Connecting TV to Laptop by wireless HDMI

[Phulublub]

I currently use HDMI cable - 20 metres of it that runs up the wall, across the concealed ceiling and down again into the back of the TV.  I really would like to get rid!  I see many devices that will cast the laptop screen to the TV, but most (many?  all?) that don't cost £££££ seem to merely mirror the laptop screen rather than extend (so I have, in effect, two monitors).

 

So, does anyone do this?  If yes, what make and model of kit do you use?   It appears that this kit does the job, but am not entirely sure:

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/ezcast-twinx-package-hdmi-wireless-display-usb-c-miracast-airplay-dlna-chrome-browser-mirror-iosandroidmacoswindowschrome-os-i3053229925-s11188956468.html?mp=1&spm=a2o4m.seller.list.i7.5e00346ck6g2Yw

 

The seller says yes - well, he would, wouldn't he!! 

 

The EZCast website is not so clear; I await an answer from them.

 

For info, laptop is running Windows 10 and has HDMI and USB c ports; TV has HDMI only.

 

PH

[fasteddie]

I've got both chrome cast and hdmi but find the chrome cast laggy so only ever use hdmi. As for your other point, dunno.

[xtrnuno41]

This, i think, is a device for sending a file to a screen for presentation. Wouldnt know if it can send a movie with sound.

If you need to see a movie or music, you better have a bluetooth AV transmitter receiver. I just typed this in the search lazada. However i saw, it has RCA connection and not HDMI. Couldnt find a HDMI on lazada with adjustments in search.

If you just run around with those terms, i found:

iogear gw3dhdkit wireless hdmi digital kit.

Not in lazada but on internet.

And then for sale in Amazone, like 

https://www.amazon.com/IOGEAR-Wireless-Digital-Channel-GW3DHDKIT/dp/B00630WKGI

[DoctorB]

25 minutes ago, xtrnuno41 said:

This, i think, is a device for sending a file to a screen for presentation. Wouldnt know if it can send a movie with sound.

If you need to see a movie or music, you better have a bluetooth AV transmitter receiver. I just typed this in the search lazada. However i saw, it has RCA connection and not HDMI. Couldnt find a HDMI on lazada with adjustments in search.

If you just run around with those terms, i found:

iogear gw3dhdkit wireless hdmi digital kit.

Not in lazada but on internet.

And then for sale in Amazone, like 

https://www.amazon.com/IOGEAR-Wireless-Digital-Channel-GW3DHDKIT/dp/B00630WKGI

I wanted to do similar but found no clear answer. Miracast gave a poor picture and was laggy. Bluetooth is not suitable for AV. It is low bandwidth and really only suitable for audio or file transfer. Ultimately I think you will not find anything that will give you the quality of HDMI cabling though the Amazon gear does look to be an attempt at wireless HDMI.

[Woof999]

If you're using Win 10 or 11, put all devices on a proper wired network. Windows built in steaming to a smart TV like a Samsung works great.

 

I never ever use any wireless technology without expecting some kind of compromise. Wireless is much more convenient for sure but will always have downfalls compared to old fashioned cables.

[steve187]

what are you trying to send from your laptop to tv, could you not get an android box and use that to serf the web, etc.

[RedBackman]

Can we get some information about what exactly you're trying to do with your second screen? Like do you really need to see the mouse cursor and such for presentations - or are you just trying to cast videos?

 

Basically you get what you pay for and the great solutions to low-latency high-bandwith wireless hdmi tend to be high price. Teradek, peakdo, iogear, nyrus are some brandnames but expect to pay at least $150 for them and still not be as good as wired solutions.

 

The cheaper options like built-in miracast or chromecast mirroring tend to work well enough for most uses, but can get a little laggy or glitchy at times - because live mirroring/casting cares more about latency, low-buffer size, bandwidth etc all in attempts to stay live.

 

Normally the best way to handle this situation if you're just focused on watching videos or something is to take mirroring/casting out of the equation and have a smart box or pc hooked directly to the tv. Then you can use your phone or computer to control native apps on the tv box and use plex/emby as a server to stream local files.

[jumbo]

I just bought a wireless dongle on Lazada for 250 thb, I need to see if it works properly but the information seems OK, although I am not an IT wizard

 

[recom273]

Presuming you have a smart TV, install Plex or Jellyfin on your computer - Install the Plex / jellyfin app on your TV or Android box, connect them all to the same network - you can stream to your TV and use the TV remote to navigate / control the playback. You can also stream to your tablet in bed.

Edited June 16, 2022 by recom273

[Phulublub]

8 hours ago, RedBackman said:

Can we get some information about what exactly you're trying to do with your second screen? Like do you really need to see the mouse cursor and such for presentations - or are you just trying to cast videos?

Should have included such info at the start I guess....  this is not for watching videos particularly (though I do use HD Prime through my laptop to watch TV on the TV), but to replicate the set up I have in UK with a PC and two monitors that I can switch between (both looking at and manipulating data) easily...webpages, excel spreadsheets, word docs - to be able to view and work on two at a time, referencing one to change data in the second, for example.  For such work, some (small) lag is not much of a problem.

 

Had a reply from EZCast support:

 

EZCast TwinX supports extension casting mode, you can press Win+P to switch Mirror/Extend mode.
However EZCast TwinX needs Type C+ Display Alt mode hardware interface, so please first kindly check that your device supports Type C+ Display Alt mode for TwinX plug and play casting.
 

Now trying to discover if I have this or not (Lenovo Ideapad 5Pro 16ACH6.)

 

PH

[RedBackman]

3 hours ago, Phulublub said:

Should have included such info at the start I guess....  this is not for watching videos particularly (though I do use HD Prime through my laptop to watch TV on the TV), but to replicate the set up I have in UK with a PC and two monitors that I can switch between (both looking at and manipulating data) easily...webpages, excel spreadsheets, word docs - to be able to view and work on two at a time, referencing one to change data in the second, for example.  For such work, some (small) lag is not much of a problem.

 

Had a reply from EZCast support:

 

EZCast TwinX supports extension casting mode, you can press Win+P to switch Mirror/Extend mode.
However EZCast TwinX needs Type C+ Display Alt mode hardware interface, so please first kindly check that your device supports Type C+ Display Alt mode for TwinX plug and play casting.
 

Now trying to discover if I have this or not (Lenovo Ideapad 5Pro 16ACH6.)

 

PH

Yes, you do have a displayport alt mode compatible usb-c port that supports up to displayport 1.4 - if you have a model with two usb-c ports only one of them has this feature. Which means you should be fine giving this ezcast device a shot, though I have no experience with them to recommend it one way or another.

 

It seems this device operates over 2.4/5GHz wifi and maxes at 1080p so I'm not sure if it will be any better than other wifi options like miracast or chromecast - which could be better value in that case.

 

From your laptop manual:

 

Standard Ports

• 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1•
• 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Always On)•
• 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (support data transfer, Power Delivery 3.0, and DisplayPort™ 1.4)
• 1x HDMI 1.4b•
• 1x Card reader•
• 1x Headphone / microphone combo jack (3.5mm)

[Phulublub]

12 hours ago, RedBackman said:

Yes, you do have a displayport alt mode compatible usb-c port that supports up to displayport 1.4 - if you have a model with two usb-c ports only one of them has this feature. Which means you should be fine giving this ezcast device a shot, though I have no experience with them to recommend it one way or another.

 

It seems this device operates over 2.4/5GHz wifi and maxes at 1080p so I'm not sure if it will be any better than other wifi options like miracast or chromecast - which could be better value in that case.

 

From your laptop manual:

 

Standard Ports

• 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1•
• 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Always On)•
• 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (support data transfer, Power Delivery 3.0, and DisplayPort™ 1.4)
• 1x HDMI 1.4b•
• 1x Card reader•
• 1x Headphone / microphone combo jack (3.5mm)

Cheers for input.  What this does, thugh, is offer extension rather than merely mirroring which is (AFAIAA) all miracast, chromecast and similar do and not what I want to achieve.

 

PH

[RedBackman]

37 minutes ago, Phulublub said:

Cheers for input.  What this does, thugh, is offer extension rather than merely mirroring which is (AFAIAA) all miracast, chromecast and similar do and not what I want to achieve.

 

PH

Miracast is just a standard (like bluetooth, wifi, etc) not a specific device and does support extension as well as mirroring. In fact because your EZcast device is using 2.4/5GHz it wouldn't surprise me if it's built on top of the miracast standard. But say you already have a wifi enabled television that supports miracast - you might be able to do the same thing the EZcast dongle is doing without spending the money, just using direct laptop wifi antenna to tv wifi antenna. Or if your tv is non-wifi a lot of different tv boxes (maybe cheaper) will support miracast too.

 

The only real benefit to the EZcast in that case is if you want to use multiple formats on the same display (airplay from an apple device, chromecast from a browser, miracast from your phone, dlna, etc) or you want to cast from a legacy device that doesn't support any of those.

 

Also Chromecast iirc is able to extend - well sort of. I remember some devices needed a dummy hdmi or software trickery with virtual displays to get it working. Probably not the preferred method, but if you have a chromecast lying around or want one anyway it might be worth it to try.

[Phulublub]

To follow up for ayone interested...I bought the EZ cast and it arrived safely...set up was easy and extending screen worked well.  A little bit of lag but nothing major, and watching online movie content was fine. 

 

BUT (!) both transmitter and receiver got very hot in a short space of time and given I spend hours on laptop, using TV screen as second monitor this worried me sufficiently that I decided against keeping it...picked  up and returned to Lazada for full refund (less delivery charge, obv.).   I will have to keep the HDMI cable for a while yet!

 

Thanks for all the input

 

PH