Say what you want about Google but the fact is that the internet search engine giant has done a lot to make our online lives simpler than ever.
Google has done everything.
It has changed online storage.
And has transformed how we view email.
Not only that, Google has also changed the way we use online maps and consume news.
However, what some of you might not know is that now Google has offers products that can take over your television set with the help of Chromecast.
Assuming you have gotten yourself a shiny new 4K TV lately, then the latest Chromecast Ultra can set you back around $69 depending on where you live and when you shop.
As for the standard Chromecast version, that is still going strong at $35.
In the end, it doesn’t really matter which one you select.
Chromecast has great appeal for all sorts of users.
But a big part of that appeal is definitely the portability factor that Chromecast brings to the table.
On that note perhaps we should also mention that another reason why Chromecast has become so popular today is because of its ease of use and what not.
Seriously, all that you have to do in order to use Chromecast is to plug it in and then play content.
That is really it.
There is nothing more to do.
Of course, we are assuming here that you know how to connect Chromecast to a WiFi.
Once you have set up Chromecast, you would have no problems in streaming content from services such as,
- Hulu
- Netflix
- Spotify
- and a lot more.
You can do all of that from the comfort of your desktop computer machine and/or mobile device to your big screen TV in a matter of seconds.
And we still haven’t mentioned the fact that Chromecast also supports apps for audio files along with catch-up services for sports and working out.
Google initially released its Chromecast offering way back in July of 2013.
Since then, every time the company has introduced a new version, it has sold out pretty quickly.
Moreover, our research shows that it is still the most popular streaming device alongside Roku and Amazon FireStick.
According to some estimates, Google has managed to sell more than 55 million units on Chromecast.
Now, we know that we have mentioned the fact that Chromecast is pretty much plug and play.
However, there are still a few tricks and tips that you can make use of in order to make Chromecast casting just a bit more magical.
So let’s take a look at the best Chromecast tips that you are unlikely to find anywhere else.
Table of Contents
Ethernet Adaptor for Chromecast
As mentioned just now, there are very few streaming gadgets that are more handy than Chromecast when it comes to streaming content from sites such as Youtube and Netflix.
Of course, Chromecast has no trouble in streaming content from other sources either.
You can stream anything from your mobile device to your TV very quickly.
All that you have to make sure is that you have a strong enough WiFi connection so that Chromecast is able to deliver all the best streams directly to you without any buffering.
The sad reality of the online world today is that not everyone has access to a WiFi network that is super fast all the time.
And for such kind of people, Google has manufactured and offered an Ethernet adapter for its Chromecast offering for just 15 bucks.
Click here to take a look at that.
So what does the adaptor really look like?
Our research shows that it pretty much looks like a power cord that comes with Chromecast.
However, the actual plug end, in the case of the adaptor, includes a tiny Ethernet port.
All that you have to do in order to get started is to connect a given Ethernet cable that also has a connection with your WiFi modem to that Chromecast adaptor port.
Then you need to plug the other end which has a USB, of the adapter directly into your Chromecast device.
When that is done you need to attach your Chromecast device to the existing HDMI port of your 4K TV.
That is pretty much it.
You are ready and yearning to go.
Google Home: Ask it questions and what not
You probably do not need us to tell you that if you have a desire to make the best use of Google Chromecast and want to make it feel right at home then you need to sync the Chromecast device up with your official Google Home.
That is the best way to control quite a few amount content on TV via your voice.
Click here to read an official guide on that.
The guide that we have mentioned above shows you how to actually connect your Google Chromecast, TV and Google Home with ease.
The guide above assumes that these three devices are actually linked to each other.
And when they are you can speak out things such as “OK Google let’s have you play [your favorite TV series here] from Netflix on Google Chromecast.”
There are a ton of other services on the internet that work flawlessly with Google Home.
They include
- CWTV
- Viki
- HBO Now
- CBS All Access
- Crackle
- Starz
- Red Bull
- Alphabet Google’s very own YouTube TV
- Finally, Google Play Movies and TV
All of these have support from Google Home.
Now is the time to cast your VR view to your TV
A lot of our readers would not argue the fact that it is rather amusing to watch someone experiencing virtual reality.
But it is only amusing for a couple of minutes.
Or even less.
The better experience is when you are also able to observe what the person with the VR headset is seeing.
That is truly the better thing not just for you but for everyone.
Google knows this.
And that is why it offers Daydream View, which is a headset that cost just $99.
If you combine Google Daydream View with Google Chromecast you have the opportunity to send whatever it is that is one the given headset to your new TV.
All that you have to make sure is that the smartphone device that you have slotted into the Google Daydream view and your Google Chromecast device are both connected to the same WiFi network.
Moreover, also make sure that you have managed to install the latest version of Google Home application on your Android or iOS device.
If you don’t have the app then simply install it via the links we have mentioned above.
After doing that, you should open up Google Home and then you should choose the option that says Cast.
After that, it is your turn to select the official Chromecast device using which you want to send the related VR images.
And if you can just find the courage to put the smartphone device into a given headset then everyone can have the chance of seeing what you really are up to at least in the online world.
You have the option of doing the same thing if you happen to own a Gear VR.
But before you get all excited, you need to make sure that you have the latest and the greatest edition of the official Oculus app.
Only after ensuring that should you go about setting up your Gear properly.
Once done, just click the button that says Cast and then choose the internet-enabled device which you want to make use of in order to view the journey that awaits for you in VR.
Easily cast videos via Facebook
If you are not concerned about what Facebook does with your data then it is true that Facebook Live has plenty of above-average content.
And all of that content can certainly benefit from a big TV screen if you have it.
Plenty of new outlets already believe that if there is one new gadget that you should have in your home then that’s a new TV.
In any case, if you want to send a video on Facebook Live to your TV via broadcasting, then first you have to ensure the fact that the internet-enabled device that you are trying to cast from and your big-size TV are connected to the internet via the same WiFi network.
After that, it is just a matter of opening up a broadcast on Facebook Live and then hitting the icon that says Cast which usually appears on the screen to moment you start a broadcast.
You can also cast from your Google Slides
If you make use of Google Slides for work or for study then you can potentially show any given presentation of users with Chromecast.
Many of you might already know that the latest versions of Google Chrome already come with Google Cast as a built-in function.
In order to get started, all that you have to do is to click on the option that says Present which appears right at the upper right corner of your Google Slides presentation.
Then you need to press the button that says Present On Another Screen.
Once that is done, you need to select your own Google Chromecast device.
Enable ambient mode on Google Chromecast
Click here to learn how to select your own photographs.
On the other hand, you can also make use of Google’s own selection of vibrant and beautiful art.
There are also options such as satellite images and landscape photography if you want to switch up the experience that you get with Chromecast background from the official Ambient Mode.
To get started with this, go to the official Google Home application and then click on the option that says Account.
After that, press the button that says Devices.
And then click on the option that says Chromecast.
When that is done, press the button that says Menu.
And then hit the button More.
Now you should be able to observe Ambient Settings.
All you have to do is to perform a click on that option and then you should have the opportunity to do a bit of scrolling to go through the choices that are there which allow you to add some images of your own or from Google.
You can also add stuff from other services such as,
- Flickr
- Google Photos
Perhaps this is also a good time to mention that you have the option of adding time and weather to your display.
Google Photos: Cast your pictures
Pretty similar to the case with Google Slides, your Google Chromecast device can also act as a completely modern and completely effective alternative to the classic and old-school slideshows.
You do not need to involve yourself with projectors here.
The process is made easier by the fact that Google Chromecast has official support for Google Photos.
Using this ‘support’ you can actually cast all of your pictures (if you want to) from your official Google Photos account on either your PC, Android and/or iOS to your big-screen TV.
Just make sure you keep an eye out for the official Cast icon.
It usually appears near the top alongside the official Google Photos symbol.
Once you have located the icon, perform a simple tap on it.
Get started on streaming audio files with the official Google Play Music service
In order to actually play audio content via your Google Chromecast through your TV, you first need to download the official Google Play Music app on either the iOS platform and/or Android platform.
After doing that, you need to open up the official app and then, again, choose the icon that says Cast.
After that, select Google Chromecast device from the list of devices shown to you.
Then you need to choose what type of content do you want to consume and/or play.
The service comes in quite handy if you want to consume audio content that is not your own.
All you have to do is to join the official Google Play Music service by paying Google just a small amount of money per month which is equal to $9.99.
There is also the family plan which provides you with other services such as YouTube premium and free streaming radio.
Of course, there are also those users who are simply not satisfied with the sound that their TV set is giving off.
For such users, Google offers you Chromecast Audio which costs only $35.
What is Chromecast Audio?
It is a device that you can hook directly into your own already-existing speakers and then stream audio content from all nearby devices with the help of WiFi.
Use Spotify to stream audio from it
Needless to say that if you happen to have a subscription to Premium Spotify then you can actually cast various tunes via your own Google Chromecast device.
Before doing that though, again, make sure that your internet-enabled device and Google Chromecast are actually connected to the same WiFi network.
Once that is done, you must open up the Spotify application and then play any given audio track.
Then you have to select the option that says Devices Available.
After that, you need to choose your own Google Chromecast device.
Readers should know that they can also do something similar to Pandora.
Use Google Chromecast to watch content on Plex
Our research shows that the chief complaint that a lot of users have about Google Chromecast is that it does its best to not support any type of local media playback.
For the end user that means you do not have any options to tap into the ton of content that you may have saved to a cloud service.
However, there are some media management applications available.
The best among them is Plex.
With Plex, you can actually use your Google Chromecast to stream content such as,
Photos
Movies
Audio content
Plex is also great because it has the ability to organize all of your content which is most likely scattered and then allow you to watch all of it via your internet-enabled devices such as,
- phones
- TVs
- tablets
- and a ton of other ones.
Before you can actualize all of that you need to sign up with Plex from its official website.
After that, you need to download the official Plex application and then you need to open it.
When that is done, you must send all of your content to your Google Chromecast device.
Decisions regarding game time
We’ll give it to you right now that Google Chromecast is by no means a gaming console.
PS4 and it are in a totally different galaxy.
However, there is still room for you and your family to get together and then play a few video games just for fun.
And there are just so many options that we shudder to think of the consequences if we mention some and miss other great titles.
With that said, feel free to serve up some or all of your nostalgia with a bit of Sonic Jump Fever.
There is also Aldo’s journey.
To get started all that you have to do is to first download the game that you want to play on your iOS or Android device, either a tablet or a phone, and then use that as a controller while you are running the game and casting it to your TV.
CastPad
There is no need to make an effort to first find a notepad which has the appropriate size so that someone is able to see it across the whole of your apartment.
In other words, you can simply make use Pictionary.
Or rather play Pictionary on the big screen TV that you have.
To get started, you first have to download the official CastPad app to your device that is running Android.
And then you have to cast your screen.
It really is that simple.
Use LocalCast for the purposes of Silent Streams
This tip is for all those users who have a desire to watch their favorite content on their TV but do not wish the sound of the TV to disturb others who maybe present in the same room.
So what are you waiting for, go out there and download the official app for LocalCast on the Android platform?
LocalCast enables users just like you to actually cast their video stream to their television set all the while keeping the audio only on your internet-enabled device.
After installing the app all that you have to do is to tap the option that says Route Audio To Phone which should appear on the Now Playing window.
Make sure you have plugged in some good headphones though.
The other thing that you should take note of is that the app is currently is in beta stage.
And it has been so for a really long time now.
The developers actually warn you that the app might muster enough strength to work the majority of the time but not all the time.