Google - Chromecast - Black

I wanted a really easy way to stream content from my phone to my TV (MotoGP video pass and YouTube videos specifically). The Chromecast makes it very easy. I plugged the unit into the HDMI input on my TV and plugged its USB tail into the USB input on my TV. (The device is pretty light, but I used a zip tie through opening on my TV to help support it just so I didn't put any stress on the HDMI or USB ports. I'm withholding one star because the USB tail is so short. It only just reached my USB port; any farther and I would have had to get a USB extension cable.) The device walks you through set up and it's very easy, just a few steps. Download the Chromecast app from the Play store, enter a code, connect to your Wifi network, choose a security setting and you're up and running. When I open the YouTube app on my phone, a little icon appears in the player to "cast" it to the TV, and it just a few seconds the video plays on my TV instead of my phone. Sometimes it takes a few moments to get the full HD version of a video streaming but usually it's pretty quick. The Chromecast app has some additional Chromecast-compatible apps that you can use. I haven't explored them, since I really just wanted to do two things. Streaming MotoGP video pass: (Skip this section if you're not interested in this.) The MotoGP app on Android doesn't support Chromecast natively; however, there is a simple workaround. Just go to the MotoGP site in the Chrome browser and login to your MotoGP account. Select a video and tap to play. A "cast" icon will appear on the video player container. Tap the cast icon and the video will be sent to the Chromecast unit and will play on your TV. Hooray! I find that live video streams are little more difficult to get an uninterrupted 1080p version (sometimes the video pauses for a few seconds then resume, sometimes the quality downgrades in order to keep playing). I don't experience this nearly as much with the non-live video streams. So, I think it may be on MotoGP servers' end. I'm really happy with the easy set up and use of the Chromecast. I have a Roku on my primary TV, but couldn't justify the cost of another one for a second TV and for such a limited purpose. The Chromecast offers such great value; however. And it's so easy to use and works really well that I think I'm actually going to buy one for my primary TV, as well. (The YouTube channel on Roku is unreliable, not playing HD when HD is available, and only supports one account, and a few other issues. Plus, then I can watch MotoGP on my main TV, too!) I would 100% recommend to a friend. I think these would make great gifts, too--provided your gift recipient has an Android device.

I'm enjoying using the Chromecast. I have 4 TVs on one wall in my office. I could pay the cable company $6 per month ($72 per year) for a separate cable box for each TV or I can buy 4 Google Chromecasts for $35.99 each (the same as 6 month for the cable box) and use my Spectrum account to cast whatever I want from my laptop or iPhone. It's much better doing it this way. I still have access to every cable channel that I would have with cable box but with less clutter. The Google Chromecast hides neatly behind the screen on each TV. Set it was pretty easy but I had to do it from my iPhone because it wouldn't seem to work from the laptop. I set it up from the iPhone it was relatively painless and easy and now I'm able to go on the laptop and cast from there as well. I've mostly used it for YouTube and online videos so far. I am now capable of watching for different sporting events or four different movies or whatever. I can choose to have a few of my security cameras on one or on multiple TVs while still watching the motocross races, football game and golf tournament at the same time. Each of my 4 flat screens also has picture in picture too. If the need presents itself, I can watch 8 different things at once. If there's 4 people that each want to watch something different, it's completely doable and I can still enjoy their company while still providing their entertainment of choice. My internet stopped working once since I've installed them. It was irritating not to be able to use them but that's not Googles problem. That was a Spectrum problem. My entire home is a smart home so when the hit-n-miss Charter Spectrum internet stops working, I loose the ability to turn lights on and off, open blinds, use ANYTHING that plugs into the electricity in my home. When the WiFi was back up, the Chromecast all re-synced just like my smart hubs did. It required nothing from me. Why did I wait until now? FYI: there is really no sense in wasting your money on the newer version of the Chromecast even with the 4D TV the human eye cannot see the difference that it's providing in picture the cheaper $30-$35 Chromecast works perfectly fine.The only time that the newer version is a benefit to you is if you need to plug it directly into ethernet instead of running it on Wi-Fi.

When I heard about the Chromecast, I thought it was too good to be true. When I bought it, I actually confirmed how wonderful it really is. I cut the cable with TWC two years ago and had initially relied primarily on the net for entertainment. It was tough at first, but I refuse to pay the huge cable bills for b grade content. Slowly the media houses caught on; first Netflix, then Amazon Prime, now HBO Now, all offer prime content (as opposed to B or C grade content) on stream. If you use a mix of subscription services like me, you can still get the best of what's available, concurrently, and yet keep your monthly TV/entertainment bill to less than $50 a month, as opposed to paying double or triple that for lousy cable TV content, not to mention the creeping bill hikes that cable tv regularly forces on you. Chromecast allows you to mirror screens wirelessly, directly from your smartphone or laptop/pc/tablet to the TV. Pretty much anything you can find on the net, can be cast to your TV and streamed with no loss of definition or audio quality. Channels like CNBC, CBS etc who stream news live will enable you to grab the news without cable, the chief concern of people who are wary about cutting ties with cable. HBO, Netflix and Amazon Prime have great streaming content (Game of Thrones, for one). Admittedly, both Netflix and Amazon have a bunch of rubbish thrown in for good measure, but you still find good stuff. Plus, there's HULU, VUDU (paid) and a bunch of prime regional and international films freely available on YouTube. The best about streaming is that you are not paying cable bills. Second best feature, you set the schedule, not the cable company. Once released, the program usually is available to watch whenever you want, as many times you want, you will never miss a show again. Cons? It needs a remote with simple FFWD and RWD, Pause/play functions. When you stream HBO Now from the laptop/PC you cannot FFWD or RWD as the screen freezes in the particular tab you run it on. Works a little better from the smartphone app, but you need to have super sensitive finger tips to do it accurately. Minor annoyance. Other than that, it rocks. And by the way, I have nothing but commiseration for those TV channels like AMC who stream, but still need you to to have a cable subscription to view their content!??? Guys, if I had any need for cable, why on earth would I need the stream?? Think!! They choose to go down with the cable ship I guess. Coming back to Chromecast, buy it. I am pretty certain you would love it as much as I do.

The features of Google Chromecast make it an excellent purchase. As a poor college student, would you like to experience the many benefits of cable without paying a monthly charge? I was in the same boat, until I purchased the Google Chromecast. With the Chromecast’s affordability, versatility, and simplicity, it satisfies all my needs for entertainment at a low price. Affordability Google Chromecast is available at a one time, low rate. The one time charge of the Chromecast makes it convenient and affordable for many college students. Paying a monthly charge for cable is something many college students cannot afford to do. With other monthly charges such as groceries and rent, it is difficult to pile another monthly bill on top, so using the Chromecast for entertainment is a cheap alternative. The only additional charge to the Chromecast is Wi-Fi, which is usually included in campus housing. No other charges will be needed to use the Chromecast for entertainment, making this a cheap and effective option for college students as well as anyone else looking for entertainment at a cheap rate. Versatility Both Apple and Android products offer a free Chromecast application in their respective “App Store”. Through this application there are suggested apps across a variety of categories. By using the many apps offered, you have the opportunity to use the Chromecast in many different ways. The most popular Chromecast categories include: TV & Movies, Music & Audio, and Sports. These applications give you the option to use your Chromecast for the common things you do on cable, such as watching sports, the news, movies, and reality TV. Along with the visual options, the Chromecast also has a wide variety of applications for audio, making it useful at parties or just for the everyday music listener. Simplicity The device comes with easy to follow step-by-step directions for set-up and everyday use. After initial set-up, which takes only a minute or two, it takes a click of a button in compatible apps to connect your mobile device to the Chromecast each time you use it. Along with the ease of use, the Chromecast connects to devices wirelessly. This is very useful for college students, as well as anyone whom cannot be close to a TV at all times. All in all, the Chromecast has many benefits for someone looking for entertainment at a cheap price. It offers a variety of entertainment suitable for people of all interests and needs. Finally, the initial set-up along with everyday use is very simple. These characteristics make this product a great purchase for college students, as well as anyone else looking for a versatile entertainment product at an affordable price.

I wanted a really easy way to stream content from my phone to my TV (MotoGP video pass and YouTube videos specifically). The Chromecast makes it very easy. I plugged the unit into the HDMI input on my TV and plugged its USB tail into the USB input on my TV. (The device is pretty light, but I used a zip tie through opening on my TV to help support it just so I didn't put any stress on the HDMI or USB ports. I'm withholding one star because the USB tail is so short. It only just reached my USB port; any farther and I would have had to get a USB extension cable.) The device walks you through set up and it's very easy, just a few steps. Download the Chromecast app from the Play store, enter a code, connect to your Wifi network, choose a security setting and you're up and running. When I open the YouTube app on my phone, a little icon appears in the player to "cast" it to the TV, and it just a few seconds the video plays on my TV instead of my phone. Sometimes it takes a few moments to get the full HD version of a video streaming but usually it's pretty quick. The Chromecast app has some additional Chromecast-compatible apps that you can use. I haven't explored them, since I really just wanted to do two things. Streaming MotoGP video pass: (Skip this section if you're not interested in this.) The MotoGP app on Android doesn't support Chromecast natively; however, there is a simple workaround. Just go to the MotoGP site in the Chrome browser and login to your MotoGP account. Select a video and tap to play. A "cast" icon will appear on the video player container. Tap the cast icon and the video will be sent to the Chromecast unit and will play on your TV. Hooray! I find that live video streams are little more difficult to get an uninterrupted 1080p version (sometimes the video pauses for a few seconds then resume, sometimes the quality downgrades in order to keep playing). I don't experience this nearly as much with the non-live video streams. So, I think it may be on MotoGP servers' end. I'm really happy with the easy set up and use of the Chromecast. I have a Roku on my primary TV, but couldn't justify the cost of another one for a second TV and for such a limited purpose. The Chromecast offers such great value; however. And it's so easy to use and works really well that I think I'm actually going to buy one for my primary TV, as well. (The YouTube channel on Roku is unreliable, not playing HD when HD is available, and only supports one account, and a few other issues. Plus, then I can watch MotoGP on my main TV, too!) I would 100% recommend to a friend. I think these would make great gifts, too--provided your gift recipient has an Android device.

Breaks my heart to say I didn't get what I expected, but its still a good deal. There are online videos saying it casts your laptop screen and chrome browsers etc.mine doesn't and I replaced my device the first time it didn't work. Pros: -Tiny little device, cheap -casts anything flawlessly from phone. -fast, no heating problem -your TV's play and pause buttons work with the chromecast. -one thing I was concerned about when I was buying was whether I need to waste my phone's battery while casting stuff. I thought that videos need to play on the phone and will be duplicated on the screen, but if anyone else is concerned about the same thing, it's not that way. Unfortunately the pros end here. Cons: -it sucks at casting entire browser, non app videos or vlc player or the desktop screen from your laptop. Mind you, it still casts apps preinstalled in the chromecast device like Netflix, comedy central, YouTube etc from my laptop very well. But if I want to cast anything other than that, like entire browser or say a video from dailymotion .com, or my laptop screen or vlc player, it just won't. I tried doing a warranty replacement and it still sucls the same. I tried different settings and brought it closer to my WiFi router, used a wall outlet, without good result. I don't know if it's so because of poor WiFi receiver but it works great from my phone, just sucks from my laptop. I'm amazed the the difference in performance when casting regular site non preinstalled app browser videos from my phone and laptop. -minor flaw: The HDMI cable is not removable, and it's really small, so you can't move it away from the TV. I don't know if it causes interference, but it could be possible. -you need to install apps in your phone for stuff that's already installed in your chromecast like Netflix and comedy central etc. They should have designed it such that we could use the apps in chrome cast directly through the phone without having to install them in our phones. -minor flaw: 1-1.5 seconds lag, but I'm assuming it's not avoidable. Doesn't matter for watching stuff. Overall, it's a good device, and more or less satisfied. Maybe I set too high expectations from this. But it's doing only half of what was advertised.

If you’re someone looking for a product to stream music, movies, or games through your TV, utilizing devices you already own, Chromecast is for you. You will find Chromecast very useful based on the following criteria: Set Up You will find Chromecast simple to set up once you read through the directions. Diagrams show where to find the USB port on the back of your TV, so you know where to plug in your Chromecast. Once the device is hooked up, it will direct you to change the input of your TV, where a welcoming screen will appear. You will then have the option to create a username and connect Chromecast to Wi-Fi using your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Casting Casting can be done through the devices you already have at home. All you will need is the Google Chrome browser for computers, which can be downloaded for free. The Chromecast icon will appear in the upper right hand corner of your browser to activate streaming. You can also cast through tablets and smartphones with a complimentary application found in your app store. Casting devices battery life is not effected. Performance Your Chromecast will stream from your device as long as there is a Wi-Fi connection. You can be in a different room, and still have the ability to change a song or move to the next episode. Surround sound is compatible with your Chromecast for the optimal viewing experience. Versatility Chromecast can be streamed using various electronic devices, with ranges of brands. You will be able to stream using multiple devices. There are not a maximum number of devices that can be compatible. Although Chromecst is not compatible with all devices, it is possible to connect with Android and Apple devices, as well as Chromebook. Applications You will be able to stream music, shows, videos, movies, and games through your Chromecast. Popular applications you may find an interest in, are the following: • YouTube • Netflix • Hulu • Pandora • HBO Go • Spotify Your Chromecast will change the way you watch TV, good luck!

It took me an embarrassingly long time to learn how to use this. Since there's no controller that comes with the device, you must use a compatible smart phone that can run the Google Home app, as well as the apps that you wish to stream, or "cast" it as the device refers to it. You open the app you want to watch (Netflix, Hulu, etc.), and begin streamcasting it from there. There is no UI on the device itself outside of the prompts to set it up and the screen saver that shows random photos. All of that said, here are the pros: - using your phone to control the device is kinda cool, but nothing unique since both the Apple TV and Roku have apps that function as controllers - the size of the device makes it very easy to plug in and not worry about wires exposed or finding space on the tv stand for it - coupled with a Google Home, it's kinda cool (but feels gimmicky) to tell it to resume watching a tv show and have it auto-start. Convenient when it works though. Cons: - a lack of a remote means you must have your phone ready to be used as a remote, meaning you have to stop using Facebook and load up whatever app you want to cast to begin watching something - lack of a remote also means it takes about 5 steps to pause whatever you're watching rather than the 1 step a remote with a pause button would take. You can't just ask Google Home to pause it for you, or at least it didn't work for me - even when the phone is ready to be used as a remote, that doesn't mean the app you used to begin streaming will have the controls. I haven't figured it out yet, but it seems like after some time passes, you can no longer use the app you're watching to control the Chromecast. Instead, you must open the Google Home app, view the connected devices, press pause, and wait to make sure it actually paused - telling Google Home to begin playing music to the cast or find a show to play doesn't always work. May be an issue with the Google Home, but sometimes the Chromecast does drop connection to the wifi as indicated by the screen saver no longer showing photos, so I'm leaning towards it being the Chromecast