Customer Reviews

Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player

Update 2: The Chromecast Help links I gave have been stripped out. If you search on the terms I used you should find them. Alternatively, please post a question and if I see it I'll give them again. Links in questions seem to survive better :-)

Update 1: BT Sport app added from April 7th.

This Chromecast review is a summary of:

*what it is,
*what it does well,
*what it doesn't do well,
*what it doesn't do at all.

so that folks can decide whether it's for them, and have realistic and accurate expectations.

So - what it is:

Chromecast (CC) is a small wireless dongle, designed to be inserted into a spare HDMI socket on a TV, AV amp, console etc. No other connections are available, in or out. A short HDMI cable extender is included, in case access is tight. The dongle is about 7.0cms long tip to tip, and about 3.5cms across at its widest point. Our main chromecast didn't need the extender on the lounge TV, but the kitchen chromecast did.

It needs power, either from a spare USB socket on the TV, or via a supplied 3 pin UK mains plug. It wirelessly connects to your router. Set-up is straightforward. It doesn't come with a remote. Instead, it uses what you already have in your pocket, or readily to hand - a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, or laptop. They become a remote-with-a-display, unlike a dumb "buttons only" remote.

Mobile devices need to be android (running Android 2.3 and higher), or iPhone/iPad/iPod (iOS� 6 and higher), computers need to be chromebooks, or running the chrome browser on W7 and later, or chrome for Mac on 10.7 and higher.

What it does well:

Its main purpose is to stream (directly from the internet) services from supported apps (what Google call "optimized" apps). On launch day in the UK, these included BBC iPlayer (free in the UK), Netflix (subscription), Google Play Movies/Music (buy or rent), and YouTube (free). BT Sport has been subsequently added (free for BT Broadband customers).

The current UK list is here:

[...]

In the US, users don't have BBC iPlayer or BT Sport, but do have HBO Go and Hulu services. Otherwise the app line-up is pretty similar. The US services we don't get are not available in the UK, on any legal platform. Territorial restrictions are a decision for the service providers, not a deficiency of Chromecast. Amazon Video does not work on Chromecast either in the UK or US.

The development kit has been released and apparently thousands of developers have signed up. So it can be expected that more services will be supported in time. Roku boxes and Apple TV have been going longer so have more services, but let's be realistic - if a box has a 1000 apps, 995 will likely be dross you'd look at once, and never again. Apple TV has been going 7 years, and it still doesn't have BBC iPlayer.

But if you like a box with wires and yet another remote and like paying 3 times the price, or prefer a server set-up rivalled only by the BBC's operation, have multiple connection requirements, or prefer subscription services from VM or Sky, knock yourself out with one of those solutions.

With CC, you browse the service you want on a mobile device, choose your title, press the cast icon on the app, and that tells CC to grab the stream directly from the internet. It's then doing the heavy lifting, so your device is free to take calls, browse, do whatever - even be switched off - although in practice you'd probably leave it on, so you can pause the stream when you go and put the kettle on.

On my Nexus phone and tablet, I can pause/stop the CC even with the phone locked, a neat touch.

This feature cannot be over-stressed. With an optimized app, CC handles the streaming, NOT your device.

On our set up it handles this main function very well. In fact, we have iPlayer on the TV and PVR, and the equivalent on CC is better. It loads quicker, and buffers less. We have Amazon Video with the old Lovefilm app on the TV, and frankly, I prefer Netflix (more on Amazon Video later).

Hidden away, no wires, no box, not another clunky remote you use by looking up and down from the TV. What's not to like?

We got CC #1 last year from Amazon US, to add Netflix and Google Play Movies to our existing line up, and it does this brilliantly and discretely. So much so we got CC #2 when it launched in the UK, to get some smart services on the kitchen telly.

That's its main purpose, and it does it simply and well. For �30.

What it doesn't do well:

CC has a beta feature where you can cast content from a chrome browser on a computer, hence the reference to PC and Mac. You're looking on your laptop at, say, the M&S; web-site, with a little video going. With the cast extension from Google Apps, you can cast (mirror) that browser to the TV. In some instances, you can maximise the video so that it fills the TV screen.

The cast extension for the chrome browser is available here:

[...]

More on this beta feature is available here from Chromecast Help, entitled "Casting a Tab":

[...]

with the difference between casting an optimized app, and casting a browser, here:

[...]

You can cast your local content from a computer over to the big screen. This can work too from an android or iDevice phone or tablet. With mobile, people mention Plex a lot, sometimes Allcast. I can already show my stuff on the big screen using Samsung's Allshare DLNA style feature, so this is not a major need for me.

The point is, casting your local videos etc or a browser depends on the content, the kit, and your network. Pushing video across is intensive, and users have reported varying degrees of success. Sites that use plug-ins such as as Silverlight, Quicktime & VLC are not supported, and may result in a lack of picture or sound.

If this is your main requirement, in all honesty, look elsewhere. A cable connection will be less tidy, but likely to be more successful.

What is doesn't do at all:

As the listing says, it doesn't support Amazon Instant/Prime Video. That's an Amazon decision, not a deficiency with Chromecast. AIV/APV does not work directly on any UK dedicated streaming box, nor on the world's biggest selling mobile OS (other than the forked version of android found on the Kindle Fire). So that rules out standard android phones and tablets. It only works on their mobile kit, or iDevices. An iDevice apparently can push it to Apple TV via Airplay.

Amazon list compatible devices here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/ontv/devices

It would be reasonable to say that any of these is likely to cost significantly more than �30.

We have it via the original Lovefilm app on the TV, and the switchover has been poor. The result is that now we use Netflix far more.

If Amazon Video is important to you, don't expect it to work, probably ever, on Chromecast. Amazon have announced their own Amazon Fire TV in the US. It's a box solution. There's no UK launch date yet. If you don't already have and want this service, buy one of the other devices on the list, or wait to see if Fire TV comes out here.

Meanwhile, keep in mind they want you to watch their content, on their kit.

Chromecast won't cast a browser from a tablet. Again, if that's your main requirement, look elsewhere. Perhaps some kind of miracast dongle, or a suitable cable connection such as mini HDMI to HDMI, or slim-port. Your connector sockets and hardware will determine this.

Chromecast doesn't include ITV Player, C4OD, and Demand 5. They might come, who knows. The apps are there in Google Play, and presumably iTunes, so if they wanted they could do a re-code and add a cast option, just as BT Sport did. You could spend a �1000 on a new TV, and still not get all the UK's catch-up services. If they can be viewed in a chrome browser, the browser *might* cast over. But as I said earlier, this is not the device's main purpose.

Summary:

That's about it really. What it does well, it does well. What it doesn't do well, it doesn't do well. And what it doesn't do at all, it doesn't do at all.

Read the tin. Visit Google Play Devices and read their listing. Read the reviews on PC Pro, PC Advisor etc. Go to the Chromecast Help Centre and read that.

If you want a box with various connection options, another remote, and more services, pony up the extra cash.

If you want a simple, neat, cheap device to add some smart online services, with more to come, spend pocket money and buy a Chromecast. Some will say it provides a pocket money service. Fine. They will tend to support their own solution. That's human nature. Make up your own mind. If an Apple or Roku box does more, it should. They're more expensive. That they do more, and Chromecast does less in some respects, does not make Chromecast crap. For a value-for-money, neat solution, it is incomparable if your main need is to easily add the online services without wires.

But please, do read the tin :-)

The aggressive pricing combined with the functionality of this tiny device is fast becoming a must have for many! The package comes bundled with everything you could possibly need to get you up and running in no time. All you need is an existing Wi-Fi/internet connection.

Prior to proceeding with the full review, I will highlight what I consider to be the pros and cons of the Chromecast. There might me other cons which I have yet to discover.

Pros:
- Provides seamless streaming of high definition web media such as Youtube, Netflix, BBC iPlayer (for UK only), Google Play movies, and more
- Very easy to setup and use
- Cross platform compatibility
- Converts your Smart or conventional HD TV into the Smartest of TVs
- Can be controlled via your smartphone rather than a dedicated wireless keyboard, which would probably cost as much as this device itself
- Unit connects directly to an HDMI port and is powered by a USB, making for a very stealthy device
- Many software developers are integrating CC compatibility into their apps adding new functionality to this device
- Very low power consumption. Plug and forget
- Price

Cons:
- No Amazon LOVEFiLM
- Single band Wi-Fi antenna operating on 2.4Ghz (802.11b/g/n).
To date:
- Limited media format support (mp4 and mp3). Relies heavily on third party applications for other formats.
- Streaming of media stored on certain devices leaves to be desired. Inclusion of the 5GHz band would have helped
- Mirroring of the desktop screen is still in Beta version

FULL REVIEW
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SO WHAT IS THE CHROMECAST? :

The CC is a 3inch dongle which plugs into an HDMI port on an HD TV or A/V equippment and is powered via the provided USB cable (a mains adapter is also included just in case). Once set up it automatically connects to the internet providing seamless streaming of many "popular" web media services. The list is increasing thanks to its ever growing appeal and cross platform compatibility. The Chromecast can be controlled via smartphones, Android & iOS devices and desktop computers. This avoids the need for some clunky remote controller!

What it does best is the streaming of media stored on the web, yet there really is no limit to the capabilities of this little device thanks to technological advancements and the numerous app developers jumping aboard the Chromecast's wagon.

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INSTALLATION & SETUP:

To start off, you need a free HDMI port on your TV (or a/v equippment). Yet you might find that there is not enough room to plug the device due to its relatively bulky design. Thankfully the unit comes with an extension interface which addresses the issue. This interface is narrow enough to fit next to existing occupied HDMI ports, and the Chromecast will snugly fit over it. The next step powering the device. If you do not have a USB port on your TV, or are using it for a keyboard (you won't need it any longer most probably), than a mains adapter is included in the package. The micro USB power supply needs to be connected to the device itself. The unit will come to life, indicated by a flashing LED light on the unit itself.
That's it! You can now forget about the unit and proceed to the next step.

Setting up the CC is performed via an app named "Chromecast", available for iOS and Android. This will aid you in configuring the Wi-Fi settings for your home Wi-Fi. The Chromecast will then automatically log on to the internet and remain connected.

The TV screen will spring to life with an endless slide show of stunning photos. I find the very professional looking Chromecast homescreen so relaxing to view thanks to the lovely landscape scenes.

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FUNCTIONALITY:

Up until today seamless streaming is limited to web media such as Youtube, Netflix, BBC iPlayer (for UK only), Google Play movies, and others services being updated nearly every other day!

So let's say you want to view a youtube video:
On an Android or iOS devices, just open the youtube app and select the video you wish to watch. An icon in the form of a small window will appear within the youtube window. Clicking the icon and selecting Chromecast TV will stream the selected video on the TV in HD.

If using a desktop or laptop computer:
1 Open the youtube video using the Google Chrome browser.
2 Click the icon displayed within the youtube window. Do not click icon on the top right hand side of the browser itself. If you do so the "Cast this tab to ...Beta" is displayed, and you will not get the desired result.

Videos are automatically streamed in HD and a point worth noting is that the Chromecast will use your broadband connection directly, and not route the signal via the device you chose to "stream" from. This means that if you are using a tablet or phone, there will no battery drain and you can use your device for other applications. Streaming speed is only limited by the broadband to Chromecast connection, thus leaving your computer, phone or tablet to work like a remote control. (This is particularly useful when using a smartphone as it will replace the need for a dedicated keyboard or remote whilst still being able to function as a phone!)

Thanks to periodic "silent" firmware updates, I am now exploring other options like mirroring of the chrome web page to the TV, using the "Cast this tab to ...Beta" mentioned earlier. The firmware updates also improve compatibility with the ever growing number of Apps, which is great.

I noticed that "Regza-Link" is displayed (on the HDMI option) on my 3 year old 47" Toshiba TV when connecting the Chromecast. This means that the TV automatically switches on (if on standby) and goes to the Chromecast channel when it detects a streaming request.

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EXISTING LIMITATIONS:

Amazon LOVEFiLM subscribers will find that they cannot stream these movies. This is not a limitation of the Chromecast itself ........ Amazon has launched its own Amazon Fire TV in the US (2nd April), so it is highly unlikely to ever see CC support.

Streaming media stored on a device is not so straight forward, yet to be fair this 30� Chromecast was not originally designed to do so. However apps like Plex and BubbleUPNP have come aboard to address this issue and enhance the CC's capabilities. This was made possible thanks to Google re releasing the software development kit. Once again this should set an example to other manufacturers!

The cross platform free App named "Plex" gives the Chromecast a much welcome upgrade in streaming such media. This application is launched within Google Chrome and offers a more streamlined operation. It is fairly easy to install, and the homepage will guide you through the setup process. This requires the creation of a free account. The installation webpage might lead you to think that you need to buy a subscription in order to use Chromecast, yet you don't have to.

BubbleUPNP is free, very easy to setup, and works a treat on android devices. It even searches for media on other network computers!

Thanks to very helpful user comments and research, I will continue to update this review to reflect my experience with the Chromecast.

Update: "Tasker" android app has integrated CC compatibility via "Autocast" on April 5th.

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In mid-February 2014, Google finally released the Chromecast SDK (Software Developer Kit) !! Great news, as this means that software developers can integrate CC compatibility into their apps, thus making this little device even more appealing!
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CONCLUSION:

This Chromecast has great potential which is being exploited via firmware updates and better in-app integration. Given the ever growing popularity, I am confident that this little gem will get even better in a very short time. Yet my 5 star rating is based on what it can actually do right now. If it gets any better it would be an added bonus.

The bottom line is that the Chromecast does what it was designed to do extremely well, and ease of use, cross-platform compatibility and price make it a clear winner!!

Highly recommended to anyone seeking the easiest, cheapest and effective web media viewing experience!!

Happy viewing :)

So easy to set up!
Open box, remove dongle and power cable (there's a flexible HDMI adaptor in there too if you need the dongle to sit flush with the TV, if you're TV is wall mounted for example) plug dongle into HDMI inlet, power cable into USB port (or plug into mains adaptor if you don't have a USB on your TV - also supplied) connect power lead to dongle, then open your Chromecast app (I'm using the iOS version) It then locates your device, you confirm your network password and bosh!
That's it! Good to go...
You get a wonderful crisp 1080p picture, (I have experienced no buffering issues so far either - and that's on a measly 3 Mbps connection, so much better than is the norm on my YouView box :-$)
You've got UK support for YouTube, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, BT Sport (!) Vevo and some others too, which will work from their native apps on your phone/tablet similar to AirPlay.
In addition, if you use Chrome as your browser on your PC/laptop then unsurprisingly there is a free browser extension available from which you can beam your browser screen to your TV screen, which effectively gives you access to all of the other players available or pretty much anything else you wish to view.
Purchased as a cheap alternative to the AppleTV on our main TV, this works just as well on a technical level and the browser extension gives me potentially just as much content.

Superb device, and so cheap. Works brilliantly. An absolute must buy. But... Pathetic Amazon won't allow the tab browsing function of desktop Chrome to sream Lovefilm videos to Chromecast. Absolutely fed up with Amazon and their petty refusal to work with Google, especially as the whole Kindle operating system is a knocked down version of Google's own Android OS. As well as refusing to allow me to access my Lovefilm account on any Android device, this latest petty stance from Amazon makes me mad. Closing Lovefilm account and getting rid of any Kindle software and devices. Had enough. Sort your politics out!

Works well and does what it says on the tin. I wanted something that could mirror from my laptop and this is by far the cheapest solution that does this. Others have complained that mirroring has resulted in the picture jumping but, aside from a 1-2 second delay (which is the same for video and audio so doesn't cause problems) I haven't experienced this at all. One thing I would warn is that it doesn't yet have apps for some video services. Usually this doesn't cause issues, as you can just mirror that service from your laptop, however some services like Sky's Now TV use Microsoft Silverlight, which doesn't play nice with Chromecast.

If you want to be able to mirror from your laptop, get a Chromecast. If you only use above-board streaming services like iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, etc., then your best bet is the Roku 3/Roku Streaming Stick. Unlike pretty much every other player in the market, Roku doesn't have its own streaming services, and supports virtually every service you could imagine. It also has the best interface, allowing you to search for a film or TV episode through all of the services you have access to, rather than pointing you towards its own service and risking you paying again for something you already have.

I have the Chromecast for one TV and for travel and the Roku 3 for my living room.

Before you buy one of these, here's what you need to understand.

To use Chromecast you will need:
* A television with a HDMI port and either a USB port or a spare mains adapter somewhere close by.
* A smartphone or a tablet (Android or IOS).
* A wireless network.

The Chromecast is a simple little gadget with no buttons (apart from a factory reset button), no manual, and no UI to speak of. It's simple to set up: inside the box you'll find the Chromecast itself, which looks like an oversized USB memory stick, a short HDMI extender, a USB power lead and a mains adapter. Plug the Chromecast into a spare HDMI socket on your TV, plug one end of the USB lead into the end of the Chromecast and the other into a USB port on your TV if you have one - if not, use the mains adapter - and your TV should switch to the HDMI channel. You are instructed to download an app onto your smartphone or tablet - Android or IOS - and once installed you are asked which wifi network you wish to join the Chromecast to. That's it. You can give the Chromecast a name via the app if you like, so it helps to give it an intuitive name like "Bedroom TV" or whatever, especially if you buy more than one Chromecast.

If you switch to the Chromecast channel on your TV (change to the HDMI input source via your remote control) you see a nice screen saver - the photos cycle every so often - along with a clock and the words "ready to cast." There is no user interface to speak of. Instead you control the Chromecast from your phone or tablet. Some applications such as YouTube, BBC iPlayer, Google Play Music, Netflix, BBC Sport etc. have a Chromecast icon at the top of the screen. Once you've connected to your wifi network, open the app, tap this icon, specify which Chromecast you wish to connect to, and then play your content, whatever it may be, and it appears on the screen. You can now do whatever you like with your phone or tablet, and can even turn it off if you like. When you use Chromecast you essentially "delegate" things to it, using the phone or tablet a little like a remote control. If you send music from Google Play Music the album art appears on the screen, but if you open Google Play Music on your computer and click the cog icon you can enable a lab setting which displays a looped video clip of a log fire instead, which is nice :-)

Is it an all-singing, all-dancing system that gives you a remote control, the ability to download films and do X, Y and Z with it? No, but for �30 it is an absolute bargain and the apps you use on your tablet or phone provide the functionality, so if you subscribe to Netflix for example you can watch that via your TV. I've not experienced any buffering or connection issues with my Chromecast but then again I have a good wifi network and fibre broadband. Ultimately Chromecast is a simple solution and can turn pretty much any TV into a smart TV, and all for �30. I've already bought two and am about to buy a third!

Bargain of the year! A fabulous little product.

I live in an ultra-rural area where even basic "FreeView" reception is non-existent. Due to the trees around the property, satellite TV cannot be installed either... which for me personally has never been a problem (I don't like TV anyway, and what I do want to watch I watch online using streaming services like Netflix and YouTube). My kids, on the other hand, are too young to be handed the reigns of an internet-going device, yet - when we aren't out enjoying the world - have the need to be entertained from time to time.

That's where the Chromecast really comes into its own!

Simply plug it into the HDMI socket on your TV (or monitor, if that's what you've got). Connect the USB to power (some TVs and monitors provide USB sockets, but it comes with the required 3-pin UK mains adapter anyway so no worries there).

Turn the TV on, switch to the HDMI input (most TVs do this automatically) and fire up your mobile device (I use Android, and did the setup from one of my tablets).

Somehow (I'm thinking "witchcraft" despite being in the computer industry for over 2 decades) once you install the Chromecast app on your mobile device, you'll be able to see your lovely new Chromecast dongle register on your mobile device's screen.
Keep in mind that you haven't connected the Chromecast to your WiFi yet, and it doesn't use Bluetooth... so how the two devices communicate at this point is entirely beyond me!

Anyway, you'll go through the very straight-forward setup process for the Chromecast on your mobile device.

Once that's all done, fire up YouTube, Netflix or any of the other compatible apps on any compliant device on your network and you'll be able to instruct the service to play (and queue) videos up on your Chromecast.... remotely!

It basically turns something incredibly boring (a television) into something infinitely enjoyable (Internet entertainment).

Best �30 I've ever spent!

I really like this from google , easy set up and anybody wanting to watch you tube on their tv this will certainly do the job.

Compared with Roku and Apple TV this is very cheap. However, while those two devices are standalone and come with a remote control, Chromecast is controlled from a tablet or laptop.

It was easy to set up provided you have a decent wifi signal.

Very important to note - this is not designed to stream movies and audio from other devices in your home to the TV. It is designed to stream this data from the cloud. So, if you have bought a movie from Play, it is not streamed from your tablet to the TV. The tablet communicates with Play and it is then streamed directly to the Chromecast dongle.

To use the dongle an app is needed on an android or IOS device. It can also be used with a laptop and a Chrome browser. All the devices have to be on the same WiFi network as the Chromecast dongle.

However, if you are slightly technical, using a Google search you will find that there are apps for an android tablet that lets you stream direct from the tablet. I could not get this to work with a fist gen Nexus 7 but it worked without any problems with a Samsung tablet. I also found a method of streaming movies from a Mac laptop hard drive to Chromecast.

One odd little benefit is the really lovely photographs that are displayed on your TV if the dondle is on but not being used - a bit like a slide show.

Get One!
I'm always on YouTube or Netflix, Prime instant video which I could watch through all my games consoles and Blu-ray players, even my Sony TV. The gripe I had was that it felt like such a long winded process, especially with the TV remote to search for videos and selections. I done my research on Chromecast and decided to get it and it makes my viewing experience a lot easier and cooler.
I haven't at this time downloaded apps like Plex because chromecast works for what I need anyway.
You can mirror the browser screen of your laptop on your TV too which could come in handy for in browser games too
Really good for loading up music if you have people round and in my opinion, work the money.
Easy to set up.
Every living room should have one.