HP’s Wireless TV Connect Kit

Tripping over wires isn’t fun, especially if you’re trying to get your computer to display on your big-screen TV. The latest solution, called the Wireless Home Digital Interface or WHDI, streams uncompressed high-definition video at up to 1080p resolution with 3D support and 5.1 surround sound.

Computer makers are beginning to incorporate WHDI transmitters into their hardware, and TV manufacturers are starting to use WHDI receivers in their sets. However, for now, the most direct way to get up and running is a virtually all-inclusive kit, such as the Hewlett Packard Wireless TV Connect Kit. You do need a computer (desktop, notebook or netbook) with an HDMI output and an available USB port, as well as a TV or home theater receiver with an HDMI input. For best results, the distance between the PC and TV adapters should be no more than 16.4 feet, but you don’t necessarily need line-of-sight positioning.

If the computer contains a 3D-capable Blu-ray Disc player or you have another 3D video source, and you own a 3D TV along with compatible viewing glasses, the HP Connect Kit is capable of delivering a full, immersive 3D experience.

Since photographers are likely to store their portfolios on a computer, the HP Connect Kit is a convenient way to convey a slide show to the largest screen in the room. Similarly, computer gamers will appreciate the benefits of transporting their experience from the small screens and diminutive speakers of their notebooks to the immersive environs of their home theaters.