WiDi Is The Latest Rage: How To Mirror Your Laptop Display On Your HDTV

How many times have you wished that you could connect your laptop to your television to watch streaming media...I know, you can in most instances using an HDMI connection. But wouldn't you like it much more if you didn't have the HDMI cable to contend with? There are already a few items that will give you this power that you have to plug into your USB port, but often these gadgets are expensive, difficult to use, and do you really want something sticking out of the side of your laptop waiting to get broken?

Intel has come up with a solution to the dongle sticking out of your laptop and incorporated it into some of their 80211 wireless set-ups. You will still need the receiver that connects to your HDTV, but the streaming media will come from your already installed WiFi interface. Set up is really easy, and since your laptop will already have the software there are no drivers to install. You will need a receiver connected to your television via HDMI or RCA cables, but the entire set-up is painless and hassle free.

Some laptops are already being manufactured with the technology already aboard, but if your machine doesn't have it, here's what you will need:

• Computer: i3, i5, or i7 core processor with a HM57, HM55, QM57, or Q557.
• Graphics: Intel or compatible graphics.
• Wireless NIC: Intel Centrino Advanced N 6200, N+ WiMax 6250, or Ultimate N 6300.
• Television Receiver: Netgear Push2TV (PTV1000)

You will probably already have the Windows 7 installed on your machine, but this must be the Pro or Ultimate version in a 64 bit platform. The Intel My WiFi Technology, and Wireless Display must be installed with the hardware and active on your system. The Push2TV adapter will connect to your television through the HDMI connection or the RCA jacks.

Once it's all set up you will have to pair up your television with a four digit code, similar to how a bluetooth headset is paired. Pull up the wireless display software, and follow the instructions, your desktop will be ported over to the HDTV. But, as with all things, there's a catch.

You won't be able to port over anything that is copy protected. So anything that is tied to a DRM (Digital Rights Management) won't port over. There is a way around this though, if you have managed to make back-up copies and stripped the DRM from them they will port. But, for any other content, games, or desktop environment, you will be able to send it to your HDTV. Also, there can be problems with throughput if there are less than ideal conditions, or a lot of wireless signals crashing into each other.

One company, called Wisair, has a whole line of systems to extend your desktop to a HDTV, but these systems will require that you use one of your USB ports. The systems use UWB (Ultra Wide Band) to port over the display, and may reduce the possibility of problems in the throughput, but there again, you will have that pesky dongle sticking out of a USB port. There are a few laptops that come with the Netgear Push2TV bundled to give you one low price, and your laptop may already have it. You can check for that at the Netgear website.