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TypeS
join:2012-12-17
London, ON

TypeS to TOPDAWG

Member

to TOPDAWG

Re: Chromecast comes to Canada

Yeah that's pretty much what I think as well. I never think of using any media device over wireless but that's the only option with the Chromecast.

The WDTV Play is double the price but has Ethernet, which I prefer for 1080p streaming.

HenryA
join:2011-05-28

HenryA

Member

I used to run my WD Live unit on wireless...with horrible results. Ugh. I used an "N" DWA 180. Never ever do that again. I switched to powerline ethernet (Actiontec pwr500 and D-link DHP-306) about a year ago. Best decision I ever made. I can stream 1080p/ AC3 without a problem.

milnoc
join:2001-03-05
Ottawa

milnoc

Member

My experience with streaming Netflix and YouTube in 1080p on my Sony Blu-Ray player and my ASUS Cube Google TV device has been very reliable. My router is a Linksys WRT54GL loaded with Tomato firmware, and is located only 10 feet away from my TV. I would expect to see very similar results with the Chromecast device.

As far as streaming video files from my computer to these devices is concerned, forget it! The number of incompatibilities I've encountered, especially with MKV files, is frustrating to no end! It's much easier for me to simply plug my Dell Optiplex 3020 computer into my home entertainment system via HDMI, and just use Zoom Player which supports just about everything you can throw at it.

The Chromecast is a bit of a dilemma. I already have a Sony Blu-Ray player on which to play Netflix in 1080p (YouTube is usually played via the computer). Plus, I have an older TV and receiver that can't relay the digital sound from the Chromecast back through the TV and into the receiver. I would have to plug the Chromecast directly into the receiver which, on top of not having a USB port for the power, would also shield the Chromecast from the Wi-Fi router due to the amount of metal that would surround it.

If I didn't already have Netflix enabled devices in my entertainment system, the Chromecast would have been a "Maybe". But now, it's just too little, too late.

Gone
Premium Member
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON

Gone

Premium Member

I plugged one of my Chromecasts directly into the receiver, it worked fine. I just used USB adapter so that it receives power from the wall. Wifi performance has not been an issue.

AppleGuy
Premium Member
join:2013-09-08
Kitchener, ON

AppleGuy to TypeS

Premium Member

to TypeS
said by TypeS:

Did not know about Plex. Does it play a good majority of file types?

If so seems like for $39 it's quite the device. Just wonder about wireless performance and 1080p content.

Okay, so I went to Future Shop and bought the D-Link DIR-505 router/access point/hotspot. It's specifically made for hotel rooms with ethernet (most have ethernet).

Anyway, set up easily, and have HD content watching Netflix. Perfect. So it validates my Chromecast purchase.

That router is on sale at FS for $29.99 -- I had it reserved, they put away the wrong one, tried to upgrade me with a regular router, then I explained what I was doing, and they found one DIR-505 in stock, gave me $5 off for my time.

As for performance, it works well. Can't really go wrong for $39. It's super portable which is a selling feature. Between that and the router, they both pack easily as they are both super small. I do recommend if you travel at all to buy a "Travel Router" as they call them.

Dingusz
@start.ca

Dingusz to milnoc

Anon

to milnoc
Chromecast is a rather interesting device, a bit restricted but very good price/performance for what it's designed to do. I got mine for $29.99 during Amazon.com's black Friday sale, but retired it after ~2 months.

If you want proper streaming box, get a Roku, Apple TV or a RasberryPi with XBMC if you're the tinkering type.

If you want the best of what the internet has to offer, build yourself a small form factor PC or use Intel's WiDi function with an appropriate receiver.

As with any Google product, it usually takes 3-5 generations to get it right (nexus devices anyone?)
Chromecast 2.0 shall be interesting.

milnoc
join:2001-03-05
Ottawa

milnoc

Member

For the SFF PC option, I used a Shuttle SG33G5 for seven years before upgrading to a Dell Optiplex 3020 SFF with both SSD and HD upgrades, and a low profile AMD 7750 video card.

Still need the Blu-Ray player for Netflix though as the PC version won't support Super-HD.

Dingusz
@start.ca

Dingusz

Anon

said by milnoc:

For the SFF PC option, I used a Shuttle SG33G5 for seven years before upgrading to a Dell Optiplex 3020 SFF with both SSD and HD upgrades, and a low profile AMD 7750 video card.

Still need the Blu-Ray player for Netflix though as the PC version won't support Super-HD.

Very nice.
I built myself an AMD APU machine (FM2+ mITX) with high speed ram (DDR3 2400) and a Blu-ray drive.
The APU platform is a beaut, since AMD doesn't do a socket swap every 2 years, and GPU and CPU is on one die. As long as the ram can keep up, significantly upgrading the performance is just a matter of swapping out a sub $200 chip every 3-5 years.

Still contemplating whether I should put in a 4TB HDD or not, never really recorded anything I watched.

But back to Chromecast... The little bugger runs hot... wayyyy too hot...

milnoc
join:2001-03-05
Ottawa

milnoc

Member

Not surprising considering they're squeezing a 1080p capable video renderer and graphics engine in a dongle.

Teddy Boom
k kudos Received
Premium Member
join:2007-01-29
Toronto, ON

3 edits

Teddy Boom to Gone

Premium Member

to Gone
said by Gone:

which is why you use Plex for local content instead.

Can somebody explain Plex for the tech head?

Like, technically simple, not simple minded the way their website is. "Organize your media"? No thanks, my media is already organized. "Make your media beautiful"? No thanks, I want to see my media, not your fancy UI. But people say it works, so...

EDIT:
Some things I'm learning on the go.

Pricing..
-Price for the Android app is $5.50.
-Is there a price for the Chromecast app (looks like it might be built in? Is that just that Chromecast is a DLNA device?)?
-Price for Google TV app is $1.10.
-Free on Samsung TVs, but apparently there are big changes coming from Samsung March 26th.
-Looks like it is free on many NAS platforms.

PC Server
It insists on its own library structure, which is annoying. Adding folders looks easy and doesn't seem to break my organization, so fine. It did not offer to browse network locations, but it did accept a network path. It is now painfully scanning a huge drive full of content.. Why?!!? I know what I have, I don't need Plex to index it. Hell, I don't want Plex to know!

Gone
Premium Member
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON

Gone

Premium Member

It's more or less a DLNA server with a pretty front end.

Teddy Boom
k kudos Received
Premium Member
join:2007-01-29
Toronto, ON

Teddy Boom

Premium Member

said by Gone:

It's more or less a DLNA server with a pretty front end.

Ya... Thing is, I want to get some streaming sticks for my home, and I have customers asking me for recommendations all the time, but I don't actually have any hardware to test with at the moment.

I installed the server on my PC. I'm hesitant to pay $5.50 to put it on my phone at this point.

And, I really don't like that the service knows about all my media.. Why would anybody want that?

Any suggestions for a good tech head solution? What good DLNA servers are out there for Windows? Any way to turn a PC into a DLNA receiver for testing?

I find this entire topic incredibly frustrating

Gone
Premium Member
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON

Gone

Premium Member

If you want a DLNA server to stream to a Chromecast, you're using Plex. There is no "other solution" and the idea of scanning your media is pretty much the norm for the majority of the DLNA server solutions out there.

And if you don't want to pay $5.50 for the Android app, don't pay it.
yyzlhr
join:2012-09-03
Scarborough, ON

1 recommendation

yyzlhr to Teddy Boom

Member

to Teddy Boom
I believe the chrome web app is free and supports chrome cast. I have not tried it though.

Teddy Boom
k kudos Received
Premium Member
join:2007-01-29
Toronto, ON

Teddy Boom to Gone

Premium Member

to Gone
$5.50 is obviously peanuts, but it doesn't really sound like this is much different than any of the other consumer oriented, consumer lock down, solution.

Anyplace I should be looking for this kind of info that isn't dumbed down but isn't a developer forum?

And don't even get me started on simultaneous in sync streaming to multiple destinations. Why isn't this a completely solved problem?!?! Doesn't even seem like many people are working on it..

Back in the day, I used TV Out to an Agile Modulator and then just tuned all the TVs and TV tuner cards to that station. It was fantastic! I gave up on that when all broadcasting went digital, but I'm really missing the flexibility of walking room to room. I might even set it up again--not useful for customers
anynomous
join:2003-06-25
montreal

anynomous to HenryA

Member

to HenryA
said by HenryA:

I switched to powerline ethernet

same for me patriotbox and powerline ethernet works very well together
Doonz (banned)
join:2010-11-27
Beaumont, AB

Doonz (banned) to elwoodblues

Member

to elwoodblues
I have 3 chromecasts,

I love them, we just use them as Plex frontends for our tvs. No issue playing High res videos to any of them.

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz to elwoodblues

MVM

to elwoodblues
Got a chromecast today.

Plugged it in, and had some slight difficulty when my iPad refused repeatedly to connect to the chromecast from 4 feet away. Moved a foot closer and it worked.

Second problem, I started streaming an episode of TopGear to the ChromeCast via Netflix, and then I put the iPad to sleep. When I woke it up again, Netflix had forgotten it was controlling the chromecast and was just showing me the list of TopGear episodes...

Right now, the Chromecast is still streaming the episode, and I don't seem to have any way to stop it. If I try to tell Netflix to cast an episode, it says the chromecast is no longer on the same network as my iPad (which is incorrect)...

I launched the Chromecast app on my iPad, and it lists the Chromecast as "Ready to Cast"... even though it's currently zombie-casting TopGear.

The only thing I could think of to fix the Chromecast was to use the iPad app to reboot it...

Not impressed with the first impression. I want to give this thing to my parents to make Netflix easier for them, but if it's going to break every time they sleep their iPad/iPhone, that's a no-go.

Gone
Premium Member
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON

Gone

Premium Member

said by Guspaz:

Right now, the Chromecast is still streaming the episode, and I don't seem to have any way to stop it.

... try turning the TV (and by extension Chromecast) off, by chance?

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz

MVM

said by Gone:

said by Guspaz:

Right now, the Chromecast is still streaming the episode, and I don't seem to have any way to stop it.

... try turning the TV (and by extension Chromecast) off, by chance?

So, having to turn the TV off and on again when ever the "remote control" falls asleep is a huge issue...

Also, the Chromecast doesn't seem to notice when the device it's connected to is turned off. Turning everything off and on again, even under normal use, doesn't stop it from streaming.

Gone
Premium Member
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON

Gone

Premium Member

Did you bother to try it more than once or did you just let the TV sit there playing the video wondering what to do? I had something like that happen once with my phone where I lost the ability to control the video and it acted as if I wasn't casting anything, but only once and never again. But my stuff is all Android.

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

1 edit

Guspaz to elwoodblues

MVM

to elwoodblues
Well, as I said, turning the TV off doesn't affect the chromecast. So all I could think of was to use the Chromecast app to reboot it.

EDIT: Haven't been able to reproduce the issue. I guess I'll keep an eye out.
yyzlhr
join:2012-09-03
Scarborough, ON

yyzlhr to Guspaz

Member

to Guspaz
I get that issue sometimes. For me, this is easily solved just by launching the appropriate app and press the "cast" button and my device will start remembering what it was doing before. I'm using android though. Never tried it on iOS.

Gone
Premium Member
join:2011-01-24
Fort Erie, ON

Gone to Guspaz

Premium Member

to Guspaz
said by Guspaz:

Well, as I said, turning the TV off doesn't affect the chromecast. So all I could think of was to use the Chromecast app to reboot it.

I assumed that it would have been powered by a USB port on the TV like I did on one of mine, which was an error on my part. Would make sense for nothing to happen if it was connected to the power adapter.

Sky11
join:2010-10-28

Sky11 to Teddy Boom

Member

to Teddy Boom
I have been using Serviio for years... Not a pretty UI, but it is DLNA server which work with Samsung smartTVs - and it is much lighter IMO than Plex...

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz to Gone

MVM

to Gone
I believe powering the Chromecast from the TV would prevent the Chromecast from turning on the TV and switching it to the right input when you start casting when the TV is off, since most TVs don't power the USB ports when off.

bbbc
join:2001-10-02
NorthAmerica

1 edit

bbbc to Guspaz

Member

to Guspaz
said by Guspaz :

Not impressed with the first impression. I want to give this thing to my parents to make Netflix easier for them, but if it's going to break every time they sleep their iPad/iPhone, that's a no-go.

Not trying to be a jerk, but I tried to warn you buddy especially with the parental factor.

Streaming = Roku
Local media (KISS edition) = WDTV Live Streaming
Local media (XBMC / geek) = Apple TV 2

Maybe look into the new Roku Streaming Stick for $50 USD, »www.roku.com/products/st ··· ng-stick & »amzn.com/B00INNP5VU . The WDTV Live Streaming doesn't feature 5GHz dual-band though.
ohzopants
join:2008-05-16
Ottawa, ON

ohzopants to AppleGuy

Member

to AppleGuy
said by AppleGuy:

Another thing, you need to do a lot of work on your router, recommend Tomato, if you want any chance of watching US Netflix or Hulu on device. Chromecast has their DNS as 8.8.8.8. and it ignores your routers settings.

That is patently false. I've used it to stream both Hulu and US Netflix without a problem using unblock.us' DNS servers in my router.

AppleGuy
Premium Member
join:2013-09-08
Kitchener, ON

AppleGuy

Premium Member

said by ohzopants:

said by AppleGuy:

Another thing, you need to do a lot of work on your router, recommend Tomato, if you want any chance of watching US Netflix or Hulu on device. Chromecast has their DNS as 8.8.8.8. and it ignores your routers settings.

That is patently false. I've used it to stream both Hulu and US Netflix without a problem using unblock.us' DNS servers in my router.

From your computer? Or from you tablet/phone?

Streaming from you computer, yes. From tablet, no.

There are hacks involving changing the routing within your routers (DD-WRT compatible router or Tomato, or if you can re-route within router/modem somehow) that changes 8.8.8.8. to Un-Block.us or something else, but otherwise, it doesn't work. Lots of info on this.

But out of a box, the Chromecast does all the work, and it pings 8.8.8.8. and this prevents streaming from the US, if in Canada, regardless of what router DNS. It's hardcoded within the device itself, unless you rooted it before the last update (September I believe).

I believe with D-Link routers the pretty straightforward at re-directing. You re-direct 8.8.8.8. and 8.8.4.4. to 192.168.0.1. which then goes through your providers DNS (or unblock.us, if that is your set-up)
Doonz (banned)
join:2010-11-27
Beaumont, AB

Doonz (banned) to elwoodblues

Member

to elwoodblues
To make chromecast work with dns geo unblockers you have to redirect it through a route because the dns servers are baked into the device