Miracast

Miracast is a standard for wireless connections from sending devices (such as laptops, tablets, or smartphones) to display receivers (such as TVs, monitors, or projectors), introduced in 2012 by the Wi-Fi Alliance. It can roughly be described as "HDMI over Wi-Fi", replacing the cable from the device to the display.[1]

The Wi-Fi Alliance launched the Miracast certification program at the end of 2012.[2] Devices that are Miracast-certified can communicate with each other, regardless of manufacturer. Adapters became available that may be plugged either into HDMI or USB ports, allowing devices without built-in Miracast support to connect via Miracast. In 2013, Nvidia announced support for Miracast.[3]

Miracast employs the peer-to-peer Wi-Fi Direct standard. It allows sending up to 1080p HD video (H.264 codec) and 5.1 surround sound (AAC and AC3 are optional codecs, mandated codec is linear pulse-code modulation – 16 bits 48 kHz 2 channels).[4] The connection is created via WPS and therefore is secured with WPA2. IPv4 is used on the Internet layer. On the transport layer, TCP or UDP are used. On the application layer, the stream is initiated and controlled via RTSP, RTP for the data transfer.[5][6][7][8]

Devices

The Wi-Fi Alliance maintains a list of certified devices, which numbered over 6,700 as of 9 March 2017.[9]

Nvidia announced support in 2012 for their Tegra 3 platform,[10] and Freescale Semiconductor, Texas Instruments, Qualcomm, Marvell Technology Group and other chip vendors have also announced their plans to support it.[11] Actiontec Electronics also supports Miracast with its line of ScreenBeam products.[12]

Both devices (the sender and the receiver) need to be Miracast certified for the technology to work. However, to stream music and movies to a non-certified device, Miracast adapters are available that plug into HDMI or USB ports.[13]

On 29 October 2012, Google announced that Android version 4.2+ (from an updated version of Jelly Bean) supports the Miracast wireless display standard, and by default have it integrated.[14] With Android 6.0 Marshmallow, released in 2015, Miracast support was dropped.[15] Despite this, there are still Miracast apps for Android available.[16]

As of 8 January 2013, the LG Nexus 4 and Sony's Xperia Z, ZL, T and V officially supported the function,[17][18] as did HTC One, Motorola in their Droid Maxx & Ultra flagships, and Samsung in its Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II under the moniker AllShare Cast.[19] The Galaxy S4 uses Samsung Link for its implementation.[20]

In October 2013, BlackBerry released its 10.2.1 update to most of the existing BlackBerry 10 devices available at that time. As of March 2015, the BlackBerry Q10, Q5, Z30, and later models support Miracast streaming; the BlackBerry Z10 does not support Miracast, due to hardware limitations.[21]

In April 2013, Rockchip unveiled a Miracast adapter powered by the RK2928.[22]

Microsoft also added support for Miracast in Windows 8.1 (announced in June 2013) and Windows 10.[23][24] This functionality first became available in the Windows 8.1 Preview, and is available on hardware with supported Miracast drivers from hardware (GPU) manufacturers such as those listed above.

The WDTV Live Streaming Media Player added Miracast support with firmware version 2.02.32

The Amazon Fire TV Stick, which started shipping on 19 November 2014, also supports Miracast.

The Roku streaming stick and Roku TV started providing support for Miracast starting October 2014.[25]

On 28 July 2013, Google announced the availability of the Chromecast powered by a Marvell DE3005-A1,[26] but despite the similarity in name and Google's early support of Miracast in Android, the Chromecast does not support Miracast.

On 23 September 2014, Microsoft announced the Microsoft Wireless Display Adaptor, a USB-powered HDMI dongle for high definition televisions.[27][28]

As of late April 2016, the Ubuntu Touch-powered Meizu Pro 5 supported Miracast in OTA-11.[29]

Functionality

The technology was promoted to work across devices, regardless of brand. Miracast devices negotiate settings for each connection, which simplifies the process for the users. In particular, it obviates having to worry about format or codec details.[30] Miracast is "effectively a wireless HDMI cable, copying everything from one screen to another using the H.264 codec and its own digital rights management (DRM) layer emulating the HDMI system". The Wi-Fi Alliance suggested that Miracast could also be used by a set-top box wanting to stream content to a TV or tablet.

Types of media streamed

Miracast can stream videos that are in 1080p, media with DRM such as DVDs, as well as protected premium content streaming, enabling devices to stream feature films and other copy-protected materials. This is accomplished by using a Wi-Fi version of the same trusted content mechanisms used on cable-based HDMI and DisplayPort connections.[31]

Display resolution
  • 27 Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) formats, from 640 x 480 up to 4096 x 2160 pixels, and from 24 to 60 frames per second (fps)
  • 34 Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) formats, from 800 x 600 up to 2560 x 1600 pixels, and from 30 to 60 fps
  • 12 handheld formats, from 640 x 360 up to 960 x 540 pixels, and from 30 to 60 fps
  • Mandatory: 1280 x 720p30 (HD)
  • Optional: 3840 x 2160p60 (4K Ultra HD)[32]

Video

Mandatory: ITU-T H.264 (Advanced Video Coding [AVC]) for HD and Ultra HD video; supports several profiles in transcoding and non-transcoding modes, including Constrained Baseline Profile (CBP), at levels ranging from 3.1 to 5.2

Optional: ITU-T H.265 (High-Efficiency Video Coding [HEVC]) for HD and Ultra HD video; supports several profiles in transcoding and non-transcoding modes, including Main Profile, Main 444, SCC-8 bit 444, Main 444 10, at levels ranging from 3.1 to 5.1

Audio

Mandated audio codec: Linear Pulse-Code Modulation (LPCM) 16 bits, 48 kHz sampling, 2 channels

Optional audio codecs, including:

  • LPCM mode 16 bits, 44.1 kHz sampling, 2 channels
  • Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) modes
  • Dolby Advanced Codec 3 (AC3) modes
  • E-AC-3
  • Dolby TrueHD, Dolby MAT modes
  • DTS-HD mode
  • MPEG-4 AAC and MPEG-H 3D Audio modes
  • AAC-ELDv2

Version history
Version Date Remarks[33]
1.0 24-08-2012 Public release version
1.1 24-04-2014 Public release for HDCPv2.2 updates.
2.0 21-04-2017 Release 2 final version.
2.1 31-07-2017 Corrected heading errors in sections 4.3 and 4.4.

Removed references to Miracast.

Issues

Certification does not mandate a maximum latency (i.e. the time between the display of pictures on the source and display of the mirrored image on the sync display).

Although touted as a major feature of Android Kit Kat, support in Android was dropped in 2015, and Computerworld observed that "Miracast never quite caught on as a standard".[15]

OS support

Windows

The latest Windows 10 release supports Miracast receiving along with User Input Back Channel (UIBC) support to allow for human interface devices (touch screens, mouse, keyboard) to also have wireless connectivity (provided the host hardware also supports this). Windows 8.1 supports broadcasting/sending the screen via Miracast. Miracast is also built into Windows Phone 8.1.[34] Developers can also implement Miracast on top of the built-in Wi-Fi Direct support in Windows 7 and Windows 8.[35] Another way to support Miracast in Windows is with Intel's proprietary WiDi (v3.5 or higher). A software-based Miracast receiver for Windows 8.1, AirServer Universal, was made available on 31 October 2014 by App Dynamic.[36]

iOS and macOS

Apple does not support the Miracast standard on iOS or macOS, instead using its own proprietary peer-to-peer AirPlay protocol.

Linux desktop

MiracleCast[37] provides early support for Miracast, but is not tied to that single protocol.

Wireless Display Software for Linux OS (WDS)[38] initial Miracast support, developed by Intel.

Android

Google does not support the Miracast standard on Android. Miracast support had been built into Android with version 4.2[39] and starting with Android 4.4, devices could be certified to the Wi-Fi Alliance Display Specification as Miracast compatible.,[40] but support was dropped with Android 6.0 Marshmallow in 2015 in favor of Google's own proprietary Google Cast protocol.[15] Some manufacturers of Android devices step in and support Miracast through their software.[41]

BlackBerry OS

Miracast is also supported by BlackBerry OS from version 10.2.1 onwards.

See also

References
  1. On Wifi-Display, Democratic Republics and Miracles, Patrick Herrmann, on the development of Miraclecast, 2014-02-17.
  2. https://www.wi-fi.org/news-events/newsroom/wi-fi-alliance-to-launch-wi-fi-certified-miracast-to-deliver-display
  3. "NVIDIA Announces Compatibility with WiFi Display Miracast Specification". AnandTech. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  4. "What formats does Miracast support?". Wi-fi.org. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  5. "Miracast unter Linux ist schrecklich", golem.de, 2014-02-02.
  6. "Wi-Fi Certified Miracast : Extending the Wi-Fi experience to seamless video display" (PDF). Wi-fi.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-09. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  7. Lutz, Zachary (2012-07-26). "NVIDIA throws support behind Miracast as wireless display standard". Engadget.com. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  8. Brodkin, Jon (2012-07-10). "AirPlay for all? Miracast promises video streaming without the router". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  9. "Product finder results". Promotional web site. Wi-Fi Alliance. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  10. "Nvidia supports Miracast".
  11. "Airplay for all?".
  12. "Wireless Display Solutions | Miracast | ScreenBeam". ScreenBeam. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
  13. Chacos, Brad (21 September 2012). "How Miracast Could Finally Make Your Smartphone Run Your Home Theater". Digital Trends.
  14. Android 4.2 adds official support for Miracast wireless display
  15. Raphael, JR (2017-12-05). "Android nostalgia: 13 once-trumpeted features that quietly faded away". Computerworld. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  16. "Top 5 Miracast App for Android | Miracast | Apowersoft". Apowersoft. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
  17. "PSA: Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 do not support Miracast wireless display". Phandroid.com. 2012-11-19. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  18. "Wi-Fi Miracast Screen Mirroring demoed on the Xperia T [Video]". Xperia Blog. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  19. Leomar Umpad (2014-11-16). "How Do I Mirror My Samsung Galaxy Phone's Screen on My TV?". Tech-Recipes.com. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
  20. "Trying Samsung's renewed application: Samsung Link". SamMobile. 2013-03-27. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  21. "Miracast will not be available on the BlackBerry Z10, Wi-Fi Direct supported instead". CrackBerry. MobileNations. 14 Aug 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  22. "Rockchip Unveils RK3168 Dual Core Processor, Showcases $10 Miracast Adapter". Cnx-software.com. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  23. "Miracast for Windows 10". Windowsable.com. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
  24. "What's New For The Enterprise In Windows 8.1". Blogs.windows.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  25. "Introducing Roku Screen Mirroring Beta for Microsoft® Windows and Android™ Devices". Retrieved 2014-10-02.
  26. Smith, Ryan. "Google's Chromecast 2 is Powered By Marvell's ARMADA 1500 Mini Plus - Dual-Core Cortex-A7". Anandtech. Retrieved 2018-09-06.
  27. LeBlanc, Brandon (23 September 2014). "Announcing the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter". Windows Experience Blog. Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  28. Sams, Brad (9 October 2014). "Hands On: Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter". Neowin. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  29. "Touch/ReleaseNotes/OTA-11 - Ubuntu Wiki". Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  30. Wagner, Kyle (19 September 2012). "What Is Miracast?". Gizmodo.
  31. Parrish, Kevin (19 September 2012). "Wi-Fi Alliance Announces First Miracast-Certified Devices". Tom's Hardware.
  32. "certification url check | Wi-Fi Alliance" (PDF). www.wi-fi.org. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  33. "certification url check | Wi-Fi Alliance" (PDF). www.wi-fi.org. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  34. "Windows 8.1 on your big screen with Miracast". blogs.microsoft.com. 2013-11-12. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
  35. "DMR support for Wi-Fi Direct (WFD-01)". Msdn.microsoft.com. 2013-07-26. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  36. http://airserver.com/history
  37. "Miraclecast". miraclecast GitHub.
  38. "WDS". WDS.
  39. "Miracast: Everything to know about mirroring Android". CNET. 2013-09-24. Retrieved 2013-12-19.
  40. "Android Kitkat Overview". developer.android.com. 2013-10-31. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
  41. See, for example, HTC Connect.
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