When viewing videos, photos, and other visual content on your device, most of the time the small screen just won’t do.
As it happens you can connect your mobile and desktop devices devices to your smart TV through several different methods.
Here we cover a couple of different ways to screen share, ranging from using a basic HDMI cable adapter to wireless streaming or “mirroring”
If your intention is to watch streaming services such as iPlayer or ITV Hub on your television, mirroring your device display is not always the most practical solution.
Instead, you can buy a low-cost streaming media player such as a Roku box or an Amazon Fire Cube, to plug into your TV, and use the proper remote control supplied with the device.
None the less mirroring both wirelessly and with a cable can be useful if you want to watch your own videos, look at your photo library or slideshow, or communally browse Facebook on your large screen TV.
Connect with a HDMI cable
The most straightforward way to connect an iOS device to a TV is using a wired connection. For an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with a Lightning connector, you can use Apples’s Lightning Digital AV Adapter which costs about £40.
TIP : Get a long enough cable so you can operate your device and watch the TV screen comfortably at the same time
1. Plug the HDMI cable into your TV
2. Attach the adapter on the other end
3. Plug the Lightning cable into your iOS device
4. Set the TV to the appropriate HDMI input.
Older iOS devices with 30-pin charging ports are no longer sold by Apple, but you can find third-party options on Amazon. (As with third-party Lightning adapters, these might not work with streaming video apps.).
Wireless Mirroring from your mobile Device to your TV
If you don’t like the cable option you can use mirroring technology to share your device screen on your smart TV
Mirroring uses an app to send media content from your phone, tablet or computer to your TV screen. For example, you can use the iPlayer or ITV Hub app on your phone and share that on your TV display.
Here are some of the best ways for mirroring :
An Apple TV box will mirror the display of your iOS or Mac device to your smart TV.
Using a Roku box for streaming also gives you the option to mirror your pc, iOS or Android device to your TV screen
Newer TV models have built-in mirroring options available but have been proprietary, like Samsung’s AllShare system which works only with select Samsung Galaxy phones, or LG’s ScreenShare which is compatible with both Miracast and Intel Wi-Di devices.
Search “Screen Mirroring” in the Apple App Store or Google Play store to find the right App for your requirements for example TV Cast App allows you to pair your device with any smart TV and cast your screen without any delay. It offers a free and premium service.
With regard to the VPN, it will be connecting via the app on your device, so any content you can unblock on your device can be mirrored to your tv.
Alternatively, our quick and easy to install UK VPN used on an InvizBox 2 router will allow you to create a VPN home network that any of your streaming devices can connect to, allowing you to watch TV abroad.
