Guest PaulOBrien Posted July 24, 2013 Report Posted July 24, 2013 The Chromecast is a stripped-down ChromeOS powered dongle that lets you share media content from your Android, iOS or Chrome browsered devices to your TV. Oh, and it's $35. Yes, $35. The best way to explain the USB powered Chromecast dongle is that it's another attempt at the Nexus Q formula but much cheaper, with the developer APIs that should have been there for it's 'predecessor' and powered by Chrome OS instead of of Android. The premise is this - you find some content you want to play on your device in a Chromecast supported application (e.g YouTube, Play TV & Movies, Play Music, Netflix etc.) and then hit the button in said app to send it to the Chromecast dongle that is plugged into your TV's HDMI port. The content isn't streamed across your network - as with the Q the content is pulled from the Internet directly by the dongle so you can carry on doing other things with your device. Pretty neat? I think so. There is actually a chance that the thing could take off this time. Not only is it ridiculously cheap, but Google are making available (in Beta initially) APIs to allow Android, iOS and Chrome developers to integrate Chromecast functionality. This means that iPlayer, CatchupTV, Sky Go etc. support isn't beyond the realms of possibility. OK, Sky Go probably is, but that's just Sky. ;) Another Beta feature is the ability to send contents of a Chrome browser tab on your PC to the Chromecast device. Great for photos etc. and maybe a bit of browsing, but probably not performant enough for other streaming video? We'll wait and see. For now the Chromecast dongle will only be available in the US (from the 28th July), but Google say they are bringing it to other countries (including the UK) 'as soon as they can'. I can't wait! :) Check out the Chromecast page on Google Play for more details. [EDIT: Shipping from Amazon US immediately!] Click here to view the item
Guest BenPye Posted July 24, 2013 Report Posted July 24, 2013 Can somebody please explain exactly how this thing is powered and by what cables? The write up suggests that's it plugs straight into HDMI but is powered by usb? Mentions power lead supplied. Will this mean the simply plugs straight in means two connections and one unsightly cable?
Guest everett_psycho Posted July 24, 2013 Report Posted July 24, 2013 Can somebody please explain exactly how this thing is powered and by what cables? The write up suggests that's it plugs straight into HDMI but is powered by usb? Mentions power lead supplied. Will this mean the simply plugs straight in means two connections and one unsightly cable? I think like most android sticks it is powered externally (probably a micro USB socket). I don't think it will need much juice so you can plug it in to any USB socket on your TV or if you don't have one spare use the mains. I'm curious if it will be mhl, none of Google's images have a power lead
Guest domenico lamberti Posted July 24, 2013 Report Posted July 24, 2013 i want one so hard in its current configuration, but i want to know what powers it, and whether or not XBMC would be able to be booted from it ... we shall see
Guest Zarch1972 Posted July 25, 2013 Report Posted July 25, 2013 I'm already out of HDMI connections on my Plasma, three, not sure many TVs come with four. LOL. Also, how would this work in a setup with a AMP? *thinking out loud* :)
Guest Posted July 25, 2013 Report Posted July 25, 2013 It comes with a charger which has a micro usb connector on the end which this device has: . The chip inside is a Marvell DE3005. There is an azurewave wireless chip too. Hopefully someone might be able to hack it and run linux on it and plug a usb hub in the micro usb port.
Guest comicbookguy Posted July 25, 2013 Report Posted July 25, 2013 i'm presuming it'll take power from the newer type HDMI sockets if it can.....
Guest everett_psycho Posted July 25, 2013 Report Posted July 25, 2013 (edited) Duplicate post Edited July 25, 2013 by everett_psycho
Guest everett_psycho Posted July 25, 2013 Report Posted July 25, 2013 (edited) I'm already out of HDMI connections on my Plasma, three, not sure many TVs come with four. LOL. Also, how would this work in a setup with a AMP? *thinking out loud* :) Surprisingly a lot come with 4, i think both our newer sets have 4. As for an amp, I presume you just plug it in to the amp, might lose the auto power on and changing of input though depending on your amp Those after three innards http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/24/google-chromecast-h2g2-42-fcc-documents-show-off-whats-inside-t/ Edited July 25, 2013 by everett_psycho
Guest markhuges Posted July 25, 2013 Report Posted July 25, 2013 Anyone know, when this is coming to the UK? and does Amazon.com ship internationally?
Guest The Soup Thief Posted July 25, 2013 Report Posted July 25, 2013 Chromecast will really open the door to big screen gaming via your phone - I'm dreaming of streaming GTA 5 from my Nexus 5 to my telly (in a few months time) Vroom! Very soon there will be no real reason for anyone but the most hardcore gamer (who would buy a gaming PC) to buy a console
Guest markhuges Posted July 25, 2013 Report Posted July 25, 2013 Chromecast will really open the door to big screen gaming via your phone - I'm dreaming of streaming GTA 5 from my Nexus 5 to my telly (in a few months time) Vroom! Very soon there will be no real reason for anyone but the most hardcore gamer (who would buy a gaming PC) to buy a console What the Heck?? GTA 5 will never NEVER play on a Nexus 5 , maybe in Nexus 10/11 Perhaps in 5/6 Years. Vice City, recently, came to Nexus 7. Even San andreas is not on!!! But yeah, slowly, and slowly, Less PC/Console Gaming.
Guest everett_psycho Posted July 25, 2013 Report Posted July 25, 2013 But it streams from the internet, not your device. They might open the door to that eventually but for now limited to online content only, anyway that's what miracast does already and look how well that's doing...
Guest EmDzei Posted July 26, 2013 Report Posted July 26, 2013 Is this similar what I already have: Allshare by Samsung? I have 3 years old Samsung Galaxy S (GT-I9000) and Samsung LCD TV. Question: is Google invented the wheel again or what new this Chromecast have?
Guest everett_psycho Posted July 26, 2013 Report Posted July 26, 2013 It seems similar to all share, the difference is this works from any device, so android iOS or chrome browser is all supported, you don't have to be locked in to a Samsung TV with a Samsung phone. It's more like the play to TV button in YouTube
Guest masterpfa Posted July 28, 2013 Report Posted July 28, 2013 (edited) Shut up Google and take my money! Edited July 28, 2013 by masterpfa
Guest The Soup Thief Posted July 29, 2013 Report Posted July 29, 2013 What the Heck?? GTA 5 will never NEVER play on a Nexus 5 , maybe in Nexus 10/11 Perhaps in 5/6 Years. Vice City, recently, came to Nexus 7. Even San andreas is not on!!! But yeah, slowly, and slowly, Less PC/Console Gaming. I said dreaming...
Guest tillaz Posted July 30, 2013 Report Posted July 30, 2013 apparently it actually runs a stripped down version of android (Google TV) http://tech2.in.com/...features/909266 the only thing i am interested in is if its compatible with miracast, would love to try that out on my nexus 4 for $35
Guest The Soup Thief Posted July 31, 2013 Report Posted July 31, 2013 This article seems to suggest chromecast may not support Mirast - that they are quite different processes On the other hand this is quite interesting - an app due soon will facilitate "flinging" pics and vids from phone to chromecast/telly
Guest tillaz Posted August 1, 2013 Report Posted August 1, 2013 This articleseems to suggest chromecast may not support Mirast - that they are quite different processes On the other hand this is quite interesting - an app due soon will facilitate "flinging" pics and vids from phone to chromecast/telly thanks for that link, the $10 miracast dongle they talk about is exactly what i have been looking for http://minipute.com/...28-soc-cpu/2328
Guest The Soup Thief Posted August 1, 2013 Report Posted August 1, 2013 (edited) Yeah, I saw that - apparently it appeared at the trade shows but I wonder if the $10 price tag is aspirational. Then again if they can do Chromecast for $35, we may be at the start of a race to the bottom... EDIT Just saw this Miracast dongle for £25 http://dx.com/p/ipush-multi-media-wi-fi-dlna-miracast-display-receiver-dongle-for-android-white-218502 It's not the same as the Rockchip one and not quite cheap enough to be virtually free (as in the YouTube link) but may be worth a sniff if Rockchip don't get that one to market Edited August 4, 2013 by The Soup Thief
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