5 ms·

With the chromecast, I have no interest in another box that plays video content. Having a dedicate box to play casual android games on my tv isnt very appealing

by wnevets 12y ago

With the chromecast, I have no interest in another box that plays video content. Having a dedicate box to play casual android games on my tv isnt very appealing to me either. Is there really a big market for this thing?

heymishy 12y ago
my thoughts exactly - what does this give me that a chromecast doesnt? i dont care for a controller (or for games). i can't think of anything this can do (that id want to do) that the chromecast cant for a lot cheaper.
- drewg123 12y ago
  My chromecast sits unused in a drawer because I hate to have to use my phone / tablet to watch TV (lack of tactile feedback, phone lock timeout, and being distracted by work email when I'm trying to relax). This thing has a remote, which is a huge win for me. Maybe it even has an IR receiver (or one could be plugged in via USB), which would allow better integration with my harmony. Also, you'll probably be able to side-load xbmc on it without rooting, like you can on a Ouya, an Amazon FireTV or (rooted) AppleTV to get full access to your media library, to act as a PVR front end, & to give you access to the vast world of shady XBMC plugins. The open question for me is what sort of video the thing will be able to play back natively. And whether or not you can side-load Amazon Instant Video
- Igglyboo 12y ago
  Chrome cast mirrors a screen and requires a separate device to control, this can run actual applications.
  - sanderjd 12y ago
    This is a common misconception. Chromecast runs "actual applications", which are controlled by an application on a separate device like a phone or tablet. One of those applications (I believe the least useful one) enables you to mirror a display from the controlling device. But most of the applications are things like netflix, google play movies, and hbogo - very similar to the nexus player.
    - Igglyboo 12y ago
      By run actual apps, I mean actually run the app's code on the device. There is no netflix app for the chromecast, it requires a separate device with the netflix app. The chromecast is a glorified wireless hdmi dongle.
      - sanderjd 12y ago
        I guess I'm being pedantic by saying that there is clearly an application running on the chromecast, which the controlling device sends information to, because it's admittedly more like a dumb proxy for the application running on the controlling device. But it's not like it is completely dependent on that device - you can turn on a movie and turn off your phone while you watch it.
        Igglyboo 12y ago
        Yea I understand that, I know there's an actual CPU running actual code but I was trying to make the distinction between a full blown app and something that just streams a url given to it by a device.
      - mhandley 12y ago
        For most purposes the Chromecase doesn't really act like an hdmi dongle. With Netflix for example, the chromecast does all the streaming directly from Netflix. The Netflix app on the phone just tells the chromecast what URLs to play. Once it's streaming, you can power the phone off if you want.
  - tonyplee 12y ago
    Chromecast runs an app inside that does the streaming. Phone/tablet just setup the URL for the stream. You can easily verified this by setup the chromecast to stream from youtube with a phone after it start play, you can turn off the phone and and it would still be playing. The phone/table for chromecast is just a fancy remote control.
- VikingCoder 12y ago
  It does have the voice search, which might be very nice. Also, it will run your Play Store apps. So, presumably GMail, Calendar, Drive, Maps... and not just the 'cast version of them, but the real deal.
  - wnevets 12y ago
    would you really want to interact with gmail, drive, etc with this xbox-ish controller?
rictic 12y ago
Agreed, though it looks like this device is a chromecast player as well.
rnovak 12y ago
correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the chromecast require that you use another device to stream content to it? i.e. to play netflix, I have to stream the video from my phone or something to the device?
- wnevets 12y ago
  Nope. The chromecast requires another device to send it commands but its the chromecast itself that streams the content.
  - rnovak 12y ago
    So if I select a movie from netflix say, and then my phone rings while it's streaming to the chromecast, it won't interrupt the stream on the TV?
    - wnevets 12y ago
      correct, you can even turn your phone off once the movie starts.
Pxtl 12y ago
I do think that a chromecast in a boxed set with a simple 4" wifi-only Android tablet would have been the more "Google/Android" solution to the problem this device is attempting to solve, but that would leave the fledgeling Ouya-esque gaming world off the table. To me the big failing of the Chromecast is families, where the kids will not necessarily own their own smartphone. This device comes with a bundled remote. However, that's a huge change in the Android world because up until now every official Google Android-device has been touch-enabled. Switching to a remote control is very significant.
deskamess 12y ago
I think this is the initial release for a bigger tv interactive system. One that can launch games, shows, movies, photo viewing, wii style casual games for 1-4 people, video chatting (via Hangouts, needs camera or use phone camera), etc. Think family set top box connected to your Google ecosystem; this is your home Google Home portal. Running Chromium or a close facsimile. If you are a cord cutter this may be your new set top box. It does not replace Google TV, as that is the third party vendor vertical. However Google TV could die if third parties see the Player as competition or are unable to get features in Player into their Google TV's.

by wnevets 12y ago

heymishy 12y ago

my thoughts exactly - what does this give me that a chromecast doesnt? i dont care for a controller (or for games). i can't think of anything this can do (that id want to do) that the chromecast cant for a lot cheaper.

drewg123 12y ago
My chromecast sits unused in a drawer because I hate to have to use my phone / tablet to watch TV (lack of tactile feedback, phone lock timeout, and being distracted by work email when I'm trying to relax). This thing has a remote, which is a huge win for me. Maybe it even has an IR receiver (or one could be plugged in via USB), which would allow better integration with my harmony. Also, you'll probably be able to side-load xbmc on it without rooting, like you can on a Ouya, an Amazon FireTV or (rooted) AppleTV to get full access to your media library, to act as a PVR front end, & to give you access to the vast world of shady XBMC plugins. The open question for me is what sort of video the thing will be able to play back natively. And whether or not you can side-load Amazon Instant Video
Igglyboo 12y ago
Chrome cast mirrors a screen and requires a separate device to control, this can run actual applications.
- sanderjd 12y ago
  This is a common misconception. Chromecast runs "actual applications", which are controlled by an application on a separate device like a phone or tablet. One of those applications (I believe the least useful one) enables you to mirror a display from the controlling device. But most of the applications are things like netflix, google play movies, and hbogo - very similar to the nexus player.
  - Igglyboo 12y ago
    By run actual apps, I mean actually run the app's code on the device. There is no netflix app for the chromecast, it requires a separate device with the netflix app. The chromecast is a glorified wireless hdmi dongle.
    - sanderjd 12y ago
      I guess I'm being pedantic by saying that there is clearly an application running on the chromecast, which the controlling device sends information to, because it's admittedly more like a dumb proxy for the application running on the controlling device. But it's not like it is completely dependent on that device - you can turn on a movie and turn off your phone while you watch it.
      - Igglyboo 12y ago
        Yea I understand that, I know there's an actual CPU running actual code but I was trying to make the distinction between a full blown app and something that just streams a url given to it by a device.
    - mhandley 12y ago
      For most purposes the Chromecase doesn't really act like an hdmi dongle. With Netflix for example, the chromecast does all the streaming directly from Netflix. The Netflix app on the phone just tells the chromecast what URLs to play. Once it's streaming, you can power the phone off if you want.
- tonyplee 12y ago
  Chromecast runs an app inside that does the streaming. Phone/tablet just setup the URL for the stream. You can easily verified this by setup the chromecast to stream from youtube with a phone after it start play, you can turn off the phone and and it would still be playing. The phone/table for chromecast is just a fancy remote control.
VikingCoder 12y ago
It does have the voice search, which might be very nice. Also, it will run your Play Store apps. So, presumably GMail, Calendar, Drive, Maps... and not just the 'cast version of them, but the real deal.
- wnevets 12y ago
  would you really want to interact with gmail, drive, etc with this xbox-ish controller?

rictic 12y ago

Agreed, though it looks like this device is a chromecast player as well.

rnovak 12y ago

correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the chromecast require that you use another device to stream content to it? i.e. to play netflix, I have to stream the video from my phone or something to the device?

wnevets 12y ago
Nope. The chromecast requires another device to send it commands but its the chromecast itself that streams the content.
- rnovak 12y ago
  So if I select a movie from netflix say, and then my phone rings while it's streaming to the chromecast, it won't interrupt the stream on the TV?
  - wnevets 12y ago
    correct, you can even turn your phone off once the movie starts.

Pxtl 12y ago

I do think that a chromecast in a boxed set with a simple 4" wifi-only Android tablet would have been the more "Google/Android" solution to the problem this device is attempting to solve, but that would leave the fledgeling Ouya-esque gaming world off the table. To me the big failing of the Chromecast is families, where the kids will not necessarily own their own smartphone. This device comes with a bundled remote. However, that's a huge change in the Android world because up until now every official Google Android-device has been touch-enabled. Switching to a remote control is very significant.

deskamess 12y ago

I think this is the initial release for a bigger tv interactive system. One that can launch games, shows, movies, photo viewing, wii style casual games for 1-4 people, video chatting (via Hangouts, needs camera or use phone camera), etc. Think family set top box connected to your Google ecosystem; this is your home Google Home portal. Running Chromium or a close facsimile. If you are a cord cutter this may be your new set top box. It does not replace Google TV, as that is the third party vendor vertical. However Google TV could die if third parties see the Player as competition or are unable to get features in Player into their Google TV's.