A source so that you can know first-hand what this tool is about and how you can configure it on your Android, as well as some interesting functions. And since we like a proven article, we will show an alternative.
What is Google Cast
Before talking about Google Cast, you have to know its predecessor, Miracast. This is a Wi-Fi Alliance protocol, which allows screen sharing between compatible devices. Specifically, what allows us is be able to mirror one screen to another such as, for example, showing the content we are watching on our phone on our television or laptop. This system or protocol is known as Mirroring.
Google Cast is a proprietary Google protocol that allows content to be sent from a mobile phone to a device that supports Google Cast. The protocol dates back to 2013, when it was first used so that it would be possible to send the contents thanks to the Chromecast.
As the main drawback, being a Google protocol, it is only compatible with devices Chromecast, Android TV and Chromecast built-in audio devices, such as speakers. To use it as a multimedia sending, just use the send button that you will find in compatible applications, for example, Google Play Music.
How to configure it to send the screen to TV
Google Cast does not work with an application through, but from the same Android interface we can start this protocol. Works via Wi-Fi Direct, which has a much faster data transfer than other connectivity such as Bluetooth or USB cable. To be effective, we must have both devices connected to the same network that provides Wi-Fi Direct, and of course it is compatible. There is usually no problem, since both Chromecast devices and televisions with Android TV work with this technology.
Google Cast can be used quickly from the quick settings of our Android. Specifically, from the section on »Send screen». If it does not appear at first, you can find it within the toggles that can be added in the quick settings menu, located when the notification panel is fully displayed.
When we click here, we will see the list of devices compatible with Google Cast. In the event that your television is not, you will always have the Chromecast. When shipping, we go to see on television what we see on our mobile immediately, with hardly any waiting time.
It is important to highlight some of the drawbacks that this process brings, like any wireless connection. The main one? The image delays or the eventual stoppages that are caused by some signal interference. There are other consequential reasons, such as the great wear of the battery by leaving the mobile on and serving as an access point for the television.
Alternatives to Google Cast
As we stressed at the beginning of these paragraphs, we like a proven article. And we know it, we are aware that not everyone has neither from Android TV nor from a Chromecast. Not because of the price it costs, but because there are more options on the market to share what we see on mobile on television. Options quickly come to mind Amazon Fire TV or Xiaomi Mi TV Box.
For these cases, we also have a particular Google Cast that will allow us to reach the same goal. There are many apps to share the smartphone screen or to do the well-known mirroring, but not all of them are worth the same.
Therefore, we have chosen Screen Stream Mirroring, which allows you to reproduce what is on the mobile screen on your TV without any problem. Thanks to it, you can play content from phone applications, or prepare presentations, among others, without having to pay money to use it. Despite having ads (although it has a premium version), it allows us to do so without having to search for the settings. In this app we have to display the menu on the left and click on Miracast to go to the settings and power section send the mobile screen to the TV.
Some televisions are not available at all times. For example, in Samsung it is necessary to click on the Source button, Connection guide and choose Screen sharing like source. There it will tell us that it is waiting for the device to connect, and the mobile will allow us to connect.
