Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

Discussions on how emerging technology can assist the distribution of media content through mobile, kiosks, Internet, social networks, etc.
russellhltn
Community Administrator
Posts: 34384
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:53 pm
Location: U.S.

Re: Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

#11

Post by russellhltn »

How about the security aspect? Assuming anyone is still looking at this for use in a church, how does one restrict control to the teachers and not the students?
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
RossEvans
Senior Member
Posts: 1345
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:52 pm
Location: Austin TX
Contact:

Re: Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

#12

Post by RossEvans »

russellhltn wrote:How about the security aspect? Assuming anyone is still looking at this for use in a church, how does one restrict control to the teachers and not the students?
Well, that is yet another issue. The only authentication seems to be at the WiFi level. Apparently any device authenticated and connected to the WiFi network -- which as we know is a lot of folks -- can command any Chromecast that is connected.
russellhltn
Community Administrator
Posts: 34384
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:53 pm
Location: U.S.

Re: Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

#13

Post by russellhltn »

Gad. Is there even an ID? What happens if you have two Chromecast devices on the same network?
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
RossEvans
Senior Member
Posts: 1345
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:52 pm
Location: Austin TX
Contact:

Re: Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

#14

Post by RossEvans »

russellhltn wrote:Gad. Is there even an ID? What happens if you have two Chromecast devices on the same network?
Yes, each Chromecast has a name defined at setup. At runtime, a user of any controlling device (PC, smartphone, etc.) can pick any Chromecast that is discovered to be running and connected on its WiFi. You can start a "cast' from one controlling device, then pause or stop it from another. I believe the only way to isolate devices is to put them on different WiFi networks.
russellhltn
Community Administrator
Posts: 34384
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:53 pm
Location: U.S.

Re: Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

#15

Post by russellhltn »

RossEvans wrote:But streaming general content just using the "Cast" functionality within the Windows Chrome browser is very laggy -- video lags audio by 10 seconds or more. Even browsing to non-video websites exhibits lag. The mirrored video on the Chromecast runs between 5 and 20 seconds behind that on my laptop screen when its display changes, apparently depending on complexity. I gather that the specs of my 2-1/2 year old Dell Latitude laptop are at least partially to blame. It has a first-generation I5 CPU, but Google's minimum requirements for high quality video casting from the browser call for a second-generation I5 or better. That is the Intel generation that first incorporated an integrated GPU. My older computer without the onboard graphics processor just can't handle all that video transcoding fast enough. Perhaps, as Google suggests, the latest and greatest PC hardware wouldn't have this problem.
Too bad it requires such high-end hardware. Because this sounded like a good place to "retire" one's old phone.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
RossEvans
Senior Member
Posts: 1345
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:52 pm
Location: Austin TX
Contact:

Re: Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

#16

Post by RossEvans »

russellhltn wrote: Too bad it requires such high-end hardware. Because this sounded like a good place to "retire" one's old phone.
A smartphone can be used to control the Chromecast as it connects directly to supported servers such as YouTube, Netflix, etc., basically like a remote. But no smartphone running the Chrome browser can do an ad hoc "cast" from its browser to the device. Right now, only PCs, Macs and Chromebooks can do that at all. And only high-end models can do it well, according to Google's own specs.

Still, the Chromecast is an interesting consumer device, and at this price point will probably get a large installed base with more supported server-side content providers. I hope the church will support it with appropriate development for home use. It's just not very suitable for general meetinghouse use, I think.
jdlessley
Community Moderators
Posts: 9833
Joined: Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:30 am
Location: USA, TX

Re: Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

#17

Post by jdlessley »

russellhltn wrote:How about the security aspect? Assuming anyone is still looking at this for use in a church, how does one restrict control to the teachers and not the students?
I found this information in a review:
Google really needs to add basic playback controls like play, pause, and mute to the Chromecast setup app. Google also desperately needs to add in some basic password controls; right now anyone walking by can grab control of your Chromecast and send video to it. That makes it super easy to use, but also opens up a world of elaborate trolling.
<Bold added for emphasis.>
To me that means until Google upgrades the device with some access controls it would be difficult to maintain control in any environment let alone in a church classroom.
JD Lessley
Have you tried finding your answer on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Help Center or Tech Wiki?
User avatar
richielloydbrown
Church Employee
Church Employee
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 9:17 am

Re: Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

#18

Post by richielloydbrown »

Thank you (and all here) for sharing your insights and findings related to Chromecast. Keep it coming! We will be testing chromecasts current capabilities as well as keeping our eyes on this emerging technology to see how it might relate to needs in meetinghouse digital presentation.
Richard Brown
Product Manager | Missionary Department
davjared
New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:19 pm

Re: Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

#19

Post by davjared »

We've fought for years to get live conference broadcasts on our tv at home and this seems like a perfect solution, particularly if the Google Cast features were added to the lds.org video players, enabling users to push the video to start on the TV. No more need for cables, adapters or laptops dedicated to the broadcast alone.
bcgroen
New Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2012 6:58 pm
Location: Troy, MI, USA

Re: Chromecast, any HDMI-capable TV can receive video stream

#20

Post by bcgroen »

I'd love to see this developed further. Especially for the application of watching videos from LDS.org (not just conference). A lot of the longer videos are not on YouTube, which essentially then requires you to hook up a laptop to watch.
Post Reply

Return to “Digital Media”