Launched by the giant Google, the Chromecast is an audio and video streaming device well known by the general public. The device derives its popularity from its ease of use and compatibility with multiple TVs, monitors and projectors.
All you need to do is plug your Chromecast into the HDMI port of one of these devices and control it from a computer or phone to enjoy a big screen.
However, Chromecast is by no means the only solution for this kind of functionality.
There are many other ways you can achieve the same goal.
This article invites you to discover easy methods for you to cast to TV without using Chromecast.
You may not know it, but you can cast to a TV very well without Chromecast and successfully.
Relatively simple and affordable solutions that do not allow you to pay a fortune for the purchase of this device.
Thanks to these alternatives, you can project your laptop screen onto your TV and enjoy larger images.
This becomes easier given that most computers and televisions are now equipped with an HDMI port that allows them to be connected via cable.
But if you have an older model, you can still use a specific adapter (VAGA-HDMI or HDMI-VGA). Your operating system illustration manual will help you find and use this feature. The goal is to select the TV as the display level monitor. Some computers allow a shortcut through the Fn and F5 keys.
It’s not just your computer that can be cast to TV without Chromecast. You can also connect your smartphone, but this time using MHL technology. This technology consists of using a converter to convert the USB output of the device to HDMI. However, it is necessary to maintain the autonomy of the phone during the process. If you have a smart TV, you don’t have to look around. These revolutionary televisions have a built-in Chromecast, which makes it easier for users.
To find out if your TV can be cast, all you need to do is follow a simple procedure. Start by pressing “Home” on the remote. Then select “Settings” on the TV. You should be able to find it in the window that appears at the top right of the screen. Then select “Application” under “TV”. Under “System App”, choose Google Cast receiver.
If this option appears, your TV can indeed be cast. That is not possible with this television. For a classic TV, check whether there is an HDMI port. If you notice it, know that you can use an HDMI cable to cast your TV.
If you want to cast your phone to TV, first make sure that both devices are using the same Wi-Fi network at the same time.
Then check your phone’s notification panel and choose the option that allows you to cast your screen. This option may have a different name depending on the brand of your phone.
Once the broadcast option is chosen, start a search for compatible devices and complete the few required steps once your TV shows up. For a classic TV, you only need to convert your phone’s USB output to HDMI, so do everything manually.
Casting your laptop to TV doesn’t require any extraordinary protocol. You can just use the Chrome web browser. Indeed, this software now offers the possibility to search for compatible devices. The most important thing is to make sure that the PC and the television are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
However, Chrome is not the only browser to offer this feature. The Edge browser accomplishes the same goal with an identical procedure. This is defined in four stages:
- Connect the PC and the TV to the same Wi-Fi network;
- Launch Google Chrome on the PC and access the drop-down menu;
- Launching the search for compatible devices;
- The choice of equipment for throwing.
So it is a procedure that takes only a few minutes. Of course, if it’s a classic TV, you’ll have to go through the use of the HDMI cable.
Not only PC and smartphone can be cast, you can also connect your tablet. You can choose from various options. One is to connect the tablet via Wi-Fi.
In this case you don’t need a cable. This way of working is only accessible to those who have a smart TV. It happens like this:
- Access the TV settings menu;
- Enter your password;
- Check if the tablet and the TV are on the same WiFi;
- Share tablet content on your TV screen.
You have a unique experience with the cast over Wi-Fi, on the other hand, if the TV is not smart, you are obliged to use the MHL method.
Why can’t I cast to my TV?
You may experience problems streaming video content with the built-in Chromecast feature. Don’t worry, it could be due to the current version of Google Cast Receiver. If it is not compatible, you cannot cast successfully.
To do this, check that the version number matches the Caster firmware version for Android TV devices. If not, download the latest version. You just need to connect to Google Play from your Android TV to complete this download.
Alternatives to cast to my TV without Chromecast
You can appeal to several other devices to forego buying a Chromecast to cast to TV. These are much cheaper gadgets that offer the same or almost the same satisfaction as compared to the latter.
Casting with Fire Stick TV
Developed by Amazon, the Fire Stick TV is a device that provides access to various digital content streamed over the internet. You can connect it to a high-definition TV and turn it into a smart TV.
The device works on the same principle as the Roku or Apple TV. Simply connect it to your television via the HDMI connection and connect it to your Wi-Fi network to display your phone’s screen. Controlling the Fire TV from the phone is done from a specific application.
Casting with Xiaomi Mi Box S
The Xiaomi Mi Box S is, in a way, a scaled-down version of the Android TV box. This very practical alternative to Chromecast is used by many people. The device has a Netfilx button on the remote control and integrates an Amlogic S90X SoC with 2 GB of RAM. It allows you to turn your TV into an Android 8.1 Oreo TV.
To cast your phone to Mi Box S, all you need to do is connect the device to the TV. Above all, make sure that your Mi Box S has access to the same Wi-Fi network as the phone to be cast. Then open the Google Home app on the phone and go to the “Other Cast Devices” section to choose the Xiaomi Mi Box S.
You just need to press “Cast my screen” and then press “Cast screen” to get a bigger picture of your phone screen on TV.
Casting with Intel Compute Stick
With the Intel Compute Stick you turn any TV into a PC with a large screen. Powered by a microUSB cable, the device connects to your TV via HDMI. It has a 1.33 GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3735F processor and has an internal storage capacity of 32 GB, as well as 2 GB of DDR3 RAM.
With this device you have access to a Windows 8.1 Bing operating system. It is very practical for large screens, both in the professional environment and at home.
Casting with Raspberry Pi
You can buy a Raspberry Pi and use it as a Chromecast-style streaming device. Although the latter does not have exactly the same protocol as Chromecast, it still offers very similar options. To do this, you need the free Raspicast software and the Raspicast app for Android.
Note that you must be able to use Raspberry Pi Raspbian to cast to TV. You will also need a Raspberry Pi compatible power cable, an external keyboard to connect to the device, an HDMI cable and a Wi-Fi connection. At the moment you can only cast using the Paspberry Pi with an Android phone. The mobile application is not yet available for iOS.
Basically, there are multiple solutions for TV casting and you can explore them to see which one suits you best.
Other Google Chromecast news:
Commentaires
Enregistrer un commentaire