Understanding Miracast Vs Chromecast Vs Airplay Technologies
Chromecast Vs Miracast Vs Airplay are wireless display technologies, or we can say standards that allow to cast your mobile or laptop display over another Miracast supported device.
Using Miracast, you can wirelessly screen mirror you mobile and laptop to TVs and Laptops too.
Miracast only supports screen mirror of one device over another device wirelessly, Chromecast and Airplay standards also supports streaming of media along with media control on the supported devices besides screen mirroring.
Let us understand these Miracast Vs Chromecast Vs Airplay display technologies in detail.
Table of Contents
Understanding Miracast Vs Chromecast Vs Airplay Wireless Display Technology
Miracast Technology
Miracast is developed by Wi-Fi alliance in 2012, it was previously named as HDMI over Wi-Fi or wireless HDMI. Miracast is a standard that allow to connect the Miracast supported devices with each other regardless of their make and model.
Over Miracast 1080p resolution video with 5.1 channel surround sound can be transmitted.
Today All the android mobiles with version 4.2 and above, laptops with Windows 8.1 and above and Windows Phone with 8.1 and above supports Miracast wireless display.
Different manufacturers create their own unique nomenclature to the Miracast standard, so it makes confusion that particular TV or mobile support Miracast or not.
For example, LG labelled their Miracast support as “SmartShare”, Samsung named it as “AllShareCast” and Sony given name as “screen-mirroring” etc.
To project your android mobile wirelessly on Miracast supported TV, just swipe down the status bar, in the quick settings tiles choose “cast”, “Screen Mirror”, Allsharecast” etc. as per device manufacturer.
Now select the TV name to start screen mirroring, if some popup shown on TV to allow the device, from remote press ok to allow and connect.
Similarly on the laptop, open action centre, now click on connect, choose the TV shown as wireless display option to connect start display over TV.
In case you are facing difficulties check the TV manual for more details, sometimes by defaults screen mirroring not enabled in settings of TV.
What is Wi-Fi direct (Wi-Di) technology
For the Miracast supported receivers a separate wireless router is not required as they have inbuilt Wi-Fi direct technology that create their own closed wireless network to cast display on these receivers.
However, Smart TV supports wireless display feature using Wi-Fi direct as well as through routers.
Miracast display works in both the direction for example you can project your Windows 10 laptops display on each other using Miracast.
However, Chromecast and apple airplay receive data to the receivers only, in one direction.
Wi-fi direct is now inbuilt with intel wireless cads and owned by Intel. Wi-Di technology is now bundled with Miracast.
To enable the Wi-fi direct open TV network settings, now enable Wi-Di if not enabled and also set the password that will require during connecting this device wirelessly.
How to check your device is supported Miracast or not
Almost the android and windows mobiles, windows laptops, and smart TVs manufactured after 2014 should support Miracast.
But for confirmation you have to check the device specifications through their website on the device manual that particular TV or mobile is supported for Miracast or not.
You can also search on wifi.org Website is your device support for Miracast or not.
If your TV does support Miracast, you can also buy Microsoft Miracast receiver form Amazon. Using this receiver, you can use your TV as wireless display.
Disadvantage of Miracast
Miracast is very easier solution to cast display over other TV or supported projectors. Even this is a standard technology regardless of device manufacturer, but it does not work smoothly on all the devices.
Some devices may face freezing of display or even not able to connect even both are supported Miracast technology.
Miracast doesn’t work on apple devices like iPhone, iPad, MacBook.
There is no streaming feature in the Miracast technology, if your phone or laptop goes into sleep the display will also be disconnected.
Further you cannot use your mobile for other purposes. As it is just a replica of your mobile over TV.
As your mobile continuously transmitting data over Wi-Fi, it may get hot, and battery will drain quickly.
Also, there is no media control options during wireless media transmitting. As like Chromecast and airplay have, where you can pause, play, stop using the notification panel.
Advantage of Miracast
For Miracast service you need not require purchasing separate dongle as like in the case of Chromecast. Further this service is network independent, that does not require working internet access as like Chromecast and airplay.
Connection is hassle free, just enable connection from settings in one go. No separate installation of any app or setup required as in the case of Chromecast.
Chromecast Wireless display Technology
Chromecast is developed by Google some places it is also called Google cast as in Android TVs
To work the wireless display feature work, you need a Chromecast device to be plugged into your TV’s HDMI port.
Now Android TV, Android TV Boxes, Android Set top boxes come with built in Chromecast feature. So that these devices also work for Chromecast features.
There is no requirement of your TV to be a smart for cast and streaming over Chromecast through media streaming apps. Chromecast can be plugged into the any normal TV’s HDMI port. Even using Chromecast, you can convert your monitor into smart TV.
There is also no requirement of having Wi-Fi network card in the TV as Chromecast will fetch data from the wireless router directly.
Using Chromecast, you can screen mirror your Android mobiles, tablets, Chromebook, Windows laptop using Chrome browser.
However, Apple device and Windows phone are not supported for screen mirroring using Chromecast. You need some third-party apps to work wireless screen mirroring from iPhone to Chromecast.
Chromecast also feature to stream media from supported apps e.g. YouTube, Google Photos, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video etc.
During streaming the use of your mobile or tab is only up to search the content on the supported apps like You tube, Amazon prime, Netflix, Hotstar.
After searching the video, you can use Chromecast icon to handover this content to the Chromecast dongle or Android TV that will connect the same media link over the internet directly.
Now the use of your mobile is over, however you can control the media playing using media control button on the phone. You can raise and lower the volume, play/pause the video, stop the video etc.
Chromecast media streaming feature is not manufacturer dependent. All the apps that supported the Chromecast feature can use this media streaming using Android mobile, Apple mobile, Chrome browser on windows laptops.
Drawbacks of Chromecast
Chromecast drawback is that you cannot connect the Chromecast dongle over school, hotel, office Wi-Fi networks where additional authentication are required over the browser for security.
Screen mirroring from apple devices not supported.
You always need your android mobile to setup the Chromecast first time using Google Home app.
If you don’t have your mobile with you, you cannot play media over Chromecast. However, using Amazon firestick, android box, Smart TVs you can also search and play media using the device itself from their remote.
Understanding Apple airplay Technology
Apple airplay is developed by Apple for the apple devices like iPhone, iPad and MacBook through Apple TV and supported airplay smart TVs.
It works similar like Chromecast as here Chromecast dongle is replaced by apple TV to screen mirror and stream media from apple devices.
Here do not confuse with the name apple TV with other physical TVs like Samsung, LG, Sony TV etc. This is a device like android TV box or Amazon Fire TV box that plug into the HDMI port of your TV.
This device will connect with Wi-Fi and supports the same feature as like Amazon fire TV or stick.
When you tap over the airplay icon on the supported apps, the content will start playing over the apple TV or supported Smart TVs, similar way to Chromecast feature where content is handover by mobile to Apple TV.
In airplay also, you can control the media through your apple devices like play, pause, stop etc.
Disadvantages of Apple airplay
Apple air play only supports between apple devices.
Apple airplay required to be connected with internet through wireless router.
Other things to mention
DLNA technology
DLNA (Digital Living Networking Alliance) is also a wireless streaming multimedia standard. If your TV supported DLNA, you can stream media files from your Windows PC to TV directly by right click over the media file choosing cast icon and select the TV name from here.
Under this standard your PC become a digital media server and TV become as digital media receiver and played the file on the smart TV.
For this feature to work the media files you want to cast should be compatible to the TV’s playing list of media file type.
Alternate to Miracast: Anycast
Anycast is a Chromecast like dongle that works on multiple OS platform like Windows, Android, Apple.
To connect anycast insert the dongle into the HDMI port of TV, now powered on the anycast, on the display scan QR code to install app or install EZMira app from respective app store.
Follow the steps on the screen or refer the Anycast manual.
The benefit if Anycast over Chromecast is that it has on inbuilt browser, using that you can provide user id password on the login-based Wi-Fi network like in office and schools.
Final Words
Hope you are now able to understand differences between Miracast vs Chromecast vs Airplay, three popular wireless display technologies.
Every technology has its own pros and cons. Miracast is easy to setup and use, no additional dongle is required, no wireless router or internet required. However, there is no media streaming option available.
On the other hand, Chromecast and Airplay have media streaming function along with screen mirroring nut their support are restricted to apple device or Google devices and apps.
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