[TG] [TG11] Miracast with the Axiom Pro

[Wdeertz]

Trying to connect my axiom pro running LH 3.10.71 to connect to a fire stick. When I put the fire stick in mirror mode the axiom pro sees this device and when I try to connect it shows “connecting” but never connects. Signal strength isn’t an issue as the mfd and tv/fire stick are only 15 ft apart with no obstructions. The fire stick shows it has the latest update.

Any suggestions?

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hello Wdeertz,

Is the Fire Stick Miracast-certified? This device isn't available in Australia, where I am, and I know nothing about it.
What I do know is that:

• There are lots of Miracast-ish devices out there which are listed by the MFD but which don't properly connect, or don't connect reliably. In my own experience, only Miracast-certified devices work reliably.
• Signal strength is not the same as signal quality (we have terrible trouble getting reliable connections at boatshows where there're a lot of Wifi and Bluetooth sources and general RF noise for example, and RF noise on boats is an ever-growing problem), and close range is also no guarantee of signal strength (antennas are focussed generally in a horizontal plane so relative orientation matters, and boat structure can easily create localised dead-spots)
  

On the RF interference thing, which people tend not to think applies to their boat: last week I had a call from someone whose (non-Raymarine) VHF was radiating sufficient noise at ~1.5GHz (standard VHF is ~156MHz) to drown out both of his GPS receivers. The VHF worked and apart from the loss of GPS fix when it was powered, there were no signs of problems. I've seen crippling interference from TV antennas, LED light drivers, USB devices and chargers, phones, even heard of it from the voltmeter in a distribution panel.

Regards,
Tom

[Wdeertz]

As far as I’ve been able to determine it is miracast certified, see https://www.umpcportal.com/2015/04/amazo...-miracast/

I’ve tried connecting with all other electronics off and while at a remote anchorage which should eliminate any extraneous signals from elsewhere and it still won’t connect.

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Yes, the Wifi Alliance does show it as certified (assuming it's the same model number): https://www.wi-fi.org/product-finder-res...rds=amazon.

Turning electronics off does not mean no noise, unfortunately: RF interference can come from a surprisingly wide range of sources other than electronics - the one we're coming across most frequently nowadays is LED lighting. Another forum user recently reported crippling interference at AIS-band from his solar charge controllers as well, and I've seen it from 24-hour-powered TV antennas too. Unless the boat is electrically dead (including mobile and battery-powered devices being powered down) you can't completely rule out interference.

Can you use the RayRemote/RayControl apps reliably between the Axiom Pro and your phone/tablet? If not, your problem would appear to either be interference or a problem with the Axiom Pro. If you can, that suggests that the problem is the Fire Stick.

Regards,
Tom

[Devocean]

Using what Tom said about changing channels on the AXIOM WIFI setup.. try channels 1 or 6 as there are only 3 channels that donot overlap (and 11 is the other "default") Just a suggestion

[John2344]

Is there a option to use the StHS/LAM interface for a wired miracast connection or at least over the existing WiFi connection to the router on board instead of making a second ad-hoc wifi with overlapping frequencies?

All streaming dongles support miracast over existing connections, that is how i stream at home from mobile devices to tv and beamer.

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hello John,

Miracast is a standard designed by the Wifi Alliance (https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/miracast, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracast and is inherently Wifi and Wifi-Direct (peer-to-peer) only. Most home streaming actually uses either Google Cast or Apple Airplay, both of which are different, incompatible, proprietary protocols.

Regards,
Tom

[John2344]

Hallo Tom,

as anything, standards evolve. Here the Article from Microsoft on Miracast connectivity over available infrastructure connection LAN / WLAN.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/surface...astructure


And the used standards:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/openspe...dfrom=MSDN

From Wi-Fi.Org:

Existing Infrastructure connections can be used for Miracast, they are specified in the standard.

https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/miracast
....

Standards-based Miracast advances life without wires

Miracast is an industry-wide solution, allowing technology to work across device types and vendors. Connections are easy to set up and use since Miracast devices choose the appropriate settings automatically. Miracast can connect two devices using network infrastructure or Wi-Fi Direct®. When content to be shared is stored on a Miracast-certified device, such as a smartphone to an automobile infotainment display, a Wi-Fi network connection is not required.

Only devices marked Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast have been certified by Wi-Fi Alliance® to work well with other Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ devices, employ the latest security protections, and deliver a high-quality user experience.


Kind regards

John2344

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Ok. But we do it wirelessly, and I assume this is because of both hardware support in the chipset we use, and because the majority of our target devices are Wifi. At this stage, I don't see this changing.

Regards,
Tom

[John2344]

Hi Tom, thanks.

Nothing wrong with that. I am talking about additional unnecessaty ad-hoc wifi connections. When the miracast adapter is on the wifi infrastructure of the boat, with a connection to the on board router, and the Axiom is connected by WiFi to the router for internet access, to get updates, weather, community provided nav data, this connection can be used. Also tablets and smart phones are part of the WLAN on board to share a existing internet connection and talk to each other. It makes sense to leverage this infrastructure for the raymarine RayRemote, RayControl, RayViewer app instead of disconnecting Internet on the plotter and on the tablet to establish an adhoc p2p connection, same for Miracast.

The plotter is any way busy on wifi and on LAN (StHS), the StHS can also be used with a LAN-WLAN repeater somewhere inside of the vessel to integrate mobile devices into the high speed backbone and reduce the load / free ressources on the plotter and in the air, improve the connectivity and use the ressources for the navigation instead of communication.

Network connectivity becomes more important in the future with IoT, also on board. It just makes sense to not artificially limit the connectivity options.

Just saying.

Kind regards
John