In recent years, the market of electronic devices has been filled with TV models that not only allow you to watch TV using a set-top box, but are also able to connect to the Internet. The ability to log your home TV set to the Wi-Fi network opens up completely new possibilities – incl. browsing audio-visual content on YouTube or Netflix , as well as connecting a smartphone with TV for this purpose. It is a very convenient solution that eliminates the need for cables. However, do we know how to connect the phone to an old TV in a quick and convenient way?
There are many people who bought a TV before the Smart TV era , and although their device does not have the features of the latest models, it works flawlessly. In such a situation, is it impossible to connect a mobile phone to an old TV set? How can you easily connect your phone to your old TV in any situation?
In our guide, we will look at three main problems that the owner of an old TV may encounter in this situation: no HDMI plug, no possibility to log into the home Wi-Fi network, and no MHL.
Contents
No Smart TV. How to connect the phone to an old TV?
At a time when the TV does not belong to the Smart TV group, i.e. receivers that do not have a built-in mechanism for logging into the home Wi-Fi network, there are quite a number of other ways that allow you to watch movies and photos transmitted from your smartphone to the screen of the old one TV model. What methods can be helpful when we do not have a Smart TV? Among the key ones we can mention:
How to connect your phone to an old TV without HDMI: USB and USB-C with MHL support
The first of these methods is to connect your mobile phone to the receiver of an older TV via USB. The entire procedure should take no more than a few minutes. It should be emphasized that if both devices have a USB port, connectors such as HDMI are not needed here.
The USB or USB-C port on the smartphone must, however, be supported by the MHL ( Mobile High-Definition Link ) standard, which allows the transmission of audio-visual content to the TV screen through the smallest ports – i.e. micro USB and USB-C.
How to connect the phone to an old TV? First, check whether the receiver you are interested in has a characteristic USB input, and the selected phone – a micro USB port (in the case of slightly older models) or USB-C (found in the latest models). Connect a cable to the smartphone, the end of which fits USB or USB-C, and the other end – to the TV.
A list of commands to choose from should appear on the mobile phone – after clicking the phrase “transfer files” (sometimes also “MPT”), the audio-visual files available on the smartphone should appear on the TV screen. Select a specific file to view using the remote control. Ready!
It may happen that the smartphone has a micro USB or USB-C port supported by MHL, but the old TV only has a plug for HDMI or VGA. How to connect the phone to an old TV? In such a situation, it is worth getting an adapter called MHL-HDMI or MHL-VGA, respectively. After connecting both devices to the adapter, enter the menu of the selected TV set, select the “input”, “tv” or “video” option, and then select the connector from the displayed list to which the adapter was plugged in on the TV. After completing all the steps, the image from the smartphone should appear on the TV screen.
How to connect the phone to an old TV when no MHL?
Another way to connect your phone to an old TV that is not part of the Smart TV group is to use the HDMI connector. It will also work when the selected phone is not supported by MHL technology, which is not present in cells with Windows or iOS, as well as operating systems older than Android 4.1.
In the case of HDMI technology, it is worth remembering that there are different types of cables used to transfer files from the phone to the TV, depending on what image quality the user expects. TV receivers are usually equipped with standard HDMI ports, and smartphones – micro HDMI.
When the TV, and not the smartphone, does not support MHL, you can use the potential of the MHL-HDMI adapter. The adapter connects to the power supply (usually via a USB cable), one end to the phone and the other – to the HDMI port on the TV set. The old TV, although not equipped with MHL technology, thanks to the adapter can work with a smartphone, displaying videos and photos from it.
Another method of connecting the phone to a TV without MHL technology is based on the SlimPort connector found in older cell models. Devices are connected via a micro HDMI to HDMI or micro HDMI to VGA adapter. After plugging the micro HDMI end into the port on the phone and the HDMI or VGA end in the TV set, select the “input” option in the menu available on the TV screen – then the selected image will be displayed.
Can I connect an iPhone to my old TV?
Although the iPhone is associated with the latest technological solutions, it turns out that this type of device can transfer images and videos to an older generation TV – without using Wi-Fi. For this purpose, we need a Lightning-HDMI (or Lightning-VGA) adapter – one end is plugged into the Lightning connector on the phone, and the other – to the TV. Then select the appropriate “input” option from the list of the TV receiver menu item.
Miracast. Connecting a phone with Wi-Fi to an old TV without internet access
Even though it may sound paradoxical, old TV sets without the possibility of connecting to the Internet, can display images from a smartphone … using Wi-Fi. How? A Miracast device, called a dongle, comes to the rescue of owners of older TV sets.
This adapter plugs into the HDMI connector on the TV – thanks to this, it enables wireless transmission of audio and video content from a mobile phone (or other mobile device) to the TV screen thanks to the Wi-Fi network. The Miracast device is first connected to the wall charger (via the USB connector), then it is connected to the HDMI socket on the TV. In the TV receiver menu, select the “input” or “tv / video” option, and then the connector where Miracast is connected. But that’s not all – you need to download an application (eg MiraCast, AirPlay, GoogleHome) on your phone, which will allow you to connect the TV with your smartphone.
The owners of phones with the Android operating system can find applications of this type in the Google Play store, and iPhone owners – in the AppStore. Search for the selected TV in the application and select the “connect” option. Later, the images from the phone will appear on the TV screen.
It turns out, therefore, that users of receivers with a limited range of possibilities (compared to today’s Smart TV ) do not have to give up useful functions – there is always a suitable way to connect the phone and TV set.
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