[klb311]

I'm looking for a wireless projector or wireless adapter for our conference room. There are many different people who use the room, so I'm looking for something where users don't have to install software to use it. I don't want people to have to install software, restart their computer, etc etc...


It seems like everything I've found requires software installation. Is there anything out there that is truly plug and play? If not, is there an adapter out there that has the software built into it? This way, at least they wouldn't have to insert a CD. I'd also like it to transmit wireless audio to the projector. Thoughts?

 

[mechgt]

I'm looking for the exact same thing. Any new discoveries in this area since 2012?

I would start a new thread, but I'm afraid I'd simply copy/paste the exact same question

 

[AV_Integrated]

There are a few issues here.

1. HDMI runs at nearly 10Gb/second. A typical corporate level office may run at 1GB/Second for the network. That means that to get 'wireless' video, the video must be converted to a more realistic transmission format.

THAT IS WHY SOFTWARE IS REQUIRED for almost all the devices.

2. Barco makes some devices that require no drivers, they run about $10,000 for their setup. So, if you have a $10,000 budget, this may work out well for you.

3. If they are on your wireless network, there are some streaming solutions which use the computer and your wireless network. Crestron makes their AirMedia (for example) which uses some standard Windows/Mac drivers to work, and works with iPhones and Android devices. A few grand, but a pretty solid and cool device.

4. Why wireless? Why not just put a HDMI wall plate at the front of the room and get a proper connection right from the computer? Wired connections are, by far, the most reliable connection type and can deliver full frame rate, full resolution video.

It should be noted that the devices which convert to wireless streaming formats typically run at 2-10 frames per second, which makes them unusable for video. You can go wireless, but just for non-animated presentations.

This is my job, and I work for a company which does about 40 million a year in installations. This question comes up ALL the time, and we typically either use Crestron's AirMedia devices or Solstice for high-quality wireless solutions. Crestron is more 'plug-n-play' than Solstice. You do NOT need a Crestron system in any manner to use the Crestron AirMedia solution. It's just a box that sits on your network.

 

[klb311]

I'm looking for the exact same thing. Any new discoveries in this area since 2012?

I would start a new thread, but I'm afraid I'd simply copy/paste the exact same question

mechgt,

We bought the IOGear GWHD11 and it works great. Exactly what I wanted...plug it in and go. No software required. Works great for Powerpoint and I looked at some video and it looked good too. Something that isn't too obvious from the product description though...the HDMI transmitter that you plug into your laptop requires power. If you go to the iogear website for the GWHD11 and look at the 4th picture to the right showing all of the accessories...the cord at the bottom left of the picture. That cord will plug into the USB on your computer and then the mini usb plugs into the HDMI transmitter. See page 4 of the quick start guide. So, it's not as clean and sexy as it looks at first glance, but it's still wireless and works great.

It looks like since I bought this, they've come out with a cheaper similar model GWAVRKIT, but it looks like that one requires software installation, so I'd stay away from it.

 

[mechgt]

These are some good suggestions, thanks!

1) Why Wireless? Primarily we'll be showing presentations and static or slow moving images; we almost never show video. This seems like a reasonable case for wireless, and we can have an HDMI wire as a backup if needed (tables are in the middle of the room, so we'd like to move away from wires where possible). I'm able to 'cast' reasonable video (mirroring the screen of an Android tablet) using a chromecast at home, so I'm convinced that this is feasible. Video isn't perfect, however again we're looking at typically static images or someone clicking o a desktop application; not a video.

2) AireMedia: How flexible is this device? I browsed their website looked at the marketing videos and it sounded like you would upload/post a file (.pdf, .ppt, etc.). I got the impression that it would be great as long as you're sharing a prescribed media type. Can you simply share your desktop/whatever applications you may have running on a PC? It looked like you simply point at a webserver and login to present, that'd be perfect as long as it can mirror a desktop.

2) A separate adapter... this looks like a good alternative that would be very compatible. Thanks for the heads-up on the power... you're right, it's not obvious.

 

[AV_Integrated]

1. If there is a wire in place, that is really important. At the end of the day, no USB device really operates without drivers. Some are installed on the adapter, and they really do install automatically, but they are also subject to the permissions allowed by the computer, and may not be without issue. So, having a wire in place is really important and is still the standard within the A/V professional industry.

2. AirMedia does not require anything to be loaded. It emulates your screen. The AirMedia connects (hard wired) to a company network (guest network?) and then anyone on that network types the IP address into their computer, and then is asked for a 4 digit PIN. The AirMedia is actually what is shown on screen. It will say "Go To: 192.168.1.158 In Your Browser Then Type This Pin: 4861"

Just like that, your PC makes a connection and you can adjust the image to show full screen or actually share the screen with up to four different connections. This can include people showing stuff from their iPhone or Android phone from a Mac or a PC. It also allows for remote viewers to see what is being presented at their desks (they must have the PIN). The PIN is auto-generated and changes randomly between presentations.

3. I love the idea of a wireless adapter - but the IO Gear unit is NOT a USB wireless adapter. It's a HDMI transmitter/receiver kit. Not all computers have HDMI on them. A great deal of them have DisplayPort. Older computers may only have a VGA connector on them. iPhones have no HDMI or USB. Android devices typically have MHL, but not native HDMI. So, while there is a LONG list of pretty good HDMI transmitters/receivers which WILL send HDMI wirelessly, these are different than USB type units which are compatible with all PCs. I am a MUCH bigger fan of wireless HDMI transmitter/receiver combos, but they don't always work in every environment, and the receiver definitely needs power and typically the transmitter will as well.

Amazon has a long list of HDMI wireless transmitter/receiver units with tons of reviews. This is very different of a product compared to AirMedia.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...s+hdmi+transmitter+and+receiver+1080p,aps,253

Some AirMedia screen grabs...
Main login/PIN page that initially is shown:
http://www.unb.ca/fredericton/cetl/cts/classrooms/technology/airmedia/webaddress.jpg

Screen showing how four separate devices can be displayed at once...
http://www.avantgardeitalia.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/AirMedia-Crestron-Logo.png

The QOMO QWPS-1000 may be extremely similar to Crestron's AirMedia and is a good deal less money. Not sure how that works, I haven't tried that one out, but it appears very similar.