Conclusions and Final Verdict

So I love it and I hate it. If I were designing a product today, I am not sure if I would use a separate wireless receiver, since everyone seemingly has wireless Internet at home. I would actually like to see the addition of a hard-wired Ethernet on the device, to be honest, because then I could justify the purchase of the product in the enterprise environment (not the USS Enterprise, but business). For home, if you frequently hook your computer up to your television to watch Netflix or downloaded video content, this is a great device for that. If you hook up your computer to your television to play games beyond Words With Friends or Farmville, then you may want to look for a different solution. It is worse if you have a desktop, because you only have a maximum of 30ft of range between the wireless transmitter and the ConnectHD attached to the television.

It's difficult when reviewing a device that I do not really understand. Does it do everything as advertised? Yes. Does it work on everything except a Macintosh? Yes. Do I see people purchasing it in large droves because it is the next best thing? No.

Right now in this segment there is no silver bullet, no magic device that does everything. AirPlay works exceptionally well; however, it is only working on iOS and Mac OS X "Mountain Lion" devices, and only certain devices that run "Mountain Lion". While that is great for an all-Apple infrastructure, lets face it, if you are reading this you probably are not an avid Mac fan, because you are a gamer.

So it is a device that I cannot figure out why people would purchase, combined with the fact that it does what it says it does pretty well, I now have to actually give you a final verdict. Could I see integrating a device like this in the lab; yes, I definitely could. Would I use this device? No. My main drawback is not the slightly lagged interface, which does not actually bother me for what I would use it for. Also, I cannot deny the simple Star Trek appeal of being able to videoconference from a large display. However, my main drawback is that I need yet another dongle hanging out of a USB port on my computer. In a world where ultra portable laptops are becoming the norm, there just is not room for a device hanging out. With a desktop computer that is not a big deal, but you still have to be within 30ft of the HDTV, which means it'll be in the same room as the television. If you have a desktop you already have a big screen, and since you are not using this in a conference room there is less of a reason to have this in your home, because it will not go through walls.

So would you like a final verdict now? Based on what is advertised, it is an easy 8 out of 10. Based on how practical and useful in the real world it is, a 6.5 out of 10. I definitely want to see more of their products in the future, because they do see the market that is developing, and AirPlay needs competiton.

For Wes...

MSRP: $186.99

Pros: PC alternative to AirPlay, Turns any television into a conference screen.

Cons: Dongle (should be Wifi)

Sluggishness

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