Today I tested two products to try and enable our new tablets to project wirelessly. These were the WPG54G from Linksys and the DPG-2000W from D-Link. There was one other one I wanted to try, but I couldn't find anyone that sold it. The idea for these products was to allow our teachers with tablets to move about the room and project at the same time. Something that is very difficult while tied to a VGA cable.
Both the products failed to meet this goal, maybe for my lack of understanding for how they work, more so I think for lack of creativity in functionality. Both basically forced the tablet to disconnect from our regular wireless network and make a direct connection to the device. This means the teacher can't access shared files or the Internet, which seems like a huge drawback. The linksys can act as an access point and can possibly alleviate this. However it is not a very manageable AP, no strength controls or centralized management. Also both had restrictions on the SSID, linksys forced WPG54G- into it and d-link gave you a few canned choices of DPG0001-09. Not good when you want to have 30-70 of these devices.
I am not sure if the wireless projectors work in this same fashion, but I imagine they do. I can't believe that people would accept this. Losing your network connectivity while projecting seems to not be worth it.
We began investigating another solution that I heard mentioned. This involved hooking a computer (laptop) with wireless to the projector and then running VNC on it. The computer runs as a client in listening mode, then the tablet initiates a server session to the computer and the tablets screen is seen on it and subsequently the projector. This allows for normal network operation and almost as good if not better refresh rates. The downside to this is it entails installing a laptop in every classroom (we have lots of old ones to spare though) and it adds a level of complexity we were hoping to avoid. We will do some more testing and investigation to see where it goes.
I guess I am just dissapointed in the products. I can't believe the short sightedness of them.
Hi There, I am from Singapore and interested in the WPG54G for my company's use. But I am not sure whether the WPG54G can support wireless video streaming, or be able to project videos on my laptop screen properly to the projector screen via wireless .11g standard, without any slack in the video, or decrease in video standard on projector screen.
Since you had used this device before, how do you find it in terms of wirelessly transmitting videos?
Hope can get a feedback from you soon.
Best regards
Robert
Hi Brian
Thank you for your reply.
So you mean the WPG54G cannot handle video at all? How about maybe a small video clip embedded in a ppt presentation? Do you think it can handle? I really will like to test it out physically for my company as we are thinking of changing our conference room to use wireless, to give a more impressive first appearance when customers visit. That includes to send presentation (sometimes embedded with some small and short video clips) wirelessly to the projector then to the projector screen.
Do you think the Wireless Presentation gateway can work? If not, any other way you may kindly recommend to me? And anyway you can know of a way for me to get the Wireless presentation gateway for demo in Singapore? I asked their distributor all the way to linksys itself, and they cannot provide demo unit in Singapore, as it has not pick up in Singapore.
I hope you won't mind if I ask you this, I understand that you may have a unit of WPG54G from Linksys and you are not satisfied with it. If you are not using it, can we get it from you at a token price? I hope can have a favorable reply from you.
Hope to hear from you soon and have a great day!!
Hi Brian
Thank you for your reply.
So you mean the WPG54G cannot handle video at all? How about maybe a small video clip embedded in a ppt presentation? Do you think it can handle? I really will like to test it out physically for my company as we are thinking of changing our conference room to use wireless, to give a more impressive first appearance when customers visit. That includes to send presentation (sometimes embedded with some small and short video clips) wirelessly to the projector then to the projector screen.
Do you think the Wireless Presentation gateway can work? If not, any other way you may kindly recommend to me? And anyway you can know of a way for me to get the Wireless presentation gateway for demo in Singapore? I asked their distributor all the way to linksys itself, and they cannot provide demo unit in Singapore, as it has not pick up in Singapore.
I hope you won't mind if I ask you this, I understand that you may have a unit of WPG54G from Linksys and you are not satisfied with it. If you are not using it, can we get it from you at a token price? I hope can have a favorable reply from you.
Hope to hear from you soon and have a great day!!
Did you ever find a workable solution? A year and a half since your post, and I can't find that there has been any innovation in this area.
We found a few projectors from Epson and Toshiba that work in infrastructure mode. That is the best solution so far.