The exponential growth in multimedia traffic, especially for streaming video and gaming, is accompanied by a fundamental shift in how, when and where users access content. Users expect to access multimedia content on a wide range of Wi-Fi® devices, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, TVs, as well as auto infotainment systems. Whether in the home or in a mobile environment, users interact with multiple Wi-Fi devices, some of which store content locally and some of which are better suited for displaying content. For example, users may want to stream a high-definition (HD) movie from the internet to a tablet, and display it on a television in their living room.
The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™ certification program was developed with the support of a wide ecosystem of silicon, mobile device, and consumer electronics vendors to make sharing of screens including HD graphical, video, and audio content across Wi-Fi devices seamless. With Miracast®, devices can identify and connect to each other, manage the connection, and optimize the transmission of content based on device capabilities and network conditions, even without a Wi-Fi network. Miracast-certified devices bring a user experience that rivals wired connections, with the added advantage of portability within the Wi-Fi coverage area at home, at work, and in mobile situations such as automobiles with infotainment system displays.
Miracast is a certification program for devices capable of supporting video, such as TVs, set-top boxes, cameras, projectors, smartphones, tablets, and laptops. After initially pairing two Miracast devices, users can choose to stream content or mirror a display from one device (the source) to a second device (the display). Miracast allows users to establish a direct Wi-Fi connection between two devices, eliminating the need for an existing network when content to be shared is locally stored on a source device.
To enjoy Miracast, both the display and the source devices must be Miracast-certified. Miracast may be used on devices without embedded Wi-Fi® through the use of a Miracast-certified adapter that supports an interface such as High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI).
This paper gives a technical overview of the Miracast program. A list of devices certified for Miracast is available on the Wi-Fi Alliance® Product Finder (http://www.wi-fi.org/product-finder).