WiDi and Push2TV–Get the Updates and Install Them

I’ve been blogging about the WiDi Home Theater experience off and on. Last night, I was checking something for a friend and and realized that the Netgear Push to TV site pointed to updates for both the Intel WiDi driver and the Netgear Push to TV device. For some reason, these don’t appear for me on either the laptop vendors support site or the Intel support site, including when I use the Intel utility to scan for updates. An new version of the WiDi driver IS offered by Intel, but it isn’t as new as the one Netgear offers.  It’s important to do this update first and then get the second one (more at the end of this post) which adds functionality that some folks might find useful. The second updates adds the ability to resize the picture, select whether to hide the Intel Wireless Display Applet itself after connecting and offers additional mouse behavior options (including not showing the pointer on the TV)

The Netgear site http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/13206 indeed has totally accurate instructions that work as advertised. I updated the laptop, rebooted, launched the utility, accessed the check for updates and the PTV1000 updated beautifully.

As you can see from the screen shot above, you can watch the progress of the Push2TV device upgrade on the laptop. It took about two minutes.

Similarly, the connected TV shows that the adapter is being updated.

When complete, you will need to re-associate your laptop with the adapter just like you did when you first setup the pairing.  If you’re just buying this gear, chances are that it will have the original firmware. You will need to set up the pairing with your TV prior to updating and then re-pair.

Once completed, I recommend you grab the even newer Intel My WiFi on the Netgear site and apply it for increased behavior control including as well:

Microsoft WHQL Certified Release
Fast Cursor
Support 1366×768 Display Resolution
Dynamic Wireless Status (More Frequent)
Prompted Firmware Update
Extended Desktop & Remote Only Display Modes
Automatic Microsoft* Firewall Approval
Support for Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1000
Switchable Graphics Interoperability Support