TheBigDave

Anyone have the Google Chromecast? What are your impressions? How does it stack up against other streamers like the Roku or AppleTV?

Seems to be sold out everywhere online. I just ordered one at Amazon. It's backordered for about 2 months. I don't need another streamer. But for only $35 I figured it would be fun to play around with.

Here's a good video showing it in action:

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/00DA5phWVc0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

shadowhawk2020

I have one. Out of the box it doesn't really compare to Roku or Apple TV. It works well on Netflix and with websites I have streamed. But I mainly bought it to stream netflix to my daugther's bedroom tv.

Now once mycast and the other apps from Koush come out I think I might play with it a little bit more.

Why So Blu?

I had missed the initial launch but just got one that came in today from Amazon. So far, straight out of the box, the thing is pretty amazing. My Panasonic Plasma does not have a USB port, so I have to connect it via the adapter that is now plugged in to a power source. 2 minutes after set-up the thing was up and running. I now have control via my Macbook and Iphone 5. I watched a bunch of videos on Youtube, which all playback in full 1080p and 1080p upconverted. I used to use the youtube app on the ps3 but that shit was weak and slow. Not the Chromecast. I was going back and forth on the macbook/iphone without problems.

I just tried the Netflix app through the iPhone and it works awesomely. The downside to to that is that I only get stereo playback as opposed to 5.1. DD+ if I was streaming Netflix directly from the PS3. I'm assuming all of these quirks will be fixed via updates in the coming days/weeks. For $35 you can't go wrong.

Why So Blu?

I had missed the initial launch but just got one that came in today from Amazon. So far, straight out of the box, the thing is pretty amazing. My Panasonic Plasma does not have a USB port, so I have to connect it via the adapter that is now plugged in to a power source. 2 minutes after set-up the thing was up and running. I now have control via my Macbook and Iphone 5. I watched a bunch of videos on Youtube, which all playback in full 1080p and 1080p upconverted. I used to use the youtube app on the ps3 but that shit was weak and slow. Not the Chromecast. I was going back and forth on the macbook/iphone without problems.

I just tried the Netflix app through the iPhone and it works awesomely. The downside to to that is that I only get stereo playback as opposed to 5.1. DD+ if I was streaming Netflix directly from the PS3. I'm assuming all of these quirks will be fixed via updates in the coming days/weeks. For $35 you can't go wrong.

Shady12

Hmm, I don't have one yet, but from what I understood if you plug it into a a/v receiver you could get surround and DD+. That would be a dealbreaker.

Supermallet

I got on for the free three months of Netflix, and, well, it streams YouTube and Netflix. And Google Music, but only titles that are in Google's database. You can upload your own music, but if there's no match in Google's database, it won't play that content. So don't think about streaming The Beatles' catalog to your TV or receiver using this thing. Also while you can cast a tab of Chrome, the video playback on that is so choppy as to be useless. I couldn't watch Hulu or Vimeo content using it.

If you use Netflix and YouTube a lot, this is great. Certainly more convenient than using a PS3, especially for YouTube, but not nearly as useful as a Roku at the moment. The more content providers that start to code for it, the more useful it will be.

Why So Blu?

I did not know that. My receiver's HDMI inputs are all taken, so I had to plug it in directly to the TV's HDMI one.

Shady12

One thing I noticed when trying the YouTube app on my Xbox- it basically has the same functionality as a Chromecast for it I think. I don't remember how I noticed but I can control it on the TV via my phone. I've heard some new smart TV's do this with some apps as well.

kenbuzz

I got one, and the three month Netflix credit, so I'm only out $11. Ordered on Day One, got it 2 weeks later.

I already have a Roku, a net-ready Panasonic HDTV and a first generation Google TV (the Logitech Review one). My Roku account was grandfathered before the big split with YouTube, and I have native Google Music support on the GTV device, so I'm one of those few folks for whom the Chromecast doesn't provide me any added capability. The only thing for now that it can do is show my laptop's Chrome browser, which is more responsive than the Chrome browser built in to GTV, but more awkward to use than the Revue's integrated keyboard.

I am looking forward to new apps for Chromecast.

I am also looking forward to football season. The Madden 25 edition that included all-you-can-eat Sunday Ticket streaming to that self-same laptop should work very well with the Chromecast. I'd much rather sit back on the couch and enjoy 56" of football on my HDTV than 14" of football on my laptop.

RichC2

Finally got one today after Amazon lost mine in shipping and Best Buy rang up twice I now have 9 months of free Netflix.

Pretty cool device, the fact it works as a Wifi Hotspot makes me think there will be some fun hacks for it to push video directly to it and not through your home network Wifi but who knows.

Love being able to have full control of Spotify and broadcast the audio while controlling it from my Laptop.

Tab casting has a long way to go, here's to hoping for more support, soon.

kenbuzz

You sure about that? Netflix is limiting the freebies to one per account.

kenbuzz

Firmware Update 12940 began rolling out last night:

http://googlechromereleases.blogspot...dk-update.html

* Better discovery of Chromecast devices
* Improved Google Play Movies stability

The 1.01 SDK was also released at the same time.

RichC2

Mine just says I can claim the second one after my current gift runs out, so end of November, gives me time to redeem 1 more before they expire on 12/31. I'll give the other 3 months away.

Why So Blu?

I redeemed my code and it credited me 23.97, so it obviously just credits you for 3 months worth of streaming. Not bad.

Now, how do I update the Chromecast?

kenbuzz

Hmmm.... that's interesting. Wish it were already November so you could report back if it worked - it might be worth picking up a 2nd unit for another $11 if that's the case.

Edited to add: ....if the 3 month dealio was still being offered, which it isn't.

kenbuzz

Chromecast App v1.1.0 was released to the iTunes App Store today:
http://googlechromereleases.blogspot...st-update.html

Enables users on iPhones and iPads to set up and manage their Chromecast using their iOS device. Requires iOS 6 or greater.

TheBigDave

Best Buy is still selling some Chromecasts with the Netflix 3-Month deal. They had some on sale yesterday, which sold out real quick. They claim that more will be available in the coming weeks, but it'll probably be very limited stock.

http://gizmodo.com/chromecast-with-t...ack-1202590452

musick

I still don't understand this statement .....

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817...+Breaking+News)

not true, i need a remote to turn on my tv, i need a remote to change the tv to the HDMI input Chromecast is on

RichC2

Need is subjective on those two.

Why So Blu?

The iOS app was released yesterday. Download it via the App Store.

Oh, and as far as the updates go, there's nothing that I need to do, the device updates by itself whenever Google releases them.

dvdjunkie32

This thing is a piece of shit, IMO. I ordered mine in late July, but apparently missed out on the Netflix deal. I never could get it to work with my HDMI port, and when I plugged in my blu-ray player back into the same port, I had no sound!

I thought I could use it with the network and cable tv apps on my Ipad ,but apparently this is just a poor man's netflix streamer.

RichC2

Yep. Netflix. and YouTube. and Chrome Tabs. and Desktops.

...with upcoming everything else, and hopefully a slew of streamable android apps.

Why So Blu?

It's in its infancy. I'm waiting for it to evolve.

Shady12

So I picked this bad boy up today at Best Buy. Every so often I've been checking to see if they had any in stock and the website said they did today at my local store. I called to make sure and they had three left so I went up and grabbed it, and I've also applied my three months free of Netflix to my account. Factoring in tax I think this cost me only $14 after the Netflix credit. Nice.

This works like a charm. Plugged into my A/V receiver and I'm getting DD+ sound and SuperHD at 5800 with Netflix. YouTube is pretty awesome, the app I was using on my Panasonic BD player sucked. Also nice to be able to stream my Google Play/All Access music to it. I'm really happy to be able to do all three of these things better and easier than I could before, and many more apps will come. Only bummer is the latest update to the SDK broke third party video streaming. There were some apps that let you play stream video files stored on your computer..hopefully that's temporary.

shadowhawk2020

It also won't pack you a lunch or tuck you in at night. So I guess it isn't a magical device afterall.