In an age where interconnectivity is considered a basic requirement, we all understand how important it is for people to be connected even through online channels. In fact, Business Insider released a forecast by Cisco saying that each person in the U.S. may own an average of 5 Internet-connected devices.
It’s good that we have devices and gadgets that allow us to communicate with people without the need to see them face to face. We should also be happy that we’re enjoying different modes of communication and entertainment through our devices. This is probably the reason why many people have subscribed to comprehensive Internet plans such as Charter Communications triple play bundles.
Yet for some people, the given connectivity isn’t quite enough. The rise in popularity of connecting mobile devices to the TV reveals the level of connectivity that many people desire. It’s not just about connecting with people; it’s also connecting between devices.
One of the biggest reasons why people want to connect their mobile devices to the television is the benefit of a bigger screen. No matter how fast the playback speed is on the smartphone, the video probably won’t look as impressive on the small phone screen as it would on a much larger TV screen.
If you are planning to connect your Android mobile device to your TV, here are a few common methods for connection, based on recommendations from PC Advisor UK:
HDMI
As the industry standard for connecting devices to the TV, an HDMI cable has the ability to project or mirror your phone’s screen content onto the television. HDMI can transmit audio and high-definition video through a single cable at the same time.
Most mobile devices may not have a full-sized HDMI port, but a socket adaptor is readily available in the market.
SlimPort / MHL
This kind of connection uses the microUSB port found on most Android devices. However, unlike HDMI, you will need a signal converter dongle or breakout box to connect your microUSB port to the TV’s HDMI port.
Wireless
Set-top boxes have become popular in recent years because of their ability to connect a mobile gadget to the television. A typical box makes use of the home Wi-Fi network to establish a connection with your mobile gadget, and at the same time connects to the TV via HDMI.
Some of the most popular brands that allow wireless connection between mobiles and televisions include Miracast and Chromecast. Both methods can mirror the Android device’s screen, which allows you to simply press “play” on the mobile device and the video will automatically play on the bigger TV screen.
Chromecast is a relatively new player in the connectivity market, and so it may be available only on newer mobile devices such as Nexus 4 and up, Samsung Galaxy S4 and up, HTC One M7, and LG G2 and up. Despite the limited options, the rising fame of Chromecast should cause other mobile manufacturers to follow suit and integrate the service into their operating systems.
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Connecting your Android device to a television has never been easier than today, what with the many available options to do so. By following the instructions in this article, you should already start to enjoy video streaming of “Game of Thrones” on a wider, HD-ready TV screen.
