You unpack your Chromecast. Connect it to the HDMI port of your TV. Then you stream YouTube videos to it and forget about it...
At just $18, the Chromecast is an unambiguous way to make your TV "smart," but it can feel a bit like a one-trick pony once the initial euphoria wears off.
Fortunately, by using various collections of apps, you can turn your Chromecast into a full-featured media player, even smaller than the Raspberry Pi. The Easiest Raspberry Pi Media Center - Powered by RasPlex The Easiest Raspberry Pi Media Center - Powered by RasPlex Read More !
With your Chrome device connected to your TV, Wi-Fi, and setup complete, the first way you can use is to cast video from the Chrome browser on your desktop or laptop, using the Google Cast extension.
This could be the YouTube video currently being watched, or perhaps content streamed from Hulu or BBC iPlayer if you live in the UK. You may even be watching Netflix or Amazon Instant Video on your desktop, and while you're using the Chromecast extension, the video can be cast from your computer to your Chromecast and viewed on your TV. There are plenty of other PC to Chromecast options, from screen sharing to gaming 8 Creative Uses for Google's Chromecast 8 Creative Uses for Google's Chromecast We've found 8 unique uses for Google's Chromecast. Read on to learn how you can make even more use of your Chromecast. Read more . In fact, it is even possible to use Chromecast with Google Hangouts calls. The easiest way to Chromecast your Hangout. The easiest way to Chromecast your Hangout. If you have a Chromecast, you may have thought about how you could use it for Chromecast. a Hangout session. How? That's actually surprisingly easy. Read more !
It is simple and can be achieved with a minimum of clicks. However, it is not particularly convenient. If you don't own a laptop, there could be a lot of stuff in your computer room and TV room.
Using Windows Phone, Android or iOS? Each has various apps that can be used with Chromecast, and Android and iOS have official Chromecast apps to set up the device, though this can also be done via a desktop of course.
Naturally, Android users have the best collection of Chromecast-enabled apps, which means you can install Netflix, Hulu, iPlayer, etc. apps, almost all the ones you'd expect, along with VLC Media Player (enhanced with Chromecast support). Coming to Chromecast in mid 2014, Chromecast support coming to VLC for Android, iOS, and Desktop Chromecast support coming to VLC for Android, iOS, and Desktop VLC has announced Chromecast support coming in six weeks, first in the iOS version of the app, and then to the Android and desktop versions Read More
You can find a full list of supported media apps for your territory on the Chromecast website, where you'll find apps like Blinkbox, Red Bull TV, Vevo, and even TuneIn Radio.
While it's simple enough to cast video from your Chrome browser to your TV via Chromecast, this isn't particularly useful for any media you may have stored on your PC. Videos and music in your Windows Libraries (or stored on home drives in Mac OS X and Linux) cannot be cast to the Chromecast through normal means as they cannot be opened in the Chrome web browser.
However, this does not mean that they cannot be cast to the Chromecast!
By using Plex Media Server, you can index media on your desktop and when used in conjunction with the $4.99 Plex Android app (free if you have a Plex Pass Improving the best media center, with a Plex Pass [Gift] Making the best Media Center better, with a Plex Pass [Giveaway] Love Plex? You'll love a Plex Pass even more. With new and exclusive features only for Plex Pass holders, it's the best way to support the development of the best application Read More) or iOS (but not the Windows Phone Plex app), you can cast the streamed content to Chromecast.
This is a surprisingly simple process. After installing and configuring Plex on your computer (our detailed guide covers that). Your guide to Plex:The Awesome Media Center. Your guide to Plex:The Awesome Media Center. If you have a lot of movies and TV shows saved locally, you need to install Plex. And this is the only guide to getting started with Plex, you'll ever need to read. Read More
Once that's done, it's helpful to browse to any channels that are engaging (such as Twitch, Vimeo, even YouTube, BBC iPlayer when available, etc.) and install them. You can then use the + button at the top left to add the locations of your movies, TV shows, music, photos, and home videos to the media center library.
Plex will find the DVD/Blu-ray covers you're missing when indexing your media, and associate them with your video and audio, making it easy to find what you're looking for in your desktop or mobile media manager. /P>
On your mobile device, install the client app login with the credentials you set up earlier. As long as the PC with media content, the mobile device, and the Chromecast are on the same network, you should be able to browse your Plex server content from the mobile device and hit the Chromecast button to send it to your TV.
One of the best things about using Plex is that it doesn't demand as many system resources as other media center apps. Using your Android or iOS phone/tablet as a remote is the magic juice that casts your Plex content to your TV, effectively turning your Chromecast into as good a media center as you'll find.
It's surprising that for just $18 the Chromecast can do so much, especially after a period of uncertainty following its high-profile launch. Fortunately, developers have finally caught up with the technology and streaming content from a smartphone to Chromecast is now a common feature in media players.
Plex's support for Chromecast is also a big plus. Maybe you're still undecided between Chromecast, Apple TV, and Roku Chromecast vs. Apple TV vs. Roku:Which Media Streamer is Right for You? Chromecast vs. AppleTV vs. Roku:Which Media Streamer Is Right For You? Media streaming devices are simply awesome. Those little boxes that plug into your TV can add a host of entertainment options to your living room. But which device is best for you? Read More Have you already used it? Do you plan to use it with Plex? Let us know in the comments!
