There is no battery drain on Chromecast, either. Once it starts playing, you can power off your phone, put it to sleep, do something else with it, etc.
Did anybody actually watch the presentation? I watched it live instead of seeing this headline and making up my mind based on other things than it not saying "Apple."
Mirroring a chrome browser web page from iDevice to chromecast does consume iDevice battery. Google have said as much. However I'm not sure mirroring will be used much.
AirPlay is peer to peer. This sounds like it requires ALL content to come from the cloud. If its on your device you have to share it with google servers first. Google cant make advertising dollars if they can't see the content you want to stream in peer to peer fashion
Which is exactly what they said they were attempting to address in the presentation. Users playing cloud content on their small screen iDevices. Chromecast is intended to provide a method to fling that content onto any TV in your house for better viewing/listening, allowing you to queue lots of different content for play on big tv while you continue to use your iDevice for other things.
Which is exactly what they said they were attempting to address in the presentation. Users playing cloud content on their small screen iDevices. Chromecast is intended to provide a method to fling that content onto any TV in your house for better viewing/listening, allowing you to queue lots of different content for play on big tv while you continue to use your iDevice for other things.
What a brilliant spin to justify exploiting you by spying on your local content. Barf. Do no evil. Right.
This is not the same as AirPlay. It's a local screen cast to the google cloud for analytics gathering and then rebroadcast back to the Big Screen.
That gonna go over really well with IT for doing confidential corporate presentations on the Big Screen TV or projector.
This is then the same functionality as Apple TV. This is nothing new. The only thing new is it is cheaper and plug in directly to tv. But I doubt a $35 device can perform as good as Apple TV.
You don't need an extra phone. Just any android/apple smartphone or tablet. Why would you even get one of these if you didn't already have an iDevice?
Why would you buy an appleTV for airplay support if you had no airplay capable devices?
You don't need any other device to own and use AppleTV. It is fully functional out of the box, standalone. All you need is a TV. AirPlay is ONE optional feature, but not the only feature: you can buy, rent, stream content to a TV from iTunes, iCloud, podcasts, Internet radio, and services like Netflix, Hulu, HBOGo, ESPN, Vimeo and YouTube. It can also stream videos, music, and photos from your Mac or PC, which is a different feature from AirPlay (in this mode, AppleTV uses your computer as a content server, unlike AirPlay, which turns your AppleTV into a remote display for a device).
This junk is just a crippled Youtube/Netflix and music player with no other capabilities.
Also, don't forget to plug it into a wall outlet:
(edit: found a better pic)
Plug it in to a power outlet? That changes everything from a convenience standpoint. I [obviously] mistakenly assumed that it got power from [being plugged into] the TV.
So, this, in a way a limited, lower-priced alternative to an AppleTV.
II suspect that the next AppleTV will have HDMI in as well as HDMI out -- so it can connect between the cable STB and the TV,
This is a great bit of hardware. Anyone that actually bothered to do their research into what this is and what it can do will more than likely agree.
I spent 10 minutes looking into it and ordered one. It seems like a clever idea (certainly way better than that horribly designed google tv), you don't stream the ipad content to the chromecast, you basically just pass off the url and the chromecast does streams it directly from the server. At $35 that includes 3 months of netflix streaming, apparently even for existing customers, it effectively only costs $11.03. Certainly cheap enough to give it a shot.
A couple of questions. Will Vudu support it and does it support 3d?
I'm also curious how you initially configure it to use your wifi network and if there's a way to get it to work in hotel rooms where you basically log in with a browser. This is always a problem when I bring my AppleTV on a trip.
Plug it in to a power outlet? That changes everything from a convenience standpoint. I [obviously] mistakenly assumed that it got power from [being plugged into] the TV.
So, this, in a way a limited, lower-priced alternative to an AppleTV.
II suspect that the next AppleTV will have HDMI in as well as HDMI out -- so it can connect between the cable STB and the TV,
From what I understand, the Chromecast is actually powered by USB. The powercord is just in case there is no USB available on the TV.
I'm also curious how you initially configure it to use your wifi network and if there's a way to get it to work in hotel rooms where you basically log in with a browser. This is always a problem when I bring my AppleTV on a trip.
From TheVerge.com
"Google tells us the next part is fairly simple, too: the Chromecast dongle generates its own Wi-Fi hotspot, and you can connect to it with an Android, iOS, Windows, or Mac OS X app to pair it with your home Wi-Fi network. There's also a little button next to the microUSB port that resets the pairing process."
It does tie up a device to do the actual streaming though. My Apple TVs are totally stand alone for things like Netflix or browsing my Photo Stream. Unless I happen to want to stream something from my iPad or Mac to the TV, like the entire Mac desktop, oh wait the Google thingy can't do that can it?
It doesn't tie up the device. The point is you can find your content on your iPad or iPhone, then have it play on your TV with the same quality it would play on an AppleTV.
As great as the appletv UI is, I've used my iPad to add content to the netflix queue, then went back to the apple tv to play it because it's faster to search that way. I've often wished there was better integration between the two without using airplay, which ties up the iPad while it's streaming and isn't the most efficient way to do things.
The other thing this potentially does is support more content sources (at least until the AppleTV supports apps). It doesn't replace appletv because it likely will never support iTunes content and won't mirror a desktop which is useful for conference rooms.
I spent 10 minutes looking into it and ordered one. It seems like a clever idea (certainly way better than that horribly designed google tv), you don't stream the ipad content to the chromecast, you basically just pass off the url and the chromecast does streams it directly from the server. ...
Actually, IIRC if you used the iOS (iPhone/iPad) YouTube App (before Apple removed it) and enabled AirPlay to the AppleTV in the App, the AppleTV would fetch the content directly from YouTube instead of your Phone. So the iOS (iPhone/iPad) app essentially became a controller. Likely the YouTube App architecture was designed by Google and not Apple, or guidelines forced down onto Apple. Anyhow, as you know that original YouTube app was dropped in iOS6.
Personally, from an engineering point of view I think its a bad design. Its inefficient and burns up your broadband for content you already have on the LAN. Just do a peer to peer transfer on the LAN like most ever OTHER AirPlay feature. Sending Local Content up to the Cloud and then receive it back is just bonkers. The only reason Google designed it like this is to gather analytics on you. Its stupid. $35.. yeah.. great deal indeed. They should be PAYING you to use this device. Not the other way around.
As great as the appletv UI is, I've used my iPad to add content to the netflix queue, then went back to the apple tv to play it because it's faster to search that way. I've often wished there was better integration between the two without using airplay, which ties up the iPad while it's streaming and isn't the most efficient way to do things.
The other thing this potentially does is support more content sources (at least until the AppleTV supports apps). It doesn't replace appletv because it likely will never support iTunes content and won't mirror a desktop which is useful for conference rooms.
For searching content on NetFlix, have you tried using the Apple Remote iOS App on iPhone/iPad. Much faster than using the IR remote. In the Netflix search field you can use your Soft keyboard on the iOS device.
as for supporting more content sources? You lost me. You can Airplay Mirror system wide already from iOS (iPhone or iPad) and Macs. Any App. How does this solution give you MORE content sources? Are you sure your Broadband Upload speed is fast enough to handle transmission of local content back to the Google Cloud?
Sending Local Content up to the Cloud and then receive it back is just bonkers. The only reason Google designed it like this is to gather analytics on you. Its stupid. $35.. yeah.. great deal indeed. They should be PAYING you to use this device. Not the other way around.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by allenbf
There is no battery drain on Chromecast, either. Once it starts playing, you can power off your phone, put it to sleep, do something else with it, etc.
Did anybody actually watch the presentation? I watched it live instead of seeing this headline and making up my mind based on other things than it not saying "Apple."
Mirroring a chrome browser web page from iDevice to chromecast does consume iDevice battery. Google have said as much. However I'm not sure mirroring will be used much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by snova
AirPlay is peer to peer. This sounds like it requires ALL content to come from the cloud. If its on your device you have to share it with google servers first. Google cant make advertising dollars if they can't see the content you want to stream in peer to peer fashion
Which is exactly what they said they were attempting to address in the presentation. Users playing cloud content on their small screen iDevices. Chromecast is intended to provide a method to fling that content onto any TV in your house for better viewing/listening, allowing you to queue lots of different content for play on big tv while you continue to use your iDevice for other things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by allenbf
What?
Have you even looked at it? All Chromecast needs is an HDMI port. Same as Apple TV.
I get that, but the big difference is that you need some type of device to make the Google thing work.
Apple TV only needs a TV, and an account ... so for $100.00 you're up and running.
Google Chrome dongle thingy needs a device to make it work.
$35.00 dongle thingy (wow, not expensive)
$200.00 for some type of IOS device (shit getting expensive now, and damn need my google glass, tablet, iPad, computer, etc ... to watch TV)
Google = not so very cheap.
Apple TV = just works.
Have fun with Google dongle.
No extra phone needed with AppleTV.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
No extra phone needed with AppleTV.
You don't need an extra phone. Just any android/apple smartphone or tablet. Why would you even get one of these if you didn't already have an iDevice?
Why would you buy an appleTV for airplay support if you had no airplay capable devices?
This is not the same as AirPlay. It's a local screen cast to the google cloud for analytics gathering and then rebroadcast back to the Big Screen.
That gonna go over really well with IT for doing confidential corporate presentations on the Big Screen TV or projector.
They only get credit for features that are actually available. Your fantasies don't count as features.
Quote:
Originally Posted by snova
What a brilliant spin to justify exploiting you by spying on your local content. Barf. Do no evil. Right.
This is not the same as AirPlay. It's a local screen cast to the google cloud for analytics gathering and then rebroadcast back to your TV.
That's funny!
Terrible name, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by patpatpat
Here you go.
This is then the same functionality as Apple TV. This is nothing new. The only thing new is it is cheaper and plug in directly to tv. But I doubt a $35 device can perform as good as Apple TV.
You don't need any other device to own and use AppleTV. It is fully functional out of the box, standalone. All you need is a TV. AirPlay is ONE optional feature, but not the only feature: you can buy, rent, stream content to a TV from iTunes, iCloud, podcasts, Internet radio, and services like Netflix, Hulu, HBOGo, ESPN, Vimeo and YouTube. It can also stream videos, music, and photos from your Mac or PC, which is a different feature from AirPlay (in this mode, AppleTV uses your computer as a content server, unlike AirPlay, which turns your AppleTV into a remote display for a device).
Plug it in to a power outlet? That changes everything from a convenience standpoint. I [obviously] mistakenly assumed that it got power from [being plugged into] the TV.
So, this, in a way a limited, lower-priced alternative to an AppleTV.
II suspect that the next AppleTV will have HDMI in as well as HDMI out -- so it can connect between the cable STB and the TV,
Quote:
Originally Posted by LAKings33
This is a great bit of hardware. Anyone that actually bothered to do their research into what this is and what it can do will more than likely agree.
I spent 10 minutes looking into it and ordered one. It seems like a clever idea (certainly way better than that horribly designed google tv), you don't stream the ipad content to the chromecast, you basically just pass off the url and the chromecast does streams it directly from the server. At $35 that includes 3 months of netflix streaming, apparently even for existing customers, it effectively only costs $11.03. Certainly cheap enough to give it a shot.
A couple of questions. Will Vudu support it and does it support 3d?
I'm also curious how you initially configure it to use your wifi network and if there's a way to get it to work in hotel rooms where you basically log in with a browser. This is always a problem when I bring my AppleTV on a trip.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum
Plug it in to a power outlet? That changes everything from a convenience standpoint. I [obviously] mistakenly assumed that it got power from [being plugged into] the TV.
So, this, in a way a limited, lower-priced alternative to an AppleTV.
II suspect that the next AppleTV will have HDMI in as well as HDMI out -- so it can connect between the cable STB and the TV,
From what I understand, the Chromecast is actually powered by USB. The powercord is just in case there is no USB available on the TV.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alandail
I'm also curious how you initially configure it to use your wifi network and if there's a way to get it to work in hotel rooms where you basically log in with a browser. This is always a problem when I bring my AppleTV on a trip.
From TheVerge.com
"Google tells us the next part is fairly simple, too: the Chromecast dongle generates its own Wi-Fi hotspot, and you can connect to it with an Android, iOS, Windows, or Mac OS X app to pair it with your home Wi-Fi network. There's also a little button next to the microUSB port that resets the pairing process."
Not sure about public wifi networks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by digitalclips
It does tie up a device to do the actual streaming though. My Apple TVs are totally stand alone for things like Netflix or browsing my Photo Stream. Unless I happen to want to stream something from my iPad or Mac to the TV, like the entire Mac desktop, oh wait the Google thingy can't do that can it?
It doesn't tie up the device. The point is you can find your content on your iPad or iPhone, then have it play on your TV with the same quality it would play on an AppleTV.
As great as the appletv UI is, I've used my iPad to add content to the netflix queue, then went back to the apple tv to play it because it's faster to search that way. I've often wished there was better integration between the two without using airplay, which ties up the iPad while it's streaming and isn't the most efficient way to do things.
The other thing this potentially does is support more content sources (at least until the AppleTV supports apps). It doesn't replace appletv because it likely will never support iTunes content and won't mirror a desktop which is useful for conference rooms.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alandail
I spent 10 minutes looking into it and ordered one. It seems like a clever idea (certainly way better than that horribly designed google tv), you don't stream the ipad content to the chromecast, you basically just pass off the url and the chromecast does streams it directly from the server. ...
Actually, IIRC if you used the iOS (iPhone/iPad) YouTube App (before Apple removed it) and enabled AirPlay to the AppleTV in the App, the AppleTV would fetch the content directly from YouTube instead of your Phone. So the iOS (iPhone/iPad) app essentially became a controller. Likely the YouTube App architecture was designed by Google and not Apple, or guidelines forced down onto Apple. Anyhow, as you know that original YouTube app was dropped in iOS6.
Personally, from an engineering point of view I think its a bad design. Its inefficient and burns up your broadband for content you already have on the LAN. Just do a peer to peer transfer on the LAN like most ever OTHER AirPlay feature. Sending Local Content up to the Cloud and then receive it back is just bonkers. The only reason Google designed it like this is to gather analytics on you. Its stupid. $35.. yeah.. great deal indeed. They should be PAYING you to use this device. Not the other way around.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alandail
...
As great as the appletv UI is, I've used my iPad to add content to the netflix queue, then went back to the apple tv to play it because it's faster to search that way. I've often wished there was better integration between the two without using airplay, which ties up the iPad while it's streaming and isn't the most efficient way to do things.
The other thing this potentially does is support more content sources (at least until the AppleTV supports apps). It doesn't replace appletv because it likely will never support iTunes content and won't mirror a desktop which is useful for conference rooms.
For searching content on NetFlix, have you tried using the Apple Remote iOS App on iPhone/iPad. Much faster than using the IR remote. In the Netflix search field you can use your Soft keyboard on the iOS device.
as for supporting more content sources? You lost me. You can Airplay Mirror system wide already from iOS (iPhone or iPad) and Macs. Any App. How does this solution give you MORE content sources? Are you sure your Broadband Upload speed is fast enough to handle transmission of local content back to the Google Cloud?
Quote:
Originally Posted by snova
Sending Local Content up to the Cloud and then receive it back is just bonkers. The only reason Google designed it like this is to gather analytics on you. Its stupid. $35.. yeah.. great deal indeed. They should be PAYING you to use this device. Not the other way around.
To let Google/NSA know what you are watching?