Airtame 2 vs. BenQ InstaShow Wireless Presentation System

How to use Airtame 2? The system utilizes both an application on the notebook and typically uses enterprise Wi-Fi networks to transmit video to the Airtame 2 device. Airtame recommends extra bandwidth or making Quality of Service (QoS) adjustments to handle the increased traffic load during meetings. There are multiple network configurations that can be used, but Airtame advises that the most secure installation method is using a VLAN network. This approach can add additional time and costs to installation at smaller firms.

Airtame 2 also has other specific networking and performance requirements for enterprise networks, including:

• "Client Isolation” or “NAT Mode” must be disabled
• Multicast must be allowed
• An NTP server must be accessible for time synchronization
• RSSI performance of less than 60dBm
• Stable Peak Hour Ping Time performance of less than 10ms
  
  
  
  
  

Additionally, Airtame suggests presenters run the streaming application while optimizing their notebooks by:

• 
  Using inly necessary apps in the background of your PC
• Wi-Fi signal > -60dBm
• Avoid running network heavy tasks such as downloads and uploads while streaming
  
  
  
  

InstaShow is designed to work right out of the box in less than 10 minutes without IT support. The user only needs to:

1. attach the antenna to the receiver
2. 
   connect the receiver to a projector or display, and then
3. 
   plug in the button adapter to their notebook HDMI or USB-C port to start presenting.

This video review by tech expert Dave Taylor shows installation and how it works the first time you use it.

To speed up installation, InstaShow comes with two buttons that are already paired to the receiver, and the host can be powered directly from a USB type A jack commonly found on projectors and flat panels.

For a visitor to use Airtame 2, they first need to load and run the Airtame app on their notebook. Many organizations “lock down” their notebooks to third party software to protect from malware, and require IT support and approval for any application to be installed. This could impact the flow of the meeting.

Visitors must also log onto the same network that Airtame 2 is using. Because of security risks to enterprise networks, IT administrators need to ensure that their network is protected from tunneling apps or other potential security risks associated with visitors on the network. The company also recommends that presenters turn off cloud such as Dropbox to increase performance when using Airtame 2.

For a visitor to use InstaShow in a huddle space or meeting room, they simply plug in an InstaShow transmitter button to their notebook using an HDMI or a USB-C port. No software needs to be installed on the visitor’s notebook. The button creates an encrypted transmission to the receiver host in about 10-15 seconds, and once it is safe to transmit, the button light turns green and presenters simply click their respective button adapters to present.

Airtame 2 is limited to only one presenter at a time. The highest resolution on the unit is 1080p, but the manual also includes instructions for lowering the resolution to save bandwidth.

InstaShow WDC20 and WDC30 wireless presentation systems enable you to split the screen into four different 1080p sections for more effective collaboration on a 4K interactive display or flat panel.

The Airtame 2 system does not support any touchback or ability to support wireless interaction from an interactive display and a presenter’s notebook.

InstaShow WDC20 and WDC30 support wireless touchback, enabling a presenter to annotate on the display and control the presentation from the board.

Visitors must use the Airtame 2 app to use the system. Visitors with “locked down” notebooks may not be able to use the system.

According to the security page on the Airtame 2 website, the system DOES NOT encrypt transmissions from the computer to the Airtame 2 receiver to ensure that each presentation transmission cannot be captured or recorded by unauthorized external or internal users on the network.

Airtame uses cloud and third party services such as Amazon to send account details and other information over the internet. According to Airtame 2, user account and password information is stored on an AWS server hosted in Germany.

None. InstaShow does not require any software to be installed onto the laptop or an external network to work, enabling locked down computers to use the system as they would a standard cable.

The InstaShow transmitter and host use advanced 128-bit encryption to ensure that each presentation transmission cannot be captured or recorded by unauthorized external or internal users. WDC30 even has WPA3 authentication. The LAN port on the host is for configuration only and does not transmit any presentation information over the internet.

None. BenQ InstaShow does not send any account or other information over the internet via the cloud or third party services such as Amazon Web Services (AWS).