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Chromecast Rooted

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Re: Chromecast Rooted

#61

Post by steeve »

ocb wrote: post #45
javajosh wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For those who don't know (as I didn't) XBMC[1] is an open-source media center/entertainment application that supports a variety of OSes, including Android. And, apparently, the project is going to be renamed "Kodi" in the near future. [1] http://xbmc.org/about/

It blows my mind that XBMC is still being developed, let alone relatively popular on several platforms. I used it pretty extensively on a modchipped Xbox ~10 years ago as my first real "streaming" box (i.e. to play pirated movies from my computer on my TV). Strange that they didn't drop the 'XB' from their moniker earlier.

They did drop it. It's now called Kodi.

Re: Chromecast Rooted

#62

Post by chii »

fpgaminer wrote: post #46
kusuriya wrote: post #34

35 dollars for an android device that can now be turned into an XBMC device with netflix.... I think I may give the chromecast a second swing...

Is it just me, or is it odd that we rejoice when things like this happen? It just doesn't feel right to reward companies who release locked-down hardware. Don't get me wrong, I share in the excitement for a $35 XBMC capable android device. But on the other hand, it seems a better idea to spend money on a product that isn't locked down in the first place. I haven't followed the Chromecast, but why is it locked in the…

what can you buy with $35 that has the capabilities of the chromecast?

Re: Chromecast Rooted

#63

Post by ossreality »

userbinator wrote: post #47

exploited a new vulnerability in the Chromecast which allows root access Normally, vulnerabilities would be considered a bad thing. Heartbleed is a great example of that. But in cases like these, it's a very good thing. This is why I always like to remind those whose goal is to build more secure systems to consider the implications of their work, lest our devices become even more secure against us. They usually have…

Not you with this idiotic crap again.

Re: Chromecast Rooted

#64

Post by Vespasian »

darklajid wrote: post #19
micro_cam wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me the main selling point is the low price and not sure it makes sense if you have something setup to do most of it. I do use mine a ton for netflix, hulu (via tab casting) and arbitray media files via the videostream chrome extension/app from the webstore. It has a simple unintrusive ui which is nice.

Hey - thanks for answering. The price is about the same (and I have the Pi). So that's mostly an argument for 'why not' and 'you might waste $35, but nothing more'. Netflix/Hulu - no user myself and I'm not sure if those services are available outside of the US/available in DE. Tab casting, as far as I understand that, is a Chrome feature. I'm a Firefox guy. Would I be able to do something useful with that device? Ri…

Chromecast, Pi + xbmc user from DE here.

Currently my main applications used by my chromecast are watchever (a service like netflix), twitch (using a third party app shame on me ;)) and youtube while I use the Pi mainly for "offline" media.

The most appealing feature of the chromecast is that it "just works" and I never had major problem with it (super easy setup, great integration into existing apps, turns on the tv once it is activated on my phone and so on). For me it delivers on the promises, which manufacturers of "smart TVs" made but failed to achieve in their products.

Re: Chromecast Rooted

#65

Post by Ecio78 »

chii wrote: post #62
fpgaminer wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it just me, or is it odd that we rejoice when things like this happen? It just doesn't feel right to reward companies who release locked-down hardware. Don't get me wrong, I share in the excitement for a $35 XBMC capable android device. But on the other hand, it seems a better idea to spend money on a product that isn't locked down in the first place. I haven't followed the Chromecast, but why is it locked in the…

what can you buy with $35 that has the capabilities of the chromecast?

I think there's probably not a device with the same set of capabilities of the chromecast at the same price, but on the other hand the chromecast is missing features that you can have on other devices that cost more or less the same (take rPi or one of the thousands of android usb stick) e.g. being able to play avi/divx files (it supports h264 in mp4 and mkv) or audio tracks in ac3 or dts (it supports mp3, vorbis and aac) without transcoding, or use some android apps like p2p streaming apps (sopcast). So the problem is that you can some things really easily (e.g. netflix or sharing from phone) but you miss some other that somebody is looking for (e.g. use it a good mediaplayer having quite an old pc and phone that can't be used for transcoding sources).

I've found some of these here[1] but owning no chromecast I can't do any test by myself.

[1] http://www.reddit.com/r/Chromecast/comments/1umk7t/lets_make...

Re: Chromecast Rooted

#66

Post by tuxidomasx »

The biggest problem I've had with Chromecast was using it in a hotel that had wifi login pages.

The device is ideal for hotels since you usually get a nice HD TV in the room. But half the time I can't stream from Chromecast because of the wifi login.

A rooted Chromecast would essentially let me log in to the hotel wifi like I would on my laptop or phone. Then I can stream away.

Re: Chromecast Rooted

#67

Post by stevewillows »

cookiecaper wrote: post #40
Thaxll wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

xbmc is terrible on a Raspberri Pi, it's way too slow.

It's greatly improved with XBMC 13.0+, which included a bunch of optimizations to make XBMC on the RPi more bearable. Go through the XBMC Raspberry Pi wiki page to turn off things that waste CPU (like the RSS ticker). It also helps to use rpi-config and select the modest overclocking option (the one that doesn't change any voltages). XBMC is very smooth after doing those things. The only issue I still have is that th…

A USB install of Openelec on a Raspberry Pi overclocked to 'Super' (1000..) works well. Not as good as a more powerful system, but as far as the pi goes this is the fastest option.

Re: Chromecast Rooted

#68

Post by ssully »

darklajid wrote: post #15

Anyone having a Chromecast and able to tell me what I'm missing? Currently I've got xbmc running on a Raspberry Pi. Connected via HDMI, online via wifi and I can stream more or less everything (videos, images, music) from my phone to that thing - not sure if there's a decent way to do that from my laptop running Linux. What are Chromecasts used for? Should I buy one?

Easiest way I have found to watch Netflix. Also it's pretty nice for renting movies. I used to rent from Amazon and play off my ps3, but I have started renting from google play and throwing it on the chromecast. I also like that frequent guests(girlfriend) to my house can use it without having to ask me.

It sounds like with your current set up a chromecast might only be slightly more convenient, so you might not be missing much.

Re: Chromecast Rooted

#69

Post by pinkyand »

TD-Linux wrote: post #59
darklajid wrote: post #15

Anyone having a Chromecast and able to tell me what I'm missing? Currently I've got xbmc running on a Raspberry Pi. Connected via HDMI, online via wifi and I can stream more or less everything (videos, images, music) from my phone to that thing - not sure if there's a decent way to do that from my laptop running Linux. What are Chromecasts used for? Should I buy one?

Google wanted an Airplay competitor, and for whatever reason wanted to hobble it with the same restrictions as Airplay - a proprietary protocol to only let certain (closed source) programs stream to it, and prevent those programs from streaming to non-Google targets.

> and for whatever reason wanted to hobble it with the same restrictions as Airplay

They want to work with the big content companies. The end game might be ads on the chromecast served through Google with the stick is access to chromecast and the carrot is ad-optimization by Google and maybe blocking pirated content.

Re: Chromecast Rooted

#70

Post by baq »

kudu wrote: post #21
darklajid wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey - thanks for answering. The price is about the same (and I have the Pi). So that's mostly an argument for 'why not' and 'you might waste $35, but nothing more'. Netflix/Hulu - no user myself and I'm not sure if those services are available outside of the US/available in DE. Tab casting, as far as I understand that, is a Chrome feature. I'm a Firefox guy. Would I be able to do something useful with that device? Ri…

Firefox did add tab casting for the Chromecast to its Android version ( https://plus.google.com/+LucasRocha/posts/AJtJ3faZXtJ ). I'm basically in the same situation as you. I already have Raspbmc set up on my Raspberry Pi, and see little reason to purchase a Chromecast. In my understanding, the "killer feature" is that it's supported by an increasingly large number of Android apps, which don't have support for castin…

BubbleUPNP https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bubblesoft... happily casts media from dlna to my chromecast, might want to check it out.
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