WHDI review (Wireless HDMI)

[mayamaniac]

http://hothardware.com/Reviews/WHDI-...View-HDelight/

Reveiw of the Asus WiCast ($190) and Brite-View HDelight ($170)

WHDI seems really cool and works well with almost no noticeable lag and it is HDCP compliant. I have a nice gaming PC sitting in the same room (10 feet apart) as my main 65" TV, and this WHDI device will be perfect to connect the two together. I was thinking of getting a small laptop or PC to connect to the TV, but I think WHDI is a better solution. And if your server is close enough (up to 10 meters/32 feet), you can connect to the server and get the full PC experience of Youtube, Netflix, Hulu, Blu-ray, web browser, etc. on your main TV without limitations. Couple this with a wireless keyboard/trackpad and you are set. I would still use the HD300 for SageTV though. But I think the WHDI can turn your existing SageTV server PC into a good alternative to GoogleTV or Roku.

[Fuzzy]

for nearly $200, I'd figure out a way to run a cable the 10 feet needed.

[mayamaniac]

Trust me, it is not possible for me to run a cable. Thats the direct line across 10 feet from point A to point B, if by cable going along the walls or ceiling, it's probably more like 25-30 feet, and will probably cost just as much or more doing so.

I might even connect wirelessly to my server instead since it is on 24/7, which is in another room about 20 feet away.

As for the price, I'm guessing it will go down when other companies jump on to compete.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

Trust me, it is not possible for me to run a cable. Thats the direct line across 10 feet from point A to point B, if by cable going along the walls or ceiling, it's probably more like 25-30 feet, and will probably cost just as much or more doing so.

It's actually less than $50.

Even one from Blue Jeans Cable is only $135/50ft.

[Fuzzy]

FWIW, even 50 ft 24AWG HDMI cables at monoprice are only about $30. Those are CL2 rated in-wall permitted cabling. I've got a similar cable (45ft) running around my living room (server in the closet of the adjacent room), and have had zero problems. Personally, I get concerned with more and more wireless devices entering the home - mostly all operting in the same general frequency band.

[mayamaniac]

LOL, I'm not talking about the cost of the cable alone, I'm talking about the cost of hiding the cable inside the walls so that it looks professionally done. That would cost a lot more than the WHDI unit. As for wireless signals frying our brains, please leave the paranoia activities out of this thread.

[stanger89]

I think Fuzzy was "worry"ing more about interferrence/reliability with lots of wireless devices "poluting" the airwaves at home.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I think Fuzzy was "worry"ing more about interferrence/reliability with lots of wireless devices "poluting" the airwaves at home.

Yeah.. plus, if you get too much radio waves flying around, it might start causing sparking in the tinfoil hats, which would undoubtedly become distracting while trying to watch tv.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

LOL, I'm not talking about the cost of the cable alone, I'm talking about the cost of hiding the cable inside the walls so that it looks professionally done. That would cost a lot more than the WHDI unit.

I've found most situations, you don't necessarily NEED to go into the walls. Most times, going underneath baseboard is enough. HDMI is a thicker cable, so it doesn't corner quite as tight, but the two corners mine goes around are also where I have my speaker stands, so the 'peaking out' is completely hidden. I do agree, the proper way is in-wall - and that probably will be done if I have to open up the walls for anything else.. but this alone wasn't worth it.

[mayamaniac]

My TV and PC are on opposite sides of the room. I would have to go across 4 doors to get to the TV from the PC, so again, trust me, it is not easy to run a cable.

[pjpjpjpj]

This will be great for me. When my alma mater's football game is only available streaming on the internet (and not at a Sage-friendly site), I can still have the laptop in my lap on the couch, doing whatever I want, while sending the game to the TV. In the past, I had to have the VGA cable stretched across the room. (my laptop doesn't have HDMI, but that's not the point anyway, it could have been an HDMI cable... either way, I like it).

[Nelbert]

Anandtech have actually hands-on reviewed the kit. It was favourable until the blu-ray playback where it starts showing artifacting at 5ft with line of sight.

Anandtech Review

I wouldn't want to spend anything on it without a guarentee full refund if it doesn't work. Also the collection of wires for just 3 boxes seems a little ott.

Then again I only need 1 lead from my amp to the screen which comes straight through the wall. The 4 pairs of surround speaker cables are hidden at the top of the room instead of the bottom as we have concrete floors, doors and windows in the way.