USB C HDMI for phone to monitor?
Discussion
I am just trying to fathom whether this is possible, we stay in a variety of places as guests where the TVs are not smart TVs. If I buy a USB C to HDMI cable, can I simply plug a mobile phone into the TV using this cable and watch apps like Netflix / Prime? Logically it would work as the HDMI output would be coming from the phone however I don't know if screen mirroring is the only method of performing this function, would the signal actually come out the USB C to allow this to work?
It is very much phone dependent and can be a right faff.
It can be much better value / easier buying a fire stick or Roku tv stick with a hdmi extension cable and a usb charger.
Remember that you will have to contend with badly placed hdmi sockets and lack of wifi / mobile data signal, all of which makes rigging up your phone in this way a bad idea.
I've quite often had to have the phone running the hotspot for the firestick whilst left perched on the window sill for best data signal.
It can be much better value / easier buying a fire stick or Roku tv stick with a hdmi extension cable and a usb charger.
Remember that you will have to contend with badly placed hdmi sockets and lack of wifi / mobile data signal, all of which makes rigging up your phone in this way a bad idea.
I've quite often had to have the phone running the hotspot for the firestick whilst left perched on the window sill for best data signal.
Yes it plugs in via hdmi and is powered by usb. It has it's own operating system and a remote control, so plug it into the telly and use the remote to navigate through the on screen menus to configure wifi details etc.
It's better to configure it at home, download the different netflix/prime etc apps and have them all logged in then add your phone hotspot WiFi details to it. This way, everything is ready for when you plug it into the hotel telly.
It's better to configure it at home, download the different netflix/prime etc apps and have them all logged in then add your phone hotspot WiFi details to it. This way, everything is ready for when you plug it into the hotel telly.
As eltawater says, it depends on the phone. 10+ years ago I had a Samsung Galaxy Note II that could drive HDMI via an adapter from its USB port. It needed its own power supply via yet another USB charging cable, so it was a bit of a bird's nest, but it worked OK. Didn't have a super-deep colour scale, so you'd sometimes see artifacts on the screen when watching films. My more recent phones don't seem to be able to do it.
If it’s an iPhone it’ll work just fine; done that many times myself (same with our iPads) when we’ve been up to my folks property in the Highlands and I’ve downloaded movies / series onto the device etc (now have an Apple TV connected to the main TV)
Never tried it with Android; but don’t see why it shouldn’t work
Never tried it with Android; but don’t see why it shouldn’t work
Road2Ruin said:
Ubiquitous2024 said:
Cheers, its a Samsung Galaxy, but ROKU seems the way forward!
I don't think the Galaxy range support MHL (what is needed for HDMI over USB). But a firestick or Roku l, it will stream wirelessly to them. I know the firestick has it's own wireless network direct.lRoad2Ruin said:
I don't think the Galaxy range support MHL (what is needed for HDMI over USB). But a firestick or Roku l, it will stream wirelessly to them. I know the firestick has it's own wireless network direct.l
My S22U works with a USBC dock or USBC to hdmi cable.When I plug it in I get the option of mirroring the phone screen or switching to Samsung Dex which is a basic desktop like experience with windows for the apps.
JimbobVFR said:
Road2Ruin said:
I don't think the Galaxy range support MHL (what is needed for HDMI over USB). But a firestick or Roku l, it will stream wirelessly to them. I know the firestick has it's own wireless network direct.l
My S22U works with a USBC dock or USBC to hdmi cable.When I plug it in I get the option of mirroring the phone screen or switching to Samsung Dex which is a basic desktop like experience with windows for the apps.
It’s worth noting that using the phone as a hotspot in this manor means you will be using your phones data plan when watching streamed content.
It might be better to understand how it connects to wifi and be comfortable in changing it in each destination to the local wifi presence.
Only using a hotspot in there is poor/no wifi.
Obviously if you have sufficient data streaming on the phone then it’s doesn’t matter so much bar a weak phone signal as it would allow you to connect to the wifi.
It might be better to understand how it connects to wifi and be comfortable in changing it in each destination to the local wifi presence.
Only using a hotspot in there is poor/no wifi.
Obviously if you have sufficient data streaming on the phone then it’s doesn’t matter so much bar a weak phone signal as it would allow you to connect to the wifi.
Road2Ruin said:
They must hav3 added it back in gaining. My S9 didn't work, but my S7 did. I thought I read they had got rid of it.
AIUI the older models with micro usb used MHL whereas the newer USB-C models no longer use MHL but Alt DP mode which is part of the USBC standards.I just use a standard Anker USBc hub with my phone, a bit like this one.
https://amzn.eu/d/hpuZqTR
I take a USB-C to HDMI cable and my iPad with me when I travel
It sometimes works with hotel TVs, but not at most chains as the sets tend to be "locked down". The first challenge are that flat screen TV sets are usually fixed to the wall and the HDMI ports are often in the middle of the back of the set. The second challenge, particularly at commercial hotel chains that sell TV content as a revenue stream is that the custom remote controls they supply often don't have a "select input" button, so you can't view one of the spare HDMI inputs
When it works, it works fine. As noted, some apps like Sky Go don't support HDMI out, but you can mirror the device screen, which can be a bit clunky and only use part of the hotel TV screen
It sometimes works with hotel TVs, but not at most chains as the sets tend to be "locked down". The first challenge are that flat screen TV sets are usually fixed to the wall and the HDMI ports are often in the middle of the back of the set. The second challenge, particularly at commercial hotel chains that sell TV content as a revenue stream is that the custom remote controls they supply often don't have a "select input" button, so you can't view one of the spare HDMI inputs
When it works, it works fine. As noted, some apps like Sky Go don't support HDMI out, but you can mirror the device screen, which can be a bit clunky and only use part of the hotel TV screen
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