Roku makes some of the most popular devices for streaming internet video on a TV. Now you can also use a Roku as a sort of wireless display for your phone, tablet, or PC.
Blogger Dave Zatz uncovered support documents that show screen mirroring and video casting features are on the way.
Update: It’s official. Roku has announced screen mirorring beta. The feature begins rolling out to users today and should be available to all within a few weeks.
Screen mirroring lets a Roku display just about anything that’s on your phone, tablet, or PC screen. Want to watch a YouTube video without opening the Roku YouTube channel and searching for it? Just fire up the YouTube app on your phone, mirror your screen, and it’ll show up on the big screen.
More importantly this opens the door for beaming photos from your mobile device to a TV, viewing PowerPoint-style presentations, or maybe even playing mobile games on a big screen.
The Roku 3 Model 4200 and Roku Streaming Stick Model 3500 will support screen mirroring, which means the Roku 1, Roku 2, and older models probably won’t.
Screen Mirroring features will work with Android, Windows 8, and Windows Phone 8 devices, which suggests that Roku may be using Miracast wireless display technology. All three of those software platforms support Miracast.
There’s also a page mentioning support for Firefox video casting beta. This lets you use an Android phone or tablet with the Firefox web browser installed to select videos you want to beam to your TV through a Roku. Not all video formats will work, but this opens the door for streaming individual videos while using your phone as a remote control rather than mirroring your entire display.
In other words, it offers functionality similar to what you could expect from a Google Chromecast or the upcoming Matchstick Firefox OS device.
Not bad for a device that also offers hundreds of channels of online content and a remote control-friendly user interface.
The Roku Streaming Stick sells for $50, while the Roku 3 has a list price of $100. Both devices are often available for much lower prices.
* * * * ROKU SCREEN MIRRORING (beta) TUTORIAL 10/08/2014 * * * *
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RECOGNITION: Roku has done a great job once again! Thank you Roku Executive Team for continuing to be a business model game changer by meeting consumer needs through “On Demand” entertainment. Thanks to your product I have helped multiple households lower their monthly bills and increase their entertainment options and enjoyment.
MY SUCCESS: I have successfully installed the Roku “System Update” and utilized the “Screen Mirroring (beta)” on a “Roku 3 4200X” in combination with a “Samsung Galaxy Note 3”. On the Note 3, I installed the “Dolphin Internet Browser” and set it to “Desktop Mode”. With a Roku manual “System update”, a “compatible Android device”, and a “mobile browser” set to “desktop mode” I have been able to stream any video from any source.
TUTORIAL:
This tutorial will guide you through the following:
1. How to do a manual “System Update” to your Roku 3 or Roku Streaming Stick.
2. How to activate the “Screen Mirroring” function on your “compatible Android device”.
FIRST – As of 10/08/2014 the update for the Roku “Screen mirroring (beta)” is only available for the Roku 3 (model number 4200) and the Roku Streaming Stick (HDMI Version) (3500).
SECOND – Check to see if your Android device is “compatible” or supported here:
https://support.roku.com/entries/56698214-Roku-screen-mirroring-compatible-devices
THIRD – Manually update your Roku as follows:
Fast Version: Home…Settings/System update/Check now…reboot twice.
Detailed Version:
1. With your Roku turned on, press the “Home” button on the upper right of your Roku Remote.
2. Press the purple arrow down button to navigate from “My Channels” down to “Settings”.
3. Press the “right arrow” on your remote and then navigate down to “System Update”.
4. Select “System Update” by clicking “OK”.
5. You’ll see “Check Now” highlighted – Click “OK”.
6. You have now started your manual System Update.
7. If your Roku automatically reboots at the end of the install, manually reboot it again.
8. If you get an error during the start-up process just reboot again.
9. After a successful reboot navigate back to “Settings” and in the settings menu you should see the following: “Screen mirroring (beta)”. Your Roku is now ready to mirror the screen of a compatible device.
FOURTH – (Note: Your Android device and current Android operating system version may be different. This is for the “Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (Sprint) running Android KitKat 4.4.4”. Nonetheless, this may still be applicable for your “compatible Android device”.
Fast Version: Settings/Connections/Screen Mirroring…Scan…Select Roku
Detailed Version:
1. On your Android compatible device, open your “status/navigation bar” at the top of your home screen by swiping down.
2. You should see an icon that looks like a round “gear” with teeth in the upper right.
3. This gear is your “Settings” icon, press it.
4. You should see a tab labeled “Connections” on the top left. Make sure it’s highlighted.
5. Scroll down to the bottom you should see the “Screen Mirroring” option, press it.
6. A screen will appear, with “On/Off” in the upper right. Ensure that it’s set to “On”.
7. If it doesn’t automatically begin “scanning” then press “Scan” at the bottom.
8. Once the scan is complete you should see your Roku under “Available devices”.
9. Tap/press it to connect.
10. A screen will pop up on your phone that says “connecting:.
11. Your Roku will briefly show a screen that says “beta” on it.
12. Now your compatible Android device’s screen should be mirrored on your TV.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: On your Android device In “Settings/Device/Display/Auto rotate screen” make sure you have the “Auto rotate screen” box checked. This is so your Android device can automatically change from “portrait mode” to “landscape mode” on your TV. This will ensure that by altering the orientation of your Android device you’ll be able to mirror your device’s screen to full “landscape mode” on your TV.
Hope this helps someone out there to enjoy the full benefits and functionality of their Roku.
Greater choice at a better price! That’s what technology devices like the Roku are all about. STREAM-ON!
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This sounds awesome!! I just wish my Windows 7 would work too =(. Or maybe even a Chrome extension one day hopefully! Thanks for the hard work guys.
This sounds awesome!! I wish my Windows 7 would work on it though =(. I’d settle for a Chrome extension too =P. Thanks for the hard work!
“Screen mirroring lets a Roku display just about anything that’s on your phone, tablet, or PC screen. ”
I am wondering about sound as well.
yes, sound too. It’s Miracast technology. Think of it as wireless HDMI.
This won’t work really with all the Devices. We support iOS, Mac Book, Windows, Android and Other devices!
Shameless plug.
Facing same problem
I have a Samsung S4 running 4.4.2. It finds the Roku 3 but won’t connect to it. Roku was updated Oct 7 and screen mirroring is enabled. Any suggestions?
Cliff what is the error message you are getting when you try to connect?
My S4 does exactly the same, i can screen mirror onto tv using HDMI cables but roku it finds the roku device and i click connect, it says connecting and the icon appears as if connecting but then after a few mins just a message comes up saying unable to connect. My S4 is also running 4.4.2 and my Roku is the HDMI one and screen mirroring is enabled on both roku and S4, i’ve been trying for weeks, any help would be appreciated 🙂
I have the same issue. Any help is appreciated!
I suspect this became a “must have marketing bullet point” rather than something most users have any serious use for. Doesn’t hurt except to divert development resources from more important things. Most Roku devices don’t sit in corporate conference rooms awaiting use for PowerPoint shows.
Miracast screen mirroring is a great technology for Windows and Windows Phone users. Big developers generally ignore those platforms, and even when apps are available they are second rate compared to their android and IOS counterparts. This gives me access to a first rate experience even if developers haven’t integrated casting or media sharing tech into their apps. Plus, I can now mirror my desktop screen from my office on my tv in the living room
Screen mirroring is used for a variety of functions in the home. Use your imagination. Are there sources of data or video you would like to wirelessly broadcast to your big screen TV that entertainment companies aren’t providing? Hint, nudge, think. Roku Stick plus Screen Mirroring under $50 is a game changer! 🙂
Great news. I love my Rokus, but I’ve been jonesing for some Miracast receivers. I didn’t want to go and buy new Miracast adapters and then find out I could have bought new Rokus. Because, honestly, I wouldn’t have bought both. It would be in their best interest to hurry up and deliver this update before a ton of people buy competing products and never look back.