Google Chromecast is a streaming media dongle that lets users watch (cast) online content (videos and music) from their mobile devices and Chrome browser to a digital TV. Google Chromecast dongles are plugged into the television’s HDMI port and powered by an integrated USB-C adapter.
A mobile application makes it possible to deploy the cast from a tablet, smartphone, or desktop computer. When the streaming starts, the application requires no further operation (typically).
Google Chromecast compatibility
Google Chromecast is compatible with a number of applications (and more when viewed in the Google Chrome browser), including YouTube, Google Play, Pandora Radio, Hulu TV, HBO Max, and more. Amazon Prime TV also began providing support for Chromecast in 2019, after a 4-year dispute with Google was settled in 2019 (the dispute was initiated when Amazon initially refused to sell the Chromecast device on Amazon.com).
In 2020, Chromecast with Google TV was released which included newer features – like an Android OS with a new Google TV interface – that allow viewers to stream content in 4K from the dongle without an external source like a mobile phone or tablet.
The latest version of Chromecast with Google TV also includes a remote with the capability to control television functions and has a designated button for popular services like Netflix and YouTube.
The remote also provides the viewer the ability to control the Chromecast with Google TV interface.
With its Google TV streaming hub included in the newest model, Chromecast with Google TV (Chromecast) now competes with other OTT streaming service hubs like Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, and TiVo.
Chromecast with Google TV comes with 8gb of memory, 2gb of ram, and has the capability to stream in 4K Ultra HD.
Last year, select smart TVs began building Chromecast technology into their OS as well.
How does Chromecast work?
A stream developed on Google’s Chromecast protocol is called a Cast. It allows devices like smartphones, tablets, and PCs to easily cast and watch videos and music to a HDMI enabled video output or smart speaker. It has been integrated into a variety of Google platforms since 2013.
Whenever an external output is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as a smartphone or desktop, the connected external output will generate a Cast icon pop-up. By interacting with the icon, viewers can then push media to the external output.
Chromecast with Google TV provides a more traditional TV experience. Instead of simply Casting videos from other devices, viewers also stream content directly to the connected video output device (typically a television).
Final words
Reception for Chromecast, and particularly Chromecast with Google TV, has been positive overall among tech writers, with The Verge giving it a 8.5 of out 10 and Gizmodo adding that the latest iteration of Chromecast “instantly catapulted Google to the front of the streaming dongle wars with a $50 device that’s smarter and easier to use than pretty much anything else out there”
Related: Should You Buy A Google Chromecast Device In 2022?