Chromecast Guides

Many Chromecast owners wasted free Chromecast offers for them, are you one of them?

For most companies, you can only get some special offers or gifts when buying their product.  After paying them, you seldom get free offers from them unless you upgrade or buy a new one again.

Google is really different.

Google gives  owners offers after offers, including existing owners. All these Chromecast offers are offered free from Google. Some of them are just like cash rebate e.g.,  Google Play Store credit,  which you can use for apps, music, TV or movies. Some are free movies.  Of course, some are free trials.

But many Chromecast owners are not aware of such Chromecast offers, and therefore let the offers expired.

This guide is to show you how to check the Chromecast offers available for you, and how to claim (redeem) them from your PC or Android (or iOS) devices.

Step-by-step guide on how to check and claim Chromecast offers from your PC

Please note, you can check and claim the Chromecast offers either from your PC or from a mobile device.  If you want to do this on a mobile device, you may skip this section … Continue to read the post....

The post A Guide to Chromecast Offers appeared first on All About Chromecast.

What is Chromecast Audio multi-room group playback?

If you have two or more Chromecast Audio devices, you can let them play exactly the same music simultaneously.

This Chromecast Audio feature is named as multi-room group playback (multi-room support).

Chromecast Audio multi-room group playback was announced when Chromecast Audio was announced. About two months later, in December 2015,  this feature was released through a firmware update (and Chromecast app update).

Essentially, Chromecast Audio multi-room group playback allows you to play music on all of your Chromecast Audio devices in the same WiFi network.

Currently, Chromecast Audio multi-room group playback feature is available for Chromecast Audio only. You cannot add a Chromecast device to the group.  You may read this page on differences between Chromecast and Chromecast Audio.

Update: Group playback is available for all Chromecast (Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, and Chromecast Ultra) and all Google Home speakers (Google Home, Google Home Mini, Google Home Max, Google Nest Mini aka Home Mini 2nd Gen).

Also, you should not confuse the group playback with the Google Home speaker group. The differences between the group playback and speaker group are explained here.

The requirements of Chromecast Audio

… Continue to read the post....

The post How to use Chromecast Audio multi-room group playback? appeared first on All About Chromecast.

When Chromecast is idle, it pulls some nice pictures on your TV screen from Google servers.

It also shows time (and date) on the TV screen. Sometimes, you may want to change the time format from 12-hour format to 24-hour format for your Chroemcast. Or, you may find the time is not correct because the wrong time zone was used.

This guide shows you how to change Chromecast time format and time zone from your Android devices using the Chromecast app.

Step 1:  Turn on the TV and power up your Chromecast device

You should see the normal Chromecast screen with photos, your WiFi network ID and time on the TV.

If there are any error messages on the TV screen, you probably need setup your Chromecast again. You may follow the Chromecast manual or Chromecast setup page to setup your Chromecast.

Step 2: Install Chromecast app in your Android device

To  change Chromecast time format or Chromecast time zone from an Android device, the Chromecast app is required. Of course, the Chromecast app has some other functions.

You can start Play store in your Android device, then search for “Chromecast”.

Tap the Chromecast, then tap install as shown below.… Continue to read the post....

The post How to change Chromecast time format and time zone? appeared first on All About Chromecast.

Chromecast Audio was introduced on September 29, 2015, together with the new Chromecast (Chromecast 2015, 2nd generation of Chromecast).

Although Chromecast Audio shares almost identical hardware specs with the new Chromecast, the designed usage of Chromecast Audio is substantially different from Chromecast.

This may confuse many users.

Chromecast Audio guides will include a series of guides to help you better understand Chromecast Audio (e.g., differences between Chromecast Audio and Chromecast, Bluetooth vs Chromecast Audio…) and use Chromecast Audio.

For Chromecast, including 1st generation of Chromecast and new Chromecast (Chromecast 2015), please check this Chromecast how-to guide page.

This is a live page: more guides will be added regularly after we test them one by one.

If you have any questions on Chromecast Audio,  please feel free to leave them in the comment box below, we will try to find the solution for you.

Here are the Chromecast Audio guides.

1. What’s the difference between Chromecast and Chromecast Audio?

   Chromecast or Chromecast Audio? If you have any questions on the difference between these two Chromecast devices, you can find the answer in this guide. This Chromecast Audio guide explains to you the output format, targeted usages,  audio quality, under-hood differences

… Continue to read the post....

The post Chromecast Audio Guides appeared first on All About Chromecast.

Although Chromecast Audio was discontinued, you can still make your vintage speakers or favourite AVR systems alive by using Chromecast to stream music to dumb speakers, just like what Chromecast Audio does.

Of course, this may require additional setup and one additional gadget (a few bucks) unless your speaker or AV support HDMI input.

This Chromecast guide explains why you may consider using Chromecast to stream music to dumb speakers and how to set up the system so that you can continue streaming music to the speakers and AV systems without Chromecast Audio.

Update: the latest Chromecast 2020 (Chromecast with Google TV; Chromecast 4th Gen) merges Chromecast, Chromecast Ultra, and Android TV. There is no successor for Chromecast Audio

Why do you want to use Chromecast (or Chromecast Ultra) as Chromecast Audio?  Because Google discontinued Chromecast Audio!

In early 2019, Google silently discontinued Chromecast Audio. Now, it is almost impossible to get a “new” Chromecast Audio even on eBay.

The asking price of a “used” Chromecast Audio is about that of two new Chromecast units!

Chromecast (including Chromecast Ultra) is designed for videos/TVs, and Chromecast Audio for speakers/AVR systems. The comparison of Chromecast and … Continue to read the post....

The post How to use Chromecast to stream music to dumb speakers (as Chromecast Audio does)? appeared first on All About Chromecast.

If you are not aware of it, Google quietly released the $15 Ethernet adapter for Chromecast early this month.  You can get it from Google devices store for $15.

This guide will show you how to use Ethernet adapter for Chromecast to get best connections for your Chromecast.

Who need Ethernet Adapter for Chromecast?

The Ethernet adapter is a lifesaver for those Chromecast owners:

• Who do not have a wireless router at home.
• Whose wireless signal is poor near the TV.
• Whose wireless signal quality is not good.
• Whose router is configured with AP isolation.
• Who are streaming very high quality 1080p videos with Chromecast. Please follow this guide if you want to stream local media files.
• Who are not satisfied with the WiFi connection quality for their Chromecast.

What are in the box of Ethernet Adapter for Chromecast?

In the box, you can find:

• One Ethernet adapter for Chromecast, which will replace your current power adapter. It is essentially an 850mA power adapter with an Ethernet port.
• One 1-page quick start guide. It illustrates you how to connect Ethernet adapter for Chromecast to Chromecast and the router.
• One 36-page safety, regulatory and warranty information in many languages. You

… Continue to read the post....

The post How to use Ethernet Adapter for Chromecast? appeared first on All About Chromecast.

If you have two WiFi networks at home for different purposes, for example, one for normal usage, and the other connecting to a VPN server, you may sometimes want to switch  Chromecast WiFi network.

This tutorial will show you how to change  Chromecast WiFi network  if you have more than one WiFi network at home.

Please note, this tutorial assumes you can access both WiFi networks. If you no longer have the access to the old network, you have to reset your Chromecast as shown in this tutorial.

Chromecast can only remember one network at any time. Changing Chromecast WiFi network means that the old network info will be deleted from Chromecast device.

Chromecast can only access 2.4GHz WiFi network. But your mobile devices or PCs that are on 5GHZ  network or on Ethernet can still find and connect to this Chromecast device,  as long as your devices and Chromecast are connecting to the same router.

To switch or change Chromecast WiFi network, you need:

• 2 or more WiFi networks in the same location (otherwise, why switch?)
• your mobile devices can access both networks
• Chromecast can access both  WiFi networks (2.4G only)
• mobile devices with Chromecast app installed

In … Continue to read the post....

The post How to change Chromecast WiFi network? appeared first on All About Chromecast.

1. Third-party Ads
We allow third-party companies to serve ads and/or collect certain anonymous information when you visit our web site.

These companies may use non-personally identifiable information (e.g., click stream information, browser type, time and date, subject of advertisements clicked or scrolled over) during your visits to this and other Web sites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services likely to be of greater interest to you.

These companies typically use a cookie or third party web beacon to collect this information.

To learn more about this behavioral advertising practice or to opt-out of this type of advertising, you can visit networkadvertising.org .

2. Cookies

AllAboutChromecast.com uses cookies to save your login info before you logout.

AllAboutChromecast.com also allows other companies that show advertisements on this blog to access their cookies.

3. Advertisers
Our advertiser’s ads may contain cookies. cookies received with banner ads are collected by our advertisers, and we do not have access to such information.

4. External Links
AllAboutChromecast.com contains links to other sites.

AllAboutChromecast.com is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites.

5. Children’s Guidelines
This site does not provide children notice of what information is collected.

This … Continue to read the post....

The post Privacy appeared first on All About Chromecast.

Chromecast Audio is an unique product in the market for music streaming. It turns your dumb speaker into an internet speaker: you can stream music anywhere to the speaker.

Although it is not complicated, some new Chromecast Audio owners may still have problems to use Chromecast Audio to stream music properly.

Some may have no idea on how to control Chromecast Audio from their mobile devices.

This Chromecast Audio guide shows you how to use Chromecast Audio to stream music, and how to control Chromecast Audio from your mobile device.

Please note, I assume you already setup your Chromecast Audio. If not, please follow this guide to set up Chromecast Audio first.

How to use Chromecast Audio to stream music?

To use Chromecast Audio to stream music to your speaker, you may follow these steps.

Step 1: Connect your Chromecast Audio to the speaker, and power on both the speaker and Chromecast Audio

Make sure the audio cable is inserted into Chromecast Audio and the speaker tightly.

Chromecast Audio does not have a power button. You just connect the USB cable to Chromecast Audio and power adapter, then plug the power adapter to electric socket to power on … Continue to read the post....

The post How to use Chromecast Audio to stream music? and how to control Chromecast Audio? appeared first on All About Chromecast.

Chromecast backdrop feature was officially released early this month. Now you can customize the TV screen when you are not casting contents through Chromecast.

What contents can be used for Chromecast backdrop?

Essentially, Chromecast backdrop allows you to fill the TV screen with the following contents:

• Your photo albums (private or public) in Google+. You can enable or disable albums one by one.
• Artwork from galleries and museums around the world via the Google Cultural Institute.
• News and lifestyle images from The New York Times, The Guardian, Saveur and other provides. This currently is for US users only possibly due to content distribution restrictions.
• Satellite imagery of some of the hardest-to-reach places on Earth from Google Maps.
• Photos from the Google+ community

You can enable or disable these contents individually from your Android devices or iOS devices.

More interestingly, you can even learn more about the current images shown on TV  by asking questions in Google voice search directly.

How to setup  Chromecast backdrop to customize the TV screen?

In your Android device, start Chromecast app.

Tap the menu key (3 vertical dots) in the top left as shown below to call out the menu items.… Continue to read the post....

The post How to use Chromecast backdrop to customize the TV screen? appeared first on All About Chromecast.