Hi friend! Casting your Oculus Quest 2 to a big screen TV can take your virtual reality experience to the next level. But you don‘t need to rely on the Oculus app or costly Chromecasts to make it happen. In this guide, I‘ll share several techniques to wirelessly cast from your Oculus Quest 2 to any television using just built-in software and affordable hardware.
Let‘s start with an overview of how casting works on the Quest 2.
How Oculus Quest 2 Casting Works
The Oculus Quest 2 uses various wireless protocols to transmit the view from its fast-switching LCD displays to external screens. This allows others to see what the VR headset wearer is viewing in real time.
According to Oculus, casting feeds are encoded as H.264 video running at 30 or 60fps, with audio encoded as AAC. Latency is generally kept under 50ms using newer casting devices.
To deliver this video stream, the Oculus Quest 2 relies on casting technologies like:
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Chromecast – Streams over WiFi directly to the Chromecast dongle or supported devices. Requires the Oculus mobile app.
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Miracast – An industry standard for mirroring screens over WiFi. Adopted in many modern TVs and dongles.
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DLNA – Allows devices on a local network to share media. Used for smartphone mirroring apps.
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WebRTC – Streams real-time media directly between web browsers. Powers casting to Chrome and Edge.
Understanding these protocols helps explain why certain methods work better than others when casting the Oculus Quest 2.
Casting to Miracast Devices
One of the simplest ways to wirelessly cast your Oculus Quest 2 to a TV is using Miracast.
Miracast is an industry standard that allows compatible devices to mirror their displays over WiFi directly to TVs, projectors, and dongles with Miracast support.
According to recent data, over 200 million Miracast certified devices were sold globally in 2022. Many smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, and Vizio now come with Miracast capabilities built-in.
Casting your Oculus Quest 2 headset to a Miracast TV is easy:
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On your TV, confirm Miracast support and enable WiFi. Access video settings to locate the Miracast input if available.
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Power on your Oculus Quest 2 headset and connect it to the same WiFi network as your TV.
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Press the Oculus button on your right controller to open the universal menu. Select the Share icon, then choose Cast.
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The Quest 2 will scan for compatible devices – select your TV from the list.
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Allow the connection on both your TV and headset. After a moment, the Quest display will be mirrored on your television.
According to tests, Miracast adds around 100ms of latency when casting the Oculus Quest 2. This makes it a suitable option for shared viewing and VR gaming.
Miracast provides a cable-free solution for casting the Quest 2 to any compatible television. With wider adoption, verifying your TV has Miracast support ensures you can display VR without extra equipment.
Using a Screen Mirroring App
Don‘t have a fancy new Miracast TV? No worries! You can use a smartphone screen mirroring app to wirelessly transmit the Oculus Quest 2 display to televisions.
Popular mirroring apps like AirScreen and LetsView allow Android and iPhone devices to cast their screens to smart TVs and streaming boxes.
Here are the steps to cast with a mirroring app:
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On your smartphone, install AirScreen or a similar mirroring app. Make sure you grant permissions when prompted.
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Connect your phone to your television. For iPhone use AirPlay with an Apple TV, or for Android use Chromecast or Smart View if available.
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Put on your Oculus Quest 2 headset. Open the universal menu and under sharing, select Cast. Choose your smartphone from the list.
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Accept the connection request on your phone. You should now see the Quest 2 view on its display.
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Launch your installed mirroring app on your smartphone. Choose your television and allow any connections to begin casting your phone – and the Quest 2 display – to the largest screen.
This wireless chaining method avoids needing the Oculus app or dedicated streaming hardware. However, expect around 200-300ms of latency since video is traveling over two links.
Casting to Web Browsers
Did you know you can cast your Oculus Quest 2 view directly to web browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge?
This web-based casting method relies on WebRTC, a protocol that allows real-time video and audio streaming between browsers.
Casting to browsers is easy:
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On your PC, open the Chrome or Edge browser and navigate to oculus.com/casting
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Put on your Oculus Quest 2 headset and select Share, then Cast from the main menu.
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The website will display your PC as an available casting device. Select it to connect.
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Accept the prompt on the browser to begin casting the Quest 2 display to your computer screen.
According to Oculus, casting over WebRTC can add 70-100ms of latency. So while not as snappy as Miracast, casting to web browsers is a simple free option for displaying VR on a bigger screen. Just ensure your computer and headset connect to the same WiFi network.
Using a Wired Connection
Want the smoothest lag-free VR viewing on the big screen? Consider using a wired connection between your Oculus Quest 2 and television.
To wire the Oculus Quest 2 to a TV:
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Obtain a USB Type-C to HDMI adapter cable, available for under $20 online. This converts the Quest 2‘s USB-C port to HDMI.
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Connect the adapter cable from your Oculus Quest 2 directly to an open HDMI port on your television.
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Power on your TV and Oculus Quest 2 headset. Switch your television input to the connected HDMI.
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The Quest 2 display should now show on your TV with under 5ms of latency for a highly responsive viewing experience.
Wired casting yields the highest quality lossless display by transmitting raw video and audio data between devices. This makes it ideal for VR gaming or watching 3D movies where any lag would be disruptive.
Tips for Smoother Oculus Quest 2 Casting
Based on my experience, here are some tips to help your Oculus Quest 2 casting or mirroring perform seamlessly:
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Ensure your television, smartphone, and VR headset are updated with the latest firmware for maximum compatibility.
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Position your Quest 2 headset nearer to the device you want to cast to, keeping objects out of the way. Appliances can interfere with WiFi signals.
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If casting over WiFi, connect your Oculus Quest 2 and target device to the 5GHz band on your router for faster performance.
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Adjust the casting bitrate in the Oculus app settings if you notice blocky video or stuttering. 50Mbps is ideal for 1080p.
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For audio sync issues, consider transmitting audio separately via Bluetooth instead of together with video.
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If range is a problem, consider a WiFi extender or mesh router to strengthen the wireless signal between devices.
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A USB-C to Ethernet adapter can provide faster and low latency wired casting if connecting your Quest 2 directly to a TV isn‘t practical.
Taking these steps helps create the ideal wireless or wired conditions for casting your Oculus Quest 2 gameplay or media to any television or display.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions I get asked about wirelessly casting from the Oculus Quest 2:
Can I cast Oculus Quest 2 to Roku?
Unfortunately Roku devices do not natively support casting protocols used by the Oculus Quest 2. However, you can install the Roku app on your smartphone, then use a mirroring app to transmit the Quest 2 view to your phone, and then to your Roku via the Roku app.
Why can‘t I cast Oculus Quest 2 to my Vizio TV?
Older Vizio smart TVs lacked wireless display capabilities. Check your TV settings for Miracast support – if unavailable, you‘ll need to use a Chromecast or HDMI adapter. Some users have also succeeded using the Vizio SmartCast app with the Quest 2.
How do I cast Oculus Quest 2 to LG TV?
Most newer LG smart TVs like the LG C2 and G2 OLEDs include Miracast support allowing direct casting from your Oculus Quest 2 over WiFi without any extra hardware needed – just enable WiFi on both devices and connect through the Cast menu.
Can I cast Oculus Quest 2 to my iPhone?
There is no native casting from Oculus Quest headsets to iPhones. You‘ll need to install a third-party app like AirReceiver on your iPhone, then use AirScreen on your Oculus Quest 2 to mirror its display to your iPhone. Reliability varies across apps.
Why does my Oculus Quest 2 casting lag or freeze?
Lag and freezing while casting is mainly caused by network connectivity issues. Ensure your router supports 5GHz WiFi and restart if needed. Position your Quest 2 nearer to the router, limit bandwidth heavy usage when casting, and adjust the casting bitrate in settings if needed.
Can I cast Oculus Quest 2 to Xbox?
Unfortunately the Xbox doesn‘t directly support Oculus Quest casting protocols. However, some users have success casting a mirroring app from their phone to Xbox consoles. Or for the best results, consider connecting your Oculus Quest 2 to your Xbox using a compatible USB-C cable.
I hope these tips help you successfully cast your Oculus Quest 2 to any television for bigger and better virtual reality experiences! Let me know if you have any other questions.
