M14x/M17xR3/M18x - Wireless HD/SiBEAM discussion thread

In order to prevent multiple threads asking the same question, please post all questions concerning WirelessHD/SiBEAM here.

For Intel WiDi related items, please post here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...m17xr3-m18x-intel-widi-discussion-thread.html

Thanks.

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Before posting, reference this post:

For those looking for part#'s for the Wireless HD (if you did not order the system with it),

5HT44 WiHD Card (DMC/SiBeam)
39PKF Sibeam Antenna Module (Includes Antenna)

(thanks to inapp for posting this)

 

Ah, cool.

I thought I duped something in the M18x forum.

Any chance of a merging of the old scattered stuff to this thread?

 

Merging will kill the timeline of the thread. Just go ahead and re-post. No worries. I'm still debating if each should have their own thread based on model. Thoughts welcome.

 

im confused so what exactly is SiBEAM ?

 

Dell - Help Me Choose: Wireless HD - SiBeam Technology

 

Yeah, I know about all that. Can certainly be confusing for a board with this many members.

Thanks!

This should be cool for now. Unless there is some kind of difference that isn't obvious.

 

Ok i thought i might as well post this now

Its been confirmed that the M14x has the wireless HD slot under the battery it also has 2 antennas running from that.. Can some one from the UK Confirm that the British M14x has this slot as well with the 2 antennas

 

ok correct me if im wrong here. But sandy bridge proc + intel wifi card = 1080p wireless transmission with that push2tv adapter.

So why spend 300 dollars on this when the laptop can already wirelessly transfer video?

Does the built in intel version have a lot more then the 10ms input lag?
Does it not work with the wireless internet active at the same time?

Basically what are the benefits of spending 300 for this wireless hd when intel already supplies wireless hd?

 

I'm very interested in seeing what this technology can offer.

Every new AW owner who posts their experience on this will get +rep from me

 

there is lag i have both the Push2tv 1000 and Push2tv 2000 the 2000 has less lag than the first but you sure wont want to do much in the way of gaming. Not that the intel gpu is much of power house in the 3d department. I have not attempted 3d but i dont see why it wouldn't work the lag is a barrier for sure.

I have watched high bit rate h264 video over the 2000 at 1080p have have not noticed any lag in the video. The 2000 at least lets you do extended desktop while the 1000 only does display mirroring.

I have to honest i never expected it to work room to room but it it does. I hear the Sibeam has to have line of sight.

Widi took a hell of alot of jimming to work on a fresh windows install. It really only wanted to work in intel only mode with no ati drivers loaded at all. It was bloody hell trying to keep switchable graphics working and have the Widi outputting video.

Oh btw you can still use wifi while using WiDi. Even dual band (ie 5ghz push2tv + 2.4 wireless)

 

Also the Intel only works with the integrated video, if your machine doesn't have it or you want to output with the dedicated you would need the wirelessHD.

 

ohhhhhhh ok so the intel widi is basically for watching video or mirroring ur desktop

the wireless sibeam hdmi uses discrete card and is for gaming.

hmmmm 300 extra dollars just so i can game on a tv without using an hdmi cord too rich for my blood



ps: wow jt u really love buying alienware laptops eh

 

There is the $99 option for the internal card, all you need is a receiver for your display device. The $300 option looks to be both a transmitter and a receiver. Not sure why you would want that bulky transmitter when an internal card is an option.

But I am having trouble finding just the receiver portion of the WirelessHD setup.

 

I've bought a push2tv 1000 @ bestbuy for 99$ and used it with the dedicated intel 3000. Yes, it works with little working at the software and somehow I used it with the laptop in another room then where the TV was. They were maybe @ 10meters distance from each other (with a dry wall in between) and the signal was full on the receiver. I guess it has a good distance in using it. And yes, you cannot do games, you can only watch movies at 720p and probably do some presentation if needed. For me is more then enough 17" system for gaming and when I want to watch a movie from the blu ray on a large TV, I can just sincronize it with the push2tv. Nice... When the wireless HD adapter will be available for m17x r3, I would probably buy it...

 

I picked up the push2tv 2000 from best buy for the exact same price. Maybe just my store had it but hopefully they didn't stick you with the 1000 if they had the 2000 in stock. It would not surprise me but it would be a bit underhanded in my book.

I have both the 1000 and 2000 and having the 2000 is way different. 1080p, hdcp, 5ghz (claimed i cant actually tell), and most importantly it can actually do extended desktop so mirrored isn't the only option. It seems also to run cooler. The 1000 actually seemed quite warm for a device that does not actually do the video decoding. Most likely the lack of ventilation holes.

edit -- btw did you have any problems getting it to work with the ati drivers installed mine only really wanted to work when the intel was the only video card with drivers installed. It may have something to do with my clean install and trying to install amd reference mobility drivers and intel reference drivers.

 

yea sandybridge enabled the widi to bump up to 1080p with hdcp.

it's honestly a simple choice. if you really really want to be able to wireless game on your tv then get it. If watching movies and videos and using ur desktop on tv wirelessly is all you really care about dont waste the money the intel widi will serve you.

I dunno is it that big a deal to run an hdmi cable from the laptop to a tv? the wireless hdmi is a nifty feature but its more like a parlor trick its really not that big a deal to hook up a cable not worth 100 + receiver cost + additional receivers for every other tv you want to use it on just because you are too lazy to plug a cable in

but rich people that love to spend money by all means go for it. Buy me 1 too

 

I actually travel alot for work and the Widi was the only way to get A/V out. I use it for the non Hdtv's in the Hotels i stay at. I know its terrible but i have tried all manner of adapters to get legacy video out and i have at least spent as much over the years in other failed attempts to get a/v out from these "modern" laptops. 85% percent of the hotels i stay at still use CRT tv's. Yea it may not be Hdtv resolution but 20-30" crt is better than watching it on a 17" laptop lcd from across the room. Plus it makes showing presentations easier because no long cable to the projector.



For some reason everyone in my family still clings to crt tv's. I guess they will keep them until they die. I can at least show my pictures with out having to hook my camera to the tv and have to stand next to it the whole time.

And for the record i do use a 15' hdmi for the few hotels that have decided LCD tvs are a good investment/feature

 

From the people who already received there systems with WiDi, would

you recommend the upgrade?

 

The Push2tv 2000 is 99.99 plus tax at best buy plus he cost of the intel wireless from dell. I would say its a cheap solution if you were already getting the intel wireless. The Sibeam transmitter is 99 upgrade but the vizio kit with transmitter is a $289 upgrade. So from a cost perspective the intel is cheaper solution.


I was planning on the intel wireless from the beginning i only found out about widi capability afterwards. So i saw it as a cheap value add on to a already sweet laptop.

It works for me. but my choice was made for me because dell decided to have the early M17xR3 not include the necessary antenna for the Sibeam transmitter.

 

The Vizio kit is $199 @ amazon. Also remember this is not exclusively for laptop use it will run any other HDMI device you have. So you could use your Blu-ray, Xbox, or whatever else wirelessly.

 

I don't know how much HDMI cables are, but expensive Best Buy was advertising one for 39.99 or so for 10 ft this week. (I did buy a 6ft one for $1 the other day).

I ordered the WirelessHD for my wife's M14x and for my needs, I think it's not a bad option to get...If you had to get a 30ft HDMI 1.4 cable, what do those run at? You have to add that cost into the comparison...

As mentioned the Vizio kit is $199 at Amazon and could be used for many devices.

Since I'm hoping to get the M18x as well, that'd be both of us being able to use WirelessHD.

 

All of the big retailers sell cables with a huge markup. I get mine from monoprice.com. Same quality cables but at a more reasonable price. You should be able to get a 30 foot HDMI cable from them for less then $30. Even with shipping its much better than what Best Buy would charge.

 

amazon basic hdmi cables aren't too expensive. got 2 6' ones on sale a while back for like $20. have worked flawlessly.

also recently got a 6' off of slick deals for $1 shipped works just as well

 

I'll echo this. Monoprice for HDMI cables is the way to go. Excellent prices and professional quality cables.

 

quick and easy

WiDi depends on your intergrated gpu, so if you have a great gpu, dont expect to output stuff it is running on.

Wireless HD gives you the option to use your graphics card, so gaming on the big screen is gonna be much smoother/better.

The current IGP with the new SandyBridge chips are amazing and can handle most current games pretty decently, but not to the extent a real dedicated card will.

You need to decide what you need the wireless display function to do, if you are just throwing websites up, or watching homemade videos, or movies, then widi will suit you fine.

However if you plan to throw a gaming session of a graphic intense game, then wireless hd is your solution.

This is why you see the Wireless HD on the Alienware, because its designed more for gaming or streaming blu ray quality content, where as XPS line is pushed with the widi option.

Alienware knew widi had its limitations on the intel gpu on the board, so the wireless hd gives hardcore gamers a way to stream video and game content lag free up on a big screen.

Is it expensive? yes, will the prices drop? yes, I expect so. Do you need the vizio wireless hd kit from dell? not really if you can find a tv that supports wireless hd streaming already built in and you will start seeing that.

widi is a more practical and cheaper alternative to wireless hd.

I personally got the vizio wireless kit because I am gonna be tossing my ipad on the big screen along with a few other devices. It was exactly what I needed and wanted and was willing to pay for it.

*Just a note, for those with the Alienware M17 R3 with the 3d screen, you cant use widi, so wireless hd will prove an excellent solution for future orders*

 

I opted out of Internal Wireless HD. I think that I could get more use out of a separate setup so I could use it with other devices. Might be nice to have, but I wanted to keep my M18x fit and trim.

On 2nd order, I got it.

 

You can still do this by getting the kit from either Dell or Amazon.com. The internal card just saves on clutter.

 

I setup a general discussion thread for WiDi. Because they are different, we're going to break them up.

WiDi posts here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/577720-intel-widi-alienware-discussion.html

WirelessHD/SiBEAM posts remain in this thread.

Thanks.

 

I was told by BatBoy (thank you for the redirect on my question) that I wouldn't have the antenna in the m18x for this option if I decide to purchase it later on. Where does the antenna mount to if I need to run one?

 

Is there any technical reason why this new feature WiHD is not offered in Europe?? Didnt find it on the UK Store, nor German or Austrian store.

 

Similar to the wifi card, same principal - antenna leads are run along the display housing.
For the 18x, see here:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/M18x/en/SM/display.htm#wp1109848

 

Like BB said, behind the monitor.

Best to get that type of thing right off, IMO.

 

If you don't need/use the wireless per say, can't you just use the wifi leads instead?

 

Nope - the wireless HD card uses a different connection.
Documentation

See attached image

 

This stinks :/ Oh well

Thank you BB...now I have to decide if its worth it or not to cancel the order and if I will really use that feature.

 

For folks who have this, does this work through walls? I think it'd be great if I could keep my main laptop in my office, and if I wanted to work in the main living room with the large TV, I could hook up some kind of wireless keyboard and mouse and just game/continue to use my machine...

 

i think the wireless HD needs line of site to work well.. widi on the other hand seems to work through walls

 

Used search and found this:
FAQs | WirelessHD, LLC.

Doesn't NEED line of sight, but won't be able to easily go through any kind of half thick walls. Just need to try it I guess and see what works.

"
Q: How far apart can WirelessHD components be placed in a room?
A: Because of advanced smart antenna technology, WirelessHD products can be placed almost anywhere within a room up to 10 meters (about 33 feet) apart with no line-of-sight restrictions.

Q: Can WirelessHD components be placed in different rooms and still work together?
A: Not at this time. The physical properties of the 60 GHz band make it almost impossible to penetrate through concrete, metal and thick wood. The expectation is that digital data will move around the house via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Once that content is in the room to be viewed, WirelessHD provides the optimum wireless medium to view, share and transfer that content.
"

 

so have we established whether or not we can put the card in are selves if we acquire one ? ( for M14x )

 

Anyone here got Wireless HD in there Alienware M14x ?

If so can we talk on steam ?

I want to check if its possible to install it myself in the UK

 

Paddon, you can install the mini-card yourself. easy enough, reference the service manual. the antenna however will be a bit more tricky - this is why I suggest anyone who is interested in this tech (regardless of model), always order it at time of config.

The UK lack of this may be due to certain restrictions - that you'll need to definitely look into. Would suck if you ordered the card, found the antenna part and ordered it, installed it but found it wouldn't work over there in your region.

 

could anyone take a picture of the antenna and the mini-card on the M14x ?

Would like to see if my system if compatible for the upgrade, i hope the antenna is already there ready to use

 

Question: Does anyone know of any 'receiver-only' packages for those of us who just bought the internal Wireless HD transmitter?

Or do you have to purchase the full Vizio package anyway?

Thanks

 

I'm wondering the same thing.

 

Didja poke around amazon or newegg yet? I think I saw one on there when I was researching prices a few weeks back.

 

Does this mean the only way to use wireless HD in the UK would be to get the full transmitter/receiver sets? that is a bit disappointing =(.

I have the m18x, is it possible to get the internal card and stuff? i rather have it internal...compared to having to attach another thing on the laptop to use it.

 

Going to be the same on the 18x... unless you ordered with it, you'll need the antenna as well and it will have to be routed into the display housing.

 

I actually think the UK ones have the antenna in the screen already.. when they are mass producing them i think they just attach a screen regardless of your spec. I think the only thing they would do is put in the wireless HD card

Is anyone willing to take some pictures of there wireless HD system to help out the UK M14x customers ?!

No one seems willing to do this :/

We just need to compare the UK version to the US version, please can someone help

 

I'd be willing but I'm still waiting on my M18x to arrive.

 

got my m14x with the internal wireless hd sibeam card installed from dell. However I have not been able to connect, I have the software, but it wont broadcast a signal.

I contacted tech support, and after trying to stress that I had a vizio reciever and a sibeam wireless hd chip, he told me I need to buy the netgear device to use my intel widi.....after a few hours of him trying to fiddle with my computer remotely, he did something that made my screen go black but he could see it, when I got the screen back, my wireless hd software wont even register anything, before it at least had a wireless hd module listed. Now it doesnt.

He said he wanted to look over my invoice and said it looked like I didnt have the chip installed, but I explained to him where it was. I was on com3, it says Sibeam Chip. It says it working. It says the drivers are up to date.

He left me on hold for 20 minutes while he contacted another higher level tech and they came back with, "we need to do some more research into this", I will contact you tommorow. I am not holding my breath for a call, or even an answer.

I even reinstalled the software off the resource cd, and still nothing. I can get the reciever and transmitter from vizio to send a signal fine, but it seems I cant figure out how to get my machine to broadcast a signal.