8

I am hoping to install a projector in our office space to stream to from laptops/macbooks/tablets etc. However due to the layout, we can't easily run cables from connecting devices to the projector.

Are there any solutions to solve this issue? Wireless projectors seem to just be Miracast enabled and so will not support anything other than Windows 8.1+ and android 4.2+ devices. Are there any truly wireless projectors?

I don't have a real budget but under £1000 would be nice.

Improve this question
8
  • Miracast is a wireless display standard (to be fair, I'm using the word "standard" fairly loosely). What do you think makes them not "truly wireless"?
    – T.J.L.
    Commented Apr 7, 2016 at 20:27
  • @T.J.L. It doesn't support Apple products or chromebooks..
    – Ctrl-alt-dlt
    Commented Apr 8, 2016 at 7:40
  • You've got that backwards - Apple products don't support Miracast. Miracast/Wi-Di is actually a feature built into recent Intel CPUs that Apple doesn't take advantage of (Apple's choice, to sell more AppleTV units, not something they're excluded from). AirPlay and Chromecast are not "truly" wireless display technologies; the devices involved do more than simply send the video feed. Miracast is effectively a wireless HDMI cable; it doesn't try to be smart, it is "simply" (and far more "truly") a wireless display technology.
    – T.J.L.
    Commented Apr 8, 2016 at 13:42
  • @T.J.L. So we have people come to this office to do presentations, all wanting to use the projector. They have all manner of devices, Windows, Apple and Android. Will Miracast work on all of them?
    – Ctrl-alt-dlt
    Commented Apr 8, 2016 at 13:49
  • Windows, Linux, and Android can all potentially use Miracast/Wi-Di, assuming they have the required hardware and software in the device. Apple has excluded themselves by Apple's choice, forcing their customers to purchase an AppleTV box as well. On sufficiently recent Intel-based MacBooks, part of the hardware to use Miracast/Wi-Di is there in the CPU, but there's no way to access it. Chromebooks are somewhat out in the cold, but that's because they're half-#@$ed computers anyway.
    – T.J.L.
    Commented Apr 8, 2016 at 13:52

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

In order to cover Windows, Android, Mac OS-X, and iOS, you'll need a two part solution.

As you've already discovered, Miracast is a wireless display standard. It is effectively HDMI-over-wireless. The Wi-Fi Alliance maintains a list of compatible products. Note that it can be called different things by different vendors; Samsung calls it "AllShare Cast" for instance.

Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 support Miracast. It depends on hardware support in the GPU, which modern Intel CPUs have integrated. Just be aware that having the right OS does not always mean the computer has the right hardware.

The same goes for Android - 4.2 and up have the software capability, but it's only useful if the phone or tablet has the hardware capability.

On the other side...

Apple has excluded themselves by Apple's choice, forcing their customers to purchase an AppleTV box as well. On sufficiently recent Intel-based Macs, part of the hardware to use Miracast/Wi-Di is theoretically there in the CPU, but there's no way to access it.

In order to get the same capability for Apple devices, you'll need to include an AppleTV in your setup. The AppleTV is small, so you can probably find some way to fasten it to the same mount as the projector and just leave it up there. It has Wi-Fi, so you don't need to supply anything but power.

In summary: Your projector will need Miracast-capability and an HDMI port for the Apple TV.

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.