However, we felt that among all this information there was a lack of personal and exhaustive testing of WiDi to study its features, advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, as soon as the Netgear Push2TV HD WiDi adapter fell into our very capable hands, we realized: the moment had come. For a week I tested the technology and hardware in my homemade home laboratory, combining business with pleasure. Let me report here on the results obtained, the nuances and bugs discovered.
Selection of compatible hardware
WiDi technology belongs to the category of hardware dependent; for its operation, a number of requirements must be met. Briefly, these requirements can be formulated as follows:- Second or third generation Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processor (not any, see below);
- The Intel HD Graphics graphics subsystem, as we know, is built into the above processors;
- Intel Centrino Wi-Fi adapter with 802.11n support.
The list of compatible equipment is constantly expanding, we recommend that you carefully study it if you want to deal with WiDi. Your humble servant personally took this rake when choosing an ultrabook for testing - it turned out to be noble and good-looking, but had an incompatible Wi-Fi adapter. Everything worked out only on the second try, that is, on the second ultrabook. Its characteristics, in principle, do not matter, I will only say that it uses the third generation Intel platform; installed OS – Windows 8.
By the way, I would like to note in passing that for the first time, immediately after launching the installer, the Intel software honestly warned that WiDi would not work on this ultrabook and refused to install it further, which saved my time and nerves. The same approach is implemented in other hardware-dependent technologies, for example, Smart Response.
Netgear Push2TV HD Set-top Box
So, we’ve sorted out the ultrabook, let’s now look at the other side of WiDi, that is, the receiver. There are a number of monitors and TVs with built-in WiDi, in particular, a line of combo devices from Samsung, a number of TVs and Toshiba, and in addition, some media players and game consoles. However, most TVs do not have WiDi or Wi-Fi and require the purchase of a set-top box. There are also several types of set-top boxes: from D-Link, Belkin and other manufacturers. Our testing used the Netgear Push2TV HD adapter; I have a feeling that everything said below will apply to other consoles.
Installation and configuration
It makes sense to start getting acquainted with the technology from the WiDi home page on the Intel website - reading it, no doubt, will be useful for further research. Unfortunately, the most useful information, namely where to get WiDi software, is not there, but I will tell you. The second step is to go to the download section of the Intel website, where you can very easily update the drivers responsible for the operation of WiDi - take my word for it, it will not be superfluous. There we will find the WiDi software directly. To make using WiDi easier, there is a special widget, although you can do without it.
Updating the software on the WiDi adapter
Installing WiDi software is quick and uninteresting - literally, there is nothing to take a screenshot of. But my first launch was not without some light dancing, although again I didn’t get to the jew’s harp that Intel had given me at one time. So, the set-top box is turned on and connected to the TV via an HDMI port (in addition to it, it also has a component port). We start scanning adapters on the ultrabook and almost immediately find ours. We click “connect” and... we don’t connect. The process failed several times at various stages with various errors, until finally it was possible to somehow connect the two adapters. Immediately after this, the software update of the set-top box began. The set-top box itself does not have access to the Internet, so the idea of updating via an ultrabook seems sound. I note that the ultrabook was not connected to the Internet at that moment, which means that the update was contained in the WiDi software. After the update, the console rebooted and there were no more problems with pairing.
Entering a password when pairing
The newly turned on set-top box is in a state of waiting for a connection - the waiting screen is shown in the first picture. During the connection process, after successful initialization, a random password number is displayed on the TV, which must be entered on the ultrabook. Following this, an image of the desktop appears on the TV. Wireless Display is a full-fledged second display, which, like a wired second one, can operate in two modes: cloning and expansion. Intel software recommends using the second option. The TV resolution was automatically set to 1080p in both modes.
Functionality testing
After some easy adventures with setting up, I got down to testing. Several films were selected as media content, both in HD and in lower resolution. The viewing experience can be expressed this way. Video of non-HD resolution goes simply with a bang; literally a couple of times traces of some digital interference were noticed. When watching high-resolution video, sometimes you can see a barely noticeable twitching of the picture, most often when the camera is smoothly rotated. I saw the same effect when the TV was connected to a DLNA server via Wi-Fi; I myself preferred to use the wire like an old man.
The TV is asking for a DLNA connection
By the way, about DLNA. The ultrabook software can work in a mode that I would call “WiDi without WiDi”, when the TV does not require a WiDi set-top box; it receives the picture from the ultrabook via DLNA. In the documentation, the developers honestly warn that this mode does not work with all DLNA clients, but my Samsung 5300 TV connected without problems. However, there is not much benefit from such “emulation”: the picture quality is much worse, HD resolution is not supported and in general everything is quite slow. In addition, due to DLNA's habit of caching content, a TV connected in this way cannot be used as a monitor, since the mouse refuses to crawl in real time.
The connection to the set-top box has been established. On the left is the WiDi widget
The Wi-Di widget has two functions. Firstly, it allows you to connect a Wireless Display with one click, the connection with which has already been configured once and whose properties indicate “connect automatically”. Secondly, in extended monitor mode, the widget allows you to switch an application from one monitor to another. The thing is, in principle, good, if not for the limitations in functionality that I do not understand. For example, it can move some applications between screens, but others cannot; I have not been able to determine by what principle the choice is made. After suffering a little, I switched to “manual control” of the windows and quickly got used to it.
Intensive use of Wi-Fi when watching movies on an ultrabook quickly drains the battery: if in normal office mode it works for 5-6 hours, here the charge is barely enough for a movie. This, of course, can hardly be called a disadvantage. In general, no real, conspicuous shortcomings of the technology were identified. The connection (at a short distance, of course) was stable, and no software glitches were noticed. In my opinion, WiDi is quite suitable as an alternative to DLNA, even having an advantage over the latter in the form of versatility: WiDi is completely indifferent to what is delivered to the remote display, in addition, there is no need for transcoding. There is every reason to assume that in the near future Wi-Fi will be installed in all TV receivers without exception, and not just in top models, as it is now. That’s when WiDi may get a second wind, especially if the family of devices capable of transmitting images to Wireless Display is fundamentally expanded.
Greetings to blog readers!
Today on the blog there will be a post that is called “two in one”. I will answer the reader’s question and tell you about another entertaining and convenient technology with which you can organize the transfer of images from the monitor display of one device to another - for example, from a Windows computer to a phone, TV or projector. It is called Intel WiFi Display or Wireless Display - WiDi.
Actually, here was the question:
Greetings.
Transmission from a Laptop via a WiFi channel, Online Display mode, reception is carried out on a Device that is connected to the TV via an HDMI connector.
How to set up WiFi Display, Samsung laptop on Windows 7?
I think that the history of the emergence and development of WiDi will be boring to read - that’s not what you came here for, right? Therefore, as usual, let's move straight to practice.
Conditions for WiDi operation
So, devices equipped with WiDi have the ability to detect each other and exchange data. However, there are a number of conditions that they must meet to use this technology. If you plan to use a phone in such a combination, then it must be equipped with an Android operating system version no lower than 4.2 and a special chip from RockChip (RTL8188EUS, Broadcom BCM43362, BCM4330, APXX). In addition to phones, Intel WiDi is supported by many TVs, projectors and media players, which also have a built-in chipset from the Intel Centrino line that supports Intel My Wi-Fi. If the device does not have this function, then it doesn’t matter - there are separate devices like WiFi adapters - WiDi adapters, which connect to the TV via HDMI and wirelessly receive picture and sound from a smartphone or tablet.
If you remember, I already talked about a very similar technology - . In my video tutorial, we also used it to play movies stored on the computer on the TV. But there is a difference - with DLNA we could only play files. In WiDi, we have a full-fledged second monitor, which significantly expands the possibilities of use, for example, for playing games from Android on a large television screen. One of the varieties of this technology is, which we will discuss in a separate article.
Intel Wireless Display for Windows
But that's not all. Intel Wifi Display can also work on a computer with the Windows 10, 8 or 7 operating system, equipped with a modern Intel processor - Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 - with one of the WiFi adapters:
As you understand, the use of this adapter built into the processor is only possible if the built-in video core of the processor is working. If your computer has a separate video card installed and the video core of the Intel processor is disabled, the circuit will not work.
Also, WiDi only works with Windows OS no lower than 7, so XP fans won’t be able to see WiFi in action either.
How to set up Intel Widi?
Let's summarize - to set up WiDi we need 2 devices - a source and a receiver. They may be:
- TV with built-in WiDI chip or external adapter
- Windows computer or laptop with Intel processor and Wireless Display support
- Smartphone with RockChip and Android 4.2+
If all this is available, then let's set it up. We will use the large screen of a regular TV as a receiver. We turn it on, connect an external one to it via HDMi and select it as the source for the picture. An image like this will appear (using the Netgear adapter in this example), indicating that the device is ready to connect to a signal source:
To broadcast video from a computer, you need to download the Intel Wireless Display program for your operating system and run it.
After launching it, a window will open with a list of devices with a working adapter located in the reception area. Choose our TV.
We enter it on the PC when connecting and after a few seconds we get a duplicate of the computer desktop screen on the TV monitor.
Intel WiDi via smartphone
The video can be played in the same way from an Android smartphone. First, using the same scheme, we turn on the adapter on the TV, after which we go to the “Settings” menu on Android and look for the “Wireless projector” (or screen) item. If it is not there, then your phone does not support WiDi and you will not be able to connect.
After a few seconds, the image from the phone display will appear on the monitor. If you have the vertical mode activated, it will not be displayed correctly, so switch your smartphone to the horizontal screen orientation mode in advance.
As you can see, the technology is very viable and significantly expands the possibilities of using a smartphone or laptop as a full-fledged media center. Unfortunately, today the only, but significant, limitation is the hardware requirements - only certain chipsets, wireless adapters and processors can work with it. However, in the future, I think Wireless Display will become the same generally accepted data transfer standard as DLNA.
Do you want to enjoy watching multimedia and online content on a big screen TV using a computer-to-TV connection?
Of course, you can connect your laptop to your TV using an HDMI cable, but this is not always convenient, if only because of cable length restrictions.
Intel LGA1200 socket for PC processors
The release of 10th generation Intel Core Comet Lake processors for desktop PCs and motherboards based on 400 series chipsets (Z490, W480, Q470 and H410) is expected in the second half of 2020.
NVIDIA GeForce Experience has been updated to version 3.20.2
On December 23, 2019, NVIDIA updated the NVIDIA GeForce Experience (GFE) application for Windows to version 3.20.2.
The update fixes the dangerous vulnerability CVE-2019-5702.
Perhaps Microsoft will make life easier for Windows 10 users
According to insider WalkingCat, Microsoft plans to radically change the update scheme for its Windows 10 operating system.
Intel WiDi is a driver responsible for the operation of the technology of the same name. It, in turn, serves to broadcast content from the memory of a computer or laptop to the screen of a TV or monitor that supports Intel Wireless Display. The application also allows you to display a “picture” on the screen of some portable Android devices. Please note that in the latest versions of the operating system from Microsfoft - Windows 7, Windows 8 and 10, this technology has been replaced by another software solution - which is installed on the system by default.
Purpose
Intel WiDi helps you avoid the need for external drives to play a movie or presentation on a TV or projector. Also, this technology saves you from using VGA and HDMI cables because the image is broadcast via a Wi-Fi access point. In general, by downloading and installing this driver you will greatly simplify data transfer to a remote device.
The concept of Wireless Display is a bit like DLNA technology. The key difference from the second is that deploying a DLNA server on a computer allows you to stream only individual files, while Intel WiDi makes it possible to turn a remote output device into a “second monitor”. Simply put, using this technology is much more appropriate for presentations.
Requirements
The main condition for the correct operation of Wireless Display is the presence of a built-in or connected WiDi adapter in the output device. In addition, both devices must be connected to a single wireless access point. Well, the last fact that needs to be taken into account is that the technology does not work with any CPU. Moreover, compatibility problems arise specifically with new processor models.
Key Features
- broadcasting images from a PC/laptop to a compatible projector, TV or Android device;
- works via a single Wi-Fi access point;
- quick installation and configuration;
- high quality of the broadcast image;
- compatibility problems with new CPU models.
In this article we will get acquainted with an interesting technology from the processor giant Intel - Wireless Display, or WiDi. The name clearly hints at such a familiar abbreviation as Wi-Fi, which is why there is an erroneous spelling - Intel Wifi Display. Indeed, here we are dealing with wireless data transmission, but Intel offers us something else - broadcasting a video signal from a laptop running Windows to a monitor or TV screen.
Indeed, it is very convenient to do without cables stretching along the floor to the place where you decide to sit with your laptop. Unfortunately, there are hardware limitations for using the technology; not all equipment is compatible with it. The requirements indicated on the Intel website are as follows:
- Core processor based on Ivy Bridge core and higher with built-in video core;
- Wi-Fi Intel Centrino adapter with 802.11n support.
- Windows version 7 Home Basic or higher with Intel WiDi software installed.
If your laptop has an external graphics adapter, you will have to switch to Intel HD Graphics to use Wireless Display. If it is disabled by the manufacturer, you will not be able to test the technology.
Currently, WiDi allows you to play Blue-Ray quality video; in 2015, the manufacturer promises to add the ability to transmit to a screen with a 4K resolution, which will require a 5th generation Core processor based on the Broadwell microarchitecture.
There are also certain requirements on the part of the image output device, but if it does not have built-in Wi-Fi, then you can simply purchase a specialized set-top box. It connects with an HDMI cable and allows you to use any TV or monitor equipped with this connector.
Installing a “wireless monitor”
Here is an example algorithm for setting up a WiDi connection between a laptop and a TV using the D-Link DHD-131 adapter.
Having connected it to the TV and installed the software on your computer, you can start pairing.
On the TV, you should select the set-top box as the signal source, after which the image will look something like this:
If necessary, the firmware of the set-top box will be updated, since it itself does not have access to the Internet. This is what the WiDi window looks like when the connection is active:
During operation, there will be a noticeable slight delay in mouse movements relative to the cable connection, but there is no discomfort when watching videos or photos.
In addition to laptops, WiDi is also available on Windows tablets based on Intel Centrino, as well as on devices that support wireless transmission using the DLNA standard, for example, Sony PlayStation 3.
Unfortunately, the following restrictions apply when using Wireless Display over DLNA
- WiDi software version – from 3.5.x, but not higher than 4.2.x.
- Protected data, 1080p video, or surround sound cannot be sent.
Comparison of WiDi and Miracast
Miracast technology provides the ability to transmit video signals over Wi-Fi for devices based on Android 4.2 and higher, certified by the brand owner under the “Wi-Fi Display test plan” program. Wireless Display is compatible with Miracast starting from software version 3.5, but has several noticeable advantages over it, enshrined in the standard:
- support for video playback with quality up to 1080p (Miracast only prescribes the fulfillment of these requirements, but does not guarantee them);
- support for HDCP content protection system;
- The list of video modes has been supplemented with expanded and multitasking modes.
Let's take a closer look at the last point. In multitasking mode, the video player sends the image to the external screen, while the screen of the mobile device itself remains available for use for normal tasks - Internet browsing, calls, games, etc.
Business Application
The entire family of Wi-Fi Display technologies is very attractive and promising for business use. The ability to display presentations, graphics, video calls and much more on a large screen will definitely be in demand in a corporate environment. Intel provides an extension to its technology called Intel Pro WiDi. Among its features, the following qualities are emphasized.
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