We’ve got this lovely gigantically bright and delicious (metaphorically) device here for review by the name of Samsung Infuse 4G, and one of the neatest things about it is it’s one of if not THE first phone to employ a dual-function microUSB port that also works with an MHL adapter (also included.) This MHL adapter makes it so you can output to a universal HDMI cable and thusly mirror your display to a much bigger display such as an HD television. There’s a catch though that you might find good or you might find bad – you’ve got to utilize the second port on the adapter to plug in to a power source for the adapter to function.
Let’s talk about how this could be a bad thing first. Using your handheld mobile device as a media center to be displayed through your television is a relatively new concept, and one that, if you ask your humble narrator, seems most excellent when it’s a simple interaction between the device and the television. Thus far, devices, (such as the T-Mobile G2x, ATRIX 4G, and Motorola XOOM) need no extra power source to transmit media via HDMI cord to the television. Here comes the Samsung Infuse and it’s got this great ability to work with HDMI through its usb port, but it needs for you to be plugged into the wall while you’re working it!
On the other hand, doesn’t it make sense for the device to also be plugged into the wall so as to assure you you’ll be able to play whatever it is you want to play without the handset running out of power while you’re playing it. It’s brilliant for these manufacturers to have put the 2 jacks in one splitter instead of on the device, isn’t it? What’s your take?
Please do some research, the mhl adapter requires an external power source to simultaneously charge the phone whilst it’s outputting HD, this is temporary for when the time comes that more phones implement this technology, the newer generation of tvs will be MHL-compliant; allowing one to charge and simultaneously output HD with the HDMI-MHL port on the tv.
Please read the entire text before criticizing my posts – realize that it’s a question on what’s going on right now, not what the future holds. Chill out.
Can you not connect the phone directly to the TV right now without charging? For that two options, through the MHL adaptor (with or without charging) or with an MHL cable (without charging unless your HDTV somehow is so new it includes MHL power output through HDMI)
no, you need the charger plugged into the wall for the phone to be able to transmit media to your television via HDMI
unless the tv supports MHL as well right??
Hi chris. Ive done it all but only image is poping up on my tv. No sounds at all. Can you help please? Thanks
waste of money! pointless to have an adapter on it. What a bad design. I rather have 2 separate ports for usb and hdmi instead.
Im thinking that the best use for tbis is to leave it in the tv and just plug the phone in when u need it. Then theres not such a problem.
Either way, this is a deal breaker for me. While leaving the 4G MHL adapter would work for some, it’s not as practical for those of us who use multiple settings and screens/television sets to display content. At the same time, the more wires one uses, the more one has to cart around.
What Samsung proposes with this setup does not raise any real advantage over other devices in my opinion. In fact? It seems more cumbersome (even if slightly).
My TV has USB ports on it (as do most modern screens) – would they supply enough current for the MHL device to run, or is it going to want more than the (probably) 500mA that the port would supply?
I just heard of MHL. I checked wikipedia and read it’s a standard to support HD video & audio while simultaneously charging the connected device. So by definition, this device is a fail??
I just heard of MHL. I checked wikipedia and read it’s a standard to support HD video & audio while simultaneously charging the connected device. So by definition, this device is a fail??
I would never purchase a Samsung phone so this doesn’t change my mind. But I have pre-ordered the EVO 3D and it uses MHL also. In all honesty I can’t imagine a situation where I would need to connect my phone to my tv to show anyone anything. I haven’t done it with my Droid X and I’m 99.999% sure I won’t with the EVO 3D. I know at least 10 people with phones that have micro HDMI and no one has ever actually used it so I’m guessing this isn’t something that most people do or will care about. If their phones has MHL and requires it to be plugged in, they’ll plug it in and keep it moving….
I hate the fact you have to get extra parts forit to work on the television if I new this I would of not a different phone I was doopt… I specifically asked for a phone that had HDMI… its the last Samsung. I ever purchase 😐
Junk
It is a total FAIL, For thous of us using portable projectors like Microvision Pico, I do not want to be tied down. Charging while projecting is a plus when you have a wall plug, but requiring it to be plunged in all the time just to work is a FAIL
Yes it’s a BIG FAIL. I have my ShowWX+ HDMI and my Galaxy note, but I
cannot play without a external USB battery, it power the phone:( I want
to hack the cable, it use a SiI9292 MHL-to-HDMI Bridge, very low power requirement but if the phone need charger to enable video out this is a BIG CRAP:(
Pascal
I got the MHL to HDMI Cable but it does not work. i got another one but still the same. Is there any problem with my samsung infuse.?