Appeared relatively recently, smartphones are developing with leaps and bounds, offering users a wider range of possibilities: high-speed Internet access, all kinds of applications, social networks and exciting games have long become the norm for the owner of "smart" phone. In search of the expansion of the capabilities of their gadgets, users are increasingly eager to learn how to connect the smartphone to the TV to use the latter as a display of solid dimensions. This will allow you to watch movies (stored in the gadget's memory) on a full screen, completely new Look at your favorite games and bring out socializing with friends on social networks or using Skype for a new one level.

The purpose of this article is to introduce you to the basic ways of connecting a smartphone to a TV. If you are on this page, you probably know why you need to create a connection of this type. Therefore, it makes no sense to waste your time on a long introductory part, it is better to go directly to a description of specific methods and actions.

Using HDMI

This method is not in vain put on the first place: HDMI has recently gained immense popularity, and connectors of this type can be found on most modern electronic devices (smartphones - not an exception). HDMI was liked by users for high quality and speed of data transmission in digital format. Just one cable allows you to set up "sending" both video and audio signals to the TV.

It's not hard to guess that a prerequisite for connecting your smartphone to your TV via HDMI, will be the presence of the same name in both devices (in smartphones you can find micro-HDMI, or mini-HDMI). Make sure they are available by reading the instructions, or visually (on the TV they are located on the rear panel, in the smartphone, most often next to the connector for USB).

The connection is made as follows: turn off the tablet and TV, then connect both devices with an HDMI cable, turn them on. In most cases, after the connection is made, the connection will automatically be configured, the result of which will be activation of the function "mirror" (mirrorring), in which the image from the display smartphone will be broadcast TV.

If automatic configuration does not happen, you can do it manually: for this purpose go to the menu of both devices. In the TV, select the "HDMI" signal source (if there are several on the rear panel of the HDMI terminals, specify the number of the connected ones), and on the tablet activate the function of signal transmission via HDMI. That's all. This completes the connection process. Proceed to the next method.

Important! If your phone does not have a micro-HDMI connector, you can use a special micro-USB-HDMI converter. It is able to convert the signal from micro USB and prepare it for sending to the TV in such a way that the latter will recognize it without any problems.

Using USB

It is also possible to connect these devices. Yes, it will not allow you to duplicate the image from the tablet display to the TV, but you will have the opportunity to use the gadget as a USB drive acting as a signal source. Data management in this case is carried out using a TV interface, and modern TV is capable of "Read" not only the majority of video and audio formats, but also the widespread formats of text documents and presentations. Thanks to this, you can turn your TV into an advanced presentation board and show slideshows from your favorite photos.

How to connect? It's very simple: take the cable "micro USB" (or "mini USB" - depends on what type of output your smartphone), plug one end into a special connector on the phone, and the other into one of the USB ports on the back the TV panel. Do not forget to switch off both devices in advance so that when they are turned on, get a working connection that does not require any edits.

At this "wired" connection methods are over, go to the description of wireless, through which you can set up the operation of devices.

Wireless connection methods

The development of wireless technologies has provided a wide variety of ways to connect in this way. Each TV maker is trying to release a unique application that provides a connection to the smartphone via Wi-Fi.

So, TVs from LG offer the ability to connect via Smart Share - a software product that allows you to connect a compatible phone of the same brand with the TV via Wi-Fi (thanks to the fact that LG's smart TVs are in most cases equipped with a built-in Wi-Fi module, no connection problems arise must). It is enough to have a customized home Wi-Fi network, connect both devices (smartphone and TV) to it and activate the Smart Share function on them.

Another giant entertainment industry - Samsung, offers its users the function AllShare (as a simple and reliable way to connect the smartphone to the TV). The essence of the connection is not much different from the LG models (with Smart Share): configure the home network, connect both devices to it and activate the function responsible for the wireless connection.

Apple users have the opportunity to connect a smartphone (usually an iPhone) to a TV via AirPlay. The technology implies the use of a special set-top box to the TV, thanks to which the connection is established only in a few clicks on the phone, does not require the slightest adjustment from the user, as well as provides high quality transmission information. The only condition for smooth operation - the connected devices must be in the same Wi-Fi network.

We examined the "unique" ways of connecting a smartphone to a TV, which are inherent in one or another manufacturer of equipment. It remains to say a few words about universal connection methods, which also use wireless technology Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi Direct

This technology allows you to do without using a router with a configured home network, that is, you can connect the tablet directly to the TV. The main thing is that your phone and TV support Wi-Fi Direct. The main algorithm that allows you to connect TV to the tablet in this way:

1. Launch Wi-Fi Direct on your smartphone. To do this, go to the settings menu of the device, select the "Wireless networks and connections" tab, and then look for Wi-Fi Direct, in front of which you need to click on "activate" (or "OK"). You should see a message about the successful launch of the function.
2. We put the smartphone and go to the TV. Here we also go to the menu and, through it, we get to the "Network" tab (you can often find a special button on the remote that facilitates access to this menu item). Among the ways to connect, we find "Wi-Fi Direct" and activate it. After activating the function, you will be able to select a device to connect (in this case, it's a smartphone that we set up a couple of minutes ago). Select your phone (follow the "device name on the network you can set it in the gadget settings) and send a request for connection. In a few seconds, the smartphone will "catch" the request and prompt you to complete the connection setup by pressing the "yes" button.
3. That's all. You can start using Wi-Fi Direct technology for your pleasure.

As you can see, there are a lot of ways to connect a TV set to a smartphone. You need to clearly understand the goals that you pursue and know the technology that you can use to help you in your case (which way to connect supports both the TV and the smartphone). It will only take a couple of steps to connect the devices, and you can start using them "in pairs".

Continuing the theme: how to connect the tablet to the TV