The Short Answer
On a Google TV projector, casting is built in through Chromecast, no cable, app download, or extra dongle required. Open a supported app on your phone, tap the cast icon, select the projector, and the screen mirrors or streams directly. Older phones and non-Google TV projectors may need a cable instead.
Someone in the group wants to show a TikTok on the big screen, or you need to pull up vacation photos from your phone during a family gathering, and the instinct is to start hunting for an HDMI cable and an adapter that may or may not exist in the house. On a projector with official Google TV built in, that entire step is unnecessary, and most people simply don't know it.
The Wanbo X5 Pro 2025, running the officially certified 2025 Google TV platform with built-in Google Assistant, has Chromecast casting functionality built directly into the operating system, which is a genuinely underused feature on units that have it.
Method 1: Casting From a Supported App (Easiest)
Apps like YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, and Google Photos have a built-in cast icon, usually a small rectangle with wifi-style curved lines in the corner. Both the phone and the projector need to be on the same wifi network. Tap the icon, select the projector's name from the list, and playback starts on the big screen while the phone can be locked or used for something else without interrupting it.
Why isn't the cast icon showing up in my app?
Check that both devices are on the same wifi network, not one on wifi and one on mobile data, since casting requires them to see each other on the local network. If the projector was recently restarted, give it a minute to fully reconnect to wifi before trying again.
Method 2: Full Screen Mirroring
For content without a built-in cast button, like TikTok, Instagram, or a photo gallery, screen mirroring copies your entire phone display to the projector in real time. On most Android phones, this is found under Settings, then Connected Devices or Cast, then selecting the projector. iPhone users can use the Google Home app or a Chromecast-compatible screen mirroring app, since Apple's native AirPlay isn't Chromecast, but Google TV projectors support both protocols.
| Method | Best For | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| App-based casting (YouTube, Netflix, Spotify) | Streaming video or music without draining phone battery | Same wifi network, supported app |
| Full screen mirroring | TikTok, Instagram, photo galleries, presentations | Same wifi network, may use more battery |
| HDMI cable | Older phones, laptops, gaming consoles, zero-lag needs | Physical cable, USB-C or Lightning to HDMI adapter |
| USB drive playback | Offline video files, no wifi needed | USB port on projector, compatible file format |
When Wireless Casting Isn't the Right Choice
Wireless casting introduces a small amount of delay, usually under a second, which is unnoticeable for movies or music but genuinely bothersome for anything requiring precise timing, competitive mobile gaming, karaoke with on-screen lyrics timed to audio, or video calls. For those specific cases, a wired HDMI connection through an adapter removes the lag entirely and is the better choice despite being less convenient to set up.
We tested casting a two-hour movie from a mid-range Android phone to the X5 Pro over home wifi with no noticeable buffering or disconnects, which reflects typical household wifi rather than a guarantee for every network condition. A weak or congested wifi signal will affect casting reliability the same way it affects any streaming, this isn't unique to projectors.
Do I need a Chromecast dongle if my projector already runs Google TV?
No. A separate Chromecast device exists specifically for TVs and projectors that don't have it built in. A Google TV projector already includes this functionality in its operating system, so buying an additional dongle would be redundant.
Having trouble getting casting to work on your specific phone model? Reach out through VMIDirect's contact page and we'll help troubleshoot. Review the refund policy as well if a connectivity issue turns out to be a hardware defect rather than a setup step.
