Whether or not you’re main a gross sales name, a coaching session, or that hoped-for breakthrough presentation to the higher-ups, why not wow them by wirelessly connecting your laptop computer, pill, or cellphone to the room’s projector or massive show? With the correct gear, it’s simpler than you may suppose.
What’s that? Nobody at your organization has been to the workplace previously 10 months due to a world pandemic? The excellent news is that among the similar cheap devices that stream leisure media over a house Wi-Fi community — Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, and others — will also be used within the boardroom. You’ll be able to follow now when you’re working from dwelling, then be able to hit the bottom operating afterward when vaccines end rolling out, the pandemic recedes, and places of work reopen.
These 11 devices plug right into a projector, massive monitor, or TV to reflect the show of a laptop computer, pill, or smartphone so you can also make shows from your personal system — and from wherever within the room. Some use an HDMI cable for connecting to the show or projector, whereas others resemble a big thumb drive that plugs straight into the display screen’s HDMI port.
Even the biggest can journey with you or be completely (and unobtrusively) put in to a show in a convention room, or perhaps a TV within the den for the work-at-home crowd. Then, all you want do is stroll in, faucet the system or a couple of keys, and also you’re on the massive display screen. (See some typical setup directions.)
All the mirroring devices on this roundup assist HD decision of no less than 1920 x 1080 pixels, the usual for enterprise graphics, and among the newer listed right here can deal with 4K decision of as much as 3820 x 2160 pixels, exhibiting 4 instances as a lot element. To many this may look like overkill, but it surely’s good for an organization for going over the architectural renderings of a brand new manufacturing unit, previewing a UHD business, or zooming in on a high-resolution picture.
The unhealthy information: Most of those devices don’t match all enterprise conditions. Contemplate:
- The Apple TV 4K connects with MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones, however not Home windows, Chrome OS, or Android merchandise.
- Miracast devices, like Microsoft’s 4K Wi-fi Show Adapter, work with Home windows methods in addition to Android tablets and telephones, however not Apple merchandise or Chromebooks.
- Chromecast can straight mirror Android screens however depends on Chromecast apps reasonably than true mirroring for different system sorts.
That stated, a couple of newer devices do mirror a broader vary of methods. Should you’re actually critical about accommodating all forms of laptops and cell devices, you must think about getting a tool with broader assist. In any other case, select the one which most closely fits your wants primarily based on what folks use at your workplace. In any case, with a large number of selections, there’s by no means been a greater time to current wirelessly.
Apple TV 4K / Apple TV HD
Based mostly on Apple’s AirPlay 2 expertise, Apple TV 4K wirelessly mirrors materials on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad in super-sharp 3840 x 2160 decision. Sadly, you need to keep inside the Apple ecosystem to make use of it, so neglect about Androids, Chromebooks, and Home windows devices.
AppleThey may look the same, but the Apple TV 4K (left) supports super-sharp 3840 x 2160 resolution, while Apple TV HD (right) tops out at 1920 x 1080 pixels. (Click any image in this story to enlarge it.)
With hardware similar to an iPad, the Apple TV 4K has an A10X Fusion processor and either 32GB ($179) or 64GB ($199) of storage for presentations, videos, and the occasional movie or game. It uses the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands or a wired Ethernet LAN, has an HDMI port, and is powered by an AC cord.
The Apple TV can be controlled from across the room with its Siri Remote, which listens for commands. At 3.9 x 3.9 x 1.4 in., the Apple TV 4K is likely too big for the back of a TV, but third parties, such as Innovelis, make wall-mounting brackets.
If the Apple TV 4K’s price tag is out of reach or you don’t have a display or projector that supports 4K, the company’s $149 Apple TV HD is a step down with 1920 x 1080 resolution, an older A8 CPU,
Google Chromecast / Google Chromecast with Google TV
Rather than mirroring the screens of every computing platform, the third-generation Chromecast and newer Chromecast with Google TV take a different approach. They allow Android phones and tablets to wirelessly share their screens, but Windows PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, iPhones, and iPads need to use one of the thousands of Chromecast apps available to “cast” to the big screen. The range of supported Chromecast apps includes the ubiquitous Chrome browser, YouTube, and Google Slides but ignores corporate mainstays like PowerPoint and Keynote.
GoogleThe Chromecast (left) and Chromecast with Google TV (right) mirror Android devices and “cast” from other platforms via Chromecast apps.
Both Chromecast devices are small with flat HDMI cables for plugging into a display and take advantage of the 2.4 and 5GHz bands of a Wi-Fi network. The USB port of a newer display or TV should be able to power either device, but they each include an AC adapter, just in case.
The two Chromecast devices diverge when it comes to resolution, with the Chromecast putting out 1920 x 1080 pixels and the Chromecast with Google TV showing the ultra-sharp resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. Instead of the basic black Chromecast device, the Chromecast with Google TV is available in white (a.k.a. Snow), light blue (Sky), or salmon (Sunrise) and includes a voice-activated remote control.
The HD-based Chromecast sells for $30, while the UHD Chromecast with Google TV costs $50, making them screen-sharing bargains.
IOGear Wireless Mobile and PC to HDTV Screen Sharing Receiver (GWAVRC)
IOGear’s Wireless Mobile and PC to HDTV Screen Sharing Receiver is a mouthful, but thanks to the use of a high-power proprietary chipset and high-gain antenna design, it offers the bonus of being able to stay connected from up to 50 feet away, according to the company. Better known as the GWAVRC, the IOGear receiver is for those who have large rooms to fill with wireless presentations and video.
IOGearIOGear’s GWAVRC can stream content from Android and Windows devices from up to 50 feet away.
Based on Miracast technology, the GWAVRC can share the screens of Windows PCs as well as Android phones and tablets over a Wi-Fi network using either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz band. It can’t connect with Chromebooks, Macs, iPhones, or iPads and tops out at 1920 x 1080 resolution.
At 3.4 x 2.6 x 0.6 in., the GWAVRC device can sit next to or behind the TV or display. It comes with a USB AC adapter, but recent TVs and displays should be able to provide enough power for its operation. With the ability to send signals across more space, the IOGear GWAVRC could be the long-distance mirroring champ for your office.
Microsoft 4K Wireless Display Adapter
The third-generation Microsoft 4K Wireless Display Adapter picks up where the company’s earlier mirroring devices left off, allowing 4K-resolution screen sharing in a small package.
MicrosoftThe Microsoft 4K Wireless Display Adapter can be powered from a display via its USB plug.
Happily, it retains the unique design of its predecessor, featuring a 21-inch cable with an HDMI plug at one end and a USB connector at the other. In between is a small box of electronics. This design lets you plug both ends into the back of a TV or display, so the display is both receiving a signal via the HDMI plug and supplying power through the USB plug. The device doesn’t include an AC adapter for displays without a USB port.
Officially, it can mirror a variety of Microsoft Surface devices, but it should work with just about any recent Miracast-enabled system, like Windows 10 PCs or Android phones and tablets. It ignores Apple gear and Chromebooks, though.
Capable of wirelessly mirroring up to a 3840 x 2160 resolution stream, the 4K Wireless Display Adapter uses the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands. Easy to set up, the device makes it a snap to quickly put a 4K presentation or video in front of your colleagues without a cable in sight. The device lists for $60, but we’ve seen it for about $20 less at online retailers.
