any Google Chromecast users?

[retire-early]

My mom knows her way around her smartphone.
She'd like to cast the exercise videos on Youtube to the not-smart TV.
Apparently Google Chromecast will let her do that.
Is that true?

 

[bbqcoder]

My mom knows her way around her smartphone.
She'd like to cast the exercise videos on Youtube to the not-smart TV.
Apparently Google Chromecast will let her do that.
Is that true?

I don’t have Chromecast but yes, you should be able to cast videos to it. I have done this with my iPhone to a laptop connected to the pool room TV. Works well. It’s nice to search for videos and play them or add them to the play queue.

 

[Midpack]

I gave away my ChromeCast but I did cast YouTube with it. Here are the instructions on how to cast. https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/3228332?hl=en&ref_topic=4602553

If whatever you’re watching has this symbol, you can cast using ChromeCast:

 

[misanman]

Simple and easy to do, either with the older model or the new one. The new one has a remote. If she doesn't need the remote with the on-screen menus, then the older one might be simpler to use.

 

[target2019]

You can cast to a TV with Roku also. Make sure you check what ports are on the TV and will be used by Chromecast or other device.

 

[JoeWras]

I don't like the newest Chromecast (Chromecast w/Google TV). For simple casting, the old version is THE best device for casting. The newest CCw/GTV has bugs, and doesn't play well with some networks. I'd avoid it until they fix up their issues.

And as the previous post mentions, my Roku Premier accepts casts just fine.

 

[sengsational]

Just check the features of the player app on the phone... not every player will offer the cast option. If it does, it's pretty painless (old version, anyway). Make sure the phone and the chromecast are on the same wifi!

 

[Koogie]

I have the (now very) old Chromecast model.

Yes, you can cast from Youtube. As well as Netflix, PrimeVideo, etc..
As well as any other that displays the casting symbol as mentioned above.


I would also note the "Cast my Screen" feature has greatly improved (IMHO).

I often take photos when outside of various things (wildlife mostly) and then cast them onto our TV for DW to see. Can see some VERY large zoomed in details then. Individual tail feathers on our resident red tailed hawk for instance.

 

[Jerry1]

You can cast to a TV with Roku also. Make sure you check what ports are on the TV and will be used by Chromecast or other device.

I found Roku to work better (for me) than the chromecast. Seemed like I’d run into a lot of things that wouldn’t cast. But, the Roku is a screen mirror and seems to work well with anything on my phone, which is an I
Phone, if that matters.

 

[Scrapr]

I cast on Roku as well. My issue is that I have 3 Roku & I sometimes cast to the wrong TV. But that is a user error not a device problem

 

[Chuckanut]

I use my older V2 Chromecast quite a bit. My Tivo often stalls out when using Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. This requires a restart of the device. Sometimes it happens several times a night. It's an older machine with life-time guide service, but I don't think the streaming apps are updated much if at all these days.

The Chromecast is the perfect cure. It just works. I start the stream on my phone or ipad and cast it to the TV. Very nice.

Note: FWIW, I can no longer recommend Tivo as the DVR of choice. They seem to have lost their Zing. Just my opinion. YMMV.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I don't like the newest Chromecast (Chromecast w/Google TV). For simple casting, the old version is THE best device for casting. The newest CCw/GTV has bugs, and doesn't play well with some networks. I'd avoid it until they fix up their issues.

And as the previous post mentions, my Roku Premier accepts casts just fine.

Thanks, that's good to know; I was going to chime in as I have two of the earliest ones, and I use them to cast my Zoom yoga class to a big TV, and just yesterday, a Fidelity webinar! Originally I got one because I was tired of passing around a laptop to show photos etc. to people in the room, and it is great for that, too.

 

[RetMD21]

Chromecast works great for me with youtube straight from the browser. Not so good with other web sites (PBS, Facebook, Amazon Prime) I use the viewer app for PBS and Prime.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

With some sites I can't cast unless I'm using the Chrome web browser, but you should always be able to cast any browser tab from Chrome to a Chromecast. At least, I can with the older models.

 

[retire-early]

Wow. I did not know I can cast to the Roku.

 

[retire-early]

So may be buy the 1st generation Chromecast on eBay, that no one wants. :-D

 

[JoeWras]

Wow. I did not know I can cast to the Roku.

I swear I couldn't with a little older version that what I have now (about 6 months old). The new Roku works great for Casting.

 

[target2019]

I have a Roku 3 (2016 model) and it can receive casts. I think Chromecast has gotten better with Roku because of Roku updates and improvements in the sending apps.

TBH, the other day I was successsful, but hadn't tried in a very long time. I used FA Player on my Pixel phone, and was able to cast entire soccer games to Roku.