10 quick tips to get the most out of your Chromecast

Google’s Chromecast has become a staple in many households. This small but mighty device is the perfect TV companion of any connected home and can be used to easily stream content like TV shows, movies and more. You can even tell your Google Assistant and Google smart speaker to turn on/off compatible TVs or to put on your favorite show.

The phrase “cast” has definitely become part of our vocabulary around the office and it’s hard to imagine the days of HDMI and audio cables that were once necessary for displaying content on a TV. The Chromecast makes displaying things on your TV incredibly easy, even in 4K with the Chromecast Ultra, but this simple streaming device from Google has some other features and tricks up its sleeves that are both fun and helpful. Straight from the Google blog, The Keyword, here are ten tips and tricks for using Chromecast.

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10 quick tips for Chromecast

1. You can now watch Amazon Prime Video. As you might have seen in an article by Gabriel earlier this month, we are extremely excited to see the Cast button show up for Amazon Prime users. This is a big win for Prime users who have a Chromecast and want to watch Amazon Originals like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” or “Jack Ryan” on their TV.


2. Make it personal. You can change the name of any Chromecast using the Google Home app. You can choose a simple name like “Living Room TV” so you can say, “Hey Google, turn on the Living Room TV” or you can have some fun with this and choose a name like “The Tube” or “Binge Box”. In the home app, you can also set up your preferred TV as the default.


3. Plan as a group. Use the Google Home app to cast your Android phone or tablet screen when you need to show something to a group of friends. You can use this trick to look through photos of a hotel when planning a trip or to peruse a restaurant menu when you are trying to decide on a place for dinner.


4. Binge watch without lifting a finger. With the Google Assistant on your phone or voice-activated devices like the Google Home Mini, you can ask the Assistant to play your favorite shows on your TV. You will need subscriptions to Netflix, HBO NOW, YouTube TV, etc.. to take full advantage of this trick.


5. Conquer your stagefright. Use the casting feature built into Google slides to practice your presentation at home. If your presentation was made in another program like PowerPoint or Prezi, you can use the casting option built into the Chrome Browser to cast your screen from a computer or you can use the Google Home app to cast your Android device screen.


6. View your home movies easily. Use Google Photos to cast videos or photos directly to your TV. Or you can ask your Google smart speaker to show specific content on your TV, like photos from a recent family vacation. Google Photos is one of our favorite services of all time and we recommend it to pretty much everyone, so if you don’t use this app, go download it right now!


7. Try Ambient Mode. When you aren’t using your Chromecast you can still get good use out of your TV screen. You can set up Ambient Mode to display certain albums in Google Photos, social networks or other services and apps, or enjoy artwork or professional photos curated for Chromecast.


8. Start a dance party. Create speaker groups within the Google Home app and listen to music throughout your home. This is a nice touch that is certain to impress your guests during a party or get-together. You can choose music from any Chromecast-enabled apps, like Google Play Music, Spotify or Tidal. You can also use this feature to listen to our official podcast, The Chrome Cast.


9. Supercharge your connection. If you don’t have a great Wi-Fi signal near your TV, use a Chromecast ethernet adapter to connect your Chromecast directly to your router (if it is nearby). This will create a fast and reliable connection for your Chromecast. The Chromecast Ultra comes with an Ethernet adapter, which is definitely recommended if you plan to take advantage of the 4K streaming offered with the Ultra.


10. Set up a custom routine for your next premiere party. If you want to take a movie next to the next level, you can use the Google Home app to create custom routines that incorporate movies or TV shows and other compatible home products, like smart light bulbs. You can use this trick to dim the lights and start the show/movie on the TV.

Hope this helps you get the most out of your Google Chromecast. If you have any other tips or tricks, leave them in the comments section below.

Source: The Keyword