In 2013, Google introduced a small device called the Chromecast. The device could wirelessly connect people’s TVs and other devices like smartphones, tablets and computers. The versatile dongle that you simply plugged into your TV’s HDMI port was much more affordable than other streaming media devices like Roku and Apple TV, but had less robust streaming offerings. Chromecast has added new meaning to the word “casting,” practically mimicking casting a fishing line by wirelessly transmitting an image from one screen to another.
Today, Google’s Chromecast is more than a device. It’s implemented in a host of smart devices, from TVs to sound bars to smart speakers. As the technology becomes more popular, it pays to understand exactly what Chromecast is, what it does, how to use it, and how it compares to similar wireless technologies. That is what we are going to do here.
Is Chromecast hardware or software?
Dan Baker/Digital Trends
So is “Chromecast” a physical device, software on your smartphone, or something else? The short answer is, yes, it is all of those things. But since that’s not very useful, let’s break it down.
More about Chromecast:
Google Cast/Chromecast built-in: wireless streaming technology
All Chromecast devices, which we’ll get to shortly, use Google’s proprietary technology, which was initially called Google Cast, but is now called Chromecast Built-in. That’s where the term casting comes from.
Casting uses two different techniques depending on the content you want to watch or listen to. If the content you’re streaming comes from a streaming service like YouTube or Spotify, you’re actually sending instructions from one device to another. When streaming a YouTube video from your phone to a Google Chromecast connected to your TV, your phone says, “Hey Chromecast, here’s a YouTube video I want you to play.” The Chromecast then obediently responds by directly accessing YouTube over Wi-Fi so it can stream that video for you. It’s a bit like a classic TV remote. send NBC to your TV – You simply tell your TV to turn on NBC (or whatever channel you’ve selected).
The only limitation is that your chosen streaming app must support streaming. Not all do, and some are picky about the device to be used for streaming. Amazon Prime Video, for example, will let you stream from an Android or iOS device, but not from a computer.
If you want to stream music stored on your computer or phone, or mirror the entire content of your phone screen or perhaps a tab in the Chrome browser, that content must be physically transferred from one device to another.
Isn’t that what Apple AirPlay does?
Quite. Chromecast and AirPlay work in a very similar way, but with a few key differences.
Computers and Android and iOS devices can stream content to compatible Chromecast devices, while AirPlay only works when casting from a Mac or iOS device.
Chromecast also supports multi-resolution audio: You can stream high-resolution lossless audio up to 24-bit/96kHz with Chromecast, but AirPlay is limited to 16-bit/44.1kHz CD-quality lossless audio.
Google Chromecast devices
As we mentioned earlier, the original Chromecast device made by Google was a small HDMI dongle that you plugged into your TV. Once connected to power and your Wi-Fi network, it allows you to stream video content from your computer, smartphone or tablet to your TV.
This device proved very popular due to its low price and ease of use, and was soon followed by Chromecast Audio (for streaming audio only to a set of powered speakers or any device with an audio input). Google finally introduced two more Chromecasts, including the 4K/HDR-capable Chromecast Ultra.
All these devices share a common philosophy. They rely on the source device that “streams” the content to them. They don’t have remotes: everything from choosing what’s streaming to controlling playback is done from the source device. There’s no on-screen interface and no built-in apps or features.
Not everyone likes this arrangement, which is why completely standalone devices like Rokus and Apple TV remain popular. That’s why in 2020 Google launched Chromecast with Google TV, which we’ll talk about in a moment.
Google has discontinued Chromecast Audio and Chromecast Ultra. It currently sells two Chromecast devices: the $30 Chromecast (without remote) and the $50 Chromecast with Google TV (with remote).
Third-party Chromecast devices
You’ll find Chromecast built into a wide variety of devices, from sound bars to smart TVs. It’s a standard feature on TVs running Google’s Android TV software and its latest version, Google TV, and you’ll find it on Wi-Fi-connected speakers from brands like LG, JBL, Bang & Olufsen, Vizio, Denon, and many others. .
It’s also a built-in feature of streaming media devices that use Android TV, like the Nvidia Shield TV and Walmart’s recently released streaming devices.
After setup according to the manufacturer’s instructions, you can stream audio and/or video (depending on the device) to these products in the same way you would use Google Chromecast devices.
Chromecast with Google TV
Caleb Denison/Digital Trends
The $50 Chromecast with Google TV might sound like a Chromecast device (it’s called a “Chromecast,” after all, and it plugs into your TV’s HDMI input just like Google’s other Chromecasts), but it’s actually an Android device. Full featured streaming TV.
In essence, it’s identical to other Android TV streamers like the Nvidia Shield TV or TiVo Stream 4K in that it uses Android TV software and comes with a dedicated remote. The biggest difference is that Google added a new, highly customized interface called Google TV, which replaces the standard Android TV home screen; Google TV will eventually replace Android TV on most or all new devices in the future.
You can use Chromecast with Google TV as a standalone device thanks to its remote control, or you can cast it from your other devices.
Chromecast and Google Home
One of the benefits of having a product with Chromecast built-in is that it can be controlled from the Google Home app on iOS and Android. Once added to Google Home, you’ll be able to control things like playback and volume for each device, assign them to different rooms, and if they’re speakers, create groups of speakers that will simultaneously play the same streaming sound. You’ll also be able to use the Google Assistant to control these devices with your voice and add them to your smart home routines.
how to throw
In your favorite mobile app, look for a rectangular icon with three concentric rings in the corner. In some apps, this can be found on the home screen, like the Android Netflix app shown above. In other apps, it may only be accessible from the playback screen.
Tap on that icon and you’ll be presented with a list of Cast-enabled devices on your network. Note that if you stream video content, the list will only show you video-enabled devices, such as smart TVs or streaming media devices. When streaming audio, you’ll likely see devices with Chromecast built-in that support both audio and video.
Just select your desired device from the list to start your streaming session. Depending on whether or not you have touched the cast icon on the playback screen, the selected content may start playing immediately on the selected device, or you may need to start playback from the cast device.
Once the broadcast session begins, the actor’s icon will change from an empty rectangle to a filled rectangle. You can control playback or end the streaming session at any time by tapping on Honor icon again.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn