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    ChromeCast?

    I'm looking for a way to display a laptop screen content to a HDTV. I see the Google has the ChromeCast device but wanted to know if anyone has any experience with it.

    Essentially, it's for my long retired mother who would like to on occasion display her photos on her HDTV but doesn't want a 20 foot hdmi cable across the floor.

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks

    Robert
    HS3PRO 3.0.0.500 as a Fire Daemon service, Windows 2016 Server Std Intel Core i5 PC HTPC Slim SFF 4GB, 120GB SSD drive, WLG800, RFXCom, TI103,NetCam, UltraNetcam3, BLBackup, CurrentCost 3P Rain8Net, MCsSprinker, HSTouch, Ademco Security plugin/AD2USB, JowiHue, various Oregon Scientific temp/humidity sensors, Z-Net, Zsmoke, Aeron Labs micro switches, Amazon Echo Dots, WS+, WD+ ... on and on.

    #2
    No first hand experience. What I have read is that the design is intended to stream web content. A work-around is to put the URL to the file in the Chrome browser. My guess is that she would want to browse through the photographs so this may be awkward.

    In my case I use a media devices Patriot Box Office. This is a few years old, but other devices of similar capability exists today. It has a remote control for easy access from couch. It would mean that the laptop needs to be on the LAN and powered-on so PBO can navigate the folders. It also means her TV would need to be able to select a different input (e.g. HDMI #2) for PBO rather than TV as input source.

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      #3
      Yeah; here have a few of the Patriot Box Office NMT's.

      I put little 1 TB drives in them. I did have some 4-5 of these configured on the LCD TVs a little bit ago.

      That said I set one up for the neighbor a while ago.

      They do utilize it with the shared 2.5" 1 TB drive in it as their little home NAS box for media, pictures stuff, music and home movies.

      I set it up this way for them a while ago.

      I personally like this model because it was tiny and had the space for a notebook drive inside of it. The newest Patriot NMT doesn't have the space inside for a hard drive today.
      - Pete

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        #4
        Thank Micheal and Pete!

        Yeah, the first time I read about Chromecast, I thought too it was restricted to the browser.

        As for the requirements, she does have wifi and her set has another HDMI input..

        I knew someone would be able to help on here!



        Rob
        HS3PRO 3.0.0.500 as a Fire Daemon service, Windows 2016 Server Std Intel Core i5 PC HTPC Slim SFF 4GB, 120GB SSD drive, WLG800, RFXCom, TI103,NetCam, UltraNetcam3, BLBackup, CurrentCost 3P Rain8Net, MCsSprinker, HSTouch, Ademco Security plugin/AD2USB, JowiHue, various Oregon Scientific temp/humidity sensors, Z-Net, Zsmoke, Aeron Labs micro switches, Amazon Echo Dots, WS+, WD+ ... on and on.

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          #5
          Thinking now I left one in FL too connected to the LCD TV and its on the network there (wired). LCD / MM receiver does have wired network connectivity.

          I played much with these little boxes. You can chroot them utilizing a USB stick. The little wireless USB dongle that Patriot was selling with these also worked well.

          The above said you can totally tweak out the OS/GUI and make its functions very simple to use locally or remotely. The remote control is a bit small for it and you might want to maybe get something a bit larger for you mother to utilize.

          The above noted its these have been "on" 24/7 now for more than 2 years and still working fine.

          I did do a cooling modification to the devices for both the motherboard and the little laptop drive.

          They were built to last a long time. I never had any problems with mine. (now all off here in the midwest except for 1 and its still on 24/7). Remote control suspends device literally shutting it off though.

          I was actually planning on putting a PBO NMT at my sister in laws house a few weeks ago and instead put in a little XBMC box there. I wanted a wired connection to it such that most of the work involved a network connection to the living room from the home office. They have a ranch home with 1/2 of it having a basement and 1/2 has a crawl space. Their living room sits over the crawl space which made running a network cable a bit of a PITA. I did also install a small NAS box in the home office there. I moved their music, pictures etc to the NAS box and they access their media now via the XBMC box. I did also upgrade their home office computer. Works well.

          BTW went to using old family 8mm converted to video and pictures lately for screensavers on my touchscreens here. (old stuff from the 1950's-60's). Last family party/BBQ; my daughter was mesmerized by the screen savers for a bit....
          Last edited by Pete; December 20, 2013, 01:38 PM.
          - Pete

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            #6
            There's efforts to use the chrome cast as a server and/or client for media. Much from what I read is beta and some efforts have hit brick walls in the venture.

            Most of what I like reading up on this, is that people are looking to evolve WMC. Positive actions that are worthy of monitoring.

            http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/...hp?f=88&t=5796

            Edit: I meant to imply above the chrome cast would interface with WMC.
            Last edited by CharlieWayne; December 21, 2013, 11:52 AM.
            HSPro: 3.0.0.194
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              #7
              Originally posted by langenet View Post
              I'm looking for a way to display a laptop screen content to a HDTV. I see the Google has the ChromeCast device but wanted to know if anyone has any experience with it.

              Essentially, it's for my long retired mother who would like to on occasion display her photos on her HDTV but doesn't want a 20 foot hdmi cable across the floor.

              Any suggestions?

              Thanks

              Robert
              With Apple TV, you can push display contents to Apple TV connected to your hdmi connected TV. With a mac, it's built-in to push the display. For windows/linux, it takes a little more effort to find and setup air-play type software.

              This is the first returned google hit (likely sponsored, right?)
              http://www.airsquirrels.com/airparrot/

              This guide should help make your decision:

              http://www.digitaltrends.com/computi...roring-option/
              huggy_d1

              Automating made easy

              Comment


                #8
                It appears to that much of the "packages" / new hardware today are starting to utilize DRM and an inclusivity with whatever company is offering the package. This indeed is causing conflicts but making it profitable for whatever company. "Use our box or our software" and you can get this and that but not this or that"; much like the issues that arise when one cable broadcast company doesn't sign a deal with a major provider of content.

                This does lead to some issues. You have the content provider offering this or that; then you have the transport provider wanting a piece of profits by charging the content provider for carrying the content on said transport and then you have the hardware/software boxes with specific deals with the content providers. This can get confusing to the consumer. I have started notice this more and more.

                Yup the legacy Patriot PBO network media tank was just that and it was sold on sale for $50. It was a simple tiny NMT with built in space for a small hard drive. You could also utilize the USB ports on it for wireless or more storage. It was easy to just utilize the hard drive built into it for a small NAS using its built Samba features (doing that today). very basic GUI that you could actually simply with an on boot presented menu with only a couple of functions. It does have the ability for custom links; but its a DIY thing with many already included. The ability of the device to play back HD content of almost any format was a plus. The added features of UPNP was another plus as I had already been using Tversity and PlayOn TV from way back. The device wasn't home network OS specific so much as a simple NMT NAS. I still utilize it in said manner and it just works. (after a couple of years being on 24/7). Fast forward to XBMC. It is "open source" built and put together by volunteers not looking to make a profit but rather to share the technology. This is "free" to the users; thus making it the most popular piece of software right now for serving up content. It is though built by a consortium of folks of all levels.
                Last edited by Pete; December 21, 2013, 11:26 AM.
                - Pete

                Auto mator
                Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
                Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
                HS4 Lite - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenovo Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram

                HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenova Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram
                HSTouch on Intel tabletop tablets (Jogglers) - Asus AIO - Windows 11

                X10, UPB, Zigbee, ZWave and Wifi MQTT automation-Tasmota-Espurna. OmniPro 2, Russound zoned audio, Alexa, Cheaper RFID, W800 and Home Assistant

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                  #9
                  ChromeCast?

                  We use a Chromecast, but only for casting Youtube videos that we search for on our phones and tablets, so that everyone in the room can see. It's fun when there are several people that want to share this or that video.

                  Plex with Roku 3 boxes have been serving our other content, while Windows Media Center and Xbox 360's still serve up Recorded TV. This has been the most flexible combination without too much maintenance that I have found since Sage was bought up by Google, and also everything went Cablecard on the cable side.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    If the TV is new enough just use the Windows OS to stream the content. We stream all of our content from the laptop in the TV room to our Samsung TV by simply right clicking on the video and selecting the Play To option. Works perfectly and no additional hardware other than a smart TV and a Windows 7 and up OS.
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                      #11
                      ChromeCast?

                      Originally posted by Rupp View Post
                      If the TV is new enough just use the Windows OS to stream the content. We stream all of our content from the laptop in the TV room to our Samsung TV by simply right clicking on the video and selecting the Play To option. Works perfectly and no additional hardware other than a smart TV and a Windows 7 and up OS.
                      I found that approach very limiting. There is no computers in the theater room, and we usually want full control over the video at hand, including subtitles. I have not been satisfied with DLNA, though I have tried it several times. It always seems to lack this or that for us. Glad to hear that it works well for some. I hope it will continue to evolve.

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by Automated View Post
                        I found that approach very limiting. There is no computers in the theater room, and we usually want full control over the video at hand, including subtitles. I have not been satisfied with DLNA, though I have tried it several times. It always seems to lack this or that for us. Glad to hear that it works well for some. I hope it will continue to evolve.
                        Yea, we all seek different things. If I can pause it then I'm set. I can't stand subtitles, I'm just not smart enough to read and watch at the same time
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