The Google Home app is the same app you use to control other Google hardware, like Nest Hub, and to set up smart home features to control via your phone. ![]() You also need a compatible Android device or iOS device with the latest version of the app - called Google Home - installed, or you need a compatible Windows computer, Mac, or Chromebook with the latest version of the Chrome browser installed. For Chromecast Ultra or Chromecast with Google TV, it has to be a wall socket, or there isn't enough power for it to work. In order for Chromecast to work, you need to plug it into an HDMI input on a TV/display, as well as connect it to a power supply. ![]() This is the case if you're casting your Android device screen, a tab from Chrome, or your Chromebook desktop. However, if you're mirroring your phone on the TV, or viewing a website, then you're sending that directly from your phone or computer to the Chromecast and both need to stay connected. That means that if you connect a Chromecast Ultra to a 4K TV, for example, it will play 4K content that you can't view on your phone. Chromecast then uses its own connection to retrieve that stream in the best quality it can. In the vast majority of cases, all you're doing is using your phone to tell the Chromecast device what content to play by pointing it at the source. If you’re concerned about roommates or family members disrupting your content, it may be best to wait until access restrictions are added.įurthermore, if your main channels for content are Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus, or iTunes, a Roku box or Apple TV will still be your best bet – at least in the short term.īut if you rely on Netflix, YouTube, or Google Play content, a Chromecast will serve you well.The important thing to realise about casting is that it isn't about sending the content from your phone to the Chromecast. The $35 price tag isn’t exactly a tough sell. Something as simple as a password is more than enough to keep any interruptions at bay and, indeed, works well for Apple’s AirPlay. Just like the awkward couch demo of the Nexus Q at Google I/O 2012, anyone can obliterate your carefully crafted playlist from halfway across the room without you noticing and preempt any content queued up the moment they decide to play a song or video immediately rather than adding it to the queue.Īlong with Google’s increased attention to education with Google Play for Education, the Chromecast also offers significant potential for students, teachers, and even guest lecturers to bring richer and more interactive experiences into the classroom.īut open access to the Chromecast from any device connected to the local network restricts these possibilities – be they dinner parties with friends or a classroom environment. Google wants the Chromecast to “just work”, and whilst adding your Chromecast to the local network and watching apps automagically present a cast button all in under a minute is magical, it soon wears off when you start sharing the telly with friends and family. ‘…anyone can obliterate your playlist from halfway across the room without you noticing.’ Indeed, the forever unpressed Anynet+ button on our Samsung TV’s remote searches for and connects to any HDMI-CEC devices and the functionality works perfectly with the Chromecast. This works through HDMI-CEC though it probably won’t be advertised as HDMI-CEC on your television. One of the coolest features demoed was the ability to turn on the television and switch inputs automatically when you connect to a Chromecast device. As long as you’re on the same local network as a Chromecast, it should show up as an option in a compatible app. Android apps that support Chromecast will have a button to toggle playback on your local device or any Chromecast devices on the network. Once you see a screen like the one above, Chromecast is set up and ready to accept content. Setup with the Android app takes under a minute. Setting up the Chromecast is a fairly simple process involving either the recently released Android app or visiting Google’s setup site and downloading the appropriate desktop application. ![]() Rest assured, both my ARM Samsung Chromebook and a laptop running Lubuntu 13.04 worked just fine, though with some caveats mentioned below. The Chromecast site lists Android 2.3+, iOS 6+, Chrome for OS X and Windows, and the Chromebook Pixel as requirements for using the device, leaving two notable omissions: other Chromebook devices and Linux. You’ve undoubtedly seen unboxing videos and a slew of demos by now, but one of the odder points is Google’s list of system requirements. As the response from eager early adopters trickles in, we go hands on to give you a glimpse at what works and what could use another layer of polish. The $35 Chromecast sold out in the Play Store, Amazon, and Best Buy in only a matter of hours.
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