If you are reading this you are most probably interested in learning how to use the Microsoft wireless display adapter for the Surface Pro 4 – or any Windows PC for that matter – to stream over a wireless network to a TV screen. Many of us walk around with our tablets while at the office and we lounge around at home with them while watching a Netflix movie marathon of the Original Star Trek but wouldn’t it be great if we could stream content from our Windows tablets onto the big screen without the need for any bulky wires?
I don’t know about you, but when I last checked I literally had a Ziploc bag full of power supplies and USB cables of all types, so the thought of wireless connectivity seems like a breath of fresh air.
In this blog post I will walk you through how you can connect your Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and Pro 3 tablets (including the Surface 2 series) to your large screen TV screen using the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter. Now before I go any further I will say that I have tested these tablets using the Windows 8.x and Windows 10 operating systems and I will admit that I would get intermittent problems with connectivity using Windows 8.x so I would strongly recommend that, if you have not done so already, upgrade your current operating system to that of Windows 10.
Step 1 – Purchase the Windows Wireless Media Adapter
The Wireless Media Adapter is a small little device roughly the size of a USB memory stick. One side of the stick has a male HDMI plug which is designed to plug into the back of your TV in any of the available HDMI ports. The other end of the adapter is a small cable, about 3 inches long that has a male USB plug on it.
The purpose of that USB plug is to provide power to your wireless media adapter so that it can communicate over the air with devices like your Microsoft Surface Pro Tablet and pretty much any Windows based device such as your smartphone and even the recently launched Surface Book from Microsoft. So, where can you get your hands on one of these little wireless media adapters? You can get the at any local Microsoft Store or at any of the local consumer
electronics chains like Best Buy for example. But if you do not want to leave the comfort of your own home, rest assured you can simply order yours online at Amazon right here.
Step 2 – Hook up the wireless adapter to the back of your flat screen television
Once you have your wireless media adapter, go to the back of your flat screen TV and plug in the HDMI port of the adapter into any of the available HDMI input slots. Remember which HDMI port you used, especially if you are using a large TV that is relatively difficult to get behind in order to access the ports. A good example of an inaccessible flat screen TV is one that is mounted on a wall.
Next, you must ensure that the other end of the media adapter is plugged into a USB port on the back of the TV as well. This is a very important step since the adapter will be powered by the 5V DC source from the USB port. Without that power the adapter will not work and you will not be able to connect via a wireless connection.
Step 3 – Ensure that you have your home WiFi up and running
No WiFi means no connectivity between your Surface Pro tablet and your television set. That simple. Also, make sure that your Windows tablet is connected to the WiFi network. A simple way to test whether you are connected via a wireless connection is to browse the web – without having a wired connection via a patch cable of course.
Step 4 – Turn on the TV
Turn on the TV and select the HDMI port that the wireless media adapter is currently connected to by selecting the “input” button on your TV remote. You should see the Microsoft logo on the screen along with a name (also known as an identifier) assigned to the wireless adapter. Each adapter has its own unique identifier like “Media Adapter 60” for example.
Step 5 – Connect to the TV from within your Windows Tablet
Within the Windows platform on your tablet access the right hand menu by swiping to the left from the right hand bezel and then select the “Connect” option which is located in the lower right hand corner of the screen. You should then see a list of available devices in your surrounding area that you can connect to, and one of them should be the identifier of the wireless media adapter. Simply select the adapter and in a few seconds “voila” you are connected to the TV and you should see your tablet screen on the TV. Now remember that the TV is basically a secondary monitor so you can then go ahead and configure the video settings that are right for you. For example, you may want to simply mirror what you are seeing on the tablet or if you ant more viewing real estate
you may want to extend your screen. Whatever you want to do its up to you.
Finally, another great feature with the wireless media adapter is the fact that in addition to being able to stream video, you can also stream audio so no messy wires! So go ahead and wow your peers at the office with that PowerPoint presentation on the big screen, play your favorite movie or do like me and hookup a game pad to your tablet and play your favorite arcade games on the big screen.
I also have an instructional video below that you can watch as well while I demo the use of the wireless media adapter as well as play some of my favorite Windows platform games on the big screen.
Get the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 from Amazon here.
Get the Type Cover for the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 from Amazon here.
Get the XBOX One controller from Amazon here.
Get the Samsung 32 inch Smart LED TV from Amazon here.
Enjoy!
Does this work in connecting PRO4 To WOWOTO H8 projector?