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Ever wondered what it would be like to have seamless video streaming from the notebook to the large LCD TV across the room without having to use long, tangled and very messy cables?

Many have tried, and subsequently devised half-cooked solutions, to find the best method to create such an environment for HD video.

Unfortunately, none has ever come close to achieving perfect, jerk-free, and easy-to-achieve wireless video streaming.

Instead of waiting for success to appear from countless trial and errors, Intel took it upon itself to develop such a platform and establish this innovation as part of the high performance environment that is being built around Intel´s second generation Core i-series CPUs.

Having intricate knowledge and massive experience in working with WiFi equipment, Intel has designed a new wireless system equivalent that utilises a dedicated wireless channel to stream video/visual signals over WiFi into TV sets.

Simply called Wireless Display (WiDi for short), Intel believes this new system will spell the end of those who are always caught up in a tangled mess.

It´s D, not F
Like WiFi, WiDi comes loaded into the newest range of notebooks that have been introduced during the Christmas period. Just look out for the WiDi badge to confirm if the device is properly equipped.

By tapping onto the processing power of Intel´s second-gen Core i-series, notebooks that are equipped with WiDi are armed with the capability to perform seamless HD video streaming from the notebook (and even in the PC once the USB dongle rolls out) to any HD TV display panel that is connected to the WiDi router receiver.

After that lengthy explanation, the question now is: does it work?

In summary: yes and it even performs beyond anyone´s wildest expectations!

The ´lo down
Setting it up was an easy task: plug and power up the WiDi router, connect the HDMI cable on both the TV and said router, and all is good to go!

Locating the WiDi button on the notebook was not as easy but once found, it was a matter of a simple button press and waiting for the WiDi software suite to fire-up.

Once the programme popped up, it was just a matter of pairing the WiDi router to the WiDi-ready notebook. There were even some helpful guides built into the software that made sure users won´t foul up any core OS settings.

A few clicks later and the review of Intel´s WiDi has the go-ahead for some great wireless video streaming experience.

True HD videos (raw Bluray rips and Bluray DVDs) were played on the notebook that Intel provided for the WiDi review as well (a great Toshiba Latitude by the way - never reviewed one in years!). Also tossed into the mix were Youtube HD videos, 720p rips, demo-videos, lossless music, and - to be unconventional - maxing out HD resolution videogames!

The result? Almost zero lag time. In fact, none whatsoever! It was smooth streaming all the way for anything and everything that was used on it.

Keep in mind that that the Toshiba WiDi-equipped notebook was next to the TV-linked WiDi router.

Seeing as the WiDi platform did so well at close range, the next step was to take the notebook out of the room and run the same HD gauntlet on the wireless.

This time there was a noticeable lag in the video that caused some video jitter, colour distortion and performance stutter. Even so, this minor issue is not very apparent and is only discernible for those who have an attentive eye and ear.

With the plus points out-weighing the negative aspects, it is clear that Intel has really outdone themselves in developing WiDi and a more-or-less perfect seamless HD video streaming platform.

Now it is upon the vendors to start rolling out their devices with this new wireless technology as many are eager to do away with messy cables and dangly wires.

If they are fast enough in terms of market rollout, 2012 can certainly be declared as a tangle free year for WiDi.