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- Date:
- Tuesday , September 13, 2011
- Author:
- Steve Lynch
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
Diamond Multimedia VStream WPCTV1080H
Want an inexpensive way to get Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and other content on your TV without any wires? How about a little casual gaming while you are at it and all for around a $100? What if I told you we even threw a little Crysis 2 at the VStream for good measure? Yes, I said "Crysis 2."
What is a VStream?
Are you looking for a way to use your big screen TV, or HDMI equipped HD projector as a monitor for your computer or laptop? No problem, there are dozens of ways to do this. The most popular option among the enthusiast crowd would be to simply build yourself a nice Home Theater PC. The problem with this route is that it can be expensive and you are tethered to your PC with cables (the same applies to off-the-shelf HTPC solutions) that limit your options when it comes to where you can put your computer. This problem is exacerbated if your TV is wall mounted. Dealing with the unsightly wires is an added problem and, in the end, computer placement is still limited by cable length.
If you are simply looking for an inexpensive way to get Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and other content on your TV, there are set-top boxes available for that but you give up PC functionality. Most set top boxes are relatively inexpensive but are generally finicky about the types of files they can play and are also limited by cable placement.
What if I told you that there was a product that can give you the best of both worlds and did it wirelessly to boot? Well, that is exactly what the VStream WPCTV1080H from Diamond Multimedia promises:
Diamond Multimedia, a leading manufacturer of PC graphics cards, sound cards and communications products, introduced today the new VStream (WPCTV1080H) product that enables anyone to stream computer content and internet video wirelessly in full 1080p HD resolution.
The Wireless PC to HDTV kit will transmit within the same room from up to 30 feet. Setup is easy and designed to get customers up and running with minimal effort. Any computer content is wirelessly fed to a flat panel TV so unlimited entertainment options can be accessed. The entire internet can be surfed without limitations and movies from sites like Netflix™ YouTube™ and Hulu™ are easily streamed without messy cables.
The Diamond VStream can also be used to view photos and slideshows, stream music from an internet library or internet radio, and display business presentations on an HDMI compatible projector, making it an ideal solution for both home and office. "Bridging the accessibility gap between the PC and the TV was our goal now that consumers watch so much content on the internet these days," said Bruce Zaman, CEO of Diamond Multimedia. "We wanted a solution that was fast to set up and easy to operate and we believe the VStream is the easiest, most affordable way to bring your computer content to your HDTV."
Using Display Link™ certified display technology; the WPCTV1080H will mirror or extend the PC screen onto an HDTV. The USB dongle connects to a PC transmitting ultra-fast, strong and reliable wireless signals to the HD base. The HD base is plugged into a wall outlet and connected to a flat panel monitor or projector with the included HDMI cable. Setup is that easy after software is installed on the computer.
All Diamond VStream products come with a one year limited warranty, a Diamond guarantee of quality manufacturing experience and a recently upgraded, US based, customer support system
According to the press release above, the company states that this product is capable of streaming content and internet video from your PC to your TV wirelessly, and in full 1080P HD resolution.
How We are Going to Test the VStream
For today's evaluation we are going to be doing things a little different than normal. The first portion of our article will focus on testing Diamond's VStream as it was intended to be used; web browsing, Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu on a laptop computer and Home Theater PC.
The second half of our evaluation involves a series of tasks this product was not advertised to perform such as gaming, both casual and enthusiast gaming, and using the VStream as a way of eliminating the need for cables on your HTPC. We even decided to throw a little Crysis 2 at it for good measure. (Yes, I said "Crysis 2." don't tell Kyle, he was not too fond of it.)
Packaging:
The Diamond VStream packaging is pretty standard stuff. The outside of the box displays product information in both English and French and features a happy family using the enclosed product. Even the dog looks happy.
Inside the box, nestled securely in molded biodegradable pulp packaging, we found:
The wireless USB 2.0 PC Adapter, wireless USB 2.0 HD Adapter, HD Adapter Base, HDMI Cable, Power cable, Driver and Installation CD, Quick start guide.
Installation:
First things first, before you set up the hardware, you will need to install the device drivers and DisplayLink software. Simply insert the included CD and follow the onscreen prompts. The installation process installs drivers for a wireless USB host adapter, wireless USB host radio, USB root hub, wireless USB DV adapter, generic USB hub, USB composite device, DisplayLink device, USB input device and USB PnP sound device. A grey DisplayLink icon will appear in your system tray once the installation process is complete. Windows 7 and Vista users will also need to change the audio settings to "Digital Output" in the control panel.
Once the software installation is complete, you will want to plug the HD adapter base into an open HDMI port on your TV or HDMI port switch / HDMI equipped home theater A/V receiver, and plug the power cable into an open wall outlet. You can either set the HD adapter base in the upright position on the TV stand or wall mount the unit. You must keep the PC adapter and the adapter base within 30ft of each other with a direct line of sight. No walls or obstructions between the two. If you wall mount your HD base, make sure it is not obstructed by the TV itself.
Plug the USB PC adapter into an open USB port and, within seconds, your desktop will appear on your TV. By default, the VStream is setup up to mirror your desktop content on your TV but it can also be used to extend your desktop as well.
System / TV Specs
For testing purposes, we used a 51" Samsung PN51D7000 1080P TV, a 42" Westinghouse TX-42F430S 1080P TV and a 24" Samsung 2494SW LCD monitor. For computers, we used a Dell XPS 17 laptop, a Shuttle XPC Home Theater PC, a Core i7 Radeon PC and a Core i5 GeForce powered PC. Complete system specs are listed below:
The system specs of all the computers and televisions used in this product evaluation meet or exceed the recommended system requirements for the Diamond VStream. With that said, we made sure we used a good mix of older and newer hardware to test compatibility as well as performance.