Why not just use HDMI? The whole idea behind HDMI was to reduce the clutter of using multiple cables. Earlier, there was a cable for video, one cable each for each channel of audio and the connectors themselves were not very pretty. HDMI came up as a boon to replace all these cables with just one. What if we could replace cables entirely and make use of all the great features of HDMI wirelessly? It is possible and since we know our way around wireless streaming with HDMI, we thought we could help you know more about this solution.
Each time a product is launched in the market, there will be a lot of options to choose from. In the case of wireless streaming with HDMI, there are a few things that you’ll need to understand to come to a decision. The different standards in streaming HDMI wirelessly HDMI cables came into existence in 2003 and it has been almost 14 years since its launch. Looking at it from a technology life-cycle point of view, it has definitely reached its maturity stage and it is time for something new. Just as with cables, there are several standards for wireless streaming of HDMI as well.
The different technologies that are trying to become the industry standard are Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI), WirelessHD and Wireless Gigabit Alliance. This is a very widely used solution. Nowadays, most of the televisions and display devices come with support for WiFi out of the box and this can be effectively used for transmitting content.
The hardware supports HDMI 1.4, including support CEC for controlling HDMI devices. That might allow a projector’s remote (if it supports HDMI-link – CEC), to also control a compatible Blu-ray player or other devices, perhaps even an AV receiver.
Not all televisions and projectors come with in-built network cards. That’s where products like Airtame come into play. It is a one device solution for wireless streaming with HDMI and uses either your existing wireless network, or its own WiFi. All you need to do is install the Airtame application on the source device from which you want to transmit content and connect it to the same network as the Airtame. Connecting your computer to the TV wirelessly takes one click in the app. Situation #1 – More than one television placed across different rooms Think of this situation.
You have a very large house with two televisions in rooms that are not very close to each other. Before the inception of wireless streaming with HDMI, it was almost impossible to stream content to either of the televisions without cables. But now it is all very easy. If you’re using a wireless transmitter and receiver combo for streaming HDMI, you simply have to plug in the transmitter to the device you want to transmit content from and the receiver to the television that you want.
If one television is placed in the living room and the other one in your bedroom, all you have to do is reconnect the transmitter to the one in your bedroom to stream content. If you want to go for wireless streaming with HDMI using apps, you can do that as well. Make sure to connect the television as well as the transmitting device to the same network before you start. Situation #2 – Stream content from your gaming console to your bedroom It’s Saturday night and you invite a few friends over to play your favorite game of FIFA or Tekken.
But sadly, your spouse doesn’t want you to play in the living room as they need a bit of privacy. Thanks to new wireless solutions, you can stream content from your gaming console to a television upstairs or in your room. This follows the exact same procedure as in situation #1, except streaming using applications through a gaming console would not be an option.
Please do note that the transmitter and receiver need to be positioned just right so that the signals can travel longer distances without weakening. Also keep in mind that there is usually some latency with any wireless solution. Situation #3 – Showcasing a presentation to an audience in a conference room This is more of a business application for streaming HDMI wirelessly.
Until now, the main application for wireless streaming was for home use, which means there are plenty of consumer products out there. However, new wireless solutions are arising in the market dedicated for business users as well. Imagine you’re at a meeting with a coworker or client and you need to share a presentation or other work document on your computer. Instead of making everyone huddle around your laptop screen, you can showcase your work on a larger TV screen or projector at your office auditorium. Everyone will see the presentation, making it easier for them to connect with you and understand your ideas.
Situation #4 – Improve engagement in classrooms and huddle rooms Wireless streaming with HDMI has brought about a vital change in a lot of educational institutions. In the earlier days, most of the institutions had projectors which supported only VGA or S-Video. When the number of classrooms increased, the amount of cabling was getting too difficult to handle. And with the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend growing worldwide, institutions started encouraging students to bring their own laptops for presentations. The problem is that most of the newer laptops don’t come with a VGA port, or an HDMI port for that matter.
In such a situation, wireless streaming with HDMI proved to be a boon for educational institutions. Not only did it reduce the hassles of cabling, it also reduced the time for troubleshooting. Apart from classrooms, this solution has also worked its way into huddle rooms at universities and colleges where presentations and group work have become more engaging. Situation #5 – You want to get rid of all the cables This situation might find a lot of takers since the whole point of wireless streaming with HDMI is to reduce the cable clutter. Everyone wants their environment to look inviting, whether in your living room at home or your meeting room at work. The increasing number of cables don’t make it any easier to keep a clean space.
Wireless streaming with HDMI is an intuitive and innovative solution that helps you keep everything organized without the hassles of multiple cables. With HDMI, you were able to move away from VGA cables and composite video cables, but now using the wireless solution you can now get rid of cables entirely, except for the power cables.
This will allow you to position your television wherever you want. Earlier, there were issues when placing the television next to the fireplace because of the wires. But that is a thing of the past now. The Wireless Power Consortium is constantly working on different methods to implement wireless charging. With Apple adopting the Qi standard for their latest iPhones, it’ll soon make its way to a broad range of other devices as well. We’ll wait with our fingers crossed for wireless powering to become an industry standard, so we can bid goodbye to cables once and for all.
Wireless streaming with HDMI has plenty lot of advantages but it does have some cons as well. The first and most obvious disadvantage is the price. Wireless solutions tend to get more expensive due to the technology and hardware involved. Another disadvantage is the limitations with respect to range and the quality of transmission.
Higher frequency bands offer better quality but less range and the lower frequency bands offer a better range while taking a slight hit in the quality department. There should be a consensus on the range and quality required to choose the best option. Be aware that some wireless devices are designed for use at home and some are made for businesses. Take a look at our comparisons to get an idea of the different devices available.