Miracast with Surface Pro, Windows 8.1 release and Netgear Push2TV

One of the most useful features of Windows 8.1 for me is the native support for Miracast (which is compatible with Intel Widi) for connecting to a wireless projector or display. Being able to wander around with my tablet whilst speaking is really handy.

Sadly, whilst this worked for a little while during the preview, everything stopped with no reason. Searching the internet hive mind suggested that a Windows Defender update during the preview release had borked it, but nobody could confirm.

When the release media arrived on MSDN I upgraded my Surface Pro. Sadly, no joy with the Miracast feature. However, a new firmware update has been release by Microsoft (see  Mr Thurrott for details) and that has fixed the issue. I suspect it’s actually a set of updated display drivers, as a connection could always be be made to the device but nothing would show on screen.

The Push2TV is a great little device – it’s tiny (a couple of inches long, about an inch wide and less than half an inch deep) and will draw power from a USB port on the TV or projector. I got it for testing but I’d really like to be able to use it at our events. The universality of Miracast support in Windows 8.1 might just let me do that.

This isn’t our first rodeo, however. Thanks to a recommendation from Messrs May and Fryer I also have a Belkin Screencast. I couldn’t get that working during the preview of Windows 8.1 at all. I will test that when I get some time. I personally prefer the Netgear, but the Belkin isn’t a bad device. It’s bigger and has a separate PSU, but the big difference for me is that the Belkin insists on fiddling with firmware updates via the Widi connection and it’s a bit of a pain, frankly. The Netgear is a much friendlier, manual update over normal wifi.