Another day, another few updates for Google’s Chromecast media streamer. Netflix has updated its mobile apps to offer an improved second screen experience when you’re streaming videos to a Chromecast. Video aggregator ShowYou has added Chromecast support. And now you can watch live streaming video from YouTube on a Chromecast.
YouTube Live Streaming
There are plenty of apps that let you stream online videos from sites like YouTube, Hulu, or Netflix to a Chromecast. But for the most part you’re stuck looking at pre-recorded videos.
Now you can watch live streaming videos from YouTube on a Chromecast.
That’s right — you can now watch live kittens on your TV.
As Android Police points out, this new feature is a bit limited at the moment. It only works when you stream videos from a desktop web browser with the Google Cast plugin.
Update: The YouTube app for Android now supports Chromecast live video streams.Â
Netflix Second Screen improvements
Online video site Netflix has updated its Android app with an improved second screen experience so that you can see a bit more info on your phone or tablet while streaming movies or TV shows to your television.
One of the most noticeable changes is that there’s a new toolbar  at the bottom of the screen which shows up while you’re browsing other videos. You can use it to pause or rewind 30 seconds or tap the up arrow button to bring up a larger menu that shows a timeline and options for closed captioning, favorites, other episodes of the series, and more.
ShowYou
Don’t want to figure out which video app to fire up to watch the latest news, music, comedy, or viral videos? ShowYou aims to be a sort of one-stop shop that aggregates videos from multiple sources, including your Twitter timeline and Facebook feed.
Version 1.3 of ShowYou for Android and version 5.1.1 for iOS add support for streaming videos to Chromecast.
my netflix has to load up sometimes in the middle of movie with my chromecast
So if I am watching a live stream on my PC via chrome, can I stream it to the chromecast and then watch on my TV? If so I am buying one tomorrow!
Yes, you can cast tabs in chrome. Most media players, HBOGO included, will have the chromecast icon for streaming that player directly to your television.
Yup I use the netflix app almost daily and the new updates really make controlling netflix on chromecast easier. Also I use chromecast to cast google chrome tabs now and then and using allcast i stream local media. Would like to see my Spotify controls on chromecast too and facetime but we all know that wont happen
All this Chromecast integration is great but I have to wonder if anyone is actually using these features. I know a couple of people who bought Chromecasts but rarely use them. When they do it is usually just for Youtube. I use a Roku3 and have not felt the need to buy a Chromecast.
I guess it depends on your viewing pattern. I find my Chromecast to be immensely useful to where is accounts for 80% of my TV screen time (which will be 100% when I cut cable.) Since my phone is always on hand, I never need another remote or device. The only thing I cannot easily watch is live streams (like NBA League Pass- which also has issues on PC and Roku platforms of poor performance.) Overall, Chromecast is incredibly simple to use. Choose something on your phone and it will turn on your TV and start the video on the correct input (or, if you use your TV to power the Chromecast, you first have to turn on the TV.) There is almost no learning curve.
The core apps of Netflix, Youtube, HBOGo, Pandora and Play Store movies cover most of my viewing and music needs. And I use the app VGet in order to cast other web videos that are otherwise non-compatible (sites like putlocker and even some flash sites.) This will be even better when chrome fully supports more video sites as it does in beta. I do not have a movie collection, but if I did I could use Plex.
I know that Airlay, Roku and Fire have additional capabilities and channels, but that does not make them a better choice. The Chromecast is simple, easy to use and cheap and gets the job done. I am really surprised at how useful it is and how it has changed and simplified my viewing habits.