The folks at Optoma sent me their QuickCast Pro-4K Wireless Display & Presentation System to try out. I’ve had a bone to pick with wireless presentation solutions, particularly their proclivity for flakiness and complexity. I had high hopes for the QuickCast Pro-4K. Would it hold up under the gauntlet of tests I had in store?
Unboxing the Optoma QuickCast Pro-4K
The QuickCast Pro-4K is packaged very simply with one box for transmitter and the other for receiver. I opened each and laid out all the parts. It’s pretty much what you’d expect with a transmitter unit, receiver unit and accompanying USB C cables for power. I love that the transmitter units have onboard batteries, making for a truly wireless solution in office environments where outside vendors or visitors need to connect quickly.
Installation of the Optoma QuickCast Pro-4K
The included Quick Start guide had me install the receiver first, wait for a solid blue light then move to the transmitter. I had some issues to begin with, but then read the included addendum that the units may or may not be paired out the box. I went through the pairing process and pressed the transmitter’s center button. A few seconds later, my Mac’s desktop appeared on a flat panel TV 30+ feet away. This really impressed me.
The transmitter and receiver pair together using 802.11ac wireless, which explains the reliability. I noticed it searched for the best channel to sit on each time it powered up, which means it’s a great candidate for use by business travelers. The QuickCast also supports split screen display for up to two transmitters simultaneously.
The QuickCast Pro-4K supports connectivity via HDMI and USB-C with an optional adapter. There’s also a handy 4 transmitter/receiver cradle upgrade available which charges the dongles when not in use (Optoma claims a six-hour battery life).
It would be nice to see a wireless ChromeCast or AirPlay option embedded in the QuickCast Pro-4K’s receiver to really turn it into a universal socket, but that would mean network connectivity and might cripple the simplicity which drove its introduction to begin with.
Final Report on the Optoma QuickCast Pro-4K
If I were a road warrior or had a conference presentation to do, I’d have a QuickCast Pro-4K in my bag. There are so many scenarios where having a cable hanging from a laptop or tablet is cumbersome, unsightly or not feasible at all. I commend Optoma for their entry into the world of wireless presentations and will look for more from them down the road.
