Wireless Desktop Streaming Showdown

Setting upwards a user friendly, seamless together with reliable projecting organization tin me a daunting together with expensive process. I volition hold upwards looking at a twosome of major options, weighing their strengths together with weaknesses, together with hopefully assistance you lot to lead which i is correct for you.

I volition hold upwards taking a closer expect at the next products:

Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter
Airtame Wireless HDMI dongle
Chromecast
Apple TV
Windows 10 Desktop Streaming
Airserver

Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter v2. USD49.99 on Amazon

Ostensibly this is Microsoft's response to the Chromecast. In reality, it is an solely unlike device, amongst unlike pattern goals. The Chromecast is primarily a multimedia streaming device, whereas the Wireless Display Adapter is a occupation concern tool for using screens over a wireless network.

This device makes role of the opened upwards Miracast protocol for streaming, together with is out of the box compatible amongst Windows 8 together with upwards, every bit good every bit Android 4.2 or later. Windows seven is supported amongst additional software.

Setup is simple, really plug together with play if you lot are running Windows 10

Unfortunately every bit amongst almost Miracast devices, in that place is a noticeable lag, thus gaming is non actually an option, together with video tends to larn laggy together with out of sync amongst the audio. This was tested amongst an 802.11n network.

Airtame Wireless HDMI dongle USD299 on Amazon

With a hefty pricetag, this device needs to delineate out all the stops, together with it does. I am non convinced that it really justifies the cost, but if you lot remove a device that does everything, thus this is it. Using a proprietary protocol driven past times an app, this device is compatible amongst Windows seven together with up, every bit good every bit Android, iOS together with OSX. It only does display mirroring, but extended desktop back upwards is inwards the pipeline. Apart from existence used every bit a concealment mirror, it also features a built inwards browser which tin hold upwards configured to role every bit a standalone dashboard display. It provides the added practise goodness of a minute USB-OTG port, which you lot tin role to connect a USB ethernet adapter, farther improving streaming performance.

The app makes configuration real elementary together with quite painless. On starting fourth dimension startup you lot may remove to practise a firmware upgrade, which tends to hold upwards quite large, together with may have got a spell to run.

As amongst the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter, the device excels at static images, presentations together with similar, but video together with gaming suffers from stuttering together with delays that arrive difficult to recommend for multimedia.

Chromecast USD35 on NewEgg

The Chromecast is, starting fourth dimension together with foremost, a media streaming device. Compatible Android together with iOS apps tin cast content direct to the Chromecast, which agency that the content is streamed from the media provider to the Chromecast directly. This agency that videos such every bit youtube together with Netflix play perfectly, without whatever stutter or sync issues. With the latest Google Chrome extension, you lot tin also cast your desktop concealment to the Chromecast, but that brings inwards stuttering together with delays when playing video. For presentations however, it is a inexpensive together with feasible option. Again it only supports concealment mirroring, thus no extended desktop.

Apple TV USD149.99 on NewEgg

Baked into whatever recent Apple product, hold upwards it iPad, Macbook or iPad, the Apple Airplay protocol makes wireless streaming betwixt Apple devices extremely simple. Any Apple TV device tin hold upwards used every bit a receiver, together with streaming plant every bit good every bit whatever Apple software. Simple, seamless together with user friendly. 

Unfortunately every bit amongst anything Apple, it is a unopen ecosystem. Airplay is for Apple only. Third political party apps such every bit AirParrot allows you lot to connect to airplay receivers from Windows, together with iTunes allows you lot to current your multimedia from Windows to your Airplay device. It also allows concealment casting from OSX together with iOS.

The Apple TV is to a greater extent than of a Media Consumption Device than a desktop streamer, thus it may non actually gibe into this comparison.

Windows 10 Anniversary Edition Desktop Streaming

The latest update to Windows 10 introduced an app called "Connect". Simply running the app volition plough your Windows 10 PC into a desktop streaming receiver. H5N1 twosome of settings allows you lot to run the app inwards the background, making desktop streaming inexpensive together with easy. On a five twelvemonth one-time Intel NUC the functioning was like to that of the Wireless Display Adapter, amongst the added wages of existence able to run whatever normal Windows apps on the PC every bit well. Additionally, Windows 10 allows you lot to run extended desktop amongst the connected concealment every bit a secondary display. Finally you lot tin plough that one-time laptop into an extra PC screen, or you lot tin run Powerpoint amongst the presenter concealment on your laptop, an the presentation on the remote screen.

Airserver USD19.99 from Airserver

Available for Windows or OSX, this software turns your PC into a total fledged Google Cast, Apple Airplay together with Miracast receiver. On a skillful network, concealment casting plant great, but video tin larn seriously laggy. I constitute that casting my Windows 10 desktop had extreme delays (up to 10 seconds) but casting from OSX, Android together with iOS worked flawlessly. Of all the available options, this has been, past times far my favourite. Read to a greater extent than inwards the decision below.

Conclusion

For my coin the best combination is repurposing an unused PC or Laptop amongst Windows 10 Anniversary edition, or buying an Intel NUC if you lot desire a neat solution. My configuration has Windows 10 Anniversary Edition amongst the Connect app for streaming from Windows PCs together with Airserver for streaming from anything else.

Casting video is soundless a problem, but because it is a PC you lot tin play whatever media locally on the computer.

I also installed together with Office suite on the PC which agency that visiting presenters tin convey their presentations on a USB stick together with nowadays without the remove for setting upwards a laptop. Combine that amongst a character Wireless Remote, together with you lot have got a formidable presentation setup that does non cost an arm together with a leg.

	Price	Windows	Android	Apple	Miracast	Airplay	Chromecast	Screen Mirroring	Extended Desktop	Standalone Functionality
Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter	49.99	X	X		X			X	X
Airtame	299	X	X	X				X		X
Chromecast	35	X	X	X			X	X
Apple TV	149.99	X	X	X		X		X (Apple Only)		X
Windows 10 Desktop Streaming	Free (with Win10)	X	X					X	X	X
Airserver	19.99	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X