer a picture from a mobile device to a TV without a network connection in 2 clicks.

Miracast can be called a seriously modified Wi-Fi Direct add-on. As the first really iron suit of Iron Man and nano-armor Mark 50. Miracast allows you to relay what is happening on the screen of a smartphone, tablet or laptop to a large TV screen. Like an HDMI cable, but more flexible and over the air.

To connect multiple devices, it is usually enough to activate this option in the smartphone settings or simply click the TV icon in the mobile player, then select the device to which the picture will be transmitted. Solutions similar in functionality additionally need a Wi-Fi router, which causes a number of certain and well-known inconveniences. For example, if you are playing an online game, and someone is watching TV and the quality of communication is not so good, then the game or video may slow down. To communicate via Miracast, only two enabled compatible devices are needed. One (smartphone, tablet, laptop) plays the role of a transmitter, and the other (TV or set-top box) functions as a receiver. Paired devices communicate with each other directly over a secure channel without needing a router.

Another beauty of Miracast is its powerful compatibility: Like Wi-Fi Direct, it is embedded in the Android OS since version 4.2 and is supported by most Android TVs and smartphones.

TVs with Miracast support

Chromecast

A smartphone instead of a set-top box.

You've probably heard about Chromcast and could have confused it with Miracast. To simplify it, both of these technologies for transmitting images to a TV are very similar to each other. The difference is that Miracast uses Wi-Fi Direct, is able to transmit a signal in both directions and work without a network connection. And it is more focused on mirroring images from the phone to the TV, so you are unlikely to constantly use it as a replacement for a smart set-top box.

Chromecast actually replaces the media player. If both devices are running on Android OS, then the connection process is simplified literally to a couple of clicks: you turned on the birthday video recorded on the camera, opened the series in the browser or launched YouTube, then pressed the transfer button (the TV icon in the upper corner of the player), selected the TV from the list and that's it. At the same time, the broadcast on the smartphone hangs in the tray, does not consume battery and does not interfere with using the smartphone, checking mail or flipping through the Instagram feed. Thus, the smartphone actually replaces the media player of the same name. But unlike Miracast, such a connector requires a stable Internet connection.

AirPlay

Its own variation of Apple's Chromecast, but with an emphasis on audio.

In 2017, Apple introduced the second version of the AirPlay protocol, which now works as it should. Buffering of media content has become more flexible and less annoying, there are a lot of new possibilities for transferring data from one device to another, and the need for an Apple TV media player, which acted as an intermediary between the iPhone and the TV, has disappeared. Now, for correct operation, you just needTV panel with Apple TV support.

The options for using AirPlay 2 have expanded tremendously. There is full-fledged multiroom support, the ability to combine several devices into playback groups, manage content using iOS screen elements and further down the list. Especially, the company's fans were pleased with the implementation of a multiroom, when a smart speaker plays a lullaby for a child in one room, and Run The Jewels sausage is played in the hall. And both devices are controlled by the same iPhone. Shared Up Next's shared family playlist is also a very interesting thing.

As is often the case with Apple, the beauty of AirPlay 2 is the use of a common ecosystem of gadgets and the simplicity of the technology itself. To stream video from an iPhone or iPad to TV, you need to connect them to the same network, launch the content and click on the small icon with the TV in the upper corner. In addition to video content, you can display the screen of a mobile gadget or laptop on the TV using the wall panel as a monitor.

TVs with AirPlay 2 support

Conclusion

As you can see, you can connect a smartphone to a TV in a lot of different ways. And there is definitely no good or bad among them, for some people the decisive factor will be the convenience of transmitting audio and video over the air (Chromecast and AirPlay), for others the quality of the transmitted image is a priority (then hello MHL), while others want to go further and not just watch videos from a smartphone on a large plasma, but to unite all gadgets to the virtual media network. Then DLNA is your best friend.