[Closed] Google chromecast - anyone using?

Plug it in, it just worked for us - and we got a US import one ages ago. You need to install the app on your devices, of course.

Thanks ben. Glad it worked for you. 🙂

works perfectly. plug it in. go to a setup url on one of your devices. It updates, reboots and jobs a good un. Netflix, BT sport, Google Play music and movies. Just waiting for eurosport player to add chromecast functionality.

go here for a free movie credit.

http://www.omgchrome.com/free-google-movie-rental-chromecast-uk/

Works great - stream youtube, google play movies. Setup was easy - only downside is redbull player doesn't support live streaming to chromecast so you can't watch the WC DH live on the big screen...

@cg it will change the way you watch TV, or rather content. I hardly watch any normal broadcast tv now, it's all catchup or stuff streamed from internet.

@fuzzhead - are you sure re: RedBull, the Apple TV app now allows live streaming so I would have thought Chromecast would be the same, is there an app update ?

works fine and setup was easy. I only really use iplayer and youtube, any other recommendations (not sport)

I love mine, use it to stream stuff from my Synology NAS to the TV in the bedroom. Saves running a Raspberry Pi or Apple TV in there.

Somouk - how easy is it to get it to work with a Synology?

Somouk - what are you using to stream from Synology Nas - DS Video? I found that doesn't work with my chromecast (unfortunately)...

interesting thread. My kids have been at us for a month or so to get this setup, looks promising !

It's ok C_G, there aren't a huge amount of apps, but iPlayer, youtube, BT Sport, RealCloud (for non mp4 movies), the Synology NAS (my brother has one and I was able to stream a film through my phone in my house, amazing!), etc make it worth a punt at £30.
I watched Generation War (STW recommendation), cast from the iPlayer last night and it was perfect.

Set up [i]is[/i] easy - if your wi-fi router has the correct settings. I had to go into admin mode and change a setting to get it working - if you're happy doing that kind of thing, all is pretty easy, troubleshooting easily found on't web.

[i]DS Video? I found that doesn't work with my chromecast (unfortunately)...[/i]

DS Video on Android - no problem. Still needs mp4 format movie files though, avi aren't compatible.

cg it will change the way you watch TV

Raspberry Pi or Apple TV in there.

Does it run on its own or does it merely act as a receiver for data streamed from another device? If it's the latter I'm a bit disappointed.

DS Video on Android - no problem. Still needs mp4 format movie files though, avi aren't compatible.

Yeah, just doesn't seem to work for me at the moment. I install it on my phone, it finds all the content, select a film and try and send to chromecast and I get an error 🙁

I've got one. Uber easy and neat trouble free setup IME.

TBH I've got Sky+ so at the moment I don't get a lot extra with the Chromecast.

It's nearly worth the 30UKP just to cast Youtube to the TV. And the iPlayer selection seems a bit better on t'internet than what's available on the Sky On Demand.

@jambalaya - nope, no live streaming via chromecast for redbull tv. Though I may give it another go later as it looks like there was an update last week....

I have a US import I got a few months ago for a laugh.

It works very well. I dont use it all the time as I have a Sony SMart TV connected to a Windows Media Centre extender (i.e. my PC is my PVR and so I send recorded TV to my sony over the network). I can use iPlayer on the SONY, but Im also a BT BB subscriber so I get BT Sport for free - but there's no way to watch it on a terrestrial TV...until they enabled Chromecast on the BT Sport app on android, so now I can watch BT Sport on my TV, cast from my Nexus 7 to the Chromecast. WOrks brilliantly. Also red bull TV (Android app) works fine too.

My only limitation is bandwidth - if my internet connection is ropey (it can range from 1Mb to 2Mb) it takes some buffering. But we are getting fibre to the village within the next 6-12 months so roll on faultless streaming! 🙂

Cheers chaps. 🙂 Forgot to mention I'll be using with a Freesat set top box - does that cause any problems?

Lovin' Youtube, catching up with old bands and discovering new ones. 8)

Completely independent of your set top box (As long as you have enough HDMI inputs.) Cast requires power too, so helps if TV has a USB.

Youtube - choose band video, select "mix" and cast. Great visual radio 🙂

Bought one a few weeks ago and I stream, stream, stream my life away now. It's a brilliant bit of kit. I use vget on my phone to stream from the web to it.

@fuzzhead @jambalaya - The android redbull TV app does allow chromecasting, I've not tried their [i]live[/i] streams, but the posted videos work fine.

@cinnamon_girl - as long as you've got a spare HDMI port on the TV it will be fine. On mine, when you cast from an app it automatically switches to the chromecast input, no need to locate or faff with the remote...

Bit of a shame that amazon prime streaming doesn't work yet though....

[i]it finds all the content, select a film and try and send to chromecast and I get an error[/i]

"Incompatible format"?

For Android users, if you download chrome beta from play apps and enter chrome://flags/#enable-cast into the address bar you can enable it to cast any html 5 video straight from the browser on a tablet or phone. I have found that this tip actually worked for me in the normal chrome browser too.

It is really portable too, took it on holiday on the off chance the TV was compatible, cottage had WiFi and TV had an HDMI port so was in business. All my music via Play, Netflix account working etc in about a minute. Love it.

Mine is a US import but plays iPlayer just fine too, no region issues.

all the big stuff works perfectly. i-player, Netflix, google play etc.

Plex is a bit hit and miss tbh, a better compatible media server would be a bonus

I tried plex and couldnt really get on with it, not to mention it cached Gbs of metadata on the server I didnt want it to.

I havent investigated any other server apps for the chromecast yet as I have a separate system.

Hi All,

Reference the synology and chromecast, make sure you're on the latest DSM release (5+) and latest apps on both the synology and your phone.

Just works for me using the DS Video.

Well, that's me being a grumpy old cah again. 😐 Can't get the telly to show any TV programmes, just the 'set me up' thingy.

Samsung telly with a Samsung tablet, app downloaded, instructions followed. Have Humax freesat, surely it needs to be plugged to that as all telly goes through it? Grrrrrrrrrrrrr

h e l p

Right. 1st things 1st.

Assume you have wireless at home and you know the password?

No don't plug the Chromecast into the Humax. Plug it into a separate HDMI slot on the back of the TV.

Can't get the telly to show any TV programmes, just the 'set me up' thingy

Ok. On your remote you'll have an option for input... AV or similar. Press that to get it back to the Humax input.

Hi Freester and thanks for your help. Can't get any input from Humax, only the telly.

Redbull TV Live streaming is still off for some stupid reason so RASPBMC for that. Or what I did yesterday was just stream the page as opposed to just the media doesn't work quite as well but still meant I could watch the XC.

CG. If your Sammy remote is similar to ours there should be a source button. Press this and any connected inputs should be selectable.
If the Humax is plugged into HDMI 1, and the Chromecast into HDMI 2 then you select HDMI 1 for TV and HDMI 2 for the Chromecast.

Some TVs auto select input which may cause some confusion.

CG, sounds obvious, but I couldn't get my CC to do anything for a while. I pressed the reset button - you have to hold it down for something like 30s straight - so it went through full reset and then it worked well.

Assume you've downloaded the chromecast app/ program from Google for your PC/ phone? You need that to see the dongle and get it connected to your WiFi

Have tried all your suggestions chaps and still can't get anywhere. 🙁 My patience has been exhausted so will ask one of my offspring when they next visit.

Funny thing is that my son told me about Chromecast when he visited at Easter, I'd never heard of it. 😳

CG - as I said before - the Chromecast is nothing to do with your Humax box.

You play stuff on your [b]laptop/tablet/phone/computer[/b] and cast this to the telly.
Which of these devices are you trying to use?

Ah, just seen this: [i]Samsung telly with a Samsung tablet[/i].
Ok, so bring up a Youtube vid on your tablet and look for the cast icon:
[img] [/img]

Follow this guide. It will not fail.

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/gadget/3507451/how-set-up-chromecast/

If it does tell us which bit doesn't work and we'll try and help.

@cg in the old days, could you programme the VCR ? 😉

Sorry, I'll get my coat.

The icon isn't that big btw 😉

Not sure if mentioned above but......you can cast anything from Chrome browser on pc/laptop/macbook - grab the chromecast extension. Say hello to WC downhill live on the big screen 😀

[url= http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/enable-chromecast-streaming-in-latest-chrome-beta-for-android/ ]And also from android tablet or smartphone[/url]

Just an update ...

Got it working thanks to Freester's terrific link, that was so helpful. Go me. 😀

Next question - Youtube music vids sound dreadful, in fact they actually sound better on the PC. I guess a soundbar would help but would they actually improve the sound by much?

Cheers all. 🙂

Very useful info indeed. Ours arrived a few days ago and wouldn't work, but following links pointed me towards issues with 'smartsetup' on BT home hubs. Changed the settings and all good.

Another good tip from chrome browser, hit 'Ctrl O' in your search bar you can then open any file on your PC in chrome eg a film, then cast that tab using the chrome cast extension.

Very useful info indeed. Ours arrived a few days ago and wouldn't work, but following links pointed me towards issues with 'smartsetup' on BT home hubs. Changed the settings and all good.

When I bought mine the lady in PC World asked me if I have BT internet, curiously I asked why, she said they don't work with BT just now.

Interesting! 'Bookmarked'

Princejohn, they are fine once you change the hub settings. I am crap with technology but a bit of googling and it was sorted. Got a new infinity setup going in next week with hub 5 so expecting to have to repeat what I did with the homehub 3.

Iainc- don't s'pose you fancy posting a linky do you? I'm just about to splash out on a chrome book/cast combo and have a hub5 #lazy 😉

Long shot, and I think I already know the answer but has anyone tried the chrome cast with the Cartoon HD app?? If it actually supports it then I'll get one tomorrow.

Long shot, and I think I already know the answer but has anyone tried the chrome cast with the Cartoon HD app?? If it actually supports it then I'll get one tomorrow.

A friend at work tried it several times through safari/iOS to no avail...not sure on other OS though.

donks, I'm currently using Cartoon HD (on Android) with a media player, Avia (the chromecast extension is a pound odd) hit title, select custom, select Avia then cast it from there. Very quick and easy, can't fault it at all - quality is brilliant as well. I've heard that it can be done on Apple with airplay but I haven't tried.

[url= http://chromespot.com/2014/03/19/how-to-set-up-bt-homehub-to-work-with-chromecast/ ]some info here[/url]

In mine, a HomeHub 3, I went into advanced settings and there is a default option for 'automatic channel setup', I disabled that and put it to the first channel, 1, i think (there are about 12), which sorted it.