Hi Lifehacker, I just moved into a new flat where space is at a premium. I own three games consoles and an HTPC that I use for most of my media consumption needs. The TV is mounted onto the wall. I would like to avoid having cables running across the floor/wall to the TV.
I have been looking into a WHDI or WirelessHD solution to the problem, but there seems to be nothing recent as far as products and reviews go. Has this kind of wireless product gone out of vogue? Are there any products that Lifehacker (or commenters) would recommend? Or should I just bite the bullet and use a cable like a normal person? Thanks, All Wired Up
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Dear AWU,
There are numerous wireless home entertainment solutions detailed on our sister site Gizmodo. However, a lot of these only complete a single part of the puzzle, such as audio. It sounds like you’re after a complete cable-free solution that will let you watch any content on your TV.
One product that is definitely worth a look is Belkin’s ScreenCast AV 4 Wireless AV-to-HDTV Adapter. This is a two-piece streaming gizmo that delivers video content (including HD console games) to your television via a proprietary wireless signal operating in the 5GHz band.
It works with compatible Blu-ray players, video game consoles and Intel Wireless Display-supported laptops. Crucially, it’s possible to connect up to four HDMI-compliant AV devices at once. It also boasts a range of 30 metres, which means your devices don’t even have to be in the same room as your TV. Its adherence to the 5GHz frequency spectrum means there shouldn’t be any interference from other wireless sources in your house either.
Installation of the Screencast AV 4 is pretty simple. It comprises a receiver, which plugs into your TV and a transmitter which connects to your HDMI AV devices. To access your content, you simply power on both devices and they will automatically establish a connection. You can use the device to transmit uncompressed Full HD video, surround sound (up to 7.1), lag-free games and 3D video.
The Belkin ScreenCast AV 4 does not appear to be available locally anymore, but you can snap one up from various online retailers. You can expect to pay between $150 and $250 for it, depending on where you shop. If any readers have discovered a better product or workaround, let AWU know in the comments section below.
Cheers
Lifehacker
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Comments
4 responses to “Ask LH: How Can I Go Wireless With Home Entertainment?”
Your going to need to have the TV plugged into a powerpoint, which means you already have one cable. Why not install a HDMI cable as well, then use an AV receiver to plug everything else into, and output on the single HDMI?
Also, if you want standard TV, and planned on using the inbuilt tuner thats another cable…
One would expect that a wall mounted TV would also have concealed cabling in the wall cavity. Did your installer not do this or at least offer to?
If the unit is like our townhouse they might have the TV mounted wall on one of the solid diving walls which are between the units. These aren’t just a normal hollow wall but solid.
I’d do the opposite – everything wired.
I’ve yet to see manufacturers fulfil all their promises of all wireless connections working seamlessly. With a cable, it’s faster, more reliable, easier to troubleshoot, less prone to drop-outs/interference etc.