Chromecast?

[evilfantasy]

So I have been thinking about getting the Google Chromecast since it was first announced but wasn't sure it really had anything more to offer compare to my current setup. I have had my HDTV as a second monitor for years. First through the External monitor port and now using the HDMI port. Needless to say I don't have a problem playing content from the internet on my TV. ANY content, not just the limited Chromecast apps.

Last week I saw the Chromecast on Amazon.com for $29.99 and free shipping. I have some Amazon credits so I went to the Chromecast website and let the description sell me and I ordered it. It arrived in the mail today and besides having to update the firmware on my wireless router the install was as easy as 1,2,3. It sounds all good but in the end having to update the wireless routers firmware was actually more exciting than this Chromecast is. I can use it on other television but I rarely need anything from my computer or tablet on my other TV. The moral of the story is if you have a good entertainment center setup now then the Chromecast may just be a disappointment.

My mom may soon be getting a free Chromecast.

[Salmon Trout]

They seem to be designed to provide "smart" features to "dumb" TVs. I was thinking about getting one, just for the *censored* of it really. They have just been announced in Britain at 30 UK pounds, which is the same as three bottles of mid-level wine, or two cinema tickets and two Big Macs. There already a bunch of Android boxes that do the same things and are not tied to Google like this thing is, which cost the same or a bit more. Given that I have a Samsung smart HDTV with a wired network connection to my router (via Homeplugs) I don't think I'd see much increase in the facilities on offer. Maybe the Chromecasting thing would be handy but I can generally get the stuff I want on the TV screen using other methods. My NAS has DLNA and the TV has a client app for that and a bunch of other apps, such as local TV catchup, YouTube, etc, most of which we never use. I have a hard disk PVR connected to a digital TV antenna with 80 free channels. I run Plex Media Server on a PC on the network and the TV has a Plex client app which we use in preference to the vanilla DLNA client app. Great for material we own and have ripped to the NAS or PC which is legal here. (Obligatory disclaimer!). But I might still get one to play with. I believe that streaming 1080p material can be problematic over wireless for many users of my TV and maybe others, I have no problems at all using the 500 mbps Homeplugs I bought.

[evilfantasy]

I was thinking about getting one, just for the *censored* of it really.

True. It's cheap enough that I'm not upset at myself for buying it.

Given that I have a Samsung smart HDTV

I thought I could talk myself out of buying a Smart TV by having the Chromecast but I still want the Smart TV. My dad has one so I know that you won't find anything in the Chromecast to replace the Smart TV features. My mom has my niece stay over usually a few nights every week and my niece has a Netflix account on her iPad. The TV they use is nice but has no internet connection or apps. I figure they could use the Chromecast with Netflix and save a few bucks on DVD rentals.

I streamed YouTube for a while from my tablet (Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1) and it seemed like it was on the verge of rebuffering the the YouTube videos whole time.

I am glad I got it. A gadget is a gadget and now I know all about this one.

[Salmon Trout]

you won't find anything in the Chromecast to replace the Smart TV features.

There is one thing my 2012 model Samsung smart TV cannot do, that I wish it could. My girlfriend and I are very interested in Spanish culture and language, and the main Spanish TV channels have web streaming of catchup/on-demand material, all the main shows, available for up to 1 month. The Samsung store has apps for these, where you can browse past shows and watch them but there is another service "en directo" where they stream the channels live 24/7. You can watch them in a Flash equipped browser. The Samsung TV web browser has no Flash, and the Samsung app store has not got any en directo apps for the main RTVE channels. but there is an Android one in Google Play, so I can watch them live on my phone via mobile internet or wi-fi. If I got an Android box with video/audio out connection I could add RTVE to my TV without buying a dish and paying a subscription. I do not know if the Chromecast will run the Android app I want, so I may look at other products like this one which runs Jelly Bean and costs 80 UK pounds (Point Of View HDMI dongle)



The trouble is, it's too much money if that one app does not work on it.

[evilfantasy]

The Chromecast app library is very limited. http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromecast/apps.html

It does mirror the desktop screen with the Windows software. I'm not sure if that will be any help.

I'm still figuring this thing out too. There are features that are either missing or I haven't found yet.

[evilfantasy]

Well I just turned it on and I'm back to 'Chromecast not found'. I don't feel like messing with it right now and that doesn't help my feelings for this thing.

[evilfantasy]

It's working again. I didn't do anything but turn it back on.

You can cast individual Chrome tabs from PC to Chromecast so it's not exactly screen mirroring.

Now I'm having issues casting my phone. One minute this thing is flawless and the next it's frustrating.

[evilfantasy]

I returned the Chromecast. I don't know if it was defective or what but it only connected about half of the time and that got old, fast. Plus when it did connect it was choppy or the video just didn't seem to be 100%.

I found a Roku LT on sale ($12.00 off) at Amazon. It came in the mail today and so far I am very happy. The Roku Android app is pretty cool too. I also found AllCast in the app store and I can share music from my tablet to Roku. It's supposed to cast video and images also but that is a little buggy. I didn't realize it at first but there are dozens of cast apps for Android and other devices.

So. In my opinion. If you are looking to get stuff like Netflix or the thousands of other video content options available then I suggest Roku over Chromecast by a long shot. The remote is a pretty big bonus also.

Worth a look > http://www.roku.com

[strollin]

I have a Chromecast and used it for a short time when it was new but have since replaced it with a Roku 3 and I am very happy with that.  I especially like that the remote has a headphone jack so I can plug in a headphone for late night listening. 

[evilfantasy]

I have a Chromecast and used it for a short time when it was new but have since replaced it with a Roku 3 and I am very happy with that.

I have already decided to keep an eye out for a good sale on a Roku 3. I usually support Google but the Chromecast is sort of a novelty item compared to the Roku.

[DaveLembke]

I ended up using my Sony Blu-Ray player that has a long list of free streaming sources as well as subscription service like netflix and hulu. Got my blu-ray with this smart tv player like feature for just $129. So if you are looking for a blu-ray player _ this streaming player Sony has some for affordable price.

[evilfantasy]

My television next upgrade will be either Sony or Samsung. I have always had good luck with Sony products. My main complaint with Sony is the totalitarian DRM restrictions they build into everything. They take DRM to a whole new level.

[DaveLembke]

Haven't had any DRM issues with my Sony player. Maybe its just some Sony products but not mine. I have been able to play movies/videos through Wild Media Server that the player see's on my network which is a software service run at a PC.

[evilfantasy]

I can't remember exactly what it was now but it was a flash drive on a Sony TV. I could view the contents of the flash drive on a Magnavox TV but the Sony wouldn't open the folder. It may have been a fluke but I chalked it up to DRM.

[DaveLembke]

hmm only thing I know about my TV in regards to the USB port is that the flash drive has to be formatted as Fat32 as for it wont find NTFS. Same goes for my blu-ray player and its 2 USB ports at front and back. I am limited to 32GB of data on a Fat32 partition with no other partition types supported. Also my TV doesnt support playback of any videos, the USB port only can be used to show pictures which is sort of a waste since how many people will plug a thumb drive into their TV and go , hey look at the vacation pictures. The fact that my TV didnt come with video player support for digital videos on its USB port was kind of stupid, but the Sony Blu-Ray player makes up for the feature limitations of the TV.

Also I also own a Chromecast, but havent used it much actually. I plugged it into the HDMI and used this otherwise worthless USB port on the TV to plug the USB portion of the Chromecast into the TV, so that the USB port that is otherwise worthless is able to power the chromecast for the chromecast to play videos through HDMI connection.

My complaint with Chromecast is that:

#1, you need a computer with Chrome browser running side by side the TV to play videos, its not a stand alone player. ( If I already have a laptop with HDMI port on it, and its required to run side by side the TV to play videos.... I might as well just plug HDMI cable directly between laptop and TV and not bother with Chromecast and forced to use Chrome browser which I dont care for with Firefox as my preference. )

#2, you are limited to what it can actually play. Not all web sites that have videos are supported. ( You cant use it to send a clone copy of your display to the TV when playing games with a wireless keyboard and mouse .... so I might as well connect a HDMI cable directly vs use Chromecast )


Pretty much Chromecast is a cheap way for people to make their TV into a Smart TV, BUT if you already have a laptop with HDMI port, its kind of pointless because you can quickly turn your laptop into a HTPC with HDMI cable between PC and TV to play the movie or video game on the larger TV screen. 

I have been tempted to sell my used less than 4 hours Chromecast, but after all it was only $30 and cant be worth much used anyways.

[evilfantasy]

Pretty much Chromecast is a cheap way for people to make their TV into a Smart TV, BUT if you already have a laptop with HDMI port, its kind of pointless because you can quickly turn your laptop into a HTPC with HDMI cable between PC and TV to play the movie or video game on the larger TV screen. 

I have been tempted to sell my used less than 4 hours Chromecast, but after all it was only $30 and cant be worth much used anyways.

Agreed. Chromecast is more of a novelty then it is an entertainment device. Especially when you put it up against Roku.

I got lucky returning my Chromecast. I decided to return it and printed out the shipping label and got it dropped off at UPS on the very last day of return eligibility. If I had waited another 3 hours it would have been ineligible for return.

[strollin]

The difference between using a laptop with the Chromeast vs using HDMI is that with the Chromecast, once the video is started the laptop can be shutdown or you could use it to play a game or whatever since it's not really used anymore (basically becomes a remote to stop/start, pause, etc...).  With the HDMI approach, the laptop is tied up for the duration.  The Chromecast device doesn't need to be in the same room, just on the same network whereas HDMI is limited by cable length.  With the Chromecast, I can use my laptop, netbook, tablet or smartphone to "cast" content.

The Chromecast is actually pretty cool but is held back from a lack of apps to support it.

[evilfantasy]

There are apps that allow you to do more with Chromecast but they all seem to have at least one bug. AllCast is pretty good and what I have kept. It works with Roku also and ClockworkMod is an active developer who keeps improving his apps. I use his Helium backup app and like it a lot too. You just have to search the app store and find one you like.

AllCast lets you send photos, music, and videos on your Android to your TV! (The free version is a trial)

AllCast lets you cast to:

* Chromecast (http://amzn.to/1lOq4bI)
* Subtitles supported
* Amazon Fire TV (http://amzn.to/OMqmnj)
* Subtitles supported
* Apple TV (http://amzn.to/1izCgJ3)
* Xbox 360, Xbox One (http://amzn.to/1iBWxz1)
* Roku (http://amzn.to/1ef4T2p)
* WDTV (http://amzn.to/1oRCTGX)
* Samsung, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs
* Other DLNA Renderers

This is the free version of AllCast, which has a 1 minute viewing limit on pictures and videos. Upgrade to the premium version to remove the viewing limit.

[sebrantley]

Bought one. It gets too hot to leave it plugged in for very long. Not too bad if you are doing a business presentation for an hour or so. But to watch a two hour movie or have an afternoon marathon, you'll need to remove it with a cloth to keep from burning your fingers.

[strollin]

I had my Chromecast plugged in for months without ever turning it off.  When I unplugged it a few weeks ago to replace it with my Roku, it was not hot to the touch.  I suppose it could have gotten hot while streaming video but I never handled it immediately after streaming any content.