Intel brings protected DVD, BD playback to WiDi
Wirelessly stream content - if you have the right kit
Intel has tweaked its WiDi 2.0 software to support the playback of DRM-protected content - DVDs and Blu-rays, essentially - as promised four months ago.
WiDi 2.0 was launched back in early January, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Updated for Intel's second-generation Core i platform - aka Sandy Bridge - WiDi 2.0 was touted for its 1080p playback, support for Dolby 5.1 surround sound and said BD/DVD content streaming.
This week Intel blogged that a fresh WiDi 2.0 patch, 2.1.38.0, for Windows 7 32- and 64-bit, brings that last feature to the show. You'll also need to update your Intel integrated graphics drivers too.
WiDi streams content destined to appear on a machine's monitor over an 802.11n Wi-Fi link instead. The stream is picked up by a set-top box connected to your HD TV.
Good stuff, but you need to have a Core i CPU and an Intel-branded wireless adaptor if you want it all to work. Adaptors are available from Belkin and Netgear, though so far only in the US. ®
COMMENTS
Nice, but...
All very nice and I'm sure it will be just want some people want, however I don't want to faff about with easily broken discs. I have kids and despite how much to moan and shout, kids and discs do not mix very well, indeed kids and tech don't mix that well unless the tech is toughened. I want my content to be stored in one easily accessible place, I want it in a format that can be played on almost any device with the minimum of fuss. I have to jump through some hoops to get my DVD content into file formats that can be used on multiple platforms but I know when I am done it's instantly available, relatively kid-proof yet easy for the whole family to utilise.
The quicker the media companies start to understand what most consumers really need to do with their media content, the better things will be.
re Nice But
you are breaking the law (depending upon where you live).
Why don't you think of the starving children of the RIAA/MPAA/BPS/etc? Surely you should bend down and obey their every wish (not!)
Message to Intel.
We don't want your stinking DRM ok.
BD is broken
Obviously I am biased. I cannot play BD content on my old TV, because they changed the spec for HDMI, and my laptop will not output BD to my old TV because it doesn't trust it.
Then I get a new BD disk, and it won't play in my laptop. I have to update the S/W, and then it won't play my old BDs or DVDs anymore. I have to update it again, and then it downloads another update (all are ~58MB and paying for my net in 5MB chunks, this makes me happy!)
Now with the new update, I can watch all the disks on my laptop again, but now I can't even watch them on the new TV; now I get an error but it worked before.
I'm for putting all my BD content & DVDs on disk and playing them using my set-top without Intels new whizz-bang.
What that AC said
Gave up with discs years ago. XBMC & a (PC) server FTW.
