Some Android devices let you mirror your screen with an HDMI cable.
Others use proprietary solutions like Samsung's All-Share Cast.
And then you've go the Chromecast which kind of lets you mirror but it's really just designed to work with select apps.
It's the same Android fragmentation story you've always heard.
So, here is where a new standard called Miracast comes in.
It lets you mirror your Android 4.2 device or later to your TV.
It's 1080p, 5.1 surround sound and it's wireless.
But if it was really that simple, you'd probably already be using it.
So, here's how it works.
To get your screen mirroring, you'll need a Miracast compatible receiver which can either be your TV or a dongle you connect to it.
Check out the WiFi Alliance website for the
complete list of compatible devices.
My TV isn't compatible.
So, I'm using Netgears's Push2TV.
It's $60 so it is a little pricey for a device that does only one thing but that's an option if you wanna get mirroring.
With that connected, mirroring is simple.
Just head to Settings, Display, then wireless mirroring on your Android device and switch it on.
When it scans, you should see your receiver pop up.
Now, what's great about Miracast is that unlike AirPlay,
it doesn't require your local WiFi connection.
Instead, the receiver creates its own ad hoc network for your Android device.
So, top the receiver name, wait for it to connect and there's a device on the big screen.
That means everything including videos, photos, webpages and apps will show on the TV with audio.
Now, if you know you'll be mirroring for a while, you'll probably want to hook up your device to its charger because the screen has to stay awake
while it's mirroring.
If the tablet gets locked, the TV will blackout.
It's not ideal for watching movies but if you bring the brightness down, it will save you battery and it won't dim the TV.
This setup is just one way to take advantage of Miracast.
Keep an eye out for more Miracast enabled TVs coming to the market.
If you have any questions, hit me up on Twitter and check out howto.cnet.com for all the ins and outs of this technology.
For CNET.com, I'm Sharon Vaknin.
