Writing is on the wall for all the $20-$30 TV dongles. Get ready for a series of $100+ "upgrades".
Moments in Chromecast's history
231–240 of 609 posts
Re: Moments in Chromecast's history
#232Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think you'd find that the vast majority of consumers have never heard of Chromecast.
Definitely, and the same probably goes for Pixel, Nest etc. But those that have at least subjectively/anecdotally seem pretty happy with it – so why kill it and start from scratch?
Wild guess: most people go "I want the Google TV thingy"
Re: Moments in Chromecast's history
#233Wow, even for Google, this seems like an exceptionally well-liked and popular brand name and device to kill. The replacement ("Google TV streamer") seems to be a quite different device – most importantly, one that will be very visible next to a TV, and not out of sight behind it like its predecessor. For anyone not particularly interested in having "AI" in their streaming stick (and this being Google, surely that wil…
My conspiracy theory is that renaming all products to generic names (Hangouts to Google Chat, G Suite to Google Workspace) are an attempt by Google to prevent regulators from splitting them out from the main company. It's only a matter of time until Pixel gets renamed to "Google Phone".
> It's only a matter of time until Pixel gets renamed to "Google Phone".
gPhone.
Re: Moments in Chromecast's history
#234What reasonably priced alternatives are there for streaming from a phone/laptop to a screen via HDMI port? Ideally a portable solution that I can use when traveling and staying in hotels or AirBnBs (as I can currently do with my Chromecast unless the hotel WiFi has an annoying sign-in process). Even more ideally, something that's free/open-source and can be guaranteed not to collect and send data to third parties.
We use a Roku, which we found out yesterday supports AirPlay from an iPad. It's an old model though, not sure if the newer ones do.
I have a newer Roku and it has AirPlay.
Re: Moments in Chromecast's history
#235Earlier quoted context omitted.
We looked into this when moving house a few years ago in the UK. There didn't seem to be any viable options, so we bought a secondhand TV. I've heard that there are ways to get hold of shop display monitors but didn't figure out how to do this.
If you don't connect your TV to the internet, ever, not even once, it will function as a dumb panel.
Call me paranoid, but I just don't trust it not to look for nearby unsecured wifi networks. Ontop of which I feel dirty and complicit by paying for functionality that I will never use and believe is detrimental to society.
Re: Moments in Chromecast's history
#236I'm suddenly reminded to ask this community whom I assume might know: Are there any good "dumb tv" solutions out there? I'm thinking 1-4 HDMI ports, and a maximum of RF tuning and input-switching on the firmware. Products would be preferred suggestions, but I'm even at the point of considering DIY solutions, if something looks lego-ish enough!
Bought an LG “C” series OLED a month or so ago. Never gave it a WiFi password. Everything (Apple TV, XBox, Switch) uses HDMI CEC, so I just turn on the desired device, inputs are switched and devices powered on. I never see the TV’s Home Screen, and it doesn’t complain about lack of network. The LG acts as “dumb” as the truly dumb TV it replaced.
Re: Moments in Chromecast's history
#237I hate you Google, all good stuff get kicked just because...
Re: Moments in Chromecast's history
#238Earlier quoted context omitted.
Got a Roku stick last year after two FireTV sticks bricked themselves. First thing I noticed was that the volume on the remote can only control Roku devices. Then there’s the ads that are creeping in everywhere, but I admit they do stay out of the way… for now. Going back to AppleTV for my next device. I don’t like how search steers all results through Apple, but I can work around that. Plus I can use it as an exit n…
> First thing I noticed was that the volume on the remote can only control Roku devices. Rokus can send volume/mute commands through CEC. The volume buttons on my Roku control my home theater receiver, they controlled the volume on a sound bar on a different TV, and they controlled the TV volume.
Same. My Roku remote can control sound bar.
Re: Moments in Chromecast's history
#239Is there any substitute for chrome cast audio? I love being able to play in sync audio to the group of receivers I choose throughout the property, using any amplifier. I’m not even using the digital optical input and I love them
I think Sonos sued the heck out of Google for those, and it caused those devices to disappear for a few years. Sonos lost that case late last year though, so hopefully we'll see a resurgence? https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/google-wins-repriev... Otherwise, you can DIY it with a bunch of old devices or Raspberry Pis and https://github.com/geekuillaume/soundsync
> I think Sonos sued the heck out of Google for those, and it caused those devices to disappear for a few years.
Oh so that was why they disappeared? Seriously, it's time to rework the entire patents system. You should only get a patent granted when you attach a reasonable (!) price tag and agree to non-discriminatory licensing.
Re: Moments in Chromecast's history
#240They also announced Google Streamer, which is just Google Chromecast but more expensive I guess, and also with the Nest technology for smart home stuff, which they also killed iirc. I have to say, I don't really see this product strategy as being good, or working. Google's product is just a mess, they are nearing Microsoft levels of incoherence. When you compare Google with Apple, it's such a night and day experience…
I agree with your second paragraph for a lot of reasons and product lines of theirs. But -- I decided a while ago to bite the bullet and go whole hog on using Google everything for my personal life (for better or worse). The decision was either to avoid them entirely or resign and buy into the ecosystem. I have a Pixel, my home uses Nest, I use their cloud storage personally, their AI, etc. FWIW it is a better experi…
The problem is that Google makes it hard to go all-in on their products even when you want to.
I was an early user for Google Apps for Your Domain, which was a free version of what is now Google Workspace that you could use with custom domains. I signed up for Google Play Music with that account.
Then they introduced Google Family, with app sharing and a family plan for Google Play Music, but you couldn't use Google Workspace accounts as part of a family plan. So I went back to using a regular Gmail account, manually moving my playlists for Google Play Music, and repurchasing the handful of apps I wanted to be able to share with my kids.
Google bought Fitbit, and we got some Fitbit Ace watches for our kids. Then Google decided that Fitbit accounts needed to be converted to Google accounts, but the kids can't use their watches with their Android tablets anymore, because the Fitbit app won't let you log in to use your Ace (the kid watch) with a child account from a Google family. The watch designed for kids doesn't work with the account management designed for kids. My wife's Fitbit died and she was ready to buy the newer version of it, except that one doesn't work with the Fitbit app store because (presumably) they want people to buy the more expensive Pixel watches and use that completely separate app library.
Somewhere in there I had to switch my playlists from Google Play Music to YouTube Music. They also decided to start charging for the free Google Workspace plans, eventually relenting only if you solemnly promised it was only for personal use.
I'm the kind of person who should be a loyal Google customer, but I've been burned enough that my immediate response to a new Google product is to wonder what I would do if it suddenly disappeared.