Misc

Google confirms Chromecast support is coming to Google TV

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Google has declared that Google TV is not dead, and it did that with some great news for Chromecast fans. Googler Warren Rehman has confirmed that Chromecast support will be coming to the Google TV platform sometime soon. The engineer didn’t give many more details than that — such as when and how support will be arriving — but he did confirm it.

That post was piggy-backed on a post from the Google TV Developers Google+ account, where it mentioned Google is still working to bring many new hardware and content partners over to the platform. The company also mentioned that it would continue to bring many new, exciting facets of the Chrome and Android experience to keep Google TV fresh.

We’re not yet sure if this will be enabled via a software update or if it will require new hardware, but we’ve sent a line over to Google to find out. Our early guess is that it will only take a simple software upgrade to bring this functionality over, as most Google TV devices already have the WiFi and Bluetooth radios necessary to make Chromecast tick.

Regardless, Google says Chromecast and Google TV will definitely co-exist, and that the experiences will complement each other rather than one cancelling the other out.

[via Google+]

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

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40 Comments

  1. Well, that’s a glimmer of good news. Especially given that when I ordered my Chromcast yesterday, typo’d the shipping address and Google was no help in correcting it.

    Also, I don’t suppose this means Chromecast support will come to my Logitech Revue?

    1. Yes, hopefully it also includes the Revue. Mine has been collecting dust.

      1. The GTV devices that came out in 2010 are discontinued entirely and will not receive Chromecast support nor are they going to receive new firmwares… They use X86 processors and the second gen devices use ARM… So your only choices are Chromecast dongles or the Sony NSZ-GS7/8, Vizio Co-Star or the Asus Cube for such funtionality…

        1. Well, at least that makes my Asus Cube purchase seem like a good idea. I bought it knowing that the thing would be bleeding edge in anticipation of the JellyBean update but now the bugs are killing me! It would be nicer if there was a decent hacking community (or any community at all) but apparently nobody owns this box.

          1. I just watched the two official vids of the Asus Cube… It seemed a bit slow to me & I don’t like the staring & turning a cube for everything… What bugs are u getting ??? I am leaning towards the Vizio Co-Star because of the price range since one can always just use the Google TV App to get the same functionality that the more expensive GTV with keyboard remotes come with…

          2. When it works right then it is a great little box. The most annoying bug I have deals with the IR lights. I can turn off the box and it will sort of flip out and constantly send TV On/Off codes and try to shut down for like an hour. This will then leave the TV on afterwards. Also, I prefer to use the Logitech Revue remote (or even better, my Galaxy Note 2) but the TV On/Off button is squirrely and causes it to freeze. The device is made to turn off unlike the Revue and can only be turned on by the Cube remote which is very unused in the house since there are better alternatives. The actual software runs really well. If I could combine the remote functions of the Revue (amazing HDMI controls..never needed the IR blaster) with the Asus Cube operating system then it would be an amazing device. Unfortunately, all of the (lack of) IR functions make the Asus Cubed nearly useless.

          3. That’s why I keep waiting for something as complete as the Sony box, but at a lower price. I have a love/hate relationship with my Revue and it’s getting old…

          4. I’m ready to try the sony NSZ-GS7/8. Seems like they, if anyone, should deliver a great experience.

          5. I just upgraded my Logitech Revue to the Sony GS7/8. I can tell you that it is a lot faster then the old Logitech Revue, and also you can program the Revue’s keyboard to work with the GS7/8.

          6. I guess summing up my previous statement is. Don’t worry about the operating system. It is actually nice. The cube interface has been pretty good to me. The voice controls are sort of “meh” unless you use it from your phone. Actually, the phone voice control is amazing since it does most of the processing on the phone before sending it over. If you are controlling a surround sound receiver and tv then this thing can be a pain since you need to purchase another type of IR blaster. The IR blaster is useless. I bought this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JS0CVI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 to replace my IR blaster and it helps quite a bit (one on DVR, TV, and Surround Sound). The device has potential and I think they will get it with the next update. Unfortunately, right now it is sort of lacking and with no community support (they give you the freaking code on their website!) this is not living up to potential.

        2. Yeap..

          “In fact, Googler Warren Rehman (who works on Google TV) has stated that
          Chromecast’s functionality is coming to Google TV devices. You will get
          the features if you have an ARM-based Google TV getting Jelly Bean (second-generation and beyond).”

          via: http://gtvsource.com/2013/07/25/chromecast-google-tv/

          Still not 100% sure the dongle won’t be needed though… But probably not…

          1. Hey um… What’s the deal with the phoenix logo if I may?

          2. just a cool logo I found online a long, long, long time ago that match my nick…. Not even sure from what site I got it from… We are taking late 1990’s or early Y2K… Liked the Pie on the chest…

  2. Gee thanks. A hindsight ‘oh by the way’. GTV is amazing, they need more focus on this!

  3. I don’t understand how Chromecast will improve GTV.

    1. Because the Google TV is lacking for actual apps at the moment and since this will require nothing more than a app developer implementing an API directly into their already existing phone/tablet apps to throw audio/video up to the TV screen, then the Google TV will be able to play far more premium content by way of this protocol….

      1. Ooh right. GTV will include Chromecast functions. No dongle needed. Thank you.

        1. It’s unknown if the dongle or new hardware will be required… We just know that they are working on getting ChromeCast to GTV..

          1. I think the way they implemented the cast from youtube app to gtv says they don’t need new hardware. They may have to improve the DRM api on gtv but I think that it’s off to the races.

          2. No new hardware would be needed. It’s all already there. Someone just needs to program it.

  4. My bet is GTV will have the software in it to act as a chromecast does. It wouldn’t make sense to have to put a chromecast into the same setup as your GTV. And since they control what goes into GTV, they can just add those chromecast functions.

    1. I hope GTV’s have all the hardware needed for this… Then I would skip getting a chromecast & would look for a reliable refurbish GTV that could handle both things… This time without carrying what type of remote they include since our phones & tablets would handle it…

      Reliable since I keep reading about reboot & reset problem with GTV devices…

      Refurbish because that would bring the price closer to the $35 chromecast range…

      Hopefully this takes a few months & not half+ a year…. But GTV updates & upgrades run at a snails pace…

  5. What’s the point? GTV has dedicated apps for the 5 things Chromecast can do (so far) and Youtube mobile was already able to push video to GTV. Could it act as a booster, in regards to the browser experience perhaps? That’s the only reason I’d ADD it to my GTV setup…to possibly get streaming from the major networks through Chrome, which on a GTV box is impossible.

    1. It would be nice if GTV would support Play music Chromecast features. Navigating the music player is far easier from the phone compared to the TV.

      1. That’s the plan. GTV will be a Chromecast receiver.

        1. Yeah I don’t know why I worded my reply to Shawn like that. I meant to clarify that additional features like the play music cast would be coming and that is what would make it better.

          1. So then, this is an in-between until the next version of GTV has the stripped-down Chromecast core? Honestly, I wish they would just keep optimizing the GTV platform. I really want a true upgrade from my Revue that has all the same IR capability and won’t crash EVER…sick of having to cycle power every few days. I won’t lie, I will be getting a Chromecast, just because, but I really want a new GTV box that can make PrimeTime shine beyond the concept…

          2. The latest Sony iteration is better, still has quirky moments but not as bad as the revue (I have the revue in my bedroom and latest Sony in my living room).

          3. I’ve been keeping an eye on the Sony…that’s the only one with all the same IR capability, and the bonus of a backlit remote (which doesn’t really matter thanks to Able). I’m still hesitant to purchase another box until the big networks allow content streaming. Those little Android on a stick dongles basically make your TV a giant tablet and you can get all the content on the web…for much less $. Too many choices and not one doing everything perfectly…yet.

          4. I understand completely… GTV has so much potential but not enough backing, both by Google and by consumers. Hopefully this Chromecast is a hit so people can start to understand the potential and power of GTV.

          5. The function of pushing the playlist from the phone/tab to the GTV music app would be killer…without the need for a Chromecast. I’ve wondered why it didn’t already have that feature with the last app update, but the Youtube app has had it for months.

    2. So that it can be better controlled by a tablet. Currently you can load a youtube video on your tablet and it will ask you if you want to play it on your google tv instead. But that functionality is limited to just youtube. Now it’ll support everything that chromecast supports.

  6. I bought a chromecast a midst the hype but I fail to see what I’ll actually use it for. I watch Netflix and amazon via PS3 and I can send YouTube vids to the TV via the ps3 as well. What is so good about chromecast that I can’t get by connecting my laptop or mobile device to the TV via HDMI?

    1. I also use my PS3 to see Netflix and Amazon on my LG G2 (despite those apps being natively available on the TV itself). They just seem more stable and tend to look better (managing real HD more frequently). I suppose this difference is primarily a matter of better hardware on the PS3? Of course, it’s many years old; I’d expected the Google TV to do a better job when I bought it.

      Perhaps the 4.2.2 update will bring the project butter improvements to my Google TV experience and let me keep my PS3 off when it’s not gaming.

  7. Guess I better only get one of these then… Until we know if this will only require a fw mod to GTV devices since it might be a Wifi feature or if it will required new hardware or if we will be able to use the ChromeCast dongle as hardware addon to get it work on a GTV device… I don’t own either yet… And would prefer both the options… Would be great to be able to Cast something & also to be able to watch my cable service without having to change inputs…

  8. I have been “casting” youtube to my (crappy) revue for months….so when chromecast was announced I didn’t realize most people never did this. Then again, only like 10 people have google tv..lol

    1. I’ve been using this feature on GTV since it came out… Seems that most people are GTV experts even though they’ve never even used one.

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        I guess summing up my previous statement is. Don’t worry about the
        operating system. It is actually nice. The cube interface has been
        pretty good to me. The voice controls are sort of “meh” unless you use
        it from your phone. Actually, the phone voice control is amazing since
        it does most of the processing on the phone before sending it over.

    2. I annoyed my family to death about how great this “casting” thing was when it came out on the revue. It started out rocky but improved quickly. It is a very social way to consume media vs the very isolated way that handhelds have created. If I cut the cable, or Dish in this case, cords I’m not sure that GTV still has a place. If it weren’t for my revue integration into Dish I would of cut the cords along time ago.

    3. I guess I’m one of them :P

      I think it’s great to be able to select between TV, Google Play Music and Amazon Instant Video… among the other (admittedly limited) apps. Once Android 4.2.2 drops to it, Google TV will be a force to be reckoned with IMO :)

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