topic Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes in Android TV

Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

TobiasRieper315 — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 04:29:34 GMT

I have a Sony Bravia Smart TV. I have iPhone 6s and wish to watch my Channel 4 App from phone to TV. There is a little 'wifi icon' on my iPhone that says 'connect to tv KD-55XD8599' at the top of my iPhone App.

I connect and and it appears to 'mirror' or show the content to my tv i.e. in this case Ch4OD. However, the programme just freezes/hangs and my programme doesn't play.

Am I doing anything wrong, is there something else I need to do etc?

Many thanks

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

joeldeluxe — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 08:33:21 GMT

@TobiasRieper315 wrote:
Hi

I have a Sony Bravia Smart TV. I have iPhone 6s and wish to watch my Channel 4 App from phone to TV. There is a little 'wifi icon' on my iPhone that says 'connect to tv KD-55XD8599' at the top of my iPhone App.

I connect and and it appears to 'mirror' or show the content to my tv i.e. in this case Ch4OD. However, the programme just freezes/hangs and my programme doesn't play.

Am I doing anything wrong, is there something else I need to do etc?

Many thanks

Is your TV connected using Wifi? If so try using a ethernet cable, it's often more stable as Wifi has a lot of interference

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

TobiasRieper315 — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 09:19:48 GMT

Yes, both my TV and iPhone are connected to wifi. TV via ethernet cable to my Router Hub and iPhone wirelessly.

But, is it as simple as this?

I've googled and apparently to view on the TV with Apple iPhone, you need an Apple TV and connect via AirPlay wirelessly.

To view any other means, i.e. Apple iPhone to Sony TV for example, you need a Lightning Adaptor cable connected to your Apple iPhone, then a USB from adaptor/iPhone to the TV in order to stream TV.

???

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

TobiasRieper315 — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 10:57:43 GMT

Anyone please?

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

Jecht_Sin — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 14:01:26 GMT

You may do it the other way around. Which means to enable AirPlay on your television. There are various Android apps for that purpose. For example you can test this one:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.waxrain.airplayer

Which is free. If it works like you want you may get the Pro version. Otherwise test similar apps. The one on the link was at most fine from my MacBook Pro (streaming is bad no matter what. Or at least I never managed to make it crystal clear).

Still I am a bit surprised that an iPhone app is using Googlecast (the "wifi" icon you used). But i don't own an iPhone, so what do I know..

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

TobiasRieper315 — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 16:03:58 GMT

Hi Jecht_Sin,

I was of the understanding that 'AirPlay' only works with Apple TV.

I will explain in detail what I wish to achieve, if it is possible:

I have an Apple iPhone 6s.

I have the All4 App on my iPhone.

I would like to play the content from the All4 App (which is on my iPhone) and play it on my Sony Bravia TV (rather than watch it on a small device i.e. my iPhone).

Is this possible? (I'm not sure it is)

Here are two images to assist you:

(1) Screenshot from my All4 App

(2) Screenshot when I connect (but nothing happens !)

Which makes me think that it is not compatible or possible to do?

i.e. Youtube is easy peasy, but the above scenario I don't think is.

That little 'wifi' icon in the square, is that Googlecast, or is it just telling you that the device can be connected to another compatible device i.e. an Apple TV ?

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

kinggo01 — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 16:18:23 GMT

just an idea...... why don't you sideload All 4 apk on your TV and run it there?

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

TobiasRieper315 — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 18:20:10 GMT

Hi kinggo01,

I have Sky connected to my Sony TV and although Sky does have the All4 App, it doesn't have that 'My4', the part where you can watch those 'Walter Presents' series (that are not always broadcast on TV).

You can only watch 'All4' on a Sony TV via 'Youview' (i.e. aerial connection). In my flat, the aerial socket is on the other side of the room!! (Don't ask).

The All4 App on my PS3 which was a good work around, has now decided (after they updated it) to not function properly!! (continually freezes)

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

kinggo01 — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 19:07:27 GMT

and again, why don't you try sideloading All4 apk on your TV? The same app that you use on your iPhone just for android. It has My4, at least it is shown in playstore

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.channel4.ondemand

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

TobiasRieper315 — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 20:36:04 GMT

You can't king. On the Sony Bravia TV Android system, the All4 App can only be watched via Youview. (Explained above).

I tried the Google Play Store and you cannot get the All4 App, as it is already featured but only on Youview.

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

kinggo01 — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 21:16:48 GMT

I can't since I'm not in UK. But app as such exist for android. And you have android TV which is capable of running android apps. So, even if the app is not available in playstore, you can google the apk, put that on the stick, plug it in, install (enable unknown sources under security and install some file manager to find the apk if you don't have one already) the app and see if it works. The playstore on TV has only apps certified for Android TV platform but you can install almost any other app via apk file. Will it work is another question. Most of the time they run just fine but they are not remote friendly or have the wrong orientation or..... But the point is that you can try that very easily.

And I can't help you with the iPhone since I don't use one. But from experience, casting from android is not a problem, mirroring my Z2 tablet is not a problem, using TV as secondary monitor under windows 10....... well, it works but it's not as straight forward as first two scenarios. So, maybe even iPhone works but it needs something special. After all, it's Apple style not to follow standards.

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

TobiasRieper315 — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 23:18:40 GMT

Hi king,

Ah, ok, I see what you mean now. I'm learning fast with a bit of googling. However, I think its a no go, look here at my screenshot when I went to Google Play Store to try and download the All4 App:

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

Jecht_Sin — Sun, 19 Mar 2017 08:31:21 GMT

@TobiasRieper315 wrote:
Hi Jecht_Sin,

I was of the understanding that 'AirPlay' only works with Apple TV.

That little 'wifi' icon in the square, is that Googlecast, or is it just telling you that the device can be connected to another compatible device i.e. an Apple TV ?

Ok, I see I probably contributed to make a bit of confusion. This is how it works:

1. The app(s) I mentioned make the Android TV compatible with AirPlay. After installing and enabling it I see my television as an AirPlay device from my Mac. I am quite sure it will be the same from your iPhone

2. Googlecast is somehow the Android equivalent of Apple's AirPlay. And as such I thought it didn't work with Apple's devices. I've never seen it my Mac, but I don't know about Apple's mobile devices. Then your app (Channel 4 if I remember correctly) shows its icon (the oblique WiFi logo in a box. That's Google Cast. Chromecast instead is the device connected via HDMI), it connects via Google Cast to the TV but then (and most likely because it isn't a native iOS protocol), sometime it fails.

So I suggested to try the route number 1 instead of route number 2. (the one you are currently using). Doing so you should be able to use an Android TV as if it was an Apple TV. At least for what regards the streaming of content from an iPhone or Mac to your television. It should be completely seamless and all iPhone apps should work without any extra configuration in the phone (the Android app in the TV, instead, has quite some settings. But you configure it once, make it running at boot and you're all done).

It isn't clear of bugs either (maybe it may disconnect or else), but from the little I tested from my Mac it worked.

PS: Here a picture of Google Cast. I googled it to be sure I was using the correct terminlogy:

Re: Connect iPhone to Sony TV to watch programmes

kinggo01 — Sun, 19 Mar 2017 09:18:05 GMT

@TobiasRieper315

don't go to playstore. If you are doing this on the TV browser then open up google.com and search for "all4 apk" and youll get a bunch of results. Find the latest version (check in playstore to see the number) and download that apk. Fire up some filmanager and that apk should be in your Downloads folder, select, install and see how it goes.