The Google Cast platform lets you plug a $35 Chromecast into your TV and stream content from the internet to your TV using your phone, tablet, or PC as a remote control. Right now there are only a few services that officially support the service, which means you can use Chromecast to stream video from YouTube, Netflix, and Google Play Movies, but not Amazon or HBO… yet.
While a number of online video sites have announced plans to add Chromecast support, there’s already a workaround — install a Chrome browser extension on your desktop and just stream your entire browser tab to the Chromecast.
Meanwhile, independent developer Koushik Dutta has been building his own tools. A few days ago he developed a Phone to Chromecast tool that lets you stream content from your Android phone’s gallery straight to your TV.
Now he’s followed up with a Dropbox to Chrome app.
The app lets you stream any video that’s uploaded to your personal Dropbox account straight to your TV as long as Chromecast is plugged in. Just pull up the app on your mobile device, find the video you want to stream, and share it with Chromecast.
Unfortunately neither of Koush’s apps are available to the public yet. He says the terms of the Google Cast software development kit prohibits him from doing that — at least while the SDK is in beta.
But this is likely just the beginning. He says he could build a similar app that would let you stream content from Google Drive, for instance.
Eventually Koush plans to release the tools as a series of open source apps on the Google Play Store with both free and paid app options.
Does the phone need to stay connected to your WiFi and does the downloading from the cloud, decodes the video and then streams it to your TV? I’d like to just tell the app what I want to stream and the Chromecast device downloads and plays the file directly so I can disconnect my phone after sending the command. Maybe have it work over WAN as long as the appropriate ports are forwarded.
If not, then I’ll stay with Miracast or WiDi. I already have that set up for my devices.
hopefully dropbox and other cloud storage services adds chromecast support themselves. it will just encourage people to use their services.
Just FYI: That is how the chromecast works. The device itself downloads and plays the content, your phone/tablet/PC just tells the chromecast where to get the content from, at least in it’s current approved usage. Things like this article mentions will begin to blur the lines. It will be interesting to see how Google responds to apps like this, will they be cool about it or will the become the new Apple and restrict what you can do with the device? Only time will tell.
No, all Chormecast needs is a link to point where to download the content. If you start a YouTube play from your laptop or phone, you can turn off the phone and the video will still play.
There are 2 modes. One is what you mentioned. The other is the not really encouraged mode where it just mirrors your phone’s screen. Similar to Miracast and Intel’s WiDi which I use for my portables.
Essentially, I just want to miniaturize my HTPC. Anything ARM won’t do because at the rate it’s going, Linux support is near non-existent for end users like me.
I hope Intel Silvermont based Atoms can help make fairly small HTPC boxes. There has already been a lot of driver updates to Intel’s open source drivers for Bay Trail. Also, there has been GCC compiler optimization commits for Silvermont.
Been following the Linux related updates to support Silvermont and it’s Bay Trail SoC. It’s looking good. Compared to most commercial companies, Intel is very supportive of open source development. Now we just need actual hardware to come out.