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GabeU's avatar
GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV
7 years ago

Chromecast...what's the advantage?

BirdDog monicakm   What exactly is it that Chromecast does?  It says "Stream entertainment from your device to your TV".  What does this mean, exactly?  Does this mean like streaming HBO Go, DirecT...
  • BirdDog's avatar
    BirdDog
    7 years ago

    Yea, the advantage is it is wireless so if someone's only other option is running a cable accross the floor or ceiling it is handy. It casts local content to the TV using Chrome and can also cast/stream online content. There's differents feeds that can be subscribed to, some free and others with a fee. Basically it can make a relatively dumb TV smart. My one older Roku TV is kind of clunky when it comes to casting so I purchased the Chromecast for it.

     

    The newest edition of VLC video player can cast to it pretty well if not wanting to use Chrome all the time, with a few minor bugs yet. It should get better with future releases.

     

    In the end, just another tech gadget to play with that can be useful at times.

  • BirdDog's avatar
    BirdDog
    7 years ago

    Also Gabe there is this. A simple casting device that doesn't require Internet. It is available on a popular auction site and also the site that has the jungle name. Less bells and whistles but costs more it appears. Go figure.

     

    UPDATE: Just found it on Newegg refurbished for $19 + free shipping. That's a deal.

     

     

     

     

GabeU's avatar
GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV
maratsadewrote:

GabeU, with the Chromecast you can stream anything.  I use it to cast from my laptop. You can also cast from apps, but it works fine with the internet. You have to use the Chrome browser for that.   I stream YouTube all the time.  You can also cast your desktop, like if you want to show a PowerPoint on your TV, or browse to websites and show them on your TV.

See, that's what threw me off.  Though Chromecast isn't quite what I thought it was, I think it would still work well for what I would use it for, which is basically streaming HBO Go, Max Go, DirecTV On Demand, Youtube, and a few various other things on my laptop and showing them on my TV. 

 

It's too bad that they don't simply make a device with which you can do that with no strings attached.  Simply, what's on your laptop screen and coming through your laptop speakers is what shows on your TV and comes through its speakers.  I mean, you'd still have to sign up for whatever streaming service or whatever you are using to show on your laptop, but it would show on your TV, regardless of what browser you use.  Basically, just doing what your laptop and TV connected HDMI cable does, but wirelessly.  That's what I was thinking Chromecast was.  Still, I think it will work for what I want it for, and if it doesn't work for everything, I always have the HDMI cable.  :)  

BirdDog's avatar
BirdDog
Assistant Professor
7 years ago

Also Gabe there is this. A simple casting device that doesn't require Internet. It is available on a popular auction site and also the site that has the jungle name. Less bells and whistles but costs more it appears. Go figure.

 

UPDATE: Just found it on Newegg refurbished for $19 + free shipping. That's a deal.

 

 

 

 

  • GabeU's avatar
    GabeU
    Distinguished Professor IV
    7 years ago

    BirdDog

     

    Thanks!  That's pretty much exactly the kind of thing I was looking for, and the price on the jungle site isn't any more than what I was seeing for the Chromecast device, though I hadn't searched anywhere but their own site, and Chromecast is probably cheaper elsewhere, including our friendly jungle site.  :p

     

    Thanks again!