All About Chromecast

How to enable developer options in Chromecast with Google TV?

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enable developer options in Chromecast with Google TVThe developer options in Chromecast with Google TV allow you to access some advanced features of Android TV, e.g., sideloading apps directly through ADB commands.

This Chromecast with Google TV explains what you can do with developer options in Chromecast with Google TV and how to enable it for the dongle.

Please note, this guide applies to Chromecast with Google TV only. Other Chromecast devices (all previous generations of Chromecast, Chromecast Ultra, and Chromecast Audio) are not powered by Android.

Update: there are now two versions of Chromecast with Google TV: the HD version (up to 1080p full HD, new@29.99) and the 4K version (up to 4K, same as the original one @49.99). This guide applies to both of them.

What can you do with developer options in Chromecast with Google TV?

Chromecast with Google TV differs from previous generations of Chromecast in two major aspects, as explained in this post:

Android traditionally hides some special additional features for developers under developer options so that they … Continue to read the post....

Meaning of LED light on voice remote for Chromecast with Google TV

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Meaning of LED light on voice remote for Chromecast with Google TVThe LED light on the voice remote for Chromecast with Google TV can give you some quick information about the status of the remote.

This Chromecast with Google TV guide explains the meaning of the LED light on the voice remote for Chromecast with Google TV to help you understand the status of the remote correctly.

Please note that this guide only applies to the official voice remote, which is bundled with the Chromecast with Google TV (both the 4K and HD versions). You may get a replacement from Google Store. Third-party Android TV remote controls may have totally different designs. The meaning of LED lights on these third-party remotes, if present, depends on the manufacturer.

Where is the LED light on the voice remote for Chromecast with Google TV?

As explained in this guide and shown in the picture above, the LED light is located in the lower part of the front panel below the Power button and the input source switch button.

When it is not lit up, it is hard to find it actually. Also, the LED light is white only.

The LED light alerts you to the status of the voice remote. It does … Continue to read the post....

Master the Voice Remote for Chromecast with Google TV

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Master the Voice Remote for Chromecast with Google TVVoice remote for Chromecast with Google TV is one of the signature features of the latest Chromecast device.  It transforms the casting dongle into a full-featured setup box.

You can still cast videos from any mobile device to the Chromecast with Google TV as you did with previous generations Chromecast (Chromecast, Chromecast 2nd gen/2015, and Chromecast 3rd gen/2018), or Chromecast Ultra.  But the Google TV interface adds tons of new features and possibilities. The voice remote is an indispensable accessory to enjoy these new features.

This Chromecast guide explains what the voice remote for Chromecast with Google TV can do, the layout of the voice remote and the functions of each button/part, and how to control Chromecast with Google TV if you cannot find the voice remote.

What can Voice Remote for Chromecast with Google TV do?

If you use Chromecast with Google TV as a passive receiving device, you probably do not need the remote. But you missed a lot of features of the dongle.

The voice remote helps you use the Chromecast with Google TV as a full-featured Android TV setup box.

Search your favourites with your voice (Google Assistant)

The remote control was … Continue to read the post....

Chromecast 4th Gen (Chromecast with Google TV) is coming!

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Chromecast 4th Gen (Chromecast with Google TV)Very likely, Google will reveal the 4th Gen of Chromecast on September 30, 2020. But the details of the Chromecast 4th Gen (aka Chromecast with Google TV, or Chromecast 2020) were leaked. A few retailers have released the product inadvertently.

Google TV here simply means Google-branded Android TV (not the old Google TV). It is not a new platform. Instead, it is a new form factor (dongle) for Android TV.

This post will summarize the key features of the Chromecast 4th Gen (Chromecast with Google TV) compared to the 3rd Gen of Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra.

Chromecast 4th Gen converges Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra

The new Chromecast (4th gen, Chromecast 2020) is a natural successor for the 3rd Gen of Chromecast (Chromecast 2018).

But Google worked the extra mile. The Chromecast with Google TV also converges the Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra.

The 4th Gen of Chromecast supports 4K and HDR, which were the exclusive features of Chromecast Ultra. So, the new Chromecast with Google TV surely will replace not only Chromecast 3rd Gen but also Chromecast Ultra.

In other words, Google simplifies the Chromecast product line into one.

Unfortunately, Google does not offer any successors for … Continue to read the post....

How to use Chromecast to stream music to dumb speakers (as Chromecast Audio does)?

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How to use Chromecast to stream music to dumb speakers (as Chromecast Audio does)?Although Chromecast Audio was discontinued, you can still make your vintage speakers or favourite AVR systems alive by using Chromecast to stream music to dumb speakers, just like what Chromecast Audio does.

Of course, this may require additional setup and one additional gadget (a few bucks) unless your speaker or AV support HDMI input.

This Chromecast guide explains why you may consider using Chromecast to stream music to dumb speakers and how to set up the system so that you can continue streaming music to the speakers and AV systems without Chromecast Audio.

Update: the latest Chromecast 2020 (Chromecast with Google TV; Chromecast 4th Gen) merges Chromecast, Chromecast Ultra, and Android TV. There is no successor for Chromecast Audio

Why do you want to use Chromecast (or Chromecast Ultra) as Chromecast Audio?  Because Google discontinued Chromecast Audio!

In early 2019, Google silently discontinued Chromecast Audio. Now, it is almost impossible to get a “new” Chromecast Audio even on eBay.

The asking price of a “used” Chromecast Audio is about that of two new Chromecast units!

Chromecast (including Chromecast Ultra) is designed for videos/TVs, and Chromecast Audio for speakers/AVR systems. The comparison of Chromecast and … Continue to read the post....

How to Chromecast Amazon Prime Video to your TV?

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How to Chromecast Amazon Prime Video to your TV?From July 2019, Amazon Prime Video finally supports Chromecast and you can easily chromecast Amazon Prime Video to your TV.

Now, you can enjoy the Prime videos on the TV without a fire TV dongle/box/cube. Chromecast and the Amazon Prime Video app are the only requirements.

This Chromecast how-to guide explains to you how to use Chromecast to stream Amazon Prime videos, and the difference between Chromecast and Watch on Second Screen.

Fire TV vs. Chromecast

For a long time, Amazon has fought against Google on all fronts.

Chromecast was banned on the Amazon platform. Fire tablets removed anything related to Google. Amazon used Bing, instead of Google, as the default search engine on their devices.

Google fought back by removing YouTube support on all Amazon devices (Fire tablet, Fire TV,  Fire TV Cube, and Echo Show).

In July 2019, two adults finally stopped hostility.  Amazon started to sell Chromecast (and other Google gadgets) and add Chromecast support to Prime Video app.

So, you can now use Chromecast to stream Amazon Prime Video from your mobile devices or PC to your TV without using a Fire TV.

In the past, you have three options … Continue to read the post....

What’s new in Chromecast 2018 (3rd gen of Chromecast)?

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What's new in Chromecast 2018 (3rd gen of Chromecast)?On October 9 2018, Google announced the 3rd generation of Chromecast (Chromecast 2018) as the successor of the 2nd generation of Chromecast (Chromecast 2015).

There is no update for Chromecast Ultra or Chromecast Audio this year. Update: Google discontinued Chromecast Audio in early 2019.

This Chromecast guide explains the new features of Chromecast 2018 (3rd gen of Chromecast), and whether it is worth to update your Chromecast.

The successor of Chromecast 2018, Chromecast with Google TV (Chromecast 2020; Chromecast 4th Gen), were released on September 30, 2020.

What are the new features in Chromecast 2018 (3rd gen of Chromecast)?

Chromecast 2018 is a minor update to Chromecast 2015 (2nd gen Chromecast). So, there are no jaw-dropping new features in Chromecast 2018.

Because Chromecast is so unique that there are no serious direct competitors in the market, it is hard to judge whether Chromecast 2018 is behind or ahead of the industry trends.

But one thing is sure your $35 will be well spent if you do not own a Chromecast or Chromecast Ultra now.

As Google stopped selling the 2nd gen Chromecast, you will get the latest Chromecast 2018 if you purchase the Chromecast from now on.

The new … Continue to read the post....

How to use VLC media player on PC to stream music and video to Chromecast and Chromecast Audio?

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use VLC media player on PC to stream music and video to Chromecast and Chromecast AudioChromecast support was finally introduced in VLC media player 3.0. So, you can now easily use VLC media player on PC to stream music and video to Chromecast and Chromecast Audio.

This adds one more method to stream local media files to Chromecast and Chromecast Audio.

Please note, Google Home, Google Hoem Mini, and Google Home Max also support Chromecast. This means you can also use VLC media player on PC to stream music to those Google Home devices. Therefore, this guide also applies to Google Home devices.

The advantages of using VLC media player on PC to stream music and video to Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, and Google Home

If you have an extensive collection of music and movies in the hard drive, you can stream them to TV with Chromecast or Chromecast Audio with various methods.

Chromecast is officially supported in VLC media player 3.0.  So, you have one more method to stream local media (music and video) to Chromecast and Chromecast Audio.

Compared to other six methods of streaming local music and video to Chromecast and Chromcast Audio, the VLC media player method has several advantages including:

  • Free.
  • Open source.  If the development
… Continue to read the post....

How to use VLC for Android to stream local media to Chromecast?

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use VLC for Android to stream local media to ChromecastWith version 2.9.1, you can now use VLC for Android to stream local media to Chromecast. Videos and music files of all formats supported by VLC media player now can be streamed to Chromecast. Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast Audio, Google Home, Google Home Mini and Google Home Max. In this guide, I will try to use Chromecast to represent them all, instead of listing them all.

For PC users, you can stream local video and music files to Chromecast very easily with VLC media player version 3.0 RC2 or later.

This Chromecast guide shows you how to use VLC for Android to stream local media to Chromecast: installing the app, enrolling in the Android beta program, streaming local media with VLC for Android, and Chromecast streaming controls for VLC for Android.

Update: with the release of VLC 3.0, Chromecast is officially supported. Therefore, it is not necessary to join the beta program to use VLC for Android to stream local media to Chromecast. For PC users, you can use VLC media player to stream local music and videos to Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, and Google Home devices as detailed in this guide.

What is VLC for Android?

… Continue to read the post....

How to use Chromecast Ultra to stream 4K contents?

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use Chromecast Ultra to stream 4K contentsIf you want to stream 4K contents, among Chromecast family (Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, and Chromecast Ultra), only Chromecast Ultra (update: and the Chromecast 2020, aka Chromecast with Google TV) has this capability.

But a lot of Chromecast Ultra owners found they cannot stream 4K contents with Chromecast Ultra.

What are the possible causes? What are the solutions?

This Chromecast guide first explains the requirements of using Chromecast to stream 4K contents, then show you the solutions for some problems related to streaming 4K contents with Chromecast Ultra.

The 6 requirements of using Chromecast Ultra to stream 4K contents

Chromecast Ultra is a very powerful streaming gadget.

You can use Chromecast Ultra to stream 4K Ultra HD contents with HDR.  While normal Chromecast (Chromecast and Chromecast 2nd Generation)  can only stream full HD contents (1080p) without HDR.

Although Chromecast does not require a 4K TV, there are a few requirements to meet if you want to use Chromecast Ultra to stream 4K contents, including:

  1. a 4K TV;
  2. fast internet connection (at least 10-20Mbps);
  3. HDCP 2.2  support;
  4. the original power adapter;
  5. a high-speed HDMI cable;
  6. 4K contents.

Among these 6 requirements, 2 are related to the … Continue to read the post....

How to disable Google Home and Chromecast casting notification?

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What is the Google Home and Chromecast casting notification?

With the release of Google Home, the Google cast app was renamed as Google Home app.

Now, Chromecast (including Chromecast Ultra), Chromecast Audio and Google Home are all managed by the same Google Home app.

One of the new features in Google Home app (through Google Play services on the phone) is the Google Home and Chromecast casting notification (remote control notifications) in all mobile devices that are connected to the same network as the casting devices.

This means, by default, all mobile devices (with a Google account and the latest Google app) in the same network as casting devices now get the casting notification (remote control notification) when any of the casting devices is casting.

Here casting devices include Chromecast, Chromecast 2nd Gen, Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast Audio and Google Home.

For example, when Google Play music is playing music to Chromecast Audio, you will see the notification in other Android  phones as shown below.

This notification appears not only on the device you initiated the casting, but also all other mobile devices in the same network, by default.

So, any devices can control the playback remotely through … Continue to read the post....

Chromecast Ultra vs Chromecast 2nd Gen

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Chromecast Ultra vs Chromecast 2nd GenOn October 4, 2016, Google announced a new $69 (not $35) Chromecast device: Chromecast Ultra.

This actually is the 3rd generation of Chromecast. Chromecast (1st gen) was released in  2013. Chromecast 2nd gen and Chromecast Audio (which were discontinued in 2019) were announced in 2015.

This post will try to help you understand the differences between Chromecast 2nd Gen and Chromecast Ultra, and help you decide whether you need a Chromecast Ultra.

Chromecast 3rd gen (Chromecast 2018) and Chromecast 4th gen (Chromecast 2020; Chromecast with Google TV) are also available in the market now.

Is Chromecast Ultra for 4K TV only?

One of the most prominent features of Chromecast Ultra is supporting 4K video streaming.

But this does NOT mean Chromecast Ultra is only for 4K TV owners.

If you only have a Full HD (1080p) TV, compared to Chromecast 2nd gen,  Chromecast Ultra can still offer some nice new and improved features:

  • High Dynamic Range (HDR) support. Of course, HDR contents are still very limited. YouTube and Google Play will gradually join Netflix and Amazon for streaming HDR contents. HDR-ready TV is also needed to enjoy the benefits. We will discuss this in detail in
… Continue to read the post....

Chromecast Preview Program: Everything you need to know

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Chromecast Preview ProgramWhat is Chromecast Preview Program?

As a proud owner of the $35 Chromecast device, you already know the software in the dongle is always updated automatically. Google never asks you to update, or reboot to update.

So, you can enjoy the Chromecast without wasting any time on updating the firmware/OS.

On September 13, 2016, Google released Chromecast Preview Program for opt-in Chromecast owners to enjoy the new features and new version of software before such updates are broadly available.

In other words, Chromecast Preview Program, if opt-in, puts your Chromecast device in a special channel that receives software udpate before Google makes the update available for all other devices.

The update you get through Chromecast Preview Program is NOT beta software. It will be the final update (preview).  In  most cases, you just get it a few days (or one or two weeks) earlier than others,

For modern software udpate, it is impractical to push out updates immediately to tens of millions devices. Most companies roll out update in batches so that the update will not crash the server. And at the same time, quick feedback can be gathered before a full-scale roll-out.

Chromecast Preview Program is just to … Continue to read the post....

How to launch Videostream (and other Chrome apps as well)?

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You can launch Videostream just like other Chrome apps

As explained in this page, Videostream for Google cast is one of the best solutions to stream local contents to Chromecast.

It is both powerful enough and simple enough for most Chromecast owners. We also published a detailed guide on how to use Videostream extension to stream local contents to Chromecast.

But one of the most common questions asked is how to launch Videosteram after initial installation.

Videosteram for Google cast is just a normal Chrome app. So, you can launch Videostream just like launching other Chrome apps.

This is a simple job for Chromebook users, or seasoned Chrome users.

But for many new and casual Chrome users, it can be very confusing about how to launch Chrome app after the installation.

This guide will show you how to launch Videosteram for Google cast app easily. You can even create a shortcut of Chrome apps on desktop.

There are at least 3 different methods to launch Videostream for Google cast from your PC. We will cover all of them one by one.

After Google removed Chrome App launcher for PC (Windows, PC, and Linux) earlier this year, you cannot … Continue to read the post....

How to play games on Chromecast from mobile devices (Android and iOS)?

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play games on Chromecast from mobile devicesYou can play games on Chromecast from Android or iOS devices

Two of the new features for Chromecast and Chromecast Audio are multi-room group playback for Chromecast Audio  (for Chromecast Audio only) and playing games on Chromecast through Android and iOS devices (for Chromecast only, including 1st generation Chromecast). Please refer to this guide on how to use Chromecast Audio multi-room group playback.

For Chromecast-enabled apps, you can cast the game to the TV through Chromecast. Your mobile device then can act as a game controller and can display other info.

You can also challenge your friends or family members with multi-player games.

Please note, playing Chromecast-enabled games on Android and iOS devices is fundamentally different from Android screen mirroring (Android screen casting).  When you play Chromecast-enabled games on Android and iOS devices, you get split view of the game, not simply mirroring the screen.

This post will try to show you how to play games on Chromecast from Android devices.  The procedure is similar to that from iOS devices.

What are the requirements to play games on Chromecast from Android?

The requirements for playing games on Chromecast from Android devices include:

  1. A ready-to-cast Chromecast. Both the first generation and
… Continue to read the post....

Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth: advantages and disadvantages of Chromecast Audio

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chromecast_audio_vs_bluetoothWhen Chromecast Audio was announced, a lot of people want to know the advantages and disadvantages of Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth.

This is a natural question because Bluetooth speaker is readily available in all countries and regions. Most families have a few Bluetooth speakers, which may be given free when purchasing some expensive home appliances.

Chromecast Audio is new, although Chromecast is about 2 years old.  Even, some Chromecast owners may have some misunderstandings on Chromecast Audio.

If you are not sure about the difference between Chromecast and Chromecast Audio, or you are not sure about how Chromecast Audio streams music, you may check our Chromecast Audio guides page.

This post focuses on comparing Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth to help you understand the advantages and limitations of Chromecast Audio. And therefore, you can make a better decision on whether you should get a Chromecast Audio, or whether you can live with Bluetooth, or whether and how you can use both of them within your budget.

Chromecast Audio vs Bluetooth: audio quality

Bluetooth usually has terrible audio quality because Bluetooth is designed as low power, short-range personal area networks (PANs). The speed is far lower than that of … Continue to read the post....