Microsoft Announces the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter
by Brandon Chester on September 23, 2014 12:17 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Microsoft
- Mobile
- Tablets
- miracast
Today Microsoft introduced their new Miracast-based wireless streaming device for HDMI monitors and televisions. Its lengthy name is the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter and it's Microsoft's take on an HDMI streaming dongle. One of the most popular devices in this category is Google's Chromecast, and there are many similarities between the two devices. Like the Chromecast, the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter is a small adapter that plugs into an HDMI port on your television and uses a USB port for power. From the photos Microsoft has provided, the USB connector seems to be wired directly into the adapter which could pose a problem depending on your television's arrangement of ports as the cord does not look very lengthy.
The adapter allows streaming and display mirroring from any device with support for Miracast screencasting. Because of this, the adapter is able to work with a variety of devices running on different operating systems, rather than being a device limited to devices that run Windows or Windows Phone 8.
At $59.95 USD, the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter is around $25 more expensive than Google's Chromecast. It is available for pre-order now on Microsoft's online store, and it will ship in October 2014.
Source: Windows Blog
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
56 Comments
View All Comments
designerfx - Tuesday, September 23, 2014 - link
I can't honestly see anyone purchasing this regardless of naming conventions.SpartanJet - Tuesday, September 23, 2014 - link
Why? This is so much better than that Ad companies dongle. No need for app support plus it has more uses and is more compatible with non Ad company programs and devices. It can even be used as a 2nd display.Plus you aren't supporting an Ad company and giving them increased Ad revenue which is priceless.
dalingrin - Tuesday, September 23, 2014 - link
It is better than a Chromecast? I can cast the entire screen without app support from my phone or from my PC much like Miracast. In *addition*, I can use apps that directly support the Chromecast so that I don't have to power a PC/laptop or phone. IMO, both solutions have merit which is why I've already had a Miracast dongle for nearly two years as well as a Chromecast.It is also strikes me as odd to complain about Google being an ad company on a website that is ad supported. Not to mention that Microsoft is also an ad company.
SpartanJet - Tuesday, September 23, 2014 - link
Chromecast does a horrible job as screen mirroring I owned one which I never use as I have a dedicated Miracast device that does a much better job. I'm sorry you can't see how inconvienent Chromecast is or how its need for Apps makes it a poor choice since I don't use any of that Ad companies services which pretty much removed all the App support.Microsoft is a product company that uses Ads to support its search engine. That other Ad offers Trojan horses under the """FREE""" banner while they whore your information for profit by tracking you and scanning emails. At least Bing gives very nice rewards for putting up with Ads.
I have everything blocked from that Ad company and Adblocker as well as noscript running. There are zero Ads here for me so not sure what you are seeing.
sprockkets - Thursday, September 25, 2014 - link
Judging by how much you hate Google, I'm inclined to just call BS on you.BMNify - Tuesday, September 23, 2014 - link
98% of Google's revenue comes from Ad's, Google is an Ad company unlike Microsoft and Apple.Ratman6161 - Wednesday, September 24, 2014 - link
Doesn't appear to be anything wrong with it. But I'm shopping around for this type of device and don't know what to get. Assuming it works as advertised, why choose this one over the other available miracast dongles I'm seeing for $20 + or - ...so I'm not just comparing with Chrome cast but with other Miracast dongles.edgebert - Thursday, September 25, 2014 - link
SpartanJet, why don't you chg. your Ad name to WolfByte. Do it for me.krazyderek - Sunday, September 28, 2014 - link
what kind of company is it again?flyingpants1 - Saturday, September 27, 2014 - link
Everybody? This is the real world, not your personal nerd fantasy-land.