WiDi support - operating principle and connection instructions


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Kristina Gorbunova

Higher education in the specialty “Information Systems”. In the field for more than 7 years, he develops websites on WordPress and Tilda.

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Transmitting data over wireless networks has long become commonplace. Routers, mobile phones, tablets and other devices work with Wi-Fi. But this technology does not allow for direct broadcasting of audio and video signals from one device to another. Intel decided to correct the situation and developed the WiDi (wireless display) standard. This technology is supported by some models of TVs and set-top boxes with Smart TV.

Content:

  • 1 What is Intel Wireless Display Widi?
  • 2 Strengths of using WiDi
  • 3 Application of technology in business 3.1 Among the advantages of using WiDi, the following advantages can be identified:
  • 4 What devices does Intel Wireless support?
  • 5 How to use WiDi
  • 6 Connection via mobile gadget
      6.1 The process is no different from the above:
  • 7 Which TVs are better for WiDi
  • People have long sought to get rid of wires and realize the possibility of connecting devices wirelessly. Over time, developers have worked on this task, offering users various technologies, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and much more. INTEL also did not stand aside, presenting its own development – ​​WiDi. A little later, a similar technology called Miracast (wireless display) was introduced, which is practically no different from WiDi.

    What is Intel Wireless Display Widi?

    This technology is somewhat different from the WiFi module and involves displaying images from a laptop or computer on a large TV screen. The process is carried out via wireless transmission. If the equipment supports the technology, using a classic HDMI cable becomes irrelevant. Using the development, the owner of the device will be able to work, relax, communicate with increased comfort, without thinking about the insufficient length of the wire, without doing additional steps to display the image on the screen.

    How WiFi works

    A WiFi network requires a WiFi router or hotspot to provide a WLAN or WiFi connection. One router configured and connected to a broadband Internet connection will be enough to connect all WiFi-compatible devices, such as a smartphone, laptop, PC and tablet to one Internet line. There are different WLAN and WiFi connection standards, each of which differs in data transfer speed and range. Learn about the difference between 11a vs 11b vs 11g vs 11n.

    Strengths of using WiDi

    To use Intel Wireless Display Widi, you will need a device that supports similar technology. A special adapter that replaces the HDMI cable will also help you cope with the task.

    The development from a leading manufacturer is addressed to people who use equipment both at home and in commercial settings. It allows you to reproduce the picture on a large TV, without the need to connect devices with wires and be tied to one place.

    When WiDi technology works, the signal is passed through the internal network, and there is no need to activate WiFi on the gadget. Data transfer lasts for an unlimited time, which can only be limited by the capacity of the battery installed in the equipment with which the content is displayed.

    What's the question?

    Actually, here was the question:

    Greetings. Transmission from a laptop via 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.

    Application of technology in business

    Intel Wireless remains successfully used in the business field. Due to the peculiarities of the technology, it becomes possible to demonstrate presentations, graphics, and make video calls through the TV screen. This is true in many ways.

    Among the advantages of using WiDi are the following:

    • The transmitted data is protected from outside attacks;
    • Provides protection against unauthorized access to viewing files;
    • Ability to manage participant connections, such as presentations;
    • Several operating modes, within which the screen is accessible only to one or several users. The participant who initiated the event can send invitations to other participants to join.

    Interesting! The name of the WiDi technology is similar to the usual Wi-Fi - for this reason, mistakes are often made and the development is called Intel Wifi Display. Of course, this is wireless technology, however, it works a little differently. Thus, wireless transmission of information is transmitted from a computer device running on Windows directly to a TV screen or monitor.

    Application

    WiDi technology has become widespread among entrepreneurs. It is used for presentations, video calls, and showing charts. At home, Vidia is used to send a video signal from online broadcasts or computer games running on a laptop to a TV.

    Important point! WiDi does not allow the user connected to the broadcast to access the original data distribution point. Third-party users will not be able to change content settings.

    WiDi is also used during lectures in schools and universities to establish contact between students and deliver a lecture to a large audience. The technology can be used to organize outdoor cinemas.

    What devices does Intel Wireless support?

    Unfortunately, the seemingly ideal technology has its drawbacks. One of them is the small range of supported devices. This applies to hardware limitations. The manufacturer's official website lists the following requirements:

    • Processors of the Core family, based on the Evie Bridge core with a built-in graphics chip. Mobile devices with Wireless Display that are based on Android2 software and higher are supported.
    • Centrino adapters (802.11n.);
    • Windows operating system version seven or higher with pre-installed Intel WiDi program/driver;
    • Drivers and software that can be downloaded for free on the official Intel website;
    • TV with Smart TV.

    If the user plans to output data from a laptop to a TV, the former must support Intel HD Graphics.

    The “wireless display” option on devices running Windows tenth generation displays the picture on Miracast, which is due to the end of WiDi support.

    Today's technology is capable of demonstrating Blue-Ray and transmitting to screens with 4K resolution, provided that it has a fifth-generation Intel Core processor or higher.

    Conditions for WiDi to work on Windows 10 or 7

    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 - DLNA. 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 Miracast, which we will discuss in a separate article.

    How to use WiDi

    To start wireless data transfer and display content from one device to another, you will need a TV with Smart-TV technology on board that supports WiDi or is equipped with an HDMI connector.

    1. If the TV does not support the technology, a special adapter is installed in the HDMI port.
    2. Next, the Intel WiDi plug-in is activated in the TV system, and the Intel Wireless Display application is activated on the device from which the image is transmitted.
    3. In the list that appears, select the adapter you are using.
    4. Activate the connect button.

    In general, the process takes a few minutes and does not require any special actions or knowledge from the user. Devices receiving updates boast new features that make using the wireless display easier, faster, and more comfortable.

    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:

    Next, on the laptop you need to scan the list of HDMI adapters, when Windows detects a new one - this will be the set-top box and all that remains is to establish the connection in the Intel WiDi program

    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:

    Then, through the drivers, you can control the connected device like a regular second screen - change the resolution, clone the display, or extend the desktop onto it:

    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

    1. WiDi software version – from 3.5.x, but not higher than 4.2.x.
    2. Protected data, 1080p video, or surround sound cannot be sent.

    Connection via mobile gadget

    The process is no different from the above:

    1. An adapter is installed in the TV;
    2. Go to the smartphone menu, select “settings”, then “wireless screen”. If this option is missing, then the device does not support WiDi;
    3. In the settings, select a TV/monitor and make a connection.

    The picture from the smartphone screen will appear on the large display in a couple of seconds. For the image to be correct, you should change the orientation of the phone from vertical to horizontal.

    The technology can provide the user with expanded capabilities for using a mobile device or laptop. From standard means of communication, they are turning into full-fledged media centers for solving work tasks, playing games and other tasks.

    Miracast does not work and there is no “Connect to a wireless display” option

    In older versions of Windows 10, when the system “understood” that Miracast was not supported, it displayed the message “The PC or mobile device does not support Miracast, so wireless projection from it is not possible.”

    In new versions, there is simply no “Connect to a wireless display” item in the “Project” menu, which is opened by the Win + P key combination.

    Most likely, there is no Miracast support at the Wi-Fi adapter level. For example, I have no way to connect to a wireless display through the Wi-Fi module built into my laptop. The laptop, however, is not new. Somewhere around 2012-13. And after connecting the TP-Link TL-WN725N V2 Wi-Fi adapter, everything works.

    For this function to work, you need support on the side of the Wi-Fi adapter and the graphics adapter (video card). Both at the hardware and driver level. This is easy to check.

    Launch a command prompt and run the netsh wlan show driver .

    The results will contain the line “Wireless display supported:” With the factory (old) Wi-Fi module on the laptop, I have the following result:

    As you can see, there is no support. The graphics driver supports it, but Wi-Fi does not.

    And here is the result of testing with another Wi-Fi adapter:

    And with this configuration everything works great.

    What can be done:

    • Update the Wi-Fi adapter driver. It's unlikely, but it might work. Here are the instructions: updating (installing) the Wi-Fi driver in Windows 10.
    • If, according to the test results, the problem is only in Wi-Fi, then you can replace the Wi-Fi adapter itself. But I noticed that the specifications simply do not indicate whether there is support for a wireless display or not. On the TP-Link TL-WN725N second hardware version (V2) everything works. But I'm sure there are a large number of other adapters that support Miracast. Need to find.
    • You may find it easier to connect your TV via an HDMI cable.

    Let's consider another problem.

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