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Hey, Im thinking about getting a chromecast to watch netflix on a bedroom tv. I currently have a ruku on my main tv. I use it all the time and like the remote. I dont quite understand what the chromecast is. I thought it was a stand alone streaming device that worked just like a roku but had no remote and required a smartphone app to be used as the remote. But now Im starting to think that its just a link between the tv and the computer or smart device that requires the computer or smart device to do all the work. In other words the chromecast is not a stand alone device, doesnt have the apps on it and if I dont have my computer on or my smartphone, its useless. It requires the power of your computer to do all the work and performance will suffer depending on the specs of your computer. Roku is coming out with a stick device that comes with the remote like the regular roku. I like that idea better. I dont want to have to have a computer running, or need my smartphone on and logged in to netflix just to watch movies. Am I right in how i think this all works? Or have I got it all wrong.
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Get another Roku for Netflix, it's the best player out there. Chromecast is clunky._________________________________________________
"Artists should be free to spend their days mastering their craft so that working people can toil away in a more beautiful world."
- Ken M -
Thats what i figured. I liken it to using plex to do youtube on my roku. It works but its clunky. The roku stick will be $49 so I might wait for it.Originally posted by Axewielder View PostComment
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I have no clunky issues with my chromecast, tho I don't use Netflix with it. The main difference is if you want to use your phone/tablet/laptop/etc as a remote control with Chromecast, or the included remote for Roku. If you're already familiar with Roku and have your list of channels, then you might as well stay with that so you have a common interface between your two rooms.
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As for how the Chromecast works, it is it's own computer running Chrome OS. It doesn't rely on your PC/phone/tablet for anything other than telling it what to go fetch off of the internet. Example: Let's say your browsing a list of movies on Netflix on your phone and you pick one you want to watch. You queue it up and tell it to cast to your Chromecast. All your phone is actually doing is telling you Chromcast to start streaming the movie from Netflix (the Chromecast connects to Netflix and starts pulling down the stream). Your phone/PC is not doing anything else. You can leave your house with the phone and Netflix will continue to stream to your Chromecast. Of course, some of this is changing now that Google has release the SDK. All sorts of apps are being developed to stream local media to the CC.Last edited by Codex; 03-10-2014, 11:16 PM.Comment
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This is kinda how I originally thought it worked until I started reading the specs for the chromecast and it listed computer requirements and said that older computers would work but the results might be a bit slower or streaming might be choppy. Thats what lead me to believe that the chromecast was just a "link" between the tv and your pc or smart device. That it relied on said devices to do the work and wasnt a stand alone device. It may have an os on it to talk to the chrome on your pc but it is useless without the parent device, right? It needs to stream to your computer first and then to the chromecast device right? Or is that all wrong? LOL. If the computer or phone is nothing more than a pointer for the chromecast device (basically a remote) then why does it list minimum specs with varying performance expectations for older computers?Originally posted by Codex View PostLast edited by Carbuff; 03-10-2014, 11:37 PM.Comment
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That is only if you want to cast local media or video in a Chrome browser tab. Full blown apps that support Chromecast (i.e. Netflix, Youtube, Hulu,etc) don't need this requirement.Comment
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I hook my laptop to my tv using hdmi. I am not limited to what I can watch, if shows up on my pc screen, it shows up on my tv. But I watch a lot of HD stuff, where my cable is just SD.
I also hook my phone to the tv via hdmi, or to my blu-ray by usb or wifi. Straight to the tv gives me the equivalent of a giant phone screen. But going through the blu-ray limits me to media files.
It's not a bad alternative.Comment
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We use a 7MC machine hooked to our TV for pretty much everything. Ceton InfiniTV w/ 4 tuners and a cable card for DVR functions, TBs of space filled with movies and TV shows, etc. I could never go back to using a cable company issued set top box/DVR, it would kill me lolComment
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What remote do you use for that 7mc machine. Mine is collecting dust right now because I could never find a remote that worked well with the pc.Comment
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this is the remote we use. we have 3 of them because they're pretty cheap (build quality-wise) and the buttons stop working. they were about $15 from newegg back in the day.
http://www.xpcgear.com/xphavistabk.html
you could always find a logitech harmony remote you like and use that.they have profiles for windows media center.Comment
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You don't need a computer to use Chromecast... just a phone or tablet. Though it's handy to be able to chromecast from your computer, too, which you can do with a Chrome browser plugin.
I use Chromecast during band practices to play songs we are learning on my stereo from Google Play Music.
For $35 or whatever it's hard to go wrong.Comment
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Just to update. I picked one up and it works exactly as described. I have no issues with the browser cast feature like some have. It works perfectly albeit a bit delayed. I like that it plugs into my tvs usb for power, which means that it shuts off when the tv is off. Great for the price.Comment
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I got one as well. Works great. Plugs HDMI into the Receiver, powers with the adapter and you can stream Netflix, Movies, audio, etc. For the price, I think its great as well.Comment
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