Review photos and videos of past experiences, watch videos on YouTube or maybe play – these are the main reasons why many try to understand how to connect the phone to the TV with cable. In this article we will guide you through this, showing you various connection methods based on your smartphone and the type of TV.
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Depending on whether you have an Android smartphone or an iOS device, in fact, there are different cables to connect the smartphone to the TV. Obviously the same applies to tablets and the possibilities increase when, instead of a normal TV, you have access to a Smart TV that allows you to make a wireless connection. Let’s see everything in detail:
Connect Android to TV with cable
The ecosystem of Android devices is so vast that there are different methods to connect the smartphone to the TV, which vary depending on the type of cable supported by the Android smartphone/tablet and, of course, from the television to which you want to connect. There are generally 2 types of cable to connect the phone to the TV: Slimport and MHL.
Connect Android to the TV with Slimport cable
A Slimport cable allows you to connect your phone to the TV in a simple and immediate way, and is the method preferred by the majority because through this cable you can connect your device to the vast majority of screens or TV as this technology supports audio/video transmission on different outputs: HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, and VGA .
The maximum resolution obtainable is 4K (UltraHD), while with the MHL technology that we will see soon you can reach higher resolutions, but there is a huge advantage that you will not have to feed the cable – with the Slimport technology you will not have to do anything else connect one end of the cable to the smartphone (generally a micro USB or a USB Type-C depending on your smartphone) and the other end to the TV/monitor:
From microUSB to HDMI
If you have an Android smartphone or tablet with microUSB input then this adapter is for you, but to use it you will also need a monitor or a TV with HDMI input . If everything is correct then you can buy this adapter! Connect the adapter to the smartphone first, then take (or purchase if you do not have it) an HDMI cable and connect one end to the TV and the other to the adapter. Done!
From microUSB to VGA
If you want to connect the phone to the TV but in this case, it is a monitor with VGA input, then this is the Slimport cable that’s right for you! As before you do not have to do is connect your smartphone – with microUSB input – to this adapter, and then connect the screen to it taking (or buying if you have not) a VGA cable, connecting one end to the monitor and one to ‘ adapter.
From Type-C to HDMI
If your Android smartphone or tablet has a Type-C input and your monitor / TV has at least one HDMI input, then this is the cable you were looking for! Not being an adapter you do not even have to buy a cable separately because you already have a Type-C and an HDMI input to make the connection immediately!
Connect Android to TV with MHL cable
With an MLH cable, you can connect Android smartphones to the TV using the HDMI port of your TV. Before starting, therefore, it is absolutely necessary that your TV or your monitor has an HDMI input.
MHL technology is more recent and supports the 8K resolution (twice the UltraHD). However, your smartphone must support this technology (for this you can check the list of supported MHL devices).
Another important issue is the power supply – some MHL cables do not need an external power source (just like for Slimport), while others need an external power supply (a charger like that of smartphones) that helps them to connect the phone to the TV to show images and sounds. Let’s see these cables:
Most sold MHL (passive) cables on Amazon
These MHL cables are passive, and therefore do not need an external power supply to operate. In order for you to take advantage of this technology, it is important that both devices (smartphone and TV) are compatible with MHL technology. On the contrary, if only your smartphone is compatible, you will have to buy an active MHL cable.
Most sold MHL (active) cables on Amazon
These MHL cables are active, which means they will need to be powered externally! In addition to the micro USB cable for the smartphone and the HDMI input for the TV, these cables also include a third USB input that must be connected to an external charger (like that of your smartphone) in order to work.
Most popular MHL Type-C cables sold on Amazon
If your smartphone has a Type-C input and supports MHL technology, then these are the cables for you! Also, in this case, the connection is passive if TV and smartphone are compatible with the MHL technology, and will instead be active if the monitor is not compatible and there will be an external power supply.
Connect iOS to the TV with cable
Just as you can connect an Android smartphone, you can also connect iPhone to TV with cable. In general, on the contrary, you can connect the tablet to the TV in the same way that you connect the smartphones, and therefore this guide will be valid even if you want to connect iPad to TV with cable.
In this regard, we have already written a complete guide on how to connect an iPhone to the TV (but also any other mobile device iOS). In it, we explained both how to make the connection with cable, and how to connect wireless devices (wireless).
Here are the cables you need to buy:
iPhone 4S / 4 and earlier
On the iPhone 4 / 4S and earlier, iPad up to the third generation and iPod Touch up to the fourth generation, you will need an adapter with the old 30 PIN “Dock” connector. Here are the best sellers on Amazon:
Obviously, our advice is to read buyers’ feedback and verify the reliability of the connector. Otherwise, you could opt for the original Apple connector on Amazon, at a price however much higher.
iPhone 5 and above
From iPhone 5 onwards, fourth-generation iPad and with the latest iPod Touch models, you will have a “Lightning” 8 PIN connector, so you have to opt for an adapter similar to the following, also on Amazon:
Also, in this case, we advise you to always pay attention to the adapter you will buy to connect the iPhone to the TV by reading the feedback and verifying the reliability of the product and the seller. Otherwise, you could opt for the original Apple connector on Amazon, at a price however much higher.
Connect to the TV without a cable
The cable connection, as you have seen, has many disadvantages and, in addition to being quite expensive in some cases, it is limited by the type of smartphone and the type of TV you are using. Wireless connection is often simpler, faster and more effective and in some cases, you do not even need a smart TV, although there are many simple ways to turn TV into Smart TV.
Here are all the methods to connect the phone to the TV without cable:
- Amazon Fire TV Stick – Amazon’s dongle is one of the most used smartphone / TV transmission opportunities at the moment. We have dedicated a guide to Fire TV Stick that we advise you to read to discover all the potential.
- Chromecast – the most famous and used method at the moment! Just buy the Chromecast (both the old model and the new model) and, through the official app for Android and iPhone, you can transmit the contents of the smartphone on the TV.
- Apple TV – who has an iPhone or an iPad can connect the device to the TV via the Apple TV – it connects to the HDMI socket of the TV and connects to the same Wifi network of the phone or tablet. This allows you to take advantage of AirPlay technology from iPhone and iPad to transmit the screen to Apple TV. Maximum audio/video quality and practically zero lag.
- Miracast – protocol supported by many Android smartphones, laptops and numerous TV, just turn this feature on smartphone and TV to mirror the mobile screen. If your TV is not equipped with Miracast, you can use this wireless display adapter for this purpose. Audio and video of the highest quality and lag (lag) are really minimal. Miracast is supported by Android and Windows Phone.
- TV Box – buying a TV Box will make your TV a Smart TV; moreover, as you may already know, many of these devices integrate the DLNA protocol that allows you to exchange streaming content on Android. You can use it to make your TV Box communicate with your smartphone via the Cast or LocalCast button. Consult our guide to the best TV Box if you do not know which one to buy.
Other useful guides
In this guide, we have therefore seen how to connect the phone to the TV with cable (and without) showing specific methodologies for both Android and iOS devices (including tablets). If something is not clear, do not hesitate to leave a comment below or contact us.
