One of the most frustrating things about using a projector is setting up all the cords. You have to connect the video, probably the audio (at least in a business setting) and get the whole thing up and running. If you have a Mac, life gets even more complicated due to the lack of an HDMI or DVI port, which is the industry standard for projectors. InFocus is fixing all that with their new DisplayLink wireless technology.
DisplayLink was just announced today, and will allow users to connect wirelessly to any InFocus DisplayLink enabled projector by just plugging in a USB dongle. DisplayLink compatible projectors and the associated USB dongles will be available for the Mac at the end of March 2010. No word on pricing at this time.
From the press release:
PORTLAND, Ore. and CAMPBELL, Calif., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ — InFocus® Corporation, the industry pioneer in digital projection technology, today announced a major enhancement to its wireless solution that eliminates the need to have wired connections between laptops and select InFocus projectors, with support for Mac OS and audio.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100208/SF51089)
Based on wireless technology from Wisair, a leading provider of single-chip based UWB and Wireless USB solutions, the InFocus DisplayLink™ Wireless system, allows presenters to easily connect to InFocus DisplayLink-enabled projectors and share HD content on the big screen without wires.
Successfully launched in August 2009 with initial support for Windows OS platforms, the system is now made available for MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air platforms with audio support. These enhancements enable broader deployment of the InFocus DisplayLink Wireless system to educational and additional markets, where Mac platforms are widely used.
MacBook platforms do not have VGA or HDMI connectors, which are the most common connectors in Projectors. For a complete audio-video experience today, Mac users need to connect at least 3 cable adapters: (1) a mini-DisplayPort or mini-DVI to VGA adapter cable (2) a VGA cable that connects to the projector for the video and (3) yet another cable for the audio.
The new InFocus wireless solution allows Mac users to transfer video, audio and also the projector’s control, via a single wireless link with a single adapter that connects to a USB port, available in ALL MacBook platforms.
The system will be available with Mac OS support at the end of March 2010.
A group of friends and I are working on an art project that involves a projector.
This little device would have been sooo handy. Right now we have to work the computer into the installation and connect with SSH if there are any problems.. we can troubleshoot the desktop..
This would have given us more space to deal with problems!
I’ve had one of these setup for almost a year now. Very solid.
I’ve run into this problem, I can’t even tell you how many times. I got sick of wasting so much time and ended up carrying around a few select cable adapters for my mac (even some PC ones). But nice to know the other guys are thinkin outside the box-