Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter

This may come in handy when wanting to share content with friends and family on a large (HDMI-enabled) screen or when presenting or sharing content in professional environments. As the device supports the Miracast standard you should find it works with many Android and Windows Phone (including Windows Mobile 10) devices that support it (the devices need to have hardware to support this). Many modern computers will also have the Intel Wireless display standard which operates similarly to Miracast, allowing you to use your TV / external screen as a primary or secondary monitor. The technology does not only push visual content out onto your TV / HDMI screen but will also push audio out as well. What is particularly impressive is how the audio and video is synchronised perfectly (this is often a problem with digital content, particularly when using wireless standards such as Bluetooth). The technology is very simple to use (from Windows 8 / 10 to Windows Phone and Android). Do note that portable smart phones using Miracast will typically mirror what's on the mobile device screen, so you will need need to keep the device and the screen on. Don't attempt to use this for fast-paced games, though, as there is a slight delay (less than a second, but enough to get you "killed" in a fast action game on a smart phone or tablet). Your portable device can get warm and you will find the battery drains much quicker than usual when wirelessly "casting" your content, so do be aware of this. The wireless display technology used in Windows 8 and above (typically requiring an Intel WiDi supporting hardware as well) can, however, display content wirelessly with your computer screen off (using the TV as your primary screen, thus disabling the notebook computer screen). Use the Windows key + P to display and select the most relevant option for you. The Microsoft wireless display adapter does require a USB power source. Many television sets do have a USB port that can provide the necessary power draw for this small device and so becomes a non-issue. I have found that some portable mobile chargers can work well to power the device as well (the mobile battery charger needs to provide power immediately and not attempt to detect the type of device for this to work). Another nice feature in the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter is the ability to set a PIN code ensuring that people outside your meeting room / living room / bedroom can't mess around with your TV! However, this is not on by default. A bit of a downside to this device is that in order to configure it or update the firmware you will require a Microsoft-based device to do so (an app needs to be downloaded from the Microsoft Store and is only supported on Windows 8 / 10 and Windows 10 Mobile). Windows 7 does not support wireless display technology (even if the hardware in your computer supports it). If you are an Apple device user you are probably out of luck as this device does not support Airplay (the system used by Apple to wirelessly display content from iOS and OS X devices). Just to be clear, this device supports WiDi (Wireless Display standard) and Miracast, it is not a replacement for Chromecast or Airplay devices (which work differently). I've got this to work flawlessly with several Android and Windows smart phones and my Dell notebook computer on my LG TV as well as my Acer computer display monitor. I have an older Android tablet (B&N HD+ and the first generation of Microsoft Surface RT tablet that don't work with this as neither have Miracast compatible hardware built into them.

The product works moderately well. The design is nice and minimalist. One one laptop it took a little bit of software/firmware updating to get it up and running but my other laptop got it working immediately.The product does tend to heat up quite a bit and will disconnect every few hours, which can be a bit annoying.The video stream does not lag too noticeably in most cases. Watching movies through it is generally fine, though some flash players will show a bit of difficulty.The quality of the image will depend on the power of your device you're streaming from so bear this in mind if you're using an older laptop or desktop.It has become a staple in my life and largely replaced my Chromecast. I doubt that the disconnects could be fixed by a firmware update and I hope that it is not due to overheating which may lessen the lifespan of the device.I'd recommend - if you're looking to by this product - to buy the latest version.

This is an update to the review below. I do not know what has changed, maybe a firmware or software update from microsoft, but I recently tried out the display adapter for video playback again recently (having been using it only as a convenient way to connect an extra display for work when visiting customer sites) and I can now watch video playback smoothly a reliably. I have upgraded my Surface Pro 3 from Windows 8 to Windows 10 since writing my initial review.I purchased this to accompany my i5 Surface Pro 3, with the intention to primarily use it to stream media content to my TV. Its secondary purpose was to provide connectivity to external displays when available while visiting client sites(This section no longer applies *With regards to media streaming, it performs badly. Audio is out of synch with the video, making films and TV almost unwatchable. This is regardless of the media player used, from Media Player Classic to YouTube. Music videos are OK since the lip synch is less critical.* - possible due to Windows 10 update, video playback is now fine)Physical design is also flawed. It is powered from a USB port. However, no USB power supply was included. In addition to this, the USB power cable is moulded on to the display adapter and is very short. This means that for use with displays without a USB power port, it can be very awkward to get power to the display adapter. The Chromecast scores much better in this regard, as it can be powered by any standard micro-usb cable, including the very long ones often supplied with phones and things.On the plus side, it does provide a very easy way to connect wirelessly to a HDMI display from a Windows 8 or Windows 10 computer,