Google Chromecast 2: A new Generation Streaming Device
Google Chromecast, in its present avatar, has been in our homes for a few months now, and has successfully defended itself as one of the highest quality streaming devices in the world, but keeping the price low at the same time. So, why Google Chromecast comes to the mind first when we talk about media streaming devices?
The answer is very simple, first, it is one of the simple and easy to use streaming devices. All you need to do is plug it into the HDMI port on the back of your TV, give the power supply, connect it to your Wi-Fi using the Google Home app, and its done. Secondly, at Rs. 3,399 (£30, $35), it's really cheap.
Well, before we look at the details, let us get familiar to the term Google Chromecast.
What is Google Chromecast?
The Google Chromecast was intended to bring smart TV functionality to the series of "dumb" TVs a.k.a. idiot boxes that were in the market before smart TVs became popular near the beginning of this decade.
The new Chromecast plugs directly into your TV's HDMI port (do ensure that your TV have a one before you buy this), similarly like the original one, and streams Audio, video and even cast screen from your smart phone, tablet or PC. It is little different from the other screen casting devices as it does not have a remote or a user-interface. The little streamer sits like an electronic pet waiting for the owner’s other devices to tell it what to do.
In this way, it is different from its main competition - the Apple TV and Roku Streaming Stick. Both of these devices can take streaming content from apps like Netflix, Saavn , HBO Now etc., but the plus point is that the google Chromecast is way cheaper than both the devices, compatible and easy to use with the android devices.
Design and Interface
The new Chromecast is an impressive art of engineering. Antennas are placed along the outer sphere to maximize signal reception, while the inside packs enough hardware set up to run things smoothly. The shell is a big change from the original USB stick-style, and it's one that you might either like or dislike, depending on up to what extent you use your Chromecast device for media streaming.The 2015 Chromecast iteration to be as accessible as its predecessor, an easy addition to our home entertainment setup that not requiring any additional hardware or lengthy installation process.
The new Chromecast is available in different colours; Black, Red, Yellow and Orange These colours highlights the top side of the disc that will suspend in air from the HDMI port on the back or side of your TV. You'll find the Chrome logo proudly embedded on top, and only one port along the bottom edge that connects to a micro-USB cable used for power.
The disc measures 51.9 x 51.9 x 13.49mm, which easily fits in your hand. But that means the Chromecast now hangs from the back of your TV instead of holding firmly in its port. It doesn't affect the performance, nor has it loosen while using. In fact, the circular design is great for those who have little space in between the wall and the HDMI port, and it fits easily everywhere.The last two important things on the design is the small reset button along the outer rim that also corresponds to a status LED, and the magnetic, to which you can stick the HDMI cable for easy transportation. It comes this way out of the box, so you will see it while unboxing.
Interface
The initial process takes less than 5 minute to setup the Chromecast, during which most of the time is spent downloading stuff like the Google Home app and firmware for Chromecast, available on both Google Play Store and Apple store. (Though, you can also use a PC or Mac by going to Google's "Getting Started" homepage.)
To continue the setup, you need to connect the Chromecast to your home WiFi or a wireless network and if you don’t have one then you have to additionally buy the Ethernet Adapter for Chromecast that came out in July 2015. At the end of setup, you'll be find a settings screen that will let you to choose to enable Guest Mode and wallpapers.When you're not streaming something to the Chromecast, it will enter a screensaver mode that can display images from Google Photos, Facebook, Flickr, curated artwork, the weather and even headlines from top news sources.The Google Home app serves as the main spot for checking out what content is available to stream and which apps you have already installed that work with your new streaming device.
Content
In terms of both content and performance, the new Google Chromecast is ahead of its predecessor ever was. Along with, many new apps arriving every other month, the new and improved Home app that helps with content discovery and the 802.11a.c. WiFi antenna, Chromecast is smarter, faster and better than it's ever been.The Cast button is the rectangle with broadcasting bars (it looks like the WiFi symbol) in the corner of most apps. Anytime you want to take content from your phone or tablet and send it to the big screen, press the button and select your Chromecast from the list.
Performance
On the whole, the performance is much better on the new Chromecast than the predecessor. Videos load faster and crash less while using apps like Netflix, Hotstar and YouTube, while songs switch with less changing period while using Saavn, Wynk and other music apps.Chromecast basically works as a proxy device, which understands from where the stream is coming and then uses its own internal antenna to stream the video, going away from the screen, or doing some other stuff on your phone or tablet does not affect the streaming. You can even lock your phone and put it aside, plus, you can also control the sound using the volume buttons of the smartphone.
But, despite some major upgrades to the device, streaming still isn't absolutely charming. One might face occasional disconnects and reconnects requiring to jump start a slow video and sometimes video and audio may mismatch. Still, there's a two- to three-second pause before videos start streaming on the device.
It's still the best way to sharpen up your Idiot boxes or Dumb TVs and is the best good quality and cheapest way to get Netflix in your living room.
Final Comments
In my view, the new Chromecast, how cool it may be, it may not be worth replacing an existing old Chromecast if you already own one. But the new version is the most affordable choice for anyone who hasn't bought into Google's streaming platform yet.
But if one likes to watch content on big screens, you may have the excuse for using it another TV. After all, it looks cool and stylish in its funkier small form factor. You won’t be disappointed to buy this new device regarding the performance and nominal price of Rs 3,399 or $35.
Note: Some Devices do not natively support screen casting feature in the Google Home App, thus, they does not cast their screen to the TVs through Chromecast. In my case, My Lenovo Z2 plus was not able to do the same. The solution for this is that you have to download an app and enable the screen casting setting on, in order to cast the display. But again, the problem is that you cannot find the screen cast settings on your phone. For this download this Screen Stream Mirroring app through play store which will take you directly to the screen casting settings, and then turn it on and Voila, now you can cast your mobile screen through the Google Home app.
The answer is very simple, first, it is one of the simple and easy to use streaming devices. All you need to do is plug it into the HDMI port on the back of your TV, give the power supply, connect it to your Wi-Fi using the Google Home app, and its done. Secondly, at Rs. 3,399 (£30, $35), it's really cheap.
Well, before we look at the details, let us get familiar to the term Google Chromecast.
What is Google Chromecast?
The Google Chromecast was intended to bring smart TV functionality to the series of "dumb" TVs a.k.a. idiot boxes that were in the market before smart TVs became popular near the beginning of this decade.
The new Chromecast plugs directly into your TV's HDMI port (do ensure that your TV have a one before you buy this), similarly like the original one, and streams Audio, video and even cast screen from your smart phone, tablet or PC. It is little different from the other screen casting devices as it does not have a remote or a user-interface. The little streamer sits like an electronic pet waiting for the owner’s other devices to tell it what to do.
In this way, it is different from its main competition - the Apple TV and Roku Streaming Stick. Both of these devices can take streaming content from apps like Netflix, Saavn , HBO Now etc., but the plus point is that the google Chromecast is way cheaper than both the devices, compatible and easy to use with the android devices.
Design and Interface
The new Chromecast is an impressive art of engineering. Antennas are placed along the outer sphere to maximize signal reception, while the inside packs enough hardware set up to run things smoothly. The shell is a big change from the original USB stick-style, and it's one that you might either like or dislike, depending on up to what extent you use your Chromecast device for media streaming.The 2015 Chromecast iteration to be as accessible as its predecessor, an easy addition to our home entertainment setup that not requiring any additional hardware or lengthy installation process.
The new Chromecast is available in different colours; Black, Red, Yellow and Orange These colours highlights the top side of the disc that will suspend in air from the HDMI port on the back or side of your TV. You'll find the Chrome logo proudly embedded on top, and only one port along the bottom edge that connects to a micro-USB cable used for power.
The disc measures 51.9 x 51.9 x 13.49mm, which easily fits in your hand. But that means the Chromecast now hangs from the back of your TV instead of holding firmly in its port. It doesn't affect the performance, nor has it loosen while using. In fact, the circular design is great for those who have little space in between the wall and the HDMI port, and it fits easily everywhere.The last two important things on the design is the small reset button along the outer rim that also corresponds to a status LED, and the magnetic, to which you can stick the HDMI cable for easy transportation. It comes this way out of the box, so you will see it while unboxing.
Interface
The initial process takes less than 5 minute to setup the Chromecast, during which most of the time is spent downloading stuff like the Google Home app and firmware for Chromecast, available on both Google Play Store and Apple store. (Though, you can also use a PC or Mac by going to Google's "Getting Started" homepage.)
To continue the setup, you need to connect the Chromecast to your home WiFi or a wireless network and if you don’t have one then you have to additionally buy the Ethernet Adapter for Chromecast that came out in July 2015. At the end of setup, you'll be find a settings screen that will let you to choose to enable Guest Mode and wallpapers.When you're not streaming something to the Chromecast, it will enter a screensaver mode that can display images from Google Photos, Facebook, Flickr, curated artwork, the weather and even headlines from top news sources.The Google Home app serves as the main spot for checking out what content is available to stream and which apps you have already installed that work with your new streaming device.
Content
In terms of both content and performance, the new Google Chromecast is ahead of its predecessor ever was. Along with, many new apps arriving every other month, the new and improved Home app that helps with content discovery and the 802.11a.c. WiFi antenna, Chromecast is smarter, faster and better than it's ever been.The Cast button is the rectangle with broadcasting bars (it looks like the WiFi symbol) in the corner of most apps. Anytime you want to take content from your phone or tablet and send it to the big screen, press the button and select your Chromecast from the list.
Another interesting feature available is the "fast play," which is a sort of prediction algorithm in the Google Home app that determines what you might watch next based on your previous choices. The feature then starts to pre-buffer the video before you start watching it, reducing the loading time before each video, enhancing the rich experience. The only app sorely missing from Chromecast's arsenal is Amazon Prime Instant Video, which the company keeps for the Amazon Fire Stick and TV.
One another potential problem with Chromecast is that it hasn't yet fully prepared itself for gaming in the same way its competition has. Games are few and that are available are very basic, but you can cast your screen and then keep playing watching at the big screen if you can.Google announced that it will take steps to change to more accessible API, pointing to games like Angry Birds Go!, Driver Speedboat Paradise and Just Dance Now have landed on the Google Play store.
These are some sore points, but one can adjust with these and stay assured, thanks to Google doing so much else right on the product. For those wondering about video and audio codecs, the new Chromecast supports H.264 1080p, H.264 720 x 480, MPEG-4, VP8 video and AAC-LC, AC3, eAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), FLAC, MP3, PCM/WAV, Vorbis audio files.The other plus point is that you can also cast your PC screen and watch videos from google chrome directly but the experience is not good as considering the tablet or mobile, but still you get extra functionality, which always adds to features.
One another potential problem with Chromecast is that it hasn't yet fully prepared itself for gaming in the same way its competition has. Games are few and that are available are very basic, but you can cast your screen and then keep playing watching at the big screen if you can.Google announced that it will take steps to change to more accessible API, pointing to games like Angry Birds Go!, Driver Speedboat Paradise and Just Dance Now have landed on the Google Play store.
These are some sore points, but one can adjust with these and stay assured, thanks to Google doing so much else right on the product. For those wondering about video and audio codecs, the new Chromecast supports H.264 1080p, H.264 720 x 480, MPEG-4, VP8 video and AAC-LC, AC3, eAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), FLAC, MP3, PCM/WAV, Vorbis audio files.The other plus point is that you can also cast your PC screen and watch videos from google chrome directly but the experience is not good as considering the tablet or mobile, but still you get extra functionality, which always adds to features.
Performance
On the whole, the performance is much better on the new Chromecast than the predecessor. Videos load faster and crash less while using apps like Netflix, Hotstar and YouTube, while songs switch with less changing period while using Saavn, Wynk and other music apps.Chromecast basically works as a proxy device, which understands from where the stream is coming and then uses its own internal antenna to stream the video, going away from the screen, or doing some other stuff on your phone or tablet does not affect the streaming. You can even lock your phone and put it aside, plus, you can also control the sound using the volume buttons of the smartphone.
But, despite some major upgrades to the device, streaming still isn't absolutely charming. One might face occasional disconnects and reconnects requiring to jump start a slow video and sometimes video and audio may mismatch. Still, there's a two- to three-second pause before videos start streaming on the device.
It's still the best way to sharpen up your Idiot boxes or Dumb TVs and is the best good quality and cheapest way to get Netflix in your living room.
Final Comments
In my view, the new Chromecast, how cool it may be, it may not be worth replacing an existing old Chromecast if you already own one. But the new version is the most affordable choice for anyone who hasn't bought into Google's streaming platform yet.
But if one likes to watch content on big screens, you may have the excuse for using it another TV. After all, it looks cool and stylish in its funkier small form factor. You won’t be disappointed to buy this new device regarding the performance and nominal price of Rs 3,399 or $35.
Note: Some Devices do not natively support screen casting feature in the Google Home App, thus, they does not cast their screen to the TVs through Chromecast. In my case, My Lenovo Z2 plus was not able to do the same. The solution for this is that you have to download an app and enable the screen casting setting on, in order to cast the display. But again, the problem is that you cannot find the screen cast settings on your phone. For this download this Screen Stream Mirroring app through play store which will take you directly to the screen casting settings, and then turn it on and Voila, now you can cast your mobile screen through the Google Home app.
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