This technology, first demo’d at CES 2010, may be one of the bigger successes in the HTPC and networking arenas as new computers (currently only laptops) hit the market with the Intel 2010 i3/i5/i7 processors. In a nutshell, I can use a laptop computer with an Intel i5 processor, Intel’s embedded graphics chip, Intel’s 6200 WiFi adapter, and a Netgear Push to TV bridge to stream any content I want to any TV connected to a PTV device over HDMI. The tiny Netgear device is connected to the TV via HDMI, and everything happens over a wireless Personal Area Network between my laptop and the Push to TV device.

So why is this such a big gap filler for me? My current home theater setup includes V2 Media Center extenders connected to the three HD TV’s in my home, with the Media Center desktop residing in my loft home office. What I can’t get with this set up (without buying a PC and connecting one to every television) are all the Internet based Media Center extra’s such as Internet TV and Netflix.  Problem solved. With WiDi, I’ve got a nice, light (4.2 pound) 13.3 inch widescreen laptop to use anywhere in my home, around town, or on the road AND I’m able to display all of these Media Center extras. I gain the ability to browse the web and display anything I want on my TV’s.

The technology is nearly idiot proof. Connect the Netgear device via the included HDMI cable. Hit the special button on the laptop keyboard and enter a 4 digit code after your device is found. All the networking setup is handled without user intervention. WPA2 security is configured via WPS (wireless provisioning services) behind the scenes to secure the Personal Area Network (PAN) connection between the laptop and the PTV device. An ICS connection to the Intel internal WiFi is also established behind the scenes. You won’t see this in any of Windows 7’s GUI’s or discover it with netsh, but it is present. In fact, while the 6200 Intel NIC is a/b/g/n capable, when using WiDi with the Netgear device, it is not possible to connect to the 5GHz radio in a dual band router. An error message is returned stating only 2.4 GHz is supported. Some additional good news, even in my overly saturated 2.4 GHz environment of 19 different SSID’s, I had absolutely no interference.

My 52 inch TV, Netgear PTV attached via HDMI, waiting for a connection

WiDi equipped Laptop, connected and ready to rock and roll

The quality is awesome. My recorded (via cable card and OCUR/DCT) content looks great. (All the DRM rules apply here.)

Some HD Recorded TV..

Stargate Atlantis in full HD, via WiDi

Internet TV (the missing piece in my home theater experience) in Windows Media Center looks good.

Star Trek content, Windows Media Center Internet TV

Streaming Star Trek from Windows Media Center via WiDi.

Anything I want using the Media Center interface is streamed to the connected TV, music.. pix… videos..

Music – WMC via WiDi

Anything displayed on your desktop can be streamed. Want to read email? Use Windows Live Messenger? Participate in newsgroups or forums? Browse the web? Yep, it’s in there.

Windows 7 – Everything and anything over WiDi

And for me, there is another huge gap filler. My main beef with Windows Media Center Internet TV is the lack of HD content. With a 52 inch state of the art 1080p TV, can you blame me for wanting HD streaming? Here’s the good news. If one of the networks or other source offers an asset in HD for streaming, WiDi handles it effortlessly. As shown earlier in this post, Windows Media Center Internet TV offers a large amount of CBS content, including (at least at the present time) all three seasons of Star Trek, the original series. Inside Media Center, only SD is available, but I can navigate to the CBS website and view the remastered Star Trek original series in glorious full screen HD.

Needless to say, I’m a very happy camper these days.

Clubhouse Tags: clubhouse, media center, Media Center Windows 7, windows media center, WiDi, Intel Wireless Display, how-to, Tip

What you will need for optimum functionality and how to connect it:

1. Coax cable from wall to DTA RF IN

2. cable from DTA to existing Media Center tuner

3. Media Center Remote control

4. Either a built in eHome Receiver or external USB eHome receiver

5. IR two way blaster cable. The DTA adapter comes with a remote and an IR extender. Do NOT use the IR extender to plug into your eHome MCE receiver.

6. Carefully position the sticky adhesive on the LED on the end of the blaster cable over the receiver eye on the front of the DTA. Plug the other end into the port for you eHome IR receiver or the port on your USB eHome receiver.

7. The DTA has a switch on the back to set it to Ch3 or Ch4, for purposes of TV Setup on MCE this setting should not matter.

Now you are ready to re-run TV Setup. Open Media Center, Navigate to Tasks/Settings and then run TV Setup again. This article was prepared using Windows 7, but the steps are nearly identical for older versions of Windows/MCE.

Following is a screen by screen walk through using a Comcast DTA:

1. Since we are discussing DTA’s in thee USA, this is applicable to the United States only. Confirm the US region.

2. Specify your zip code

3. Agree to the terms of service

4. You’ll need to remain connected to the Internet throughout setup. Agree to the PlayReady EULA.

5. Play ready will download and install from Windows Update. This may take a few minutes, so be patient.

6. TV setup data will download

7. Windows Media Center will examine your TV signal

8.  Windows Media Center should detect your DTA and classify it as a set top box

9.  Select Cable

10.  Attempt automatic configuration. If this fails, you will need to re-run and select manual setup.

11.  Currently, the Windows Media Center remote database does not contain the code set for DTAs. Use WMC’s identify functionality to proceed. Use the remote supplied with your DTA. You may need to press one or more keys (and possibly all of them, but fortunately, there are not a large number of keys on this remote).  Select Next to start this process.

12. Press and hold the 0 key. You may be prompted to do this more than once and prompted to select different keys on your DTA remote. Follow the instructions until completed.

13. A message will display when the remote has been identified and the codes established.  Use your Media Center remote to complete TV setup.

14. Select two digits

15. Select enter the channel number and wait

16. Test channel changing by entering a one or two digit channel number that you know you can receive.

17. Use channel up and channel down to test and establish the speed at which commands need to be sent to successfully change channels

18. In my early testing, I found that Slow was the proper setting.

19. A confirmation will display

19. On Windows 7 (still in beta so this may changed) I needed to update PlayReady

20. The Program Guide will download (may take a few minutes).

21. Confirmation displays

22.  Guide Listing finished updating, time to enjoy TV again.

This article will be updated as needed.

Clubhouse Tags: clubhouse, media center, windows media center, how-to, Tip