Maybe some background to the existing protocols that are supported here:
Miracast - intended purely for screen sharing, not for streaming. Builds dynamically via WLAN to connect to, the sending device is thus then in 2 WLANs. The home network and the built-up by the network dongle.
DLNA - a large collection of individual parts - relevant for this dongle is DMR, the digital media renderer, which is the unit to which you can send a stream (audio and / or video). Also known as "send to". Control options, the Stick via browser also, but this is of limited help.
AirPlay - Apple's proprietary solution that combines both above and "just doing".
This stick will now control all 3 protocols. With the button on the side can thereby switch between Miracast and the other two. In both modes (DLNA and AirPlay are together a mode) builds the stick on a WLAN SSID and are, password and address of the sticks on the screen.
With the browser you can now hang on the stick and it there in an existing WLAN. Important here: the SSID must be visible. Even after connection, with invisible SSID is otherwise not connected, even if the network is already known.
Once the stick for the first time sees the Internet, it may happen that he first drives an update. So was on my copy from the factory version 1.6.0, the update to 1.9.0 is installed automatically without being asked. Only the issue that it restarts now, was a lie, after several minutes of waiting I disconnecting and re-inserted in order to restart it.
You have everything set up (not imperative to only play from the device, you can simply also for AirPlay and DLNA change into stick-Fi), It's also going on already. I once tried everything with greater or lesser success. Terminals were this a notebook with Windows 8.1, a Sony Xperia Z Ultra and an iPad. 4
- Miracast: for screen sharing as usual okay for video more or less useless, which are, however, no penalty, because that's just not built for it. Works made by Sony, but not from within Windows.
- DLNA: works perfectly with BubbleUPnP on the android, perfect reproduction of all tested videos that I have on it because. Each run for a few minutes, no dropouts. Windows - does not work either, latches onto immediately after the test.
- AirPlay: works fine for screen sharing, to streaming videos with the app and the music app, but not with the YouTube app. And I no longer have to compare my Apple TV, but at least with the stick I could not watch DRM songs.
With the two Windows failed attempts I close personal incompetence not, I did not so with Windows :)
It comes with a 1m long USB cable and a short HDMI extension for sufficient "around the corner", but at the more optimal attachment regarding WLAN performance in many cases probably is too short. Do with me on front AV receiver near the floor but well, a room from the Access Point. A decent power supply is recommended that the USB on the AV receiver does not seem to have been quite so adequately, with external power supply (2.1A cheap PSU) I had the impression that the wireless performance is better.
So overall quite useful, a few small weaknesses, but because the price is right, it still gets me all 5 stars. I can not play my videos from the mobile device (both Android and iOS, wild exchange no problem) in home theater again, all I wanted. And a well-known 50% more expensive stick, the other day I bought elsewhere, did not come as far.
Supplement for those interested in technology:
As with other sticks builds this device on a not necessarily willed gateway between the stick-Fi and home-Fi. One can the passphrase for the stick-Fi but change via browser and should do so necessarily, since otherwise have potentially unauthorized access to the local network infrastructure and the Internet.
Some passwords - maybe too long - it can happen that the stick hangs completely. This is extremely unpleasant. But there is a simple remedy: If you press the button more than 24 seconds, a very hard reset is apparently performed the stick works afterwards. In "normal mode" rich five seconds pressure on the button to clear all settings.
On the drive runs a Android, that's no secret. I wanted it with adb, but rather unsuccessfully. The thing is Rockchip RK2928 based as it looks, VID / PID 2207/0000 in normal operation, if you hold down the button while turning on, come 2207 / 292a out, in both cases, but no adb access. Per OTG and Hub with Power Back mouse and / or keyboard to connect does not help, the frontend has also lent at first glance not much - so turn on USB debugging is at least not "just so". However, interest subsided find the option to change the passphrase of the stick-WLANs, also quickly :)
Mag definitely still be an interesting platform for the inclined hardware hackers.
