Hi folks,
Posted this to the Facebook Rockwood Mini Lite group, but thought it would be useful for the whole community.
I found a solution if you want to still watch Yoitube, Netflix, Amazon movies, or anything else from your cell phone to the Rockwood television. There were other threads on this forum, but too old to add to.
Use Miracast to display what is on your phone (video and sound) to the Tv and stereo. No need for creating a hotspot or building a WiFi network. It uses "peer to peer" wifi between your phone and the dongle.
Bought this dongle(link below) from Amazon and plugged it into the HDMI port on the front of the IRV unit at the Tv and the usb port to power the dongle.
Then use your phone's wifi window to find and connect with the dongle. Then use the "Cast" option (usually under your screen settings on the phone) to display your phone screen on the Tv.
Trial and error for the other settings (YMMV):
--TV source selected to HDMI
--Bluetooth on the phone off
--Stereo sound should be muted
--Control sound with the TV remote. On my Rockwood 2304KS, sound comes thru the soundbar, pretty good quality.
One other note, the resolution on the TV will be roughly the same resolution of the image on your phone, so if you may not get Dvd quality video. But for me, that's fine on a 24" TV across the room from the sofa!
Sounds neat. I have been looking for a solution for this in the past month. This is because Verizon has updated its product offering and gone to unlimited data to the phone including as unlimited HD video to the phone. Hot sport operation has a monthly 10 GB limit. I currently use Roku on my TVs.
As a result I have been planning on buying a micro USB to HDMI adapter for my phone. Sure this uses a cable and the solution that you have tried uses WiFi "peer to peer." If you are only going to do this when connected to your cellular network, then it should be fine. However, since it uses WiFi (yes and not a cable, but you will have to keep your phone connected to a USB or it will go dead anyway) you cannot get your bandwidth over a 2nd WiFi network. This might be fine but as of yet, it isn't the ultimate solution...although nothing ever seems to be.
Hi Scott,
I looked at a wired solution first and had a micro-usb to HDMI connector from a prior project. But my current phone now has a usd-c connector that doesn't work with the wired connector, even with a -micro to -c adapter. Also, plugging the phone into the TV using that adapter (if it worked) means I can't control the video without walking over to the TV. I don't have other wifi needs in the trailer when I'm streaming video and my wife can still use her phone to for any data activitiy. You are right that the phone needs to be plugged in for power, but I can do that right next to me.
Not the optimum solution, not sure one exists. But we both have very workable and practical solutions, and that's the best news, eh?
Right, it ain't perfect...yet. However, with unlimited data on almost all cell carriers, I have little doubt that we will soon get to a more ideal solution. Phones will dominate and so will wireless carriers. I am not throwing my Roku's away yet, but the availability of real time broadcasts on the web should continue to push it in that direction. But, like you, what cut one cord and install another?
Hi folks,
Posted this to the Facebook Rockwood Mini Lite group, but thought it would be useful for the whole community.
I found a solution if you want to still watch Yoitube, Netflix, Amazon movies, or anything else from your cell phone to the Rockwood television. There were other threads on this forum, but too old to add to.
Use Miracast to display what is on your phone (video and sound) to the Tv and stereo. No need for creating a hotspot or building a WiFi network. It uses "peer to peer" wifi between your phone and the dongle.
Bought this dongle(link below) from Amazon and plugged it into the HDMI port on the front of the IRV unit at the Tv and the usb port to power the dongle.
Then use your phone's wifi window to find and connect with the dongle. Then use the "Cast" option (usually under your screen settings on the phone) to display your phone screen on the Tv.
Trial and error for the other settings (YMMV):
--TV source selected to HDMI
--Bluetooth on the phone off
--Stereo sound should be muted
--Control sound with the TV remote. On my Rockwood 2304KS, sound comes thru the soundbar, pretty good quality.
One other note, the resolution on the TV will be roughly the same resolution of the image on your phone, so if you may not get Dvd quality video. But for me, that's fine on a 24" TV across the room from the sofa!
That's great! I purchased the Apple A/V adapter (iOS)a few weeks ago for at least twice the price. Your suggestion is much cleaner to use, not to mention the savings!
Thanks for your thread!!!
My expertience is that when using miracast, I can not stream over the data connection only over Wi-Fi. Phone won't use data and Wi-Fi simultaneously. If I turn off Wi-Fi to access content on the data connection, I lose the miracast connection, because it uses Wi-Fi. Sense most camp ground Wi-Fi sucks trying to stream content from the MyFios app and watch it on the TV with miracast is very frustrating.
My expertience is that when using miracast, I can not stream over the data connection only over Wi-Fi. Phone won't use data and Wi-Fi simultaneously. If I turn off Wi-Fi to access content on the data connection, I lose the miracast connection, because it uses Wi-Fi. Sense most camp ground Wi-Fi sucks trying to stream content from the MyFios app and watch it on the TV with miracast is very frustrating.
I use amazon fire stick and mirroring in android settings. I not sure if it works on apple phones.
__________________
Warren
2014 Silverado Z71 4x4- 5.3
Flagstaff 21 FRBS
235 nights camping this past 30 months
31000 miles
That is the problem with MiraCast, it uses peer to peer wifi to connect the phone to the TV dongle. It is one way to go, but we need better and will get it. Right now using the phone as a hotspot is probably best, but that means you need a Roku Apple TV or something like that to play the video. In addition, Verizon, on its unlimited plan, only gives you 10 GB hotspot bandwidth per month. Enough only for a few movies per month.
However, Verizon will give you unlimited HD streaming to your phone and a cable from the phone to the TV will do it. Not perfect, but you need to charge the phone anyway or it will die with any solution. Not perfect either, as an OP indicated that you have to go to the TV to change things. Perhaps a Bluetooth remote TO THE APP ON THE PHONE will be better. That way you have wireless remote capability. As of yet, no one does this but they could and probably will. Today's Roku stick remote is a BlueTooth remote already.
Then your phone becomes your Roku or Apple TV and has its own cellular network connectivity...and you have a remote for your phone sitting in a charging and output cradle by your tv. Heck you could even do an auto pause if it rings and answer it from the remote, just like you do from BlueTooth headphones.
With cellular going to unlimited and phones with 1080p at a minimum, Verizon talking about deals like AT&Ts DirectTV for live programming, everything is going to change and change quickly.
That is the problem with MiraCast, it uses peer to peer wifi to connect the phone to the TV dongle. It is one way to go, but we need better and will get it. Right now using the phone as a hotspot is probably best, but that means you need a Roku Apple TV or something like that to play the video. In addition, Verizon, on its unlimited plan, only gives you 10 GB hotspot bandwidth per month. Enough only for a few movies per month.
However, Verizon will give you unlimited HD streaming to your phone and a cable from the phone to the TV will do it. Not perfect, but you need to charge the phone anyway or it will die with any solution. Not perfect either, as an OP indicated that you have to go to the TV to change things. Perhaps a Bluetooth remote TO THE APP ON THE PHONE will be better. That way you have wireless remote capability. As of yet, no one does this but they could and probably will. Today's Roku stick remote is a BlueTooth remote already.
Then your phone becomes your Roku or Apple TV and has its own cellular network connectivity...and you have a remote for your phone sitting in a charging and output cradle by your tv. Heck you could even do an auto pause if it rings and answer it from the remote, just like you do from BlueTooth headphones.
With cellular going to unlimited and phones with 1080p at a minimum, Verizon talking about deals like AT&Ts DirectTV for live programming, everything is going to change and change quickly.
It all depends on your source of video. What you call a problem is a feature for me. I get media via my call phone connecting to Youtube, Amazon, etc. I've heard wifi in campgrounds are not equipped or good for streaming. So the peer to peer wifi between my phone and the miracast dongle works very well. And fof $15 for the dongle, a cost effective solution. And no worries about hotspot limitations. I can use all the data to get media to my phone and then cast that over to the TV.
Actually we don't disagree, we agree. I prefer the phone as a streaming player, connected with broadband...a cable...rather than WiFi. 11080P, 4K, and on up. Campground WiFi is over. It never worked that well for streaming anyway. We will have streaming players with their own connection to the cellular network.
I just prefer to set the phone on the table...and use a BlueTooth remote to it. Otherwise no difference in our visions.
Ah, ok. Thanks for clarifying for me, Scott. Variations on a theme that works.
In fact I probably would have stuck to my wired solution from a prior phone (since I already had that adapter) except it doesn't work with the usb-c port on my current phone.
Kinda like new galaxy 8+ and their DeX dock, complete with an HDMI connector built in. Now if somebody would write a Roku like streaming app for Android, complete with a Bluetooth remote...all would be perfect. Too easy, somebody is going to do it but it won't be Roku, after all, what would they have to sell? It probably won't be Verizon or AT&T either, why help consumers eat bandwidth?
Not quite the same. Google Chromecast requires a secure wifi network and streams via that network. Miracast sets up a simple direct connection between the phone and the miracast dongle using a different form of wifi, device to device, also called peer to peer. No other wifi network or hotspot needed. Whatever you can stream or see on your phone is projected through the miracast dongle onto the TV. And it's $15 instead of $30-60.
What is the difference between this and google chrome cast?
Salt
Oops, not sure I derailed the response. Miracast is different from google chrome cast. Not sure the differences with the galaxy 8+ and Dex dock. Never saw one. Will defer to Scott on this.
Now, this was just announced, but I suspect that Samsung is onto something here. it isn't cheap, but that will come down. The idea is that you put the phone in a dock, where it charges and connects to all kinds of things, including, HDMI (up to 4K), ethernet, USB and a few other things. You phone becomes your streaming player, and you have to charge it anyway, so why not a nice cradle/dock?
My dream is a Bluetooth remote that goes with an app on the phone and it simply becomes a streaming player. You could also answer the phone with a button on the remote and the TV would show caller id. pause the playback, all in one!
Power and one cable...priceless. It can also work like a desktop to the TV, but I am not so sure about that. You can get an HDMI cable for most phones for less than $40, so it is still a little pricey.
Yep, you can, and save some money. However, in my coach I use the phone for GPS, and calls. I use a Sirius radio underway, with bluetooth to my speakers. Charging cables, adapters and whenever I touch the damn phone it does something else.
Dump it all (Sirius ain't that cheap anyway), put in a nice cradle in clear view of the driver's seat for the phone and leave it there. Everything uses the same device and the same connectivity. Besides, when the GPS wants to talk to me it cuts the streaming audio, when the phone rings it cuts the streaming audio.
No streaming players...same solution, and a Bluetooth remote something like this.
There is some value for cleanliness and ease of use...isn't there? But maybe not $150.00.
I'm lazy and didn't read every post so it may have been mentioned already. You can use screen mirroring on an Android phone to send video/audio to your Roku or Amazon Firestik.
You must allow it in settings on the Roku or Firestik first. Works pretty well.
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