screen mirroring

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....

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

Everything you need to know about streaming local media files with VLC for Android app

By simon Leave a Comment

With 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....

What’s new in the new Chromecast (Chromecast 2015)

The top 5 new features and improvements in the new Chromecast (Chromecast 2015): Chromecast Audio, new design, 802.11AC WiFi support and new antenna design, fast play and Chromecast gaming, and the updated Chromecast app.

By simon 6 Comments

new_chromecast_2015_new_features Update: Chromecast 2018 (3rd generation) is out. You may check this guide for new features in Chromecast 2018.

Google just announced and released the 2nd generation of Chromecast on September 29, about 2 years after the initial release of Chromecast.

You can order the new Chromecast through Google Store or Best Buy now.

You may wonder what’s new in the new Chromecast (Chromecast 2015), and whether you should update to the new Chromecast.

In this post, I will share with you the top 5 new features and improvements of the new Chromecast (Chromecast 2015).

Detailed how-to guides for the new Chromecast will be added gradually.

1. Chromecast Audio: a new member of the new Chromecast family:

In addition to the normal Chromecast with HDMI interface, Google released the new Chromecast Audio for your speaker.

You can connect Chromecast Audio to a speaker (or a sound bar or even your home theatre system) through the 3.5mm audio cable.

Chromecast Audio instantly turns your speakers or sound bar into a “smart” and “connected” device. It can stream music from the cloud or from your phones or other devices. Please check Chromecast Audio guides here.

It is better than a Bluetooth … Continue to read the post....

How to use Chromecast on Amazon Fire tablets (Fire HD, Fire HDX and Kindle Fire HDX)

Enjoy Chromecast on Amazon Fire tablets!

By simon 131 Comments

Update (August 2019): an updated guide on install Google Play store and apps from Play Store on Amazon Fire tablet

If you are using an Amazon Fire tablet from 5th gen to the current model (8th gen), it is now easier to install Google Play Store on the Fire tablet.

Please check this updated guide on how to install Google Play Store on Fire tablet.

Update (July 2019): Amazon Prime Video app now supports Chromecast

As explained in this guide, Amazon Prime Video app on Android and IOS now supports Chromecast.

However, the Prime Video app on Fire tablets still does NOT support Chromecast.

Update (2016/02): Android screen mirroring works on Fire tablet 5th generation

For Fire tablet 5th generation ONLY (you can check yours in Settings– Device options–Device model), you can also use screen cast for Chromecast (Android screen mirroring). You can run the Play Store and update Play services. Please follow this guide to run one ADB command.

For all previous generations of Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, and Kindle Fire HDX tablets, you cannot run Google Play store app. Screencast does not work either. If Chromecast does not work after install the 4 APKs, you can … Continue to read the post....

Chromecast VS Amazon Fire TV stick: which one is for you?

A buyer's guide on whether you should get Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV stick

By simon 4 Comments

When considering to buy a streaming device for the TV, a lot of people may have a hard time to decide between Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Both gadgets share a similar form factor, share a similar price (less than $40). Both are from reputable tech companies.

It is usually not helpful to read reviews for these two products. It is all about your needs: what do you want to do with the HDMI Stick?

This guide will try to help you decide which one is suitable for YOU: Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV Stick?

I have no intention (possible?) to make a judgment on which one is better because the better one is not always suitable for you. What you need is Mr. or Ms. Right.

Chromecast VS Amazon Fire TV Stick: 2 similar but fundamentally different products

Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV Stick have a similar size and weight. They both need external power through a Micro USB port. They both must be inserted into an HDMI port on the TV.

They both can turn your TV into a connected entertainment device.

But Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV stick are fundamentally different:

Amazon Fire TV Stick

… Continue to read the post....

Chromecast guest mode guide

By simon 9 Comments

What is Chromecast guest mode? When will you need it?

By default, the only way to use Chromecast is by joining your device to the same network as Chromecast.

This is part of the security consideration: you don’t want your neighbor to mess up your TV screen.

Sometimes, you have some guests in house and they want to share something interesting from their devices through Chromecast. In this case, you have to connect their devices to your network to use the Chromecast.

If you have some sensitive files in your home network, you probably are reluctant to have them connected to your network. You may trust your friends; but you cannot trust their devices which may have nasty malware.

Chromecast guest mode comes to solve your dilemma. Thanks to the recent update in Chromecast.

You can turn on guest mode on your Chromecast device so that your guests can use some (not all, see limitations below) features of Chromecast without connecting to your home network.

How does Chromecast guest mode work?

Once Chromecast guest mode is enabled in the Chromecast device, Chromecast will emit a special WiFi beacon.

The compatible apps (Google cast ready apps) in the guest device … Continue to read the post....

Android screen casting for Chromecast is now supported on all Android devices with KitKat 4.4.2 or later

By simon 100 Comments

Android screen casting makes the TV your second screen!

The latest Chromecast app (1.9.6) update brought Android screen casting (screen mirroring), one of the most anticipated features of Chromecast, to all Android devices with Android KitKat 4.4.2 or later.

If you are new to this feature, you may refer to this post.

Essentially, Android screen casting (screen mirroring) through Chromecast will make your TV the second screen of your Android devices.

You can enjoy videos, games, music, and everything on the TV with Android screen casting through Chromecast.

Anything displayed on your android screen and the audio can be mirrored on your TV through Chromecast.

This makes your $35 Chromecast more values.

Previously, screen casting feature is only supported on a few selected (high-end) devices.

How to start and stop Android screen casting?

After you update Chromecast app to 1.9.6 or later, you can find the cast screen option as shown below.

If your device is not among the supported device list (see this post for the updated officially supported devices), you will see the following warning messaging

“Screen casting is not optimized for this device, your experience may vary.”

Tap OK to continue as shown below.

Android_screen_cast_for_Chromecast_2_warning_cast_screen

Now tap … Continue to read the post....

Chromecast VS Miracast: everything you need know about Chromecast, wireless display and screen mirroring

By simon 164 Comments

Update 1: Android screen mirroring through Chromecast is available! Please read this post for details.

Chromecast was hailed by the Time Magazine as the most innovative gadget in 2013. This affordable HDMI dongle changes the way people consume contents, especially online video and music.

Most people now have multiple screens: smartphones ( normally 3.5-7″), tablets (normally 7-12.2″), laptops (normally 10-17″), PC (normally 19-34″) and of course TV (normally 34-80″). Different size gives different experiences, and some contents., for example, full-length movies, are preferred in a larger TV screen.

How to unify these screens?

There are different answers from different vendors. But most of them are vendor-dependent. In other words, the solution only works for some specific-branded devices. For example, Apple has AirPlay (which requires Apple TV); Samsung introduced AllShare Cast since Galaxy S3 (which requires certain Samsung Galaxy devices).

Chromecast delivered an answer that is independent of hardware vendors!

Another hardware-independent answer is Miracast.

Because Android supports Miracast natively since Jelly Bean 4.2, a lot of Chromecast owners confused Chromecast with Miracast.

I will try to explain to you Chromecast vs Miracast: the difference between Chromecast and Miracast (Miracast enabled devices), the advantages, and … Continue to read the post....