How to mirror your Android screen with Chromecast
- Make sure your phone and Chromecast are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open the Google Home app on your phone.
- Tap the Chromecast you want to mirror your phone to.
- Tap Cast my screen.
- Tap Cast screen.
Mirror your Android phone or tablet screen to the TV
- From your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Home app.
- Tap the left hand navigation to open the menu.
- Tap Cast screen / audio and select your TV.
Here's how:
- Plug in Chromecast/Chromecast Ultra. If you have a Chromecast built in on your Samsung Smart TV, then skip this step.
- Open Google Home app. From your Android device, open the Google Home app.
- Confirm Account and Permissions.
- Link the device.
- Confirm pairing.
- Set up your room and WIFI connection.
- Additional options.
Google Home's built-in speaker is merely passable, and the smart-home device doesn't have a display at all. But you can use voice commands to stream music to better speakers and to stream video to your TV. Connect a Chromecast to your Google Home app to begin streaming audio and video.
Miracast is the Microsoft equivalent, which lets Android smartphones and Windows tablets and computers to mirror to Miracast-compliant receivers. You can find more on screen mirroring here.
Miracast isn't anything new. In fact, it has been around for longer than Chromecast has. The two technologies are similar, but not the same. Miracast is like a wireless HDMI connection, mirroring everything from one screen to another.
Miracast is a wireless standard much like USB, Bluetooth, WiFi, Thunderbolt etc that enables wireless connection of laptops, tablets, or smartphones to displays such as TVs, monitors or projectors.
Miracast technology is built into Android operating system versions 4.2 and higher. Some Android 4.2 and 4.3 devices do not support Miracast. If your Android device supports Miracast, the Screen Mirroring option will be available in the Settings app or in the pull-down/notification menu.
Wirelessly sharing content across multiple devices is nothing new, but streaming technology Miracast will let you share photos, videos, music and more across any certified device, regardless of manufacturer, without a Wi-Fi signal. Miracast devices use built in Wi-Fi Direct, which means no wireless router is required.
With Google's Chromecast, however, you can mirror any browser tab or your entire desktop–wirelessly–in just a few clicks. Open Google Chrome on your PC—you'll need it to mirror your screen. Click the Chrome menu button and choose “Cast” from the list.
You can enable Miracast in Settings -> Display. From here, select Wireless display and toggle it 'on' at the top. Then you can search for Miracast devices and connect to them.
Miracast is available on Android devices with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and newer versions of Android. Android devices do need the appropriate hardware, so your Android phone or tablet may not support Miracast — especially if it's an old device that's been updated to the latest versions of Android.
The top two TV brands that currently have built in Google Home compatibility are Sony & LG. However select TV's made by Hisense, TCL, Sony and LG are all compatible with Google Home and Google Assistant.
Unfortunately, Google didn't include an aux port in its similarly-sized Home Mini, meaning you'll need a Chromecast Audio to connect it to another speaker—or you can try adding the extra port yourself. With a little hard work and some light drilling you can add an aux input to your Google Home Mini, too.
The best smart home devices that work with Google Home
- Google Nest Hub Max. The best all-in-one smart home display.
- August Smart Lock Pro. The most connected smart lock we've tested.
- Ecobee (5th Gen)
- Philips Hue White Starter Kit.
- Chromecast.
- WeMo Mini.
- Nest Learning Thermostat.
- Nest Cam IQ.
TV With Chromecast Built-In
| ProductAmazon.com Link | Price on Amazon.com |
|---|
| VIZIO - M70-D3 - 70" Class (69.5" Diag.) - LED - 2160p - Chromecast Built-in - 4K Ultra HD | 1999.99 |
| Sony XBR55X900E - 55" - LED - 2160p - Smart - 4K Ultra HD TV | 1199.99 |
| Toshiba 49" 4K Ultra HDTV | 349.99 |
| Google - Chromecast Ultra | 69.99 |
Samsung Smart TVs now let you sync with Google Home, allowing you the convenience of using voice commands for certain functionalities on your TV.
Researchers have found that smart speakers such as Google Home, Apple HomePod, and Amazon Echo can be hacked with the help of laser-powered "light commands." Apart from smart speakers, Facebook's Portal devices as well as smartphones can also be easily tricked by "light commands" from as far as a few hundred feet away.
The main difference between the two speakers isn't functionality but sound quality. The Google Home Mini is a circumaural (or 360-degree) speaker, and lacks the size for a bass-generating woofer. As you can see in the video below, both sound good, but the larger Home definitely has a wider range and emphatic low-end.
Sign in to your Google Account
Open the Google Play Movies app on your Samsung Smart TV. Select My Account > Sign in. On a web browser on your computer or mobile device, visit google.com/device and enter the code displayed on your TV screen. Follow the instructions on your screen.Play audio on Chromecast-enabled speakers & TVs using Google Home. Initiate and control audio to any speaker or TV with Chromecast or Chromecast Audio plugged in or Chromecast built-in — using only your voice.
