How to Hook Up Your Phone to a TV Directly (With No Lag!)
| Reuben Howe
Maybe it's a little bit of what we used to call a "First World Problem", but sometimes you just need your phone screen up on the TV!
I've spent a good few hours sharing games of GeoGuessr on the big screen for the whole family to chip in with, and even sharing holiday pics can be simplified with your phone gallery shown on the TV (Just be sure to put anything not suitable for the family in a folder somewhere first...).
In 2024 there's two main ways to connect your phone to a TV, and you should pick which is best for you.
1. Wirelessly Connect Phone to TV
The most common option is a wireless connection between your phone and your TV. And, I see the appeal don't get me wrong.
Being able to sit back on the sofa or even throw inputs across from the kitchen is fantastic.
However, this sort of wireless connection to view phone on TV does has some drawbacks.
Drawbacks of "Casting" Your Screen
- Privacy. Your screen is mirrored and the casting is wireless, which means it can easily stay connected accidentally.
- Presentation. Having a 1:1 copy of your phone screen can be annoying to navigate and display well on a TV.
- Compatibility. While casting almost always uses Bluetooth or Wifi, different brands of phone, TV and wireless adapters all have different requirements. You might not even be able to cast your screen at all! Some specific apps have their own "cast" feature and may work with your phone and TV, while others don't.
- Latency. Using wireless casting to connect your phone to TV can be interfered with if the Wifi and Bluetooth connections are already in use, and this can lead to frustration when trying to share an experience from your phone with everyone.
Casting is certainly seen as the ideal, but it isn't always as simple as it should be. There's a certain degree of trial-and-error in getting phones to all connect properly depending on the TV, and then the specific app itself might fail!
For family homes where multiple people are on the Wifi, casting can become a pixelated mess.
2. USB C to HSMI Wired Connection
An alternative too-often overlooked. While casting relies on apps, pairing, branded connections and compatibility, wired connections are quite literally "Plug and Play"!
Obviously you have the restriction that your phone has to be connected to the TV via an adapter, so you might want a long HDMI cable depending on your set-up, but personally the pros outweigh the use of one cable...
Benefits of Cabled HDMI and USB C
- Instant Connection. No apps, downloads, codes, QR scans or any of that set-up. So long as your TV has an HDMI port, your phone screen is connected right from its USB-C port.
- No latency. Feel free to use your Wifi and Bluetooth connections for other devices, without it affecting your phone and TV connection.
- Privacy. With a cable connection it is possible to use system software directly. This means your phone can act as a controller and the TV screen is just the display. This means only you can see the phone screen itself, and everyone else sees only what you display on there (Kind of like how a PowerPoint through a projector works).
- Presentation. Not only is screen fidelity higher thanks to HDMI 2.1 retaining full resolution and avoiding any wireless interference, but also the split between controller and display can lead to easier navigation. You can always switch back to Mirror your phone on the TV if needed.
An HDMI adapter might need a cable connection, but you get a seamless and hassle-free experience which can be securely disconnected or connected at any time.
Showing family photos, sharing games, videos or just browsing socials on a bigger screen is all so much easier with a wired connection.
It's also much more efficient for families as you reduce the amount of wireless "noise" inside the home, by using a high-speed HDMI 2.1 wired connection which can't be interrupted or interfered with.
Wireless Vs Wired for Phone to TV
There's certainly an appeal to seamless wireless connection from your phone to the TV. But, how often that connection really is seamless can make a wired alternative much more effective.
With your current phone charging cable and your current TV HDMI cable you can connect them in a moment with HUB05, which can display your phone screen on any HDMI screen with no extra cables needed.
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