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that was the other way around. and amazon's rationale for not selling chromecasts was because the chromecast didn't support amazon prime video. which was, of

that was the other way around. and amazon's rationale for not selling chromecasts was because the chromecast didn't support amazon prime video. which was, of course, a decision that amazon had made.

karavelov 9y ago
I don't think it's Amazon decision to not allow Prime video on the google chromecast devices - it's available of consoles, Roku and other 3rd party devices.
- vanviegen 9y ago
  Sure it is. Chromecast offers an API everybody can just use, without asking Google for permission.
  - kuschku 9y ago
    Nope. Chromecast only offers an API if you already have a license to the Google Play Services, which does require Google’s permission. And this license only allows sending Chromecast streams – it does not allow the FireTV to receive any.
    - Buge 9y ago
      I don't understand. karavelov said that Amazon Prime Video doesn't work with Chromecast. Are you saying that https://developers.google.com/cast/ https://developers.google.com/cast/ is insufficient to allow Prime Video to work with Chromecast? karavelov was not asking about FireTV receiving Chromecast. Does Roku receive Chromecast streams? If so, what's stopping FireTV, if not then it's not really relevant to this "targeted discrimination" discussion.
      - kuschku 9y ago
        > Are you saying that https://developers.google.com/cast/ https://developers.google.com/cast/ is insufficient to allow Prime Video to work with Chromecast? Correct. That SDK requires proprietary Google Play Services to be present on a device to allow Chromecast to work. As the same Prime Video app has to work on Kindle devices, LineageOS/CopperheadOS/other third party ROMs, and on Google Play Android devices, it can’t require Google Play Services. Regarding Roku: Roku can not receive Chromecast streams, instead Roku, Twitch and several other companies have cooperated to work on a protocol competing with Chromecast, and Roku can receive those (as can a few of Amazon’s devices, and Amazon’s apps can send those streams as well). You can learn more here: https://www.howtogeek.com/214943/how-to-use-your-roku-like-a-chromecast/ https://www.howtogeek.com/214943/how-to-use-your-roku-like-a...
        dragonwriter 9y ago
        > As the same Prime Video app has to work on Kindle devices, LineageOS/CopperheadOS/other third party ROMs, and on Google Play Android devices, it can’t require Google Play Services. It can have additional functionality that only works when Google Play Services is available. Plenty of media apps run on Kindle devices as well as branded Android, and support Chromecast on Android but not Kindle. Now, Amazon probably doesn't want to make an app that has features that work on branded Android but not Kindle, but that is a choice.
        kuschku 9y ago
        That's correct, but looking at how much money Amazon has spent trying to replicate Google's closed APIs on their Android version, I don't think it's unreasonable for them to expect an open protocol at least this time. Amazon spent billions trying to work around Google's anticompetitive bullshit (something the open source community had to do as well with microG), and I think at least at some point Google should be held responsible for their proprietary bullshit. Had Google actually open sourced Chromecast, on all sides, you'd have seen much higher adoption.
        muro 9y ago
        Regarding the other protocol - support by Amazon + twitch is still just one company :) Will read up on rest, thanks.
    - scarface74 9y ago
      Chromecast support is available for a few non Google iOS apps. But I guess the blame is on Google for not opening up the protocol for nonstandard Android derived Os's.
scarface74 9y ago
It wasn't Google that didn't support Amazon Prime Video, Amazon didn't add support. It was the same reason the Amazon gave for not selling the Apple TV 3rd and 4th generations. Apple worked with dozens of other providers to add apps to the 3rd gen ATV and a time could write an app for the 4th gen TV. The proof is that there is now an Amazon Video app for the 3rd and 4th gen ATV. It was a surprise to almost everyone that Amazon/Apple ported Amazon Video to the 3rd Gen ATV after it had been discontinued for over a year.

that was the other way around. and amazon's rationale for not selling chromecasts was because the chromecast didn't support amazon prime video. which was, of course, a decision that amazon had made.

karavelov 9y ago

I don't think it's Amazon decision to not allow Prime video on the google chromecast devices - it's available of consoles, Roku and other 3rd party devices.

vanviegen 9y ago
Sure it is. Chromecast offers an API everybody can just use, without asking Google for permission.
- kuschku 9y ago
  Nope. Chromecast only offers an API if you already have a license to the Google Play Services, which does require Google’s permission. And this license only allows sending Chromecast streams – it does not allow the FireTV to receive any.
  - Buge 9y ago
    I don't understand. karavelov said that Amazon Prime Video doesn't work with Chromecast. Are you saying that https://developers.google.com/cast/ https://developers.google.com/cast/ is insufficient to allow Prime Video to work with Chromecast? karavelov was not asking about FireTV receiving Chromecast. Does Roku receive Chromecast streams? If so, what's stopping FireTV, if not then it's not really relevant to this "targeted discrimination" discussion.
    - kuschku 9y ago
      > Are you saying that https://developers.google.com/cast/ https://developers.google.com/cast/ is insufficient to allow Prime Video to work with Chromecast? Correct. That SDK requires proprietary Google Play Services to be present on a device to allow Chromecast to work. As the same Prime Video app has to work on Kindle devices, LineageOS/CopperheadOS/other third party ROMs, and on Google Play Android devices, it can’t require Google Play Services. Regarding Roku: Roku can not receive Chromecast streams, instead Roku, Twitch and several other companies have cooperated to work on a protocol competing with Chromecast, and Roku can receive those (as can a few of Amazon’s devices, and Amazon’s apps can send those streams as well). You can learn more here: https://www.howtogeek.com/214943/how-to-use-your-roku-like-a-chromecast/ https://www.howtogeek.com/214943/how-to-use-your-roku-like-a...
      - dragonwriter 9y ago
        > As the same Prime Video app has to work on Kindle devices, LineageOS/CopperheadOS/other third party ROMs, and on Google Play Android devices, it can’t require Google Play Services. It can have additional functionality that only works when Google Play Services is available. Plenty of media apps run on Kindle devices as well as branded Android, and support Chromecast on Android but not Kindle. Now, Amazon probably doesn't want to make an app that has features that work on branded Android but not Kindle, but that is a choice.
        kuschku 9y ago
        That's correct, but looking at how much money Amazon has spent trying to replicate Google's closed APIs on their Android version, I don't think it's unreasonable for them to expect an open protocol at least this time. Amazon spent billions trying to work around Google's anticompetitive bullshit (something the open source community had to do as well with microG), and I think at least at some point Google should be held responsible for their proprietary bullshit. Had Google actually open sourced Chromecast, on all sides, you'd have seen much higher adoption.
      - muro 9y ago
        Regarding the other protocol - support by Amazon + twitch is still just one company :) Will read up on rest, thanks.
  - scarface74 9y ago
    Chromecast support is available for a few non Google iOS apps. But I guess the blame is on Google for not opening up the protocol for nonstandard Android derived Os's.

scarface74 9y ago

It wasn't Google that didn't support Amazon Prime Video, Amazon didn't add support. It was the same reason the Amazon gave for not selling the Apple TV 3rd and 4th generations. Apple worked with dozens of other providers to add apps to the 3rd gen ATV and a time could write an app for the 4th gen TV. The proof is that there is now an Amazon Video app for the 3rd and 4th gen ATV. It was a surprise to almost everyone that Amazon/Apple ported Amazon Video to the 3rd Gen ATV after it had been discontinued for over a year.