Chromecast

[mikejaner]

I ordered one, because for $35, you can't really go wrong. Especially when it plays netflix and Youtube out of the box.
Anyways.. because of how it can be controlled from another source and told to grab a URL, I wonder if the first stage to getting this to work with SageTV could be the Web Plugin guys could put a play to Chromecast button for shows.
Then maybe for the second stage, it could be made to be controlled like an actual extender, maybe with a Wifi or Bluetooth remote? One thing to find out would be it's capability to draw an interface, like the SageTV GUI. It could be streamed virtually, but it probably wouldn't be very fast.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by QueOnda

This product doesn't excite me. Am I missing something. This is simalar to what other products have (Samsung sync, Plex, I don't know what else).

I don't get it either, but then again, I'm not tied to my phone either (I've actually pondered going back to a dumbphone) like a lot of people are.

I'd much rather have a roku than something like this, I've never enjoyed looking for content on my phone.

[wayner]

This is great but it is slightly awkward to have to use your traditional IR remote to turn on your TV and switch inputs to the Chromecast HDMI port and then switch to your smartphone/tablet to select content. Maybe in an ideal world the Google Chromecast app will be able to do all of this assuming that your TV, AVR, etc can be controlled via IP.

This still doesn't replace SageTV since you need a recording engine although paired with something like Aereo service it could start to do that, at least for OTA channels. Too bad Google couldn't offer the PVR backend service over the cloud but we know that would be a HUGE legal battle that they would likely lose.

I have also ordered one although it isn't clear that it will work outside of the US, even here in Canada. However I currently use an IP spoofing type of service (Unblockus) to allow me to use US based streaming services so I think it should work.

Would this wrok for local content with something like DLNA? I would still prefer Plex or a SageTV app on this device but it might be something to give you some access.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I'd much rather have a roku than something like this,

This isn't much different than a Roku but it is cheaper and easier to use since it is more integrated into your TV since it isn't a separate device.

Originally Posted by stanger89

I've never enjoyed looking for content on my phone.

You mean you prefer typing text with your remote over a smartphone? Not me!

How would audio for this work if you have an AVR and don't use your TVs speakers? Would this be able to send the audio over your TVs audio out and/or HDMI ARC?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by wayner

This isn't much different than a Roku but it is cheaper and easier to use since it is more integrated into your TV since it isn't a separate device.

It is a separate device (until TV's integrate the functionality), and it's no more integrated than a Roku:
http://www.roku.com/streamingstick

Only difference is you can't use it without a phone/tablet. I can use my Roku without my phone.

You mean you prefer typing text with your remote over a smartphone? Not me!

I prefer not typing at all, but I'd rather type with a remote, than be unable to use a remote at all.

How would audio for this work if you have an AVR and don't use your TVs speakers? Would this be able to send the audio over your TVs audio out and/or HDMI ARC?

You'd have to plug it into your AVR.

Maybe I'm just weird, I don't have my phone with me all the time. When I get home it gets put on the table and plugged in, it links with my cordless phone (usually) via BT and I never think about it again until I leave the house. I'm not tied to my phone like a lot of people these days seem to be. It's nice to have a phone/table UI option for a streaming device, but I'll pass on one that doesn't have it's own independent UI/control.

[bialio]

stanger - I think what we are seeing is a paradigm shift in how we find content. Currently you can pull up a guide grid, browse through stuff on a 10' UI (list or grid based), pop in an actual disc, etc..

The future that Chromecast and SageTV8(Fiber) is aiming at here is to select what you want to watch on a tablet or similar device (where the browsing experience is WAY better than anything driven by a remote on a TV these days) and then telling it to play on the big screen.

All the parts aren't there yet (like integrated remote control for the TV and AVR etc) - but it's foolish to think that it won't get there. It's not that the remote is going away, but the remote is going to be replaced eventually by a tablet. Logitech already has harmony remotes in a touchscreen tablet form factor. It's only a matter of time.

Once tablets get integrated IR blaster ports (some already have them) we are just an app away from making a lot of this happen.

[wayner]

@bialio - What your saying is quite interesting and makes some sense as the TV screen is no longer part of the UI, it is just the video playback monitor. The Xbox Smartglass app is also a movement in this direction.

Originally Posted by bialio

Once tablets get integrated IR blaster ports (some already have them) we are just an app away from making a lot of this happen.

Apparently IR functionality is reappearing in many Android phones - interesting since the forerunner of smartphones was the Palm which had an IR port. (Back from the dead: why do 2013's best smartphones have IR blasters?)

Of course the alternative to IR is that everything is controlled by IP and we are quickly moving in this direction. I have lots of components in my main HT setup. Most of them can be controlled by IP, at least theoretically since they are on my LAN (Sharp TV, Xbox360, Sage HD-300, Wii, HTPC) but a few would need to be upgraded to newer models(Yamaha AVR, SA-8300HD cable box).

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by bialio

It's not that the remote is going away, but the remote is going to be replaced eventually by a tablet. Logitech already has harmony remotes in a touchscreen tablet form factor. It's only a matter of time.

Well that will suck, I hate having to hunt for commonly used functions (transport controls, volume, menu, exit, etc) on a touchscreen. I had a remote like that once, it was terrible.

Once tablets get integrated IR blaster ports (some already have them) we are just an app away from making a lot of this happen.

They've already got it: http://www.iruleathome.com/

But touchscreens only work well when they are the focus of your attention. They don't work well when something else is the focus of your attention, there's no haptic feedback on a touchscreen to tell you which button your about to press, you can't find play/pause/up/down/select/etc without diverting your attention from the TV when you use a touchscreen remote.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by stanger89

But touchscreens only work well when they are the focus of your attention. They don't work well when something else is the focus of your attention, there's no haptic feedback on a touchscreen to tell you which button your about to press, you can't find play/pause/up/down/select/etc without diverting your attention from the TV when you use a touchscreen remote.

It depends what you are watching. I agree with you for sports which is what I watch all the time - I ride the transport controls furiously when I watch sports. The same for TV shows that contain commercials when you are not using Comskip

But when my daughter once to watch the Boot's Special Day episode of Dora the Explorer it is easier to search than to have to page through dozens of pages of episode titles. And then we don't need the remote until this show is over. The same for movies.

[bialio]

Well that will suck, I hate having to hunt for commonly used functions (transport controls, volume, menu, exit, etc) on a touchscreen. I had a remote like that once, it was terrible.

It will suck until someone comes up with right UI for it. All of the mobile OS are making great strides in this area - controls that only live on the touch screen are getting easier to find and use all the time.

But there are definitely obstacles to overcome transitioning to a touchscreen remote only ecosystem, no doubt about that. Theres probably someone somewhere getting paid to try to solve that problem.

btl.

[bkavanaugh]

Originally Posted by wayner

Would this wrok for local content with something like DLNA? I would still prefer Plex or a SageTV app on this device but it might be something to give you some access.

Apparently, yes - at least casting from the Chrome browser on a PC.

http://liliputing.com/2013/07/google...-tv-video.html

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by wayner

It depends what you are watching. I agree with you for sports which is what I watch all the time - I ride the transport controls furiously when I watch sports. The same for TV shows that contain commercials when you are not using Comskip

But when my daughter once to watch the Boot's Special Day episode of Dora the Explorer it is easier to search than to have to page through dozens of pages of episode titles. And then we don't need the remote until this show is over. The same for movies.

But that's the issue there, neither one is perfect, you almost need both, IMO tossing the remote and relying exclusively on a touchscreen is not an option I'd choose.

Originally Posted by bialio

It will suck until someone comes up with right UI for it. All of the mobile OS are making great strides in this area - controls that only live on the touch screen are getting easier to find and use all the time.

I'm not sure how you solve the fundamental issue that with a touchscreen there's no buttons to feel. Which makes it essentially impossible to operate by feel like you can with a physical remote.

Gestures might be better than on screen buttons (swipe up/down for volume, tap for pause/play, left/right for forward/back) but even that seems like a big step back and problematic, what if you accidentally brush the remote? With capacitive screens only proximity is required, not force.

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by wayner

This is great but it is slightly awkward to have to use your traditional IR remote to turn on your TV and switch inputs to the Chromecast HDMI port and then switch to your smartphone/tablet to select content. Maybe in an ideal world the Google Chromecast app will be able to do all of this assuming that your TV, AVR, etc can be controlled via IP.

With HDMI-CEC support, the device can control your TV, even turning it on and off.

HDMI-CEC isn't half bad, as long as you don't have a receiver.

[samgreco]

Seems Google has killed the Netflix part of the deal. It was too popular.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-575...-netflix-deal/

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by wayner

This is great but it is slightly awkward to have to use your traditional IR remote to turn on your TV...

My cell phone has IR in it

[wayner]

Originally Posted by samgreco

Seems Google has killed the Netflix part of the deal. It was too popular.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-575...-netflix-deal/

Or they just ran out of Netflix promotional codes as the device was so popular.

[IVB]

I got one, put my thoughts up on google plus

[stuckless]

Has any one looked closely at the API to see if it will stream local content. I got the impression from the api and how you register for an API that it will only stream from cloud source (ie, known internet ip addresses), and that it would be hard to actually have a sagetv client casting to this this. I could be reading more into the API than what is there. Anyone looked at this?

[brewston]

This page suggests you can :

http://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/25...gh-chromecast/

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by brewston

This page suggests you can :

http://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/25...gh-chromecast/

I'll feel more confident when I start seeing non Google owned products doing this