Not so long ago, controlling a TV from a cell phone was considered a fantastic and impossible task. Modern technologies have stepped forward, and now controlling a TV using a regular smartphone is quite possible. Since everyone has a cell phone, why wouldn't they notice the remote control? Smartphone app developers and electronics companies have turned this idea into reality. They didn’t limit themselves to the question of how to control the TV from the phone, but went even further - in addition to the remote control function, they can now completely duplicate the smartphone screen on the TV, as well as launch various content directly on the TV.
From the topic of the article it is clear that a smartphone can fully replace a standard push-button remote control. How to do this and what is required for this? More on this later in the article.
What do you need to control your TV from your phone? Developers of modern technology try to minimize instructions for setting up and connecting a particular device.
The company’s task is to make the operation of various equipment as comfortable and simple as possible. There is no need to spend a long time studying instructions, watching videos, or communicating on forums to find an answer to the question “How to use your phone as a regular remote control for a TV device?”
You will need a smartphone, TV and an application. The most popular option is a Wi-Fi connection. Thanks to the presence of a wireless interface, the user will be able to install various applications and connect different devices.
Today, wireless connections are available even in the cheapest mobile phones, and television devices are no exception. Wi-Fi is supported only by Smart TV and “smart” operating systems, turning it into a device with advanced functionality.
You can control an older TV model without Wi-Fi support only if your smartphone has an IR transmitter. Next, we’ll take a closer look at the guide to controlling your TV using apps.
Selecting an application to control your TV
Users know what is needed to control the TV from a tablet and smartphone. Now we will look at the most popular applications, plus we will study the connection process.
The emphasis will be on software for Android devices, since it is for this operating system that more utilities are presented. In most cases, the programs are universal, so they are suitable for any technology. Most of them are also used for iPhone.
Most often, in free applications you will be haunted by annoying advertisements. It is best to choose one with a minimum amount of advertising for comfortable control of your TV. After all, constantly pop-up video clips repel the user and overload the cell phone.
There are branded manufacturers that support their specific line of smartphones and develop software for high-quality synchronization of the virtual remote control with their smart TV models, and to support their own brand.
This decision by companies is considered quite practical, especially if a person prefers a specific brand. Also, companies integrate unique functions into such developments for maximum interaction between cellular and TV.
Let's imagine that you are the owner of a TV and cell phone from the global brand Samsung. In such a situation, there is no need to use other applications to connect these devices.
In such a situation, Samsung SmartView is the best option. The main competitor, also the Korean company LG, did not approach the development of the application so critically. Their LG TV Remote app can be used on any Android or iOS device, regardless of brand.
Let's look at how to switch channels on a TV using a cell phone next.
TV Remote to control any TV
A universal functional applet suitable for TVs from different manufacturers. To control your smart TV, install the application, grant the necessary system permissions, and then select your TV model from the list. To speed up the process, use the search bar at the top of the page. To switch TV channels, you can use the usual “arrow keys” and the numeric keypad. The application is distributed completely free of charge, but from time to time it displays ad blocks - it is impossible to disable them.
Additional advantages of the applet:
- Functions that allow you to control your TV from your phone are available in Russian.
- Ability to add your TV to your favorites list.
- Easy to select a model and pair with TV.
You can download TV Remote from this link.
Connecting a smartphone to a TV
The entire process is carried out using a wireless connection. As a result, two devices must be connected to the same network. Set up synchronization between equipment through a direct connection via Wi-Fi Direct (the function must be present in both devices) or a Wi-Fi router.
If you are using a TV device model without Wi-Fi, you can connect it with a cable and control your TV without problems - this will not be an obstacle. Smart TV will receive packets with information from the Wi-Fi router, and you can control it from your cell phone via a wireless network.
This option is considered quite convenient in some situations. Because the transfer speed over a LAN cable is much higher than over Wi-Fi. As a result, if the user’s router gives a weak signal, then it is best to give preference to a direct connection. That is, the videos will be viewed on a smart TV, and control is carried out from a cellular TV via a wireless connection.
In general, it’s clear how to connect a phone to a TV. Let's imagine that you already have a smartphone and smart TV connected to the router. If there are any problems, you need to study the features of connecting the gadget and TV to the router.
You may encounter problems when connecting your gadget to a television device. In this case, you need to check the parameters; to do this, make sure that:
- Smart TV and smartphone are on the same network.
- UPnP is activated (not disabled) on the router.
- The firewall does not stop traffic between these devices and the local network.
How to control an old TV from a tablet (smartphone)
A rather interesting solution was proposed by the Xiaomi company, known in the gadget market as an organization that produces inexpensive but high-quality smartphones with high performance and additional features.
Through the built-in infrared port, Xiaomi smartphones are now able to control older television devices that do not have Wi-Fi. This control method applies to air conditioners, projectors and other equipment. If you own a TV without Smart TV support, you can purchase a Xiaomi cellular phone and control the device via the infrared port.
If we consider the features of connecting a phone to a TV, there are no difficult issues regarding software. You may have thought that you have to connect the TV to the PC, thereby activating the program. Everything is much simpler. You will need to download the application to your mobile device, depending on the operating system, then connect your smartphone and TV, make adjustments to their operation, and that’s it.
First of all, it is recommended to find official applications for the correct operation of the television device. When purchasing a model from the LG brand, you will need to familiarize yourself with the company’s website. If the company is no less well-known, then you need to find universal software. Most often, such applications contain the phrases Remote Control or Remote TV. For example, the following applications can be considered:
- Universal Remote Control Free;
- ZaZa Remote;
- Peel Smart Remote, etc.
When the user does not want to depend on the wireless Internet, plus he also bought a cell phone from Xiaomi with an infrared port, he may not need to perform additional actions. The official Mi Remote application must be present on the mobile phone. The program is quite simple and easy to use.
We open the software, synchronize with the necessary TV, and you can simply forget about the control panel.
You can move on to studying applications that, in force majeure situations, can easily perform the functions of a real TV remote control after installation on your phone.
TV Control Applications
Let's look at the most popular applications that will help you use your smartphone as a remote control.
TV Remote Control
Universal software that allows you to control television equipment using a smartphone. The application does not have a Russian-language version, but the intuitive and simple interface completely compensates for this flaw. Therefore, every user can master the functionality of the main menu.
Set up a wireless Internet connection or synchronize the program and devices via the IrDa interface. Then write down the IP address of the TV, and also select yours from the list of proposed models. The application developers have implemented support for popular models from leading manufacturers: LG, Samsung, Panasonic, Sharp, Akai and many others.
The software has many useful commands for controlling Android TV: power on, numeric keypad, channel switching and sound settings. There are no paid versions of the software with extended functionality, so advertisements will appear periodically.
Easy Universal TV Remote
A program for mobile phones that turns the device into a remote control. This software differs from its analogues only in its interface. Accordingly, the set of commands remains virtually unchanged. Using Easy Universal TV Remote, you can turn on the TV via your phone or change the sound, change the channel, etc.
To get started, just select one of the 3 proposed mobile device connection modes, as well as the TV model. Mostly free programs have one common drawback - there is no option to disable advertising. Accordingly, it is impossible to get rid of annoying banners that overload the smartphone’s processor and interfere with the normal use of the application, as well as to expand the functionality of the software.
Samsung universal remote control
South Korean equipment manufacturer Samsung is perhaps the most famous brand in the world. Of course, the company had no right to leave consumers without a proprietary application that would allow them to use the phone as a remote control.
The program is called Samsung SmartView, and it is presented in the form of a practical and simple utility. The main feature is the function of broadcasting images both from a smartphone to a TV and vice versa. Therefore, you can watch your favorite TV shows even when you are away from your TV device.
Naturally, it is impossible to control an LG TV or a device from any other company from this program. Immediately after the application was posted on the Play Market, the first user reviews began to appear, which were mostly negative. Users note a huge number of bugs that significantly complicate their work.
If we talk about the advantages, then it is worth highlighting the multifunctionality. The application is designed not only for TVs, but for any equipment from Samsung that is equipped with a built-in IR port.
For users who have several TVs in their home, it is possible to create a special quick access tab for each model. If additional gadgets are connected to the TV device, for example, an audio system or a game console, then using Samsung SmartView you can quickly configure the operation of the equipment within one menu.
Main functionality of the software:
- Unique remote control. The user will be able to add his own buttons for various commands, as well as set their shape, color and size. You can also install an icon on each key.
- Creating macros. Ability to customize the list of actions in one click. This could be changing channels, changing the volume, or turning on the TV.
- Create and save IR codes for various commands.
- Scanning models to set up synchronization.
- Backup. Absolutely all basic parameters and commands can be transferred to another smartphone without any problems.
- Widget for the main menu of an Android smartphone. You can control your TV device without even opening the program.
Onezap Remote
Another very practical, and most importantly inexpensive application for remote control of television equipment. The software database contains over 250 integrated devices: Samsung, Sony, LG, Bose, Pioneer and others.
Users will be able to use a pre-installed menu or create one from scratch. At the same time, they will be able to choose even the color design of the interface, the size and shape of the keys. When a DVD player is connected to the TV, the option appears to create a separate key or set of keys to control several devices.
Benefits of mobile control
Connecting iPhone to TV via WiFi
Many users are so accustomed to using remote control that they are not aware of the capabilities of modern technologies or for some reason are afraid of them. But they are created precisely to make life easier and more comfortable. The main advantages of controlling a TV via a smartphone:
- unlike the remote control, which is constantly lost, the phone is always at hand;
- through a mobile device you can not only change the volume, but also broadcast video to the big screen;
- in the search it is much easier to enter information from a smartphone or tablet;
- The stationary remote control often breaks down, the keys get stuck and stop working.
Note! Having assessed all the advantages, the conclusion arises that using a phone to control TV is much more convenient. The user will need very little time to adapt to the changes.
