Google Chromecast

begranter

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zenter said:
Bingo, and don't forget Live sub costs. When it was first announced, I thought "The big loser here is Microsoft."

But, I guess this end the whole Smart TV thing (good riddance) or makes Google the software guys behind TVs with integrated services. That said, if Google is app-limited (e.g., NFL wants a king's ransom, etc), and if you eventually can't throw a browser window at the TV, this could be south Google TV. I doubt this well happen, given the product name.
Speculation Google is looking to buy the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket after 2014.
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/2013/08/21/google-and-nfl-meet-sunday-ticket-for-grabs/QNj9I6YYhZZMYsBTg3uqbP/story.html
 
 
Citi analyst Jason Bazinet believes that DirecTV is losing money on the deal, generating only about $725 million a year in revenue. He thinks a new contract would run about $1.5 billion if DirecTV were to make another go for it.
DirecTV has a market capitalization of about $32 billion and would be unlikely to remain for long in a bidding war with Google, which has a market capitalization nine times that.
 
 

InsideTheParker

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I finally got one and it's working perfectly with YouTube and presumably will work with other supported apps, but I can't get it to carry a game from mlb.tv. I load the game in Chrome, it comes up in its little window, I copy the address, open in a webpage, click on the Cast button, and the game appears to load on the telly. It starts, then the picture goes away on the tv and all I have is sound. Anybody had any consistent success with this?
 

Blacken

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zenter said:
But, I guess this end the whole Smart TV thing (good riddance) or makes Google the software guys behind TVs with integrated services.
I never read this thread before.

But: ahem.
 

Corsi

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Chromecast just got WatchESPN support and HBO Go is on the way.
 

MannysDestination

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I've been pretty disappointed with my Chromecast. The quality is meh and half of the stuff I want to stream won't work. I'm about to move and will put it on the small kitchen TV for random streams when watching and doing something else, but it's not a really viable main TV stream option yet.
 

Corsi

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MannysDestination said:
I've been pretty disappointed with my Chromecast. The quality is meh and half of the stuff I want to stream won't work. I'm about to move and will put it on the small kitchen TV for random streams when watching and doing something else, but it's not a really viable main TV stream option yet.
 
Are you disappointed with the in-app streaming from Netflix et al, or tabcasting?  Tabcasting can be hit or miss.  My girlfriend complained about the quality when she used her Dell to stream the Texans game, but then I used my MacBook and the stream was awesome.  I don't know the technology behind it too well, but I believe the quality of your computer matters pretty significantly when tabcasting.
 

MannysDestination

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Corsi said:
 
Are you disappointed with the in-app streaming from Netflix et al, or tabcasting?  Tabcasting can be hit or miss.  My girlfriend complained about the quality when she used her Dell to stream the Texans game, but then I used my MacBook and the stream was awesome.  I don't know the technology behind it too well, but I believe the quality of your computer matters pretty significantly when tabcasting.
 
Both. I already have an xbox and ps3 to use netflix/amazon and it lags the systems in quality. Tabcasting as you say is hit or miss and works inconsistently.
 
It's a great option if you don't have those other systems, probably. I mainly took a flier on it and will use it in the kitchen now due to the drawbacks. It's not a waste, just not as good as I hoped.
 

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I'm glad you chimed in with that, Manny.
 
I've been considering getting an AppleTV, Roku, or possibly this Chromecast for awhile.  We cut back from 7 DirecTV receivers to 2 over the past 4 months.  We have 3 PS3s that we use for streaming Amazon Prime and for watching media that I've downloaded.  Considering how much I've got invested already in Apple products, it seemed like the obvious choice but I was disappointed that they didn't come out with an updated version at either of the recent keynotes.
 

derekson

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Yaz4Ever said:
I'm glad you chimed in with that, Manny.
 
I've been considering getting an AppleTV, Roku, or possibly this Chromecast for awhile.  We cut back from 7 DirecTV receivers to 2 over the past 4 months.  We have 3 PS3s that we use for streaming Amazon Prime and for watching media that I've downloaded.  Considering how much I've got invested already in Apple products, it seemed like the obvious choice but I was disappointed that they didn't come out with an updated version at either of the recent keynotes.
 
I'm pretty much in the same boat. Figured I'd buy an Apple TV, but I was expecting them to update the hardware so I've been holding off on a purchase. Thought about the Chromecast when it came out with the Netflix credit, but the more I read about it I wasn't exactly impressed. For now I'm still using my old PS3 for most of my streaming (my main TV has Samsung Smart TV shit built-in but its quality is inferior to the PS3, I've found. And its UI is horrific too)
 

InsideTheParker

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I just got a free month of Amazon Prime and have been watching free videos with no problems on my Roku and my Sony media player, but when I tried to use Chromecast via Chrome browser on my Dell laptop to watch on my kitchen TV, no go. The chromecast logo turns orange and says the material is not compatible, but I found something in the Chromecast help that says it should be. I still can't get videos from mlb to work either. Anyone have any experience with Amazon videos? So far, this thing is only useful for YouTube and Pandora, as I don't have a Netflix sub at the moment.
 
Since I posted the above, I've done a lot of reading and found, as usual, that I am not alone. The crucial info seems to be: 
"The significant majority of web content can be cast. However, sites that use plug-ins such as as Silverlight, Quicktime & VLC are not supported, and may result in a lack of picture or sound." I have tried disabling Silverlight and still had no luck. I know that the Amazon movies use Silverlight, b/c after it was disabled, a warning came up that the movie couldn't play in my browser without it. However, there was an option to use Flash to run the movie, and I tried that, but even though the Cast logo was no longer orange, the picture was still frozen on the telly. I may try disabling Quicktime also, to see if that helps, but I'm not optimistic. It does seem, as Corsi wrote above, that people with faster computers and/or download speeds have better luck with tabcasting. What that has to do with Silverlight, etc., I don't know.
 

weeba

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Has anyone had issues streaming from a PC to a chromecast?  The chromecast is connectable via ipad/iphone, but cannot be found using the chrome app on a wired desktop, on the same network.
 

Corsi

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Google just announced some new apps:
 
  • VEVO
  • Red Bull.TV
  • Songza
  • PostTV
  • Viki
  • Revision 3
  • BeyondPod
  • Plex
  • Avia
  • RealPlayer Cloud
 

Corsi

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Seems like Plex and Avia should give us the ability to play local content, no?
 

Omar's Wacky Neighbor

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Corsi said:
Seems like Plex and Avia should give us the ability to play local content, no?
Doesn't Chromecast require the paid version of Plex?  That's one of the reasons that so many are jumping on the Roku deals that our out there,  That, and for Amazon Instant/Prime, another app Chromecast doesn't support.
 

Time to Mo Vaughn

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Omar's Wacky Neighbor said:
Doesn't Chromecast require the paid version of Plex?  That's one of the reasons that so many are jumping on the Roku deals that our out there,  That, and for Amazon Instant/Prime, another app Chromecast doesn't support.
For now, yes, but it's likely that they gave it to their paid members as an early release so that those users feel like they're getting something earlier than everyone else.
 
From Plex's site: "Note that for an initial period, the Chromecast feature is only available to our beloved PlexPass users, who get exclusive access to many new features."
 

zenter

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75cent bleacher seat said:
 
I called MLBtv regarding this and was told it may or may not work as they currently do not support the Chromecast device.
 
I'm eager to see how this, NBA, and Amazon progress. If 2/3 end up working, Chromecast's one-time $35 fee will replace the ~$50 annual fee I pay for Xbox Gold.
 

Time to Mo Vaughn

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zenter said:
 
I'm eager to see how this, NBA, and Amazon progress. If 2/3 end up working, Chromecast's one-time $35 fee will replace the ~$50 annual fee I pay for Xbox Gold.
 
I think there's a good chance that you'll see the NBA and MLB, but Amazon seems to be locking down all Android options to their own devices, which sucks.
 

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Is there any point to this if your TV is already a smart TV with WiFi, Netflix, hulu plus, etc?
 

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I was thinking this might be a way to get the Sox on my new TV.  I have no cable/satelite - but I have MLBTV - and I use hidemyip to get around the blackout so I can watch the Sox.  But that's device specific - so I was thinking I could use the chromecast thingie to throw the Sox games from my pc to the TV. 
 

Omar's Wacky Neighbor

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NJ_Sox_Fan said:
Is there any point to this if your TV is already a smart TV with WiFi, Netflix, hulu plus, etc?
Check your TV's app store.  We just got a Vizio70, and the selection of apps/offerings was incredibly underwhelming, hence my ordering a Roku3 a few days ago.
 
But if your TV has all the apps you want, then there's no need to waste money and an even more precious HDMI slot on a superfluous device.
 
Torrents+Plex+Roku+70"er = first run movies on the couch in the comfort of my boxers.  My 14 y/o had some buddies over to watch Gravity on Friday night, then on Sat my 12 y/o had some over for the latest Hunger Games and Percy Jackson releases.
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

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I've got a 70" Sharp Aquos 3D that comes with vudu, YouTube, hulu plus, cinema now, Netflix, film fresh, Skype, Pandora, Facebook, twitter, rhapsody, flickr, picassa, and the AP.

Not sure what else I'd need. I also use torrents and stream from my Mac direct to the TV and on occasion will just plug my flash drive into the USB and play the movies direct.
 

derekson

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I got a Samsung TV that just happened to be a Smart TV almost a year ago and I ended up getting an Apple TV to use for streaming instead of sticking with the built-in apps due to a combination of worse image quality and terrible UI with horrible lag frustrating me. I'm sure some of the Smart TVs are decent, especially higher end ones, but personally I found the Apple Tv (and I'm sure Roku is on par) to be a better option for Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, HBO Go, etc.
 
Oh, also Comcast didn't support HBO Go on the smart TV but did on Apple devices for some reason. 
 

Corsi

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Yep, Comcast doesn't support HBOGo on the Roku, but does on the Chromecast. Worth the $35 for that alone, IMO.
 

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One thing to keep in mind - assuming MLB.TV does come to Chromecast as an actual app, currently no Android devices have HD support for At Bat. It's all standard def. I am not sure how this fact will impact a potential app on the Chromecast device.
 
They do stream in HD to pretty much every other OS.
 
I am not sure what their plan is for At Bat 14, but the above is the case for At Bat 13.
 

Scott Cooper's Grand Slam

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Got one of these for my dad for Christmas. He's a tech-savvy guy, and he's been looking for a way to painlessly get Youtube from his iDevice on the TV. We've tried every interface under the sun. He wasn't happy with Smart TVs (too clunky). He wasn't happy with Roku or Apple TV (didn't like the extra UI or the extra remote). Didn't like an HTPC, Plex, or game console (too expensive, too many features he wouldn't use, too much to maintain). He's thrilled with the Chromecast.
 
Over the holidays we also watched some Netflix and an SD copy of Elf from the Google Play store on my fiancee's Moto X. Even the SD copy of Elf appeared to be full HD once "casted." I'm perfectly satisfied with my PS3 and Plex, but Google may have hit a home run here. 
 

InsideTheParker

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We just re-upped Netflix for the winter and started having a lot of trouble with movies stopping and reloading, over and over, on our Sony media player. Finally we asked ourselves, "What's new since we last watched Netflix?" And the answer was the Chromecast, which is plugged into another telly. We unplugged the electrical for the dongle, and voila, no more problems. This may not happen to anyone else (we are out in the country and can't get Fios, so have limited bandwidth), but I thought I'd mention it just in case. 
 

B H Kim

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Can someone tell me why this is better than an Apple TV?  I got one for Christmas, and hooked it up, but I have yet to come up with a use case where my Apple TV or my Roku isn't already better or just as good.
 

InsideTheParker

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B H Kim said:
Can someone tell me why this is better than an Apple TV?  I got one for Christmas, and hooked it up, but I have yet to come up with a use case where my Apple TV or my Roku isn't already better or just as good.
1) travel
2) extra TV in kitchen, shop, or bedroom
3) $35.00
 

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I have trouble with HBOgo. Tons of pausing, hiccups etc. Only with HBO. Anyone else have this issue??
 
I watched all three seasons of Game of Thrones on it and it only buffered on me once. Other than that, it has been completely flawless. I'm inclined to think the issue is your Wifi.
 

Corsi

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If you haven’t already, it’s time to pony up the $35 for a Chromecast. Today, Google released the Chromecast SDK to developers, giving them the power to build a cast button into their apps. Up until now, only select partners have been able to build in Chromecast support, but this now means almost any app (Android, iOS, and web) on your devices could enable a cast button and bring mirroring or casting abilities from phone/tablet/computer to big screen. 
 
The last big Chromecast update we saw came during the holidays, when Google introduced a set of 10 new apps that had support. With the SDK now ready for developers, we could see a wave of them within days or the coming weeks.
 
 

http://www.droid-life.com/2014/02/03/chromecast-is-now-open-to-developers-sdk-released/#more-131340
 

saintnick912

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I hope, but don't expect, that NBC Sports will add support for LiveExtra in time for the Olympics.  Being able to 'cast soccer early weekend mornings in bed would be ideal also.
 

Corsi

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Total speculation, but since MLB.tv is generally pretty ahead of the curve, I'd expect Chromecast integration for this upcoming season.
 

Cumberland Blues

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So I just got a chromecast and find it works great for youtube - and I imagine it's fine for other things that have the chromecast app.  Above it was noted that tab-casting is hit or miss - I used tab-casting to watch some Olympic hockey tonight and it was okay - clear picture, but the video was a bit choppy (there was no choppiness on the picture on my monitor - just the tv).  Are there tweaks I can make to settings somewhere that'll boost the performance - or is the choppiness primarily a function of having an old machine?  (I'm running a 6yr old box w/ Vista - may well be time to upgrade, but I'd like to put that off if I can)
 

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Cumberland Blues said:
So I just got a chromecast and find it works great for youtube - and I imagine it's fine for other things that have the chromecast app.  Above it was noted that tab-casting is hit or miss - I used tab-casting to watch some Olympic hockey tonight and it was okay - clear picture, but the video was a bit choppy (there was no choppiness on the picture on my monitor - just the tv).  Are there tweaks I can make to settings somewhere that'll boost the performance - or is the choppiness primarily a function of having an old machine?  (I'm running a 6yr old box w/ Vista - may well be time to upgrade, but I'd like to put that off if I can)
 
Agreed. Chromecast is really buggy and choppy. I tried to cast the Olympic tab and it not only kept shutting off every 5 minutes, it was choppy when it didn't shut down. As well, streaming the tab completely obliterated my wifi network at home. Everything else stopped working.
 
My connection is generally pretty strong, 50-65 Mbps. Roku has a problem maybe 1% of the time. Chromecast has been 0 for 3. It might be good for travel but compared to Roku or Apple TV, you're getting what you pay for.
 

AlNipper49

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(echoing with my own review)
 
I am now running Chromecasts and Rokus on both TVs (long story).  Honestly I have no idea why someone would choose a Chromcast over a Roku.  I guess the chromecast will be good for travelling but even then...  
 
The Roku is self-contained (no phone needed but you can still access it that way if you want), is of considerable more quality, has access to more applications, has it's own remote control, etc.  They're a few bucks difference but both are sub 100 which is frankly incredible for the utility that either device brings to the table.
 

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AlNipper49 said:
(echoing with my own review)
 
I am now running Chromecasts and Rokus on both TVs (long story).  Honestly I have no idea why someone would choose a Chromcast over a Roku.  I guess the chromecast will be good for travelling but even then...  
 
The Roku is self-contained (no phone needed but you can still access it that way if you want), is of considerable more quality, has access to more applications, has it's own remote control, etc.  They're a few bucks difference but both are sub 100 which is frankly incredible for the utility that either device brings to the table.
 
Me either. The Chromecast makes no sense. I guess the ONLY reason to get it is if you want stream your computer to the TV. That is about it. And, of course, if you want to do that, you could always use an HDMI cord. And when you stream your computer to the TV, it barely works. It needs a number of updates and improvements before it is worth owning.
 
I think Roku is genius. It is absolutely amazing. And it's not like it would be hard to travel with.
 

Foulkey Reese

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The Youtube app alone makes this well worth the $35 for me. Also, being able to stream pics and music to my TV/speakers has been really awesome. Loving this so far.
 

Corsi

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Perhaps she's not the typical user, but my girlfriend has abandoned the Roku for the Chromecast.  She uses it for Netflix and HBO GO, primarily.
 

InsideTheParker

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Basically, the Chromecast works really well for those apps that are adapted for it, which is why one hopes more will be. Casting from the browser works for me for low-bandwidth sites like music only. The other day I was watching the TCM On Demand (they have Passage to India free right now, one of my faves) through the browser,  and it was fabulous, until I paused it. Then it kept stopping and starting. It's frustrating that TCM has a very good Android app that is not set up to work with Chromecast. Big movies need big screens. As far as I know, TCM doesn't have any arrangement with Roku or any other media player.
 

AlNipper49

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Corsi said:
Perhaps she's not the typical user, but my girlfriend has abandoned the Roku for the Chromecast.  She uses it for Netflix and HBO GO, primarily.
Apparently her taste in media streaming is consistent with her taste in men!
 

Corsi

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AlNipper49 said:
Apparently her taste in media streaming is consistent with her taste in men!
 
There's a two inch dongle joke here somewhere.
 

cmac24

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I'm having some of the same issues that others are having.  I'm havig one other annoying problem.  I don't know if I set it up wrong, but when I set it up it asked me to create a new wireless name that's conected with my home wifi. I have the chromecast in my bedroom and sometimes the wireless on my phone switches over to the chromecast name making my phone useless.  I switch it back to the wifi but then it switches back to the chromecast name.  Should I unplug the chromecast when not using it?
 

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cmac24 said:
I'm having some of the same issues that others are having.  I'm havig one other annoying problem.  I don't know if I set it up wrong, but when I set it up it asked me to create a new wireless name that's conected with my home wifi. I have the chromecast in my bedroom and sometimes the wireless on my phone switches over to the chromecast name making my phone useless.  I switch it back to the wifi but then it switches back to the chromecast name.  Should I unplug the chromecast when not using it?
Go into your phone's wifi settings and have it "forget" your chromecast as an available wifi.
 

TheGoldenGreek33

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My Chromecast worked well for about a month, until it broke my TV. I was listening to music through YouTube on it, and all of the sudden my TV just *pops* and turns off. It won't turn back on. I think the powerboard went out on it. It was a 4-5 year old flat screen, so there's the chance it was just a new product on an old TV. But shit, man.