# Screen mirroring, ChromeCast, MiraCast,Airplay
Jump to:
1. What is ChromeCast?
2. What is the Difference Between ChromeCast and Google Cast?
3. What is the Difference Between ChromeCast and MiraCast?
4. Other Screen Casting Devices
Differences Between Mirroring & ChromeCast or Similar Devices
2. What is the Difference Between ChromeCast and Google Cast?
3. What is the Difference Between ChromeCast and MiraCast?
4. Other Screen Casting Devices
Differences Between Mirroring & ChromeCast or Similar Devices
In the market, there are several devices that can help users to cast the screen of the handphones, tablets or PC to the TV. Some of these come in the form of an App are free; other come complete with apparatus that will cost some money. This article is not intended to find out which device or App is the best but to introduce the concept of mirroring and find out the differences between the various devices to understand them.
What is Mirroring ?
Simply put, it is a way to cast what is shown on the screen of the handphones, tablets or PC directly to the TV. It is done either through a solid cable or through the home WiFi network.
Mirroring will need 2 similar apps, one to be installed in the handphone and the other in the Smart TV unless the TV already has built-in devices like GoogleCast or MiraCast that that can work with the mirroring apps in the phones.
Mirroring will need 2 similar apps, one to be installed in the handphone and the other in the Smart TV unless the TV already has built-in devices like GoogleCast or MiraCast that that can work with the mirroring apps in the phones.
During mirroring, the phone must be on or put on standby mode, allowing the mirroring apps to run at all time.
ChromeCast is a streaming device that has its own CPU, RAM and Flash memory, wireless module just like any other set top box except it utilises handphone as a remote control using wireless or Bluetooth connectivity. To control the ChromeCast, the handphone will need to have an app called “Google Home”. The phone can be switched off when the link to the Chromecast has been established.
Inside ChromeCast |
The main difference is that ChromeCast has its own CPU, RAM and storage memory. It is acting like a small set top box. It can work independently using the TV as a dumb screen provided the TV has a HDMI input port.
On the other hand, Google Cast is a ChromeCast component built into the Smart TV. It works within the Smart TV and helps to receive the link from the phone and runs the appropriate apps in the Smart TV. Like ChromeCast, the phone is used only to establish the link and can be switched off once the link has been established. Google Cast is also known to be “ChromeCast Built-in”
DoubleClick to Enlarge Picture |
MiraCast, like ChromeCast, come with both, the stand-alone as dongle or built-in into Smart TV. Its primary purpose is to replace the wireless links such as HDMI and Wifi network between the phone and the Smart TV. MiraCast is often used for "Power Point" presentation in places where there are no local Wifi network. Unlike ChromeCast, MiraCast is just a mirroring device that do not have any streaming capability.
Doubleclick to enlarge Picture |
In the market, there are also many other similar screen casting devices. They can be grouped into 4 groups. They are more or less the same except some have special and separate functions
Casting Devices | Brand Name | Remarks |
Group I Mirror Screening Device using Apps | AirPlay, Airscreen, HappyCast,Apower Mirror, DLNA, Wukong Remote, Lebo, Mi ScreenCast | |
Group 2 Mirror Screening Device using dongle remote devices | MiraCast | |
Group 3 Streaming Device (stick or dongle | Google ChromeCast; Roku stick, Amazon Fire TV stick | Some come with separate remote controls |
Group 4 Streaming Device (set top box) | Apple TV Box, Nvidia Shield TV, Roku Ultra, MiBox |