An HDMI cable is a great way for you to connect any device to a TV or an external display. It allows you to display media playing on your small-screen device to a more visually accessible display so that more people can have a look at your content; the biggest downside is that it requires a physical connection—cables can be hazardous to clumsy people. When it comes to wirelessly mirror your device’s screen, there are a few options to consider. One of them is Miracast.
Miracast utilises WiFi Direct technology to build a connection between two devices without the need for a router. Therefore, you will be able to connect a mobile device (laptop, smartphone or tablet) to a secondary display receiver (TV, projector or monitor)—with it, your what is on the screen of your mobile device will be mirrored on a TV, projection or monitor screen.
Like many other pieces of technology, there will be some compatibility issues with Miracast. To date, both of Apple’s operating systems, OS X and iOS, do not support Miracast; therefore there is no Miracast for Mac version that exists. This is simply because Apple has its screen mirroring solution, Airplay.
AirPlay allows users to view and watch media content from a source device i.e. iPhone, iPad, Mac or MacBook to an Apple TV. Unlike Miracast, which is purely a mirroring solution, Airplay pallows users to multitask while streaming the media content on your source device. This simply means that you can use your iPhone, iPad, Mac or MacBook for other things and it would not appear on your Apple TV screen.
While it does have its perks, it does come with a couple of limitations. First, it can only work with Apple devices; therefore, you cannot use Airplay to mirror screens from or to non-Apple devices. Airplay is also currently compatible with the only second- and third-generation Apple TVs so you are out of luck if you have a first-generation model.