WiDi
Intel's discontinued wireless display streaming technology.
Intel once made a wireless streaming tool called WiDi, short for Wireless Display, but it’s no longer in development. It let people send music, movies, photos, videos, and apps from a compatible computer to a compatible HDTV without any cables. If the TV didn’t support it directly, an adapter could be used with other HDTVs or computer monitors. The system handled 1080p video, 5.1 surround sound, and had low enough lag to interact with apps running on the TV from a Windows 7 or newer PC. A widget allowed users to do different things on the PC and TV at the same time—like checking email on the computer while a movie played on the TV from the same device. Intel stopped working on WiDi in 2016, shifting focus to Miracast, a standard from the Wi-Fi Alliance that Windows 8.1 and later versions support natively. It’s important not to mix up Intel’s WiDi with the Wireless Display app built into Windows 11 (formerly called Connect), which uses Miracast.
Quick Facts
- Invent-Date
- 2006
- Manufacturer
- Intel
- Discontinued
- Yes
- Connection
- Wi-Fi Direct
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Intel WiDi was first released in 2010 with version 1.0 supporting 720p resolution. Version 2.0 arrived in 2011 and added 1080p support. In 2012, WiDi 3.0 supported 1080p at 60 FPS, and later that year WiDi 3.5 added support for Windows 8, touch functionality, 1080p output, 3D content, HDCP2, Blu-ray, USB devices, and Miracast. Subsequent versions included WiDi 4.0 in 2013, 4.1 and 4.2 in 2014 (the latter adding 5 GHz Wi-Fi support with a compatible receiver), and 5.1 and 6.0 in 2015 (5.1 supporting 4k Ultra HD displays).
Using the Intel WiDi Widget, users could perform different functions simultaneously on their PC and TV, such as checking email on the PC while streaming a movie to the TV from the same device. The Miracast standard was supported in Intel Wireless Display versions 3.5 through 6.0. In October 2015, the marketing and development of WiDi applications was discontinued by Intel, who said that this was because the Miracast standard was natively supported in Windows for wireless display. WiDi development was discontinued in 2016 in favor of Miracast, a standard developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance and natively supported by Windows 8.1 and later.
Reader's Guide
Intel WiDi's significance lies in its role as an early wireless display solution for PCs, enabling cable-free streaming of multimedia and interactive applications to HDTVs and monitors. Its legacy is defined by its discontinuation in favor of Miracast, a standard developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance that became natively supported in Windows 8.1 and later. Intel explicitly stated that WiDi was discontinued because Miracast was natively supported in Windows for wireless display. After discontinuation, Intel recommended that business users utilize Intel Unite as a platform for collaboration. WiDi should not be confused with Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system's built-in Wireless Display app (formerly Connect), which works with Miracast. The technology supported a range of features over its versions, including 720p, 1080p, 1080p at 60 FPS, 3D content, HDCP2, Blu-ray, USB devices, and 4k Ultra HD displays, as well as 5 GHz Wi-Fi support in later versions. Miracast itself was included in Android 4.2 smart phones through Android 7, and on Windows 8.1 and 10, and could stream on TVs, projectors, and media players.
Did You Know?
- Intel WiDi supported HD 1080p video quality and 5.1 surround sound.
- WiDi 5.1, released in 2015, supported 4k Ultra HD displays.
More in Display Standards 1-24
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