Chromecast Guides

This guide will show you how to use an Android app to stream local media files to Chromecast. It is intended mainly for streaming contents saved in your Android devices.

Using an Android app to stream local media files (on your Android device)  is one of the 5 major methods of streaming local media files for Chromecast. For a detailed comparison (advantages and limitations) of these 5 local media streaming methods, please check this guide: Comparison of 5 methods for streaming local media files to Chromecast.

Update (Jan 2018): VLC for Android now also supports Chromecast. It offers a better way to stream local media in Android to Chromecast. You may check the guide here.  It also supports 4K streaming to Chromecast Ultra.

How to find an Android app to stream local media files to Chromecast?

There are many Android apps that can stream local media contents to Chromecast. In other words, in Google Play store, you can easily find an Android app to stream local media files to Chromecast. But some work poorly.  Normally, if the average review score is less than 3, you should avoid that app.

Google Play store now has a special Chromecast … Continue to read the post....

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If you want to stream 4K contents, among Chromecast family (Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, and Chromecast Ultra), only Chromecast Ultra (update: and the Chromecast 2020, aka Chromecast with Google TV) has this capability.

But a lot of Chromecast Ultra owners found they cannot stream 4K contents with Chromecast Ultra.

What are the possible causes? What are the solutions?

This Chromecast guide first explains the requirements of using Chromecast to stream 4K contents, then show you the solutions for some problems related to streaming 4K contents with Chromecast Ultra.

The 6 requirements of using Chromecast Ultra to stream 4K contents

Chromecast Ultra is a very powerful streaming gadget.

You can use Chromecast Ultra to stream 4K Ultra HD contents with HDR.  While normal Chromecast (Chromecast and Chromecast 2nd Generation)  can only stream full HD contents (1080p) without HDR.

Although Chromecast does not require a 4K TV, there are a few requirements to meet if you want to use Chromecast Ultra to stream 4K contents, including:

1. a 4K TV;
2. fast internet connection (at least 10-20Mbps);
3. HDCP 2.2  support;
4. the original power adapter;
5. a high-speed HDMI cable;
6. 4K contents.

Among these 6 requirements, 2 are related to the … Continue to read the post....

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You can play games on Chromecast from Android or iOS devices

Two of the new features for Chromecast and Chromecast Audio are multi-room group playback for Chromecast Audio  (for Chromecast Audio only) and playing games on Chromecast through Android and iOS devices (for Chromecast only, including 1st generation Chromecast). Please refer to this guide on how to use Chromecast Audio multi-room group playback.

For Chromecast-enabled apps, you can cast the game to the TV through Chromecast. Your mobile device then can act as a game controller and can display other info.

You can also challenge your friends or family members with multi-player games.

Please note, playing Chromecast-enabled games on Android and iOS devices is fundamentally different from Android screen mirroring (Android screen casting).  When you play Chromecast-enabled games on Android and iOS devices, you get split view of the game, not simply mirroring the screen.

This post will try to show you how to play games on Chromecast from Android devices.  The procedure is similar to that from iOS devices.

What are the requirements to play games on Chromecast from Android?

The requirements for playing games on Chromecast from Android devices include:

1. A ready-to-cast Chromecast. Both the first generation and

… Continue to read the post....

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With the announcement of the new Chromecast (Chromecast 2015) and Chromecast Audio, Google also dramatically updated the Chromecast app for Android and for iOS.

The new Chromecast app not only adds support of the new Chromecast and Chromecast Audio, but also introduces new features to help you find apps and contents that can be used with Chromecast devices. The new Chromecast app works with all Chromecast devices: the new Chromecast(Chromecast 2015) Chromecast Audio, the old Chromecast (1st generation of Chromecast).

This guide shows you the new features in the new Chromecast app and how to use them.

This guide is based on Chromecast for Android. It works similarly in iOS devices.

How do I know whether I have the new Chromecast app?

The new Chromecast app for Android refers to Chromecast app version 1.12.32, which was officially released on September 29, 2015.

You can easily know whether you have the new Chromecast app with one of the following methods.

Method 1: Check Chromecast app icon.

The icon for the new Chromecast app is blue Google cast (as shown below in the left). The old icon is a Chrome logo on a TV as shown in the right below..… Continue to read the post....

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Whenever you get problems or have questions on Chromecast, Chromecast how-to guides are here for you!

The setup and use of Chromecast are not complicated. But considering so many different devices (smartphones, PC, TV..) may be involved, you may need some help on how to setup Chromecast for your own devices, how to use Chromecast in your living room.

These Chromecast how-to guides will save you time. It is not necessary to fiddle around to make Chromecast work for you as expected. The step-by-step guide will show you how to make it work.

We also publish Chromecast 101 Series Books if you want to read the guides offline. Currently, there are 2 books available: and .

Some Chromecast How-to guides/tutorials are short, while some are quite long. All are detailed enough for you to follow.

These Chromecast how-to guides are organized according to the task to be performed.

Some Chromecast tips and tricks are also covered on this page to help you use the device more efficiently.

This is a live page: we are adding new Chromecast how-to guides regularly. So, do check this page regularly.

If you have any suggestions or any questions, please let us know in the … Continue to read the post....

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The developer options in Chromecast with Google TV allow you to access some advanced features of Android TV, e.g., sideloading apps directly through ADB commands.

This Chromecast with Google TV explains what you can do with developer options in Chromecast with Google TV and how to enable it for the dongle.

Please note, this guide applies to Chromecast with Google TV only. Other Chromecast devices (all previous generations of Chromecast, Chromecast Ultra, and Chromecast Audio) are not powered by Android.

What can you do with developer options in Chromecast with Google TV?

Chromecast with Google TV differs from previous generations of Chromecast in the two major aspects, as explained in this post:

• There is an official voice remote for the Chromecast with Google TV.
• Chromecast with Google TV is powered by Android TV (currently Android 10) instead of modified Chrome OS.

Android traditionally hides some special additional features for developers under developer options so that they can test their apps on various supported Android devices. Normal users may never notice such features.

Some beta or experimental features may also be packed with the Android releases under the developer options.

Chromecast with Google TV (remember it … Continue to read the post....

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Update 1: Now there are six methods. The new approach is to use Android screen cast.

Update 2: Added the image illustrating the differences of the six methods to stream local media files with Chromecast from the book: Chromecast 101: How to stream local media files with Chromecast (Kindle Edition, released November 2014, ASIN: B00Q7TSL3G).

Update 3: with the release of VLC 3.0 on February 9, 2018, Chromecast is now supported.

You can use VLC media player to stream local media files from a PC or an Android phone without using any additional apps or servers.  On Android phones, you may check this guide on how to use VLC for Android to stream local media files to Chromecast device.

Chromecast can not only stream internet contents, e.g., YouTube, Netflix, but also can it stream local contents, your videos, music, and photos to your  TV. It can also turn your TV into your remote monitor for your PC!

There are several methods for streaming local media files to Chromecast.  Each has its strength and weakness.

A lot of Chromecast owners get confused on these methods after we illustrated different possible ways.

The purpose of this comparison is to guide … Continue to read the post....

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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....

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Update: Chromecast 2018 (3rd generation) is out. You may check this guide for new features in Chromecast 2018.

Google just announced and released the 2nd generation of Chromecast on September 29, about 2 years after the initial release of Chromecast.

You can order the new Chromecast through Google Store or Best Buy now.

You may wonder what’s new in the new Chromecast (Chromecast 2015) and whether you should update to the new Chromecast.

In this post, I will share with you the top 5 new features and improvements of the new Chromecast (Chromecast 2015).

Detailed how-to guides for the new Chromecast will be added gradually.

1. Chromecast Audio: a new member of  the new Chromecast family:

In addition to the normal Chromecast with HDMI interface, Google released the new Chromecast Audio for your speaker.

You can connect Chromecast Audio to a speaker (or a soundbar or even your home theatre system) through the 3.5mm audio cable.

Chromecast Audio instantly turns your speakers or soundbar into a “smart” and “connected” device. It can stream music from the cloud or from your phones or other devices. Please check Chromecast Audio guides here.

It is better than a Bluetooth speaker:

• It

… Continue to read the post....

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