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Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

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Re: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

#201
Open? GFY. There's nothing open about it. https://developers.google.com/cast/docs/terms

2.4 Your application may be de-registered by Google with or without notice at Google's sole discretion including, but not limited to, for violation of these Terms. If you have any questions or concerns regarding such a de-registration, you may contact us at https://developers.google.com/cast/support/

Re: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

#202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who works day-in and day-out with Miracast devices, you're a little bit off. The problem isn't really with features and DRM leading to incompatibility. The HDCP portion of Miracast is pretty straightforward and isn't often the problem. The problem (as seen with the charts) is manufacturers that are sorta-kinda-using Miracast but not really. For example the Samsung AllShare devices were never advertised as…

> Give the standard 2014, 2015 and let's see where we are. People said exactly the same thing about Miracast in 2013 and 2012. We still aren't anywhere with it. It is more broken than it is working, it is a giant mess. > The Chromecast comparison is really a bad one - yes you can tabcast You can fullscreen cast. > but really it is designed around a "send this URL to play" experience which is much much easier to accom…

>People said exactly the same thing about Miracast in 2013 and 2012. We still aren't anywhere with it. It is more broken than it is working, it is a giant mess.

I'm glad your time-machine is working and you've experienced the 2015 ecosystem.

>You're strangely contradicting yourself. First you acknowledge that tab casting is a thing,then you pretend that tab casting isn't something it does and use that as justification for Miracast's superiority? Very confusing.

I'm not pretending tab casting isn't a thing. What I mean by "sink" is a device that receives the stream. Chromecast can do this because it controls both ends, the software you install on Chrome and the Chromecast device (the sink). Your surface area for testing and coverage is much smaller, vs a standard that is in hundreds of devices. Even then the feature is still not on mobile devices officially and is experimental.

>PS - Chromecast works with other devices. It isn't just desktops. People already made apps that could send a full Android "desktop" to the Chromecast back in the early days before Google killed it with an update. I'm sure it will return with the release of this SDK.

Yes, I've used Koush's Allcast app and it is nice. I'm not saying it won't happen (Android to Chromecast) - it will. But still you aren't getting what I'm saying here - there is only one target device you have to build for (Chromecast) not hundreds of TVs, BluRay players, and dongles.

>It is an identical surface area between the two.

I mean test and interop surface area. It is surely not identical. Your test matrix for Chromecast is n. For Miracast it is n^2. That is the real problem. Not your straw man about "DRM"

Re: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

#203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "only have a single sink device" I'm sure the OP was referring to source (sender) and sink (receiver) devices. And more specifically that the only current sink device is the Chromecast dongle.

That isn't accurate. The YouTube app on several TVs (e.g. Samsung) can receive Chromecast streams.

That isn't a Chromecast stream. It is an open standard called DIAL (http://www.dial-multiscreen.org/)

Specifically, only Tab casting/full screen casting works to Chromecast. Go ahead and cast your tab/screen to your Samsung TV. I'll wait.

Re: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

#204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Give the standard 2014, 2015 and let's see where we are. People said exactly the same thing about Miracast in 2013 and 2012. We still aren't anywhere with it. It is more broken than it is working, it is a giant mess. > The Chromecast comparison is really a bad one - yes you can tabcast You can fullscreen cast. > but really it is designed around a "send this URL to play" experience which is much much easier to accom…

> "only have a single sink device" I'm sure the OP was referring to source (sender) and sink (receiver) devices. And more specifically that the only current sink device is the Chromecast dongle.

Correct, thanks.

Re: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

#205
post #127
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For $55 you can get a Chinese android phone(and there are new chips that might take the price down to $35). Google can't reduce this price any further.

That's what I mean. Get a Google-blessed phoneless version of one of these things - something like a Galaxy Discover or other crappy 3.5" phones but without the anemic processor or pointless rear-camera. Call it the Nexus 3, sell it for $100 - same price point as the iPod Nano, but with actual wifi and a real OS instead of being a pure media player. Sell a nice little boxed set at Costco of a Nexus 3, ChromeCast and…

Why does it need to be phoneless? Just don't put a SIM in it

Re: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

#206
post #43

Chromecast is missing one thing, imho: a controller for my kids. I'm not giving my kids the Nexus 7 every time they want to watch something on the TV screen. The Chromecast suddenly goes from a $35 to a $235 device. Instead I have a uHost android-stick that uses an accelerometer-based airmouse... it's not good, but it works and cost me $50. I keep waiting for Google to complete the Nexus line with a bare-bones 4" low…

Have you considered a really cheap android Tablet. I've seen some at wal-mart for right at 50 Dollars. I'm sure its not a very good tablet. but if all you are doing is using it to throw content to the chromecast it would probably get the job done.

Re: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

#207
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plex, however, is on Chromecast.

And works VERY well, I started using the Chromecast over my AppleTV with Plex and I quite like it. PlexConnect is nice and I still use it on the upstairs TV but I feel like I'm having to restart PlexConnect once a week because it crashes or something goes wrong and the Chromecast just works. That said PlexConnect is awesome and you should check it out if you have an AppleTV (No jailbreak required).

"VERY well" is debatable. I found that much of my media seemed to require on the fly transcoding to play (disappointing), and subtitles didn't work well. Performance was often poor as well for higher bitrate source material.

In addition, your chromecast MUST be connected to the internet to play anything (not just local lan, must have actual internet access). Maybe they are planning on version2 showing ads when nothing else is playing or something. Who knows.

My chromecast now sits unused in some drawer somewhere.

Re: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

#208
post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Yes, the fact that Apple TV doesn't work with non-Apple devices makes it a non-starter among those who don't exclusively buy Apple products in perpetuity. That's factually false. I daily use an Apple TV with my Synology NAS, for instance. There are AirPlay streamers for Android and for Windows. The protocol has been fully reversed (besides the DRM bits). Now, I'm not saying that this was the design of the protocol.…

Great, but none of the apps that people care about like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, Plex, etc. are using a reversed-engineered Airplay on Android.

However, the first 3 you mentioned are already native "apps" on appletv.

Re: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

#209
post #104

I would love minecraft to have this feature. My son is always making me watch him on Minecraft. It would be so cool to have him just cast it to the television.

You can already cast your computer screen.

How? I only know of Chrome tab casting.

Re: Chromecast now open to developers with the Google Cast SDK

#210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can already cast your computer screen.

How? I only know of Chrome tab casting.

In Chrome, click the cast icon, then the little arrow at the top and choose "Cast entire screen (experimental)".

http://i.imgur.com/0XfrYuH.png

It doesn't work super well, but it's there.

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