Wireless HDMI lets you stream audio and video from any HDMI output. Such as a game console, computer, or cable box. This removes unsightly HDMI cables from your setup and even frees you from options. Such as storing your video source in a completely separate room.
It’s also a very easy-to-use technology, but there are some things you should know before buying.
How does wireless HDMI work?
Like many modern technologies, wireless HDMI uses the power of invisible electromagnetic waves to perform a kind of magic: transmitting audio and video signals around the room, like cell phone towers, transmitting content to the smartphone in your pocket. However, electromagnetic waves are not nearly as fantastic as they seem. Electromagnetic waves, broken down by their most fundamental principles, are basically vibrations that travel through the air. The round dine is just like light, and what sets them apart from each other is how fast or slow they vibrate. This rate of vibration is called frequency and is measured in Hz or “hertz”.
When you plug in your HDMI transmitter. It half the equation that plugs into your game console, computer, or cable box – it uses a small onboard computer to receive an HDMI signal, convert it to a wireless signal, and broadcast it over the wireless spectrum. It creates its own network at its own GHz speed. And at the other end of that network is a receiver connected to your TV or projector.
Reasons to use wireless HDMI
One big problem, however, is that the equipment that feeds video to the TV needs storage space next to it. About fifteen years ago, this was not a problem. After all, TVs aren’t exactly skinny. A blocky piece of screen often required a wardrobe-style wooden storage cabinet or wall unit. “Entertainment system”, as they were called.
Now you can actually have a TV on your wall and nothing else. You can hide the wireless HDMI receiver behind it. And you can store your game console or cable box in a closet somewhere else. Even in the same room if you don’t want to.
Will it interfere with your Wi-Fi network?
the fact that these things create their own wireless networks just like your wireless Internet. This is the correct understanding that matters for wireless settings, especially if you keep everything in one place.
This can cause signal problems such as temporary flickering in video and audio, perhaps for a few seconds every few minutes before the connection is restored.
What’s the solution here? To arrange things, place all of these wireless transmitters away from each other, perhaps on their own shelves or in their own corners of the room. Luckily, being able to place your equipment wherever you want is where Wireless HDMI stands out.
What about remotes?
Fortunately, the wireless HDMI manufacturers have figured this out. HDMI wireless kits will also come with infrared send/receive modules. They use an HDMI wireless transmitter to send an infrared signal to the wireless range, so you can place the infrared receiver anywhere you can point to the remote – like under a screen. And it will send it back onto the cable. box wherever it is.
Wireless HDMI vs. Chromecast and Other Streaming Models
You might be wondering if something like a Chromecast is the same as wireless HDMI. After all, it plugs into the HDMI port and lets you transfer video wirelessly. However, the story is a little more complicated. The way that streaming joysticks work is fundamentally different from HDMI transmitters. Because instead of streaming video from a source somewhere in your home – console, computer, etc. The streaming joystick actually connects directly to Wi-Fi and streams content. from the Internet.
For example, instead of streaming Netflix on your desktop computer and sending that video to a wireless HDMI transmitter to bring it up to your home screen. With a streaming stick, you would direct it to Netflix and stream video from there.
Is wireless HDMI or streaming right for you?
This method has its pros and cons. On the one hand, it’s a little cleaner and easier to set up. Chromecast already plays well with most streaming services and you only need to connect it to the internet to start streaming. However, the sources are a bit limited. For example, you cannot stream a game console to it. And you cannot stream content from your computer if you have a video library that you would like to watch.
And if you have slow internet or data limit on your internet. You should pause before getting a streaming stick and consider adding HDMI-level content streaming data to your streaming stick. If you are streaming content from your computer or game console via a wireless HDMI transmitter. It does so without additional Internet usage and regardless of Internet speed. Most of the time, however, you are probably wirelessly transmitting something that is broadcast on your content delivery unit, so it might be a flush.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that if your setup doesn’t require wireless HDMI to work. It’s probably worth taking the time to seriously consider streaming sticks, if only because of the cost. While the above wireless HDMI kits start at around $ 200. Many steam joysticks like the Amazon Fire TV Stick cost around $ 50, and the Chromecast Ultra can be found for $ 70. This is especially striking when you consider that both the Fire TV Stick and Chromecast Ultra support 4k streaming and the cheapest option for 4K wireless HDMI costs over $ 450.
Conclusion
So perhaps after reading all of this, you are ready to make a decision. Wireless HDMI can solve some problems very well. Such as incorrect equipment placement and keeping order. But there are some conveniences you get with a streaming stick that wireless HDMI does not. Not to mention, streaming joysticks often come with their own remote controls and other backends, which means they work more like an all-in-one solution.
But it all comes down to what you want to do. What will you watch on the screen? Will you be playing a lot of games from your console or computer? Or will you not play at all, but plan to indulge in binges and Netflix movies? Maybe you’re building your system solely to watch all of the big games this season.
Taking a break and thinking about how you are going to use your system will help you make a decision. And if you end up needing to stream from a local source, then wireless HDMI may be the best and easiest solution for you
