10 ms·

The obvious question: Why would you buy this if you already had an Apple TV (or were considering buying one)? * Cross-platform support, not just iDevices * Fo

• psbp 13y ago
  Just bought one. It's surprising that Google came up with such a compelling solution after the failure of the Nexus Q.
  • mikeevans 13y ago
    Seems exactly like the evolution of the Nexus Q. It interfaces the exact same way with the Youtube/Play Movies apps, minus the need for a special app to set it up.
• pgrote 13y ago
  Are you constrained to streaming only approved sites? For instance, if I go to watch espn can I stream that onto the TV?
  • psbp 13y ago
    You can tab stream and there's apparently an sdk so there's pretty much no barriers to streaming!!
  • deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
    • pgrote 13y ago
      Thank you for the response. This device sounds, well, fantastic.
    • eddieplan9 13y ago
      IIRC, the early beta version AirPlay displayed a mirror button for every <video> tag in MobileSafari. Apple got a lot of pushback from content providers, and had to make AirPlay an opt-in for content providers [1] (though with iOS 5 they later changed it to an opt-out feature). Not sure how the content providers will respond this time. [1] http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/AudioVideo/Conceptual/AirPlayGuide/OptingInorOutofAirPlay/OptingInorOutofAirPlay.html http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/AudioV...
      • MBCook 13y ago
        If you use 3rd party plugins (I use ClickToPlugin in Safari) you can get that option back for HTML5 video. You can also use display mirroring or window mirroring for flash stuff (part of Mountain Lion for recent Macs, older Macs can use AirParrot).
• DominikR 13y ago
  How does it accomplish to turn on the TV and switch to the correct input when a cast is started? (and control the TVs volume)
  • robbiet480 13y ago
    HDMI has a feature called CEC which can control inputs, volume, channels, basically everything a normal remote can, but over the existing cable and connection. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#CEC https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMI#CEC
    • DominikR 13y ago
      Thank you!
    • 31eee384 13y ago
      Is there a reason I haven't seen this used for DVD players and game consoles? (Or am I just living under a rock?)
      • bpeebles 13y ago
        My bluray player (a Sony from a couple years ago) does this perfectly fine with my Samgsung TV. So, some devices use it.
      • deelowe 13y ago
        Not sure, but XBMC supports it.
      • lotso 13y ago
        Not all TVs support CEC or have it turned on by default.
      • robbiet480 13y ago
        My Toshiba TV and my Onkyo receiver both support it. It's not a cost/licensing issue since it's built into HDMI and Pulse-Eight makes a USB CEC HDMI passthrough adapter and provides a libCEC library: http://www.pulse-eight.com/store/products/104-usb-hdmi-cec-adapter.aspx http://www.pulse-eight.com/store/products/104-usb-hdmi-cec-a...
• oneplusone 13y ago
  No reason it wouldn't work on a projector right? I was going to use a Raspberry Pi to do the same thing, but this is much simpler. Do you know when is it coming to Canada? I'd prefer not to go through the hassle of getting a reshipper to mail it to me.
  • k-mcgrady 13y ago
    They said other markets would be coming as soon as they can. Not sure what that means but for the Nexus 7 launch Canada is only a few weeks behind the US. With the Chromecast they probably have now idea how demand will be and once they know they can fulfil it will open up to Canada and others.
    • corresation 13y ago
      for the Nexus 7 launch Canada is only a few weeks behind the US "Only"? In comparison, Apple ships to a large number of nations simultaneously. I got my iPad shipped (from China, which is also where those Nexus 7s are coming from) the same day that US buyers got theirs shipped. Such is how international companies usually operate. I like Google the company, but they are incredibly provincial and out of step when it comes to these things. If they lack manpower to do international releases, perhaps they should hire the appropriate people instead of constantly treating the rest of the world as an afterthought.
      • k-mcgrady 13y ago
        Apple has delayed shipping to other countries many times. e.g. I got the first iPad the day it became available in the UK (I pre-ordered). That was about 6 weeks after the US launch. As far as I recall it was actually two weeks later than they originally scheduled for the UK launch. Demand for these products is very high and producing them in large quantities while trying to keep them a surprise is difficult. If Apple, a company that is a hardware business has trouble with this it's hardly surprising Google a web software and advertising company would have problems.
        • 13y ago
• saturdaysaint 13y ago
  For apps that integrate with the SDK (currently Youtube & Netflix, but I am sure more will be coming soon), the processing of the content can be transferred to the the Chromekey. Hence, once you "flick" your Netflix content to Chromekey, your phone is free and not processing content anymore unlike Airplay, which is a huge win for your phone's battery. If that's the case, I wonder why Chromebooks (other than the Pixel) aren't compatible.
  • tsycho 13y ago
    I don't know, maybe because it needs a browser extension which older ones don't support at the moment. I would assume they'll support them later, but honestly, I don't know.
    • barista 13y ago
      So this only works with browser? Can other apps stream to it as well?
      • tonfa 13y ago
        It's not limited to browsers, here is the sdk: https://developers.google.com/cast/ https://developers.google.com/cast/ AFAICT you push your application to the key, Android/iOS/Chrome can be used to interact with it.
  • pthatcherg 13y ago
    It's probably because of CPU power. Encoding high resolution video take a lot of CPU power, and the Pixel has more CPU power than other Chromebooks.
    • bound008 13y ago
      That is the point of the question. If it requires CPU usage, how does it save battery.
      • 13y ago
• alagu 13y ago
  I wish it had full fledged chrome browser like Google TV (instead of remoting via chrome in laptop). That would be a killer.
  • k-mcgrady 13y ago
    It wouldn't be killer. A very small subset of users would want it. Any time I've seen browsers on TV's trying to read the text from a couch has been difficult, interfacing with it's difficult, and like most people I'm sure I don't like browsing in full view of everyone. e.g. type in a password and everyone can see it. If this had a full browser I seriously doubt that could release it this cheap and I think anything over $50 and it wouldn't sell.
• j_s 13y ago
  If it streams arbitrary video, it beats AirPlay from my iPad.
• rogerchucker 13y ago
  Can you kindly clarify how it is being powered? Frankly that's what's stopping me from clicking the "Proceed to Checkout" button.
  • tsycho 13y ago
    It uses a mini/micro? USB (one of those small USB ports for power). My device came with an adapter that I could attach to my TV's USB port, so there are no dangling wires. If your TV doesn't have a USB port, you can just connect it to a normal power outlet (it's the same adapter as for many other Android devices)
    • rogerbinns 13y ago
      How long does it take to boot? ie from power being applied through to it showing up as a target in other devices/apps. (The reason for asking is whether you need to connect it to a full time powered port, or one that only comes on once the TV etc are on. If it takes 5 minutes before becoming visible that would be problematic but 5 seconds would be fine.)
  • yellowbkpk 13y ago
    The HDMI connection provides 5V power.
    • palebluedot 13y ago
      I believe that is only true for MHL HDMI. They likely use USB power so that it can be used on any HDMI port, not just MHL-enabled ports.
      • rogerchucker 13y ago
        I don't know what MHL HDMI is. How do I verify if I have one? My TV is 2009 Sony Bravia and it transmits audio (since I can use Apple TV).
        • 13y ago
• hullo 13y ago
  That sounds smart to me, but for Netflix at least, generally everyone would use the Netflix app on the Apple TV (which is solid) rather than airplay from their device. YouTube is another story, though, it's a disaster on the Apple TV and I'll almost always stream from my phone. Of course, if I'm streaming to my Apple TV I'm by definition at home with a charger nearby, so this isn't a key differentiator. But that brings up what I think is the most interesting use case – portability: put it in your bag and forget it until you need to present/watch something for work/at a friends house.
  • scholia 13y ago
    AFAICS, it doesn't stream from the device, it streams from the web, so charger is not a problem....
    • barista 13y ago
      With many TVs with built in youtube support and many other devices already connected to the TVs that have you tube, xbox, PCs, PS4, Wii, Roku, etc. Why would you buy it? Just so that I don't have to search what I am watching on my phone on my TV again? For the price this might still be worth enough to spend for that feature. But just trying to understand if there is anything else there is to it.
      • scholia 13y ago
        The scenario that Google presented was users doing stuff on their phones/tablets and then saying to themselves, "Hey, let's play this on the big TV screen." That's a different use case to Google TV/Xbox/PS4 etc. They made a lot of the fact that, with Chromecast, your phone/tablet works as a TV remote. Also, people who are already familiar with their phones/tablets don't have to learn a new UI etc. And it doesn't have to deliver a lot of value to justify $35....
  • jonknee 13y ago
    > generally everyone would use the Netflix app on the Apple TV (which is solid) rather than airplay from their device Only people that have Apple TVs. Apple has sold a lot of them, but it's a fairly niche device that costs 3x what this one does. They also work differently so that you're not streaming from your device to the Chromecast dongle, but that you're essentially just telling it what to play (you can then use your device as normal). This is pretty neat, I for one would use it just so I would not have to deal with the terrible Apple TV remote control anymore. Typing in anything is a frustrating experience, I'd rather type from my phone or computer and then have it play where I'd like (my TV).
• ja27 13y ago
  How do you configure the wifi settings? Connect it to a laptop/desktop with USB first? It's own adhoc network for configuration? That's one thing that will hold it back for non-techies.
  • tsycho 13y ago
    It's pretty easy. See the photo gallery here for an overview of the setup http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/24/4553368/hands-on-googles-35-chromecast-a-streaming-tv-stick http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/24/4553368/hands-on-googles-3...
• tcoppi 13y ago
  Do you know if there is support for the Linux version of Google Chrome?
  • mtgx 13y ago
    Unless Linux machines or distros support the same kind of HTML5 DRM, then no.
    • tonfa 13y ago
      Why would projecting webpages on a screen require some DRM?
      • pornel 13y ago
        Netflix pushed very heavily to add their DRM plug-in to Chrome and have it rubber-stamped by the W3C. http://www.defectivebydesign.org/no-drm-in-html5 http://www.defectivebydesign.org/no-drm-in-html5
    • tcoppi 13y ago
      I just added the "Google Cast" extension on both my mac and Linux Chrome installs and it appears to work on both(as far as I can determine them to work without actually having a chromecast yet, anyway.)
  • tsycho 13y ago
    Haven't tried it, but with the Chromecast extension, it presumably should. The only potential problem I see is if there are any licensing issues with video codecs.
• wasd 13y ago
  How did you become a "dog fooder" for this?
  • tonfa 13y ago
    Get hired by Google?
• pmelendez 13y ago
  > "* Cross-platform support, not just iDevices" Well that only adds androids devices to the list, Windows phones are out right now. > "* For apps that integrate with the SDK (currently Youtube & Netflix, but I am sure more will be coming soon), the processing of the content can be transferred to the the Chromecast. Hence, once you "flick" your Netflix content to Chromecast, your phone is free and not processing content anymore unlike Airplay, which is a huge win for your phone's battery" AppleTv does this by it owns, not need to stream Netflix from your devices. > "* All your phones/tablets/computers become your remote/controllers." Only if they are iDevices or android devices. > "* The price (at $35, it's a relatively low-risk impulse buy)" Only attractive I see, still if you already own an AppleTV, why should I buy this one too?
  • dragonwriter 13y ago
    > > "* All your phones/tablets/computers become your remote/controllers." > Only if they are iDevices or android devices. OR Windows, MacOS, or Chromebook Pixel desktop/laptops.
  • tsycho 13y ago
    Chrome browser supports it. There's an SDK, so theoretically any device can support it. I own both an AppleTV and a ChromeCast. For Netflix, I use both depending on whether my phone or the Apple TV remote was closer to me. For Youtube, no question, Chromecast is far better. Other content, I don't want to comment about since I am not sure what's released to the public yet. I also strongly dislike that AppleTV has a fixed set of channels/apps and no SDK (though it's likely they will have one soon). I can't even remove the multiple channels that I never watch and don't care about.
  • pmelendez 13y ago
    Funny thing when people down-vote posts that criticize(?) Google and don't give a good reason why... Exactly which part of what I said deserves to be downvoted? I don't care about the karma but it makes me wonder what are the things that are not acceptable in HN
    • gruseom 13y ago