More and more, the mobile device forms a fundamental pillar in terms of our interaction with multimedia content. Whether it is to watch movies or listen to music, our smartphone, thanks to the continued growth of screens, is positioned as the epicenter of entertainment.
However, we have many possibilities thanks to the connectivity with the television when it comes to playing this multimedia content directly from our smartphone.
We are going to talk about the Chromecast, a device that allows us to connect the content of our smartphone to any television only through the HDMI connection. It is one of the cheapest and most versatile options on the market.
What is a Chromecast?
The important thing is to start by knowing what this device consists of. In 2013 Google released the Chromecast as an alternative to convert traditional televisions into Smart TV. At the time when the Chromecast was launched, most televisions did not yet include connectivity systems with an operating system or applications, as it does now in a large number of televisions.
However, as televisions are devices that usually have a fairly high durability, it is normal that many people opt for external alternatives to adapt your televisions to today's needs.
This device made by Google allows you to stream content from your phone, tablet or PC directly to the television to which it is connected. To do this, it uses the WiFi connection to which you have connected it. This will allow us, for example, that if we watch a video on YouTube and we have the Chromecast connected to the television, simply pressing a button will start playing the video directly on the television.
The main advantage of the Chromecast with respect to its competitors is precisely its high compatibility with the different smartphone operating systems, especially with Android where the integration is native.
In short, we are faced with a «dongle» with HDMI that receives the signal from our mobile device and reproduces it directly on the television. As an advantage, we find that when we have an application compatible with Google's Chromecast such as YouTube or Spotify, we can continue using our device since the connection is totally independent in these compatible applications.
Instead we find other options such as directly reproducing the smartphone screen or various applications that will help us to get more out of this device, however, one of its main advantages is the price compared to other competitors.
What types of Chromecast are there?
Currently we find up to five types of Chromecast available, however, the oldest have been discarded.
It is important that we know the difference between the different types of Chromecast and their capabilities, And if we know how to differentiate them, we can access some functionalities that unfortunately will not be available in older versions of the device.
Chromecast "normal"
We leave you below a photograph in which we will be able to find from first to last all the available versions of the Chromecast from left to right, however, there are technical differences beyond the purely aesthetic.
We have a different processor between the Chromecast 1 and the Chromecast 2, however, the Chromecast 3 has exactly the same processor as the Chromecast 2. This detail is not excessively important since the real difference is in the playback capabilities.
The first three versions of the Chromecast are capable of playing content in FullHD (1080p) resolution at 60Hz refresh, However, we have the Chromecast Ultra launched at the same time as the Chromecast 3 and it has more playback features at maximum quality, and it is that the Chromecast Ultra is capable of playing 4K Ultra HD content and supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision technology.
For its part, all versions of the Chromecast have HDMI CEC and the possibility of adding an Ethernet port through the power adapter, although this accessory would have to be purchased separately.
In the same way, all Chromecasts have WiFi connectivity compatible with the 2,4 GHz and 5 GHz network, except for the oldest version, the first one that was released and is no longer available on the market.
In short, we must always try to acquire the latest version available on the market, either the traditional Chromecast or the Chromecast Ultra.
Chromecast Audio
We must not forget the Chromecast Audio, a device that in appearance is identical to the Chromecast but has a 3,5mm minijack port instead of an HDMI port. This Chromecast Audio, as you can imagine from the name, is not intended to play video, but is intended to connect to any sound equipment and thus attribute the ability to play content from applications such as YouTube or Spotify.
However, At the beginning of 2019 Google decided to stop making the Chromecast Audio, but surely you can continue acquiring it at a traditional point of sale where they still have stock.
How does a Chromecast work?
The first thing to do is connect our Chromecast to the HDMI port of the TV at the same time that we take advantage of the network adapter and the microUSB cable which will be in charge of providing energy for operation. Once the Chromecast boots, the settings menu will open, which is quite simple.
Now you must download the application Google Home in any of the following links that I leave you below:
In the case of PC and macOS you should know that Google Chrome has absolute integration to play content through the Chromecast if you are connected to the same WiFi network.
Now enter the Google Home application and click on the "+" button from the top right to add a Chromecast, then follow the path Configure Device> Configure new devices. From here you just have to follow the steps that are indicated both on the TV screen and on the screen of your smartphone.
You will only have to confirm a multi-digit code that will be displayed on the TV and the Chromecast will be directly available and fully integrated with your WiFi network to connect to any compatible device.
How to mirror my smartphone screen to TV
One of the most attractive features of the Chromecast is the possibility of mirroring the screen of your device on the TV to be able to play or watch applications that are not compatible with the Chromecast. In the case of Android it is simple:
- Open the Google Home app
- Tap on the Chromecast device you want to send the stream to
- Click on the function Send my screen> Send screen
Being fully integrated with Android is much easier carry out this task, now you can play in real time, for example.
The thing changes in iOS (iPhone and iPad) where the Google Home application does not allow this functionality. For this we must download external applications, one of the most recommended is Reply (DOWNLOAD) despite being paid.
- We open the Replica application
- Click on the desired Chromecast that is shown on the home screen
- Click on "start" and wait for the three-second countdown
It is possibly the best application to share in streaming the screen of your iPhone without any impediment. In addition, we will have access to different settings as well as control the quality with which we want to see the content.
Best Chromecast Compatible Apps
CastPad - A real-time whiteboard
This application will allow you to turn your Chromecast compatible tablet or smartphone into a digital whiteboard. Everything you write will be reflected in real time on your TV automatically.
This application has a basic free version, although if we like it we can purchase the paid version that has some more interesting features to take full advantage of. You must bear in mind that this application is only available for Android.
- Download CastPad
Risk - One of the best games for Chromecast
Despite the fact that there are a huge number of games compatible with Chromecast, perhaps Risk is one of the best integrated to bring us the possibilities of the traditional game to the digital version. You will be able to enjoy both the classic version and some renewed versions that make the game more interactive and above all more dynamic. To be able to play Risk on your Chromecast you will only have to click on the Chromecast icon that will appear on the home screen once your smartphone detects that it is on the same WiFi network.
Turn your Chromecast into a karaoke
Another interesting option is to turn your Chromecast into a karaoke, for this we have many alternatives such as Musixmatch (iOS / Android) that will reproduce the lyrics of the songs that we want directly on the television through the Chromecast. What's more, Deezer (iOS / Android) It is fully compatible with Chromecast and also has a «Lyrics» function that will easily reproduce the lyrics on the TV.
The most popular apps compatible with Chromecast
Despite the previous recommendations, we must not forget that we have a list of "traditional" applications that are fully compatible with Chromecast and will save us a lot of time when choosing content. As always, These applications will show the Chromecast icon when the content we are playing can be shared, usually once we are in the multimedia controller.
- YouTube
- Spotify
- Netflix
- A3 player
- Twitch
- RTVE clan
- Microsoft Office
- tuenIN
- Disney +
- HBO
- Sky
- Amazon Prime Video