How to connect Samsung Galaxy S3 to a TV set

I’m always a fan of monster TVs… it amazes me. So, I understand why a lot of people would want to watch videos from their phones on a big screen. Mirroring videos and pictures is actually a nice Android feature and can be done without so much trouble, except if you’re using the Galaxy S3.

You may be disappointed to know that you will need a Samsung-branded HDTV Adapter specially built for the S3 to do what other smartphones can do. The phone has a different configuration so universal MHL adapters wouldn’t work with it.

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The Samsung Galaxy S3 HDTV Adapter converts MHL to HDMI so if your TV doesn’t have an HDMI port, forget about mirroring videos or pictures from your Galaxy S3. Here’s what you need to have:

How To Connect Galaxy S3 To TV

Step 1: Insert the other end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI port on your TV and the other to the S3 HDTV Adapter. On your TV, select the correct input channel. For example, if there are two HDMI ports and you used HDMI 1, you should set your TV to HDMI 1 channel.

Step 2: Plug the charger to the power source on the wall and insert the other end of the USB cable to the microUSB port on the HDTV Adapter. At this point, the HDTV Adapter already has power and your TV is only waiting for the feed from your phone.

Step 3: Plug the short cable from the HDTV Adapter to the microUSB port on your Samsung Galaxy S3.

Step 4: Play videos or view pictures on your phone, they will be mirrored on your TV.

Videos and pictures will be mirrored; meaning you can still see them on your phone’s display but they will be enlarged on your TV’s screen. The audio, however, will totally be routed to your TV’s audio amplifier; meaning you can’t hear anything from your phone unless you unplug the microUSB cable plugged into it.

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Harold Hisona

Harold has been in the tech industry since 2008 when he started out as a tech support for companies like Time Warner, Comcast and Tracfone. He’s been troubleshooting phones when the smartphone industry started booming. During his tenure as a tech support, he’s already been writing for various tech blogs and doing some freelance SEO. In 2012, he joined a small team of bloggers to write for The Droid Guy, and he has been with the company ever since. Today, he doesn’t only write tutorials and troubleshooting pieces but also shoots and edits videos for The Droid Guy channel while trading stocks on the side. Contact me at Email

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