Here is my walk through video on how to upgrade your 2013 Chromecast to the new 2015 Chromecast for Windows. This video will walk you through the full step by step in setting up a new or current Windows machine for Windows 7, 8 or 10. I will walk you through installing the Windows Chromecast app program, removal of existing Chromecast, installing of new Chromecast, and updating your device.
Category Archives: Setup
new 2015 Chromecast Unboxing Video
Here is my unboxing video for the brand new 2015 Google’s streaming device Chromecast
New 2015 Chromecast 2 Arrives!
Surprise! Mr. Fedex delivered my new Chromecast today and I couldn’t wait to unbox it and have a look.
First, the packaging is not made of quality material. It feels very cheap and the actual box is made of some recycled material that came apart once I removed the label. This doesn’t concern me much as I am not paying for the box. If the previous generation Chromecast is of any indication, this one should more than live up to the hype.
The actual device looks much different than previous generation. Google has gone away from the USB dongle form factor. The new Chromecast almost resembles a small hockey puck or a headphone. If you extend out the HDMI extension, it can almost pass as an Christmas ornament. If you have the need to remove or move the Chromecast, the HDMI extension attaches to the body through a magnet and it quite firm.
On the rear of the new Chromecast, it has these inscriptions: Model NC2-6A5 | FCC ID: A4RNC2-6A5 | IC: 10395A-NC26A5 | CAN ICES-3 B/NMB-3 B | Made In China
Then at the bottom: Designed by Google | 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043.
It also has other symbols indicating HDMI, do not dispose and others such as serial number.
I did have a bit of an issue setting it up but this is likely due to my WiFi and not due to the device.
I’ll shortly update this post with an unboxing video as well as an install guide.
Google Launches new Chromecast and Chromecast Audio
Google launched the highly anticipated updated Chromecast today during their 2015 Sept event which is available for sale right now at their site. This may not have been a surprise as Chromecast has been a huge hit and it was due for a hardware update since it was first launched July 2013. What was surprising was the launch of Chromecast Audio. Chromecast Audio plugs into the back of your speaker using a 3.5mm jack which you can stream directly from your Android device (phone or tablet) to your speakers. Previously, you had to stream via your TV which is connected to your TV which didn’t work well for people who only wanted to stream music. Now you have an option. The content streaming market is heating up with Amazon’s updated Fire TV and Apple’s own Apple TV. I will do a side by side comparison shortly!
First, the new Chromecast is updated with new software and hardware with new colors – black, coral, and lemonade. One thing that did not change is the price. Google went away with the dongle and redesigned Chromecast and now looks like a hockey puck. The Chromecast will have a built in HDMI extension which will make it easier to connect to your TV. Another major change is the improvement in WiFi. The Chromecast will now support 802.11ac and 5Ghz bandwidth as well. It also has built in adaptive antenna system to maximize WiFi signals which has plagued a lot of people in the first generation Chromecast.
New Chromecast also has capability to cast more data resulting in less buffering.
Chromecast Audio
Chromecast Audio looks similar to the Chromecast except it has vinyl-esque grooves on the top. There aren’t too much details on Chromecast audio but it does have a 3.5mm audio jack as well as RCA and optical connector. It also has the adaptive WiFi antennas used to maximize the connection and quality of the music.
Through Chromeast Audio, you can make your speaker “smart”. Link this in with apps such as Google Music, Pandora, or Spotify, then you will be able to stream seamlessly. When you click the cast button from these apps, you will see a speaker icon to cast to which will be your Chromecast Audio device such as below. For the time being you cannot cast to multiple audio devices.
This will eliminate the need to use bluetooth where you need keep your keep your phone running at all times and all relating notifications gets sent over.
Software Updates
Existing Chromecast app was limited to setup, backpage, and maybe looking for offers. The new Chromecast app has more features.
What’s On:
Google has incorporated content discovery feature called, “Whats On”. Through this, you can review content that is trending or live events which may interest you.
Devices Tab:
There is a new tab which will allow you to remote control different devices seamlessly as you go through different rooms.
Get App:
Will allow you to search within installed Chromecast supported apps or introduce you to new apps. You can also search related content from apps such as Youtube or other apps.
Fast Play:
This new feature pre-loads app data as you open the app which will aid in reducing load time by up to 80%. It also pre-loads the following episode which you are likely to watch as you have finished watching one episode. Google simulated this for Netflix but will enable this for all partners.
Gaming
Google released a remote display API for Apple and Android based mobile devices. This will allow developers to update game apps so you can play using your TV with one screen and for example set up the game controller on the mobile device.
You can also play simultaneously with other players such as Monopoly where each device will have the players own screen.
How to Chromecast onto Multiple Screens
Have you had the need to cast a presentation, video, or some slideshow onto multiple screens using Chromecast and wish there was an easy way to do it? Google does offer this feature but there are several apps that enable you to do this. We recently came across a situation where there will be a dinner banquet and we wanted to use the hall’s multiple HDTV across the venue. The TV’s were not connected to a single source but had WiFi network. What we wanted to do was to cast a video to multiple HDTV receivers. After some research, we went with AirParrot. AirParrot does exactly this.
Through their software, you can control your source and destination(s). You can also select audio only and not send the video. There are also some controls to pause or blank the screen. Not only can you select output for Chromecast, you can also select Apple TV as well.
Use your TV Remote to Control your Chromecast
Google secretly launched a new feature which allows you to control your Chromecast using your TV remote. This is a bit unsuspecting but a neat feature that only works on TV with HDMI-CEC. You may be confused as the Chromecast does not have a IR receiver. The way it works is this. The Chromecast receives your TV remote signal via the HDMI-CEC enabled connector. Your remote must also have buttons dedicated to play, stop, pause, fast forward, and rewind. I just tried this on my 2009 Samsung HDTV and it did not work. If you are not sure if you have HDMI-CEC enabled TV, try to look at your manual or simply give the feature a trial!
Chromecast Support for Windows Phone
Chromecast has proven to be a big hit for Android, iOS, and computer users but Windows Phone has been a bit left out. There is limited Chromecast support for Windows Phone meanwhile support for Android and iOS devices have been growing.
That may now change. Windows mobile phone users can keep their hopes up with one app. Tube Cast is an app that allows mobile phone users with Windows OS to cast Youtube to their HDMI screen. The functions are limited as in you cannot pause, go back, or go foward but it is enough for you to select a video and play.
So far it is getting between 4-5 stars in the windows phone app store and the latest reviews are very positive. Give it a spin!
Chromecast Support for Windows Phone was first posted on Chromecastchat.
Poor Video Quality When Casting Tab
Your Chromecast may have poor video quality when casting a Chrome tab to your TV. This is usually due to two things which can cause freezing, stuttering, or pixelating on your TV. Here are some things you can try to fix poor video quality on your Chromecast.
Computer performance causing video issues with Chromecast:
Check the power settings on your computer which you are casting the tab from Chrome. Check to make sure your computer does not go to sleep or go into power saving mode which is set by default on most laptops. Close down any unused applications, programs, or windows. Temporarily reduce it from the default high definition 720p to 480p through the Options Menu on the Cast icon.
Network Issue causing poor video quality Chromecast:
The performance of Chromecast highly depends on your WiFi connection. Your WiFi connection in turn depends on the speed of your Internet. In my experience, you should have at least 3mb Internet speed and faster. WiFi routers varies but your TV and Chromecast should not have too many walls in between. For example, if you have your WiFi router located one end of the room, you will likely experience issues trying to connect it to a Chromecast at the opposite side of your house or basement. You can try to move your router or purchase an extender or repeater to extend the range of your WiFi network. You can also try to use the HDMI extender to distance the Chromecast device from your TV. If you are casting a tab from a PC / Laptop, make sure it has good strength indicating on the WiFi connection. You can also check if the WiFi channel is overlapping with another device through WiFi manager apps available on Play Store and App Store. If you have multiple users streaming through Youtube or other services, it may hamper the performance.
How to factory reset a Chromecast:
If you tried all of the above and still have video quality issues regardless of casting from a tab or casting from an app, as a last resort, you can try to do a reset on your Chromecast to see if clearing the cache will resolve your issue. In order to reset, you can do it two ways.
Setting up more than one Chromecast WiFi
You can set up as many Chromecast on the same WiFi. However, you must select different names for each device. It is also a good idea to ensure that your WiFi network is password protected. When you introduce a new Chromecast to your network, simply repeat the instruction when you first initiated your Chromecast. One thing to be careful of is to ensure you choose names which is easy to remember. As you cast the screen from the content you are watching, all available devices will be visible when choosing a Chromecast. Also note there is no way to block someone from casting content to someone’s screen. In other words, if your sister is using Chromecast to cast something from her iPhone’s Youtube app to her TV, you can accidentally stop her cast and put something to her TV through your Android phone.
How to Reboot Remotely and Factory Reset
Here is how you can reboot and do a factory data rest on your Chromecast remotely. You may run into an issue where video quality isn’t great and you want to do a simple reboot. In order to reboot, you simply go to your Chromecast App, click onto your device in question, go to menu and you will see the below options. You can do the same to factory data reset a Chromecast. Whether you want to return the device or give it to your cousin Vinny, you will want to perform a factory data reset on your Chromecast before you do so.
If you want to physically reboot or do a factory reset, you can do the following. To do a reboot, simply power cycle it. Remove the power source (usb) and plug it back in. To do a factory data reset, hold down the power button on your Chromecast while is is powered for at least 25 seconds until the led light starts to flash.
You can also do a reset and factory reset through the app on your PC. Go to the app and open your Chromecast device. You should see the below in the options menu. Click reboot to quickly clear the cache to see if it resolves your issue and click factory reset if you want to clear all personal data.
