You may have come across a reference to Miracast on your TV or mobile, but you don’t know what it is or what it is for. To help you clarify this, we will talk to you in depth about this interesting technology that is present in many electronic devices.
It should be noted that many people do not use it even due to ignorance, or because there are other interesting options on the market. In general, Miracast is a technology that was aimed at replace wires when connecting devices with the TV.
But for you to understand it much better, we are going to explain in depth about this topic, how it works, advantages, limitations and how to activate it on different devices easily. Keep reading!
What is Miracast and what is this technology for?
Miracast is a technology that allows two devices connect to each other and you can mirror the screen of one of them, in the other. For example, it is used when a person wants to show their mobile screen on a TV. However, for this to be possible, both devices must be compatible with Miracast.
In this way, it is understood as a technology that Support wireless connection of two devices, without the use of cables such as HDMI being necessary. It was created by the Wi-Fi Alliance in 2012 and its impact was such that it completely displaced Intel WiDi from the market, which was another similar sending protocol.
With Miracast, you can display videos, images, audios, and much more. This action is known as “Mirroring” or also called screen projection. This means that if you want to send a series to the TV, it is necessary for the mobile screen to always be on.
Why is this happening? Because Miracast’s only job is to display on a receiving screen whatever you do on the sending screen. Without a doubt, it is ideal for carrying out presentations or showing multimedia content from your mobile, laptop, tablet or other device to a television, projector, car screen, etc. It can even be used to perform productivity tasks.
How does Miracast work to share the screens of my devices? main elements
First of all, in order to be able to send content from one device to another through Miracast, it is necessary for the equipment to be compatible with said technology. Therefore, they must have WiFi Directa technology that was specially designed to allow direct communication between electronic devices and whose exchange is faster than Bluetooth.
For reference, you should know that WiFi Direct offers a speed up to 10 times faster of data flow than the conventional one. This is a really important and valued aspect when you want to reflect on one screen what you do on the other.
However, it is not necessary for both devices to remain connected to the same network. When you are going to use Miracast, you just have to make sure that create a wifi network between both devices. Once the connection is established, the data is sent from one to the other wirelessly and quickly.
One of the most interesting details is that when the connection is established correctly, there are practically no delays. Currently it is possible to show videos in full HD. Added to that, it allows which means that the data sent will be protected.
Likewise, it is benefited by a DRM layer which means that It is possible to send content that is protected by Copyright between both screens, without presenting problems or censorship. Finally, Miracast can be used through a normal WiFi network as long as both devices are connected to said network.
What are the advantages and limitations of using Miracast?
Miracast has been a technology used by millions of users around the world. However, it has its advantages and disadvantages. We will mention the main ones, so that you can decide if it is convenient for you to use it or better opt for others available on the market:
Advantage
- It allows mirror screen from one device to another.
- use the Wi-Fi direct technologywhich allows a data flow 10 times faster than Bluetooth.
- It is possible to reflect files in FullHD.
- It is incorporated into many devices electronics.
limitations
- It can only be used to mirror the screen of one device to another.
- It does not allow sending content from one device to another.
- It still does not have a reliable protocol, so it sometimes has failures.
- It is falling out of use, because many companies have replaced it with other, more innovative technologies.
Steps to activate Miracast on any of my devices easily and quickly
Miracast is a technology that you will find built into many devices. But the way to activate it varies depending on the equipment and the version that each of them has.
Next, we show you how to do it in each case:
on android
In the case of android devicesyou can get the Miracast option with different names such as: wireless screen, send screen, share screen, etc. and its activation is possible in the versions from Android 4.2 to Android 6.0. After those, the use of Google Cast was implemented.
In general, the steps to follow to activate Miracast on Android are:
- Verify that the mobile is connected to the same WiFi network than the other screen you want to mirror.
- enter the “Settings” of the mobile.
- Select “Screen”.
- Get in “send screen”“wireless display” or its variations.
- Then a symbol of a screen with a wireless network, two screens of different sizes or a screen with an arrow will be displayed. Click on the symbol.
- Select the other device you want to connect to, and that’s it.
An interesting fact is that in many Android devices it is possible to access the Miracast option directly from the shortcut that is displayed by pulling the notification bar.
on iOS
At present, there are different ways to achieve that a iOS device connect to another screen. The most common is through Air Play. However, there is another way to connect your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad to an AirPlay 2 compatible Apple TV or smart TV.
To do this, follow the steps below:
- Connect iOS device to the same network that your Apple TV or smart TV is on.
- open the Control center.
- select on “Duplicate screen”whose icon is two screens.
- Click on the other device you want to mirror the screen on and that’s it.
In the event that an AirPlay code appears on the TV screen, you must place that same code on the iOS device.
In Windows 10
- open the “Activities Center”. The icon is a speech bubble in the lower right corner of the screen.
- Click on “Connect”. If this option is not visible, you first have to click on “expand” to see the entire set of actions.
- Select “Project on this team”. Then the settings window will open.
- In the first dropdown menu, you have to select “Available everywhere” or “available anywhere on secure networks”.
- Where says “Ask the project on this computer”you have to select “only the first time” or “every time”.
- It is recommended to have the option of “Require PIN for pairing” disabled.
- Click on “Yes” when Windows 10 notifies the connection with the other device.
on macOS
- Connect the Mac to the same WiFi network than Apple TV or smart TV compatible with AirPlay2.
- click on a square icon with a triangle below, which is located at the top of the screen. In case it does not appear, you have to go to the Apple menu (apple) / System Preferences / Displays and then “Show the mirroring options available in the menu bar”.
- Select the Apple TV or smart TV you want to connect to.
- Just like with iOS devices, if an AirPlay code appears on your TV screen, you need to enter it on your Mac.
on linux
Linux PCs do not support Miracast technology. However, it is possible to use other technologies such as Chromecast to be able to connect the PC with other devices such as TV, projectors, among others.
List of the best alternative applications to share my mobile screen on another monitor
Over the years, Miracast is falling into disuse because there are already other more interesting technologies and that offer many more functions, thinking about the comfort of the users. Some of them are:
- Google Cast
- DNLA
- airplay
- DIAL
- all cast
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