Roku and Chrome stick

[Bob_Vaughn]

What are these things good for? Do you need a cable connection? Or do you use wi-fi are the thousands of channels any thing like A & E, USA, TNT, Velosity ? Is it something that can be used when boon docking? I see the ads for these things on TV quiet often...Is it a waste of money.....

[MrWizard]

Amazon..Netflix.com...HuLu prime
Are all subscription services
Pay for the service pay for the mobile data
I have Amazon prime and Netflix
But we full-time no cable TV, no satellite TV

[docj]

Don't overlook the fact that Amazon now has Fire Stick which essentially does the same things as a Roku. There aren't as many channel apps yet for the Amazon device, but I got mine for $20 on a special for Amazon Prime members.

[docj]

Bob Vaughn wrote:
So if I am sitting at home in my rv and turn on either will it connect to the wi-fi in my house and start streaming ? I looked at the roku web site channel listings and got thru a hundred or so and never heard of any of them....

Yes, if your RV is parked near the house the Roku will connect to the wifi. If you've never heard of any of the Roku channels then I guess you've never heard of Netflix, Amazon Instant Video or Hulu, all of which are very common streaming services. There are channels for NBC, PBS, A&E, HBO, and Showtime as well as lots more cable and network channels.

[MrWizard]

i know it can be linked to your netflix account and remotely controlled by your android phone or windows laptop/pc

the point is.. unless you want to Broadcast what is on the PC
you need an internet connection with sufficient data allowance and speed

i have had a SONY media player for almost 3yr
it plays netflix and amazon using my phone hotspot
chromecast and roku do the same thing in smaller devices..

[strollin]

global2 wrote:
Other browsers now support Chromecast. As do many apps, sites, etc. New Chromecast ready opportunities are added daily. You don't need just Chrome browser anymore.

strollin wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
... As said...Chrome cast ...broadcasts to the tv from any device you have that has Wi-Fi connection ability
In other words you use the chrome cast to substitute for a cable between laptop and tv or phone and TV
It will display video or your web browsing..whatever is on your device screen

This isn't exactly how the Chromecast works, it works that way ONLY if you use the Chrome browser to cast a webpage or your desktop to the Chromecast. This isn't the preferred way of doing things.

However, if you use a Chromecast enabled app like Netflix on your iOS or Android device, it streams content directly to the Chromecast from the internet without passing thru your phone or tablet. The phone becomes a remote control (more or less) in order to pause, start/stop the content streaming thru the Chromecast. You can actually use the phone to do other things like play a game or something without effecting the content streaming to the TV.

This concept is hard to get across to people that have never used a Chromecast.

You missed the entire point of my post which was NOT about using the Chrome browser.

[Bob_Vaughn]

So if I am sitting at home in my rv and turn on either will it connect to the wi-fi in my house and start streaming ? I looked at the roku web site channel listings and got thru a hundred or so and never heard of any of them....

[ChooChooMan74]

This is my intro video to connecting a Chromecast to Hotel/Campground Networks. As I am listening, this was before I lost my weight, as I am breathing a bit heavier.

It does go faster when 1) You're not trying to film it and 2) you have it set up more permanently.

http://youtu.be/2JQfzf_VMTs

[global2]

Other browsers now support Chromecast. As do many apps, sites, etc. New Chromecast ready opportunities are added daily. You don't need just Chrome browser anymore.

strollin wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
... As said...Chrome cast ...broadcasts to the tv from any device you have that has Wi-Fi connection ability
In other words you use the chrome cast to substitute for a cable between laptop and tv or phone and TV
It will display video or your web browsing..whatever is on your device screen

This isn't exactly how the Chromecast works, it works that way ONLY if you use the Chrome browser to cast a webpage or your desktop to the Chromecast. This isn't the preferred way of doing things.

However, if you use a Chromecast enabled app like Netflix on your iOS or Android device, it streams content directly to the Chromecast from the internet without passing thru your phone or tablet. The phone becomes a remote control (more or less) in order to pause, start/stop the content streaming thru the Chromecast. You can actually use the phone to do other things like play a game or something without effecting the content streaming to the TV.

This concept is hard to get across to people that have never used a Chromecast.

[timmac]

Bob Vaughn wrote:
Is it a waste of money.....

Roku is not a waste of money, my house and RV is setup for Roku, its a lot cheaper than cable or satellite by a long shot and 10 times the programs with no or very few commercials..

:C

[strollin]

MrWizard wrote:
... As said...Chrome cast ...broadcasts to the tv from any device you have that has Wi-Fi connection ability
In other words you use the chrome cast to substitute for a cable between laptop and tv or phone and TV
It will display video or your web browsing..whatever is on your device screen

This isn't exactly how the Chromecast works, it works that way ONLY if you use the Chrome browser to cast a webpage or your desktop to the Chromecast. This isn't the preferred way of doing things.

However, if you use a Chromecast enabled app like Netflix on your iOS or Android device, it streams content directly to the Chromecast from the internet without passing thru your phone or tablet. The phone becomes a remote control (more or less) in order to pause, start/stop the content streaming thru the Chromecast. You can actually use the phone to do other things like play a game or something without effecting the content streaming to the TV.

This concept is hard to get across to people that have never used a Chromecast.

[strollin]

Roku recently upgraded the firmware on the Roku 3 so that it is Miracast compatible which means if you have a Win 8 computer, you should be able to cast it's output wirelessly to the Roku to be dispayed on the TV.

I have a Chromecast and 3 Rokus. The Rokus are superior, hands down. The only point the Chromecast wins is that it costs less.

[MrWizard]

The roku streams movies etc from the internet
You need an internet data connection
Wi-Fi to your home access point is how it connects to the internet
Yes they can work with cellular hotspots...You can use a lot of data doing this

As said...Chrome cast ...broadcasts to the tv from any device you have that has Wi-Fi connection ability
In other words you use the chrome cast to substitute for a cable between laptop and tv or phone and TV
It will display video or your web browsing..whatever is on your device screen

[Escargot]

Along the same lines, recently it was suggested, since I was most attracted to Roku over Chromecast, that I purchase Roku for home and Chromecast for the RV.

[Dakota98]

bighatnohorse wrote:
Thanks for asking that question Bob - it was on my mind as well.
We just bought a DVD player that picks up the the local wifi signal and can play YouTube, Hulu, Amazon and I don't know what else.
I'm now wondering if it will pick up anything that is "cast". If so, I might upgrade the camper DVD player with a newer model.

bighatnohorse,

Not that it's important, but that DVD you have is probably a Blu-Ray player, which plays both DVD & Blu-Ray. Can't say that I've seen a DVD player that has the functions you've described.