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

How much was it if I may ask, just to see if it's really worth getting. And is it pretty easy to install by yourself? It just sucks that the option wasn't available when we bought the machines because it would have been cheaper. Thanks for the reply in advance.

JL

 

Well you have to buy the receiver... so thats 99 dollars... I've been quoted 65.99 for the card and 79.99 for the antenna. so really i use it and its worth it. I use it more for streaming movies then gaming with it though. Install was pretty straight forward.

 

I'm so sorry for asking so many questions but this is the last one. I've been reading everywhere that the antenna is pretty hard to route through the display and I was just wondering if you've found any videos or guides to install this because I can't find any tutorials online and I'm really new to opening up laptops so I'm pretty scared to open it up incase I break anything or don't know how to put it back together. Thank you so much for you help.

JL

 

I could make a video, however I have a m17x r4. I don't see how its hard though. I routed it the same way the wifi cable is... lol its pretty simple.

 

I don't know if this is common, but I had zero problems with my SiBeam WiHD until today. I play most of my games on my computer using my tv, but when I went to start a game, there was no sound coming from the TV. It used to produce sound from both the computer and the TV until today. I can get sound from ym TV, but I have to go into my sound settings and make my TV the default sound device. Is this a setting I accidentally turned on or what? Please help. Thanks.
P.S. M14x R1
windows 7 home 64bit
Inttel i7
nVidia GTM 555

 

GeorgeTKE, did any Windows Updates coincide with your SiBeam issue? I asked because lately it seems Windows Updates have been messing up a number of things. Try using System Restore to roll your system back to a date that you know for certain it was working. If that fixes the problem, disable Windows Updates. Unless you're scared a remote hacker is going to take control of your PC and turn it into a denial of service zombie or start another world war, only update Windows when you need to.

 

There doesn't seem to be much variety in these products.

Anyways. i have an M18x_r1 with SiBeam and a m17x_r3 without.

So i was thinking of going with the zyxel kit which will accomodate the console gaming systems and hdtv box from shaw as well as the m18x. but what are my options for the m17x?

is there an external transmitter which is nice and small which anyone can recommend?

or would i have to use either the bulky 4-port transmitter or install an internal card?

Thanks in advance!

 

Hi guys i have an issue i hope you can help me with.......Since i had my AW taken apart and installed the new CPU and tripple pipe heatsink my WirelessHD connection doesnt get past 40% in video link, before it was allways a solid 100%. It works fine, but never go higher than the 40%, i have tried to reinstall the WIHD Controller but its still the same, can anyone explain why i have this issue?

-MacDaddy8000

 

Maybe some obstruction where the SiBeam antenna is. Do you recall if that part was disassembled?

 

I had to disconnect a wire from the WIHD card to get the screen off, i could try to check if the wire is properly routed thru the chassis.

 

It could be that antennas wire isn't connected properly?

 

I will check.

 

Please check for existing threads before creating a new one. We already have one for Sibeam questions in the Alienware forum, and it is even a "sticky" on the first page. I've merged it for you.

 

I only use the M18X forums, so i werent aware, but anyway i have fixed the issue now, pulled the card out and reinstalled it....works like a charm.

 

Hey, no sweat. A lot of people don't ever look in the main forum. There's a lot of cool threads in the main forum that are not M18x specific, so you might be missing out on some good stuff.

Glad you got it working again... great news.

 

How do go about ordering the wireless hd parts? Do I need to call a rep up directly since the parts are not on the website.

 

Has anyone added the wireless hd after they bought their m18x r2. I want to add it to mine but I think I will have to get a whole new LCD and hinge assembly.

 

No, you just need to add the wirelessHD antenna and card. I had it added to my m17x R4, same part numbers as the m18x r2.

 

I've been looking for instruction videos for taking apart the lcd assembly, but i cannot find any. does anyone have a link to one? I would like to watch it before I decide to try this endeavor.

 

There is a link in my signature that leads to an index and you will find photos there for the M18x. It's super easy. With the display assembly off the laptop, 2 screws between the hinges release the black plastic cover on back, and underneath that cover there are 2 screws, then the aluminum cover slides off the LCD housing.

There have been some issues getting SiBEAM Wireless HD working correctly, so I hope you are one of the exceptions.

 

What kind of problems are people having?

 

Just not working... meaning not able to stream video, and either not seeing or not connect to receivers, if I remember correctly. There have been several threads on the subject.

 

A lot of that I believe is people buying the wrong receiver. I seen plenty of stories where a person went to a big box electronics store and come out with a WiDi receiver instead of the proper 60ghz wireless hd receiver.

 

There certainly could be examples of that, but I am referring to problems confirmed to be on the PC end of the equation and not difficulties encountered by noobs. I don't use WiDi or WiHD so the details were not important enough for me to remember them, but I'm sure you can find the information in this thread and the other ones. If you find the forum search feature to be next to worthless like I do, try using a special Google search syntax explained in this post.

 

There are two receivers on the market the Vizio and Zyxel.

 

Was there ever an update as to why upgrading to 680m's disables the SiBeam?

 

So does the new Alienware 18 come with WirelessHD? The landing page used to show they all had it, but it's gone now:
Alienware Gaming Laptops

Also wasn't a configurable option...

 

nope. they do not. However, I do not see a spot on the panels under the LCD where you could bolt in the chip that connects to the antennae in any of the photo's Ive seen.

Anyone know if theres a place for the chip in the new AW 18's ?

(and for that matter, if there might be any conflicts between the WiHD and the 780m's?)

 

I just did a fresh windows 7 install on my M17xR3. Now, where can I get the proper SIBEAM Wireless HD driver/software from??? Thanks.

 

Check under " Modem/Communications" for the M17xR4. It's not listed for the M17xR3. Did it come with your machine, or did you add it? Drivers & Downloads for Alienware M17x R4 | Dell US

If that version does not work for the SiBEAM card in your system, try the older SiBEAM driver for the M18xR1 instead.

 

The SiBEAM card came with my M17xR3. The driver from the M17xR4 did not work but the M18xR1 worked flawlessly. Thank you!

 

anyone get WiHD going on the new 18's yet ?

On that note, is the hm87/4930xm combo capable of WiDi ?

 

I've asked many times, but it's pretty clear that the new 18s do NOT come with WiHD (Wireless HD). My guess is that they got way too much support/problem calls on it so they dumped it due to driver issues, support problems, general low return vs gain. I'm still hoping to buy a WiHD receiver, but not sure which one as someone reported that the Nyrius Wireless HD thing (NPCS550 ARIES™ Pro Wireless HD for Laptops) has lag issues...I'd like to still try it if money permits, but a SSD solution is on my shorter list currently.

Intel Widi should be built in according to this:
Intel® Wireless Display (Intel® WiDi) — System requirements for Intel® WiDi

 

but we have killerNICs inside our machines...so rules using it out, unless we switch.... least its just the wireless card

 

Maybe you all can help. I have a 2-3 year old M14x with the SiBeam WiHD card. I also have an aerobeam single port receiver hooked up to my tv. Last month, I had to wipe my system and reinstall everything, fortunately I made a recovery on a flash drive. Since then when I open the WiHD application center, the connect button is selected, yet even when the aerobeam receiver is on, I have no video. I have tried resetting both the receiver and my computer and nothing changes. The Zyxel people are no help as they have not answered my email. Does anyone have any ideas who to get this working? It was working like a champ, but now since the reboot nothing. Thanks for your time. Win 7 home premium, 64 bit.

 

I would try pairing again, or uninstall/re-install the WiHD connection appt. Heck, maybe uninstall the physical WiHD card itself in device manager, and then reboot, and find new devices, choose to install it manually and install the driver for it again with the application. see how that works out. I would make sure you do something that keeps a restoration point regardless. hope that helps.

 

I replaced the original broadcom wifi card with intel 6200, do i need something to make widi work? How do i connect it to something ? is it just wireless connect to hd device (video) ?

Thanks

 

you need the application that initiates the handshake , i.e. paring, to the other device, and of course this is if you have all the other criteria for the WiDi too, like intel chipsets and suported software.

does intel still support WiDi, or did that just get abandoned like so many other useful product/technologies?

 

No, they still support it. In fact, they just released some WiDi updates in the latest Intel ProSET drivers not long ago. It is certainly not talked about that much. It only works with integrated graphics, so it's not good for gaming. Works fine for watching movies, but with internet connected TVs and smart BlueRay players and consoles handling multimedia, it's probably something many people have no use for and many are probably not even aware that it exists. Even many of the cheap junk notebooks can do WiDi.

 

Question is, can it handle 4K ?

Or is that literally what is making it become forgotten....Integrated graphics ..pffft..

If only they continued RnD on WiHD which worked wonders..for the length of your arm, ha !

 

I can't believe this thread is still going after 3 years LOL

 

I have no idea. I haven't ever really developed an interest in this technology, so I haven't purchased a receiver to test it. I also do not have access to a 4K monitor and have no plans to purchase one at any point in the foreseeable future. I'm am waiting for 4K to become more popular than a novelty so I can get a pair of "obsolete" 2560x1440 monitors a lot cheaper (hopefully). Until then I am just fine using 1080p since it costs me nothing and works great.

Yes, once in a while it has a post with a question, but very seldom. SiBEAM WiHD pretty much died when the M18xR2 replaced the R1. Since WiDi is more or less worthless for wireless gaming because it relies on Intel IGFX (also essentially worthless for gaming) there has been very little interest. I have been thinking about removing it as a sticky thread and allowing it drift into oblivion since it is not very useful any more. Sure as heck, I'll do that and someone will start a new thread on the topic and then I will have to go find it and merge them, LOL.

 

WiDi and WiHD are still being developed. What people seen years ago for those products were version 1 and 2's that were barely scratching the surface of what the technology is supposed to be about. WiDi for instance is still being developed by intel and still on all its chips, but will do 4K starting febuary or something like that, and support DX11 too.
WiHD was at CES last year or something..no wait... oh yeah its officially dead by now... *sighs* it was the only good version. All it had to do was extend its range and make it easier to connect, WiHD supported 4K btw, for the last 5 years, though, only with its last specification could it do 60 fps or more. Guess it followed HDMI when they added the 2.0 spec.

 

i know this is an old post. I got an aero beam receiver but i cant get it to connect to my laptop receiver is connected to tv via hdmi, when i turn on the receiver the green light blinks then i open the wihd software and nothing happens. i turn it on but it doesnt sync or connect. any advice?

 

anyone??