I was toying with the idea of buying another Apple TV box for the bedroom TV as our lass has just subscribed to Netflix, but our bedroom TV is not Smart. I then thought that a Chromecast device would be neater and cheaper, but don't really know anything about it i.e. how to control it with a Mac, can it stream Netflix without having to send it from the Mac? Or are there any other similar devices that will allow me to add Netflix to a non Smart TV?
Get a second hand PS3 cheap due to ps4 release will give you Netflix iplayer etc.. Also blue ray player! Plus more.....
Good idea in principal, although I need to be minimalist in my case as the TV is on a wall with no visible accessories allowed by SWIMBO. So I need to be able to hide a streamer behind the TV and the Chromecast is like a HDMI Dongle.
I've got something similar to this as you can stream nearly everything to it where as the Google one only let's you do certain things iconBIT Toucan OMNICAST HDMI Streaming Dongle | Maplin
Looks like Chromecast needs your mobile/tablet to stream netflix https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/3046480?hl=en
One other problem with chromecast is that you can't stream 3rd party films from your mobile device only ones from the play store
Not a bad idea as long as it doesn't log me out, otherwise I could really do with one that uses the App like my Apple TV box in the main room. Just seen that Amazon have a Fire TV box that has a Netflix App, but is just as big as another Apple TV box. I suppose I need to find someone who has a Chromecast that I try out.
Cheers guys. After a little reading to "Cast" means to stream from mobile/PC to the Chromecast, rather than stream as a stand alone device, which is what I want to do rather than leave my PC/phone to do the streaming. So it's either Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV for me
Bugger I'm torn now. Amazon Fire TV is now £65 on Amazon and includes Apps for Netflix, Spotify, BBC iPlayer, STV player (no ITV Player) and Channel 5 OD (no Channel 4OD). Apple TV box (similar price second hand) has Netflix, NOW TV and all 4 catchup TV Apps. I definitely need Netflix, but NOW TV and Catchup TV Apps would be a bonus as the kids have NOW TV for the kids channels. I'd go with Apple TV on that basis, but the Amazon box doesn't require line of sight for the remote, so the box can be hidden away.
I've recently bought a Chromecast and it does a lot more than I thought. The chromecast doesn't stream stuff from your mobile. Your mobile simply tells the chromecast what to do and it does the rest. In essence your phone / tablet is just a remote for the chromecast. It streams the stuff itself from the internet. After installing Plex on my PC and on my phone I've also got the Chromecast to stream movies off my PC upstairs, just like I used to do with my WDTV Live box. That's now been consigned to the bin. You can even mirror your phone / tablet's screen on the Chromecast so you can browse the web. I can't think of anything else I want it to do.
Ahha the plot thickens. Can you turn your phone off while streaming something and does it have NOW TV as well as Netfix?
Yeah. The phone has no further involvement once it's started playing. The Chromecast fetches the info from the net itself. Which is good because it doesn't flatten the battery on your mobile either. All your Google stuff works with it. Your Google Play Music will stream directly to the Chromecast. Same with movies etc.
We have one at home and I've not really used it much if I'm honest. But I can confirm that for most apps, the mobile/tablet really just acts as a remote to start the streaming session off. There is also a Chrome extension that allows you to stream anything that your web browser on your PC/laptop is looking at - straight to your chromecast. So potentially - if it's on the web and Chrome can see it - then Chromecast can stream it. Although I would imagine that your PC/Laptop needs to be on while you are streaming for that to work. Not tried it myself tho.
Confirmed. You can cast your PC's screen to the chromecast if you're browsing the web using Chrome. If you can find a stream for the MotoGP, for example, then you could cast your PC screen to your Chromecast and view it that way.
If your smart phone or tablet is android , then you should look at showbox, it allows you to stream loads of movies and TV stuff through your chromecast
