Has been way cheaper in the past but haven't seen it get close to those prices in a while.
I have one in my work bag for when I have to stay in hotels. Very handy.
Some people prefer the Fire Stick over this.
Credit: crazynic
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My main issue with the fire stick is that it doesn't have an TV input button on the remote, which the Chromecast with Google Tv does have.
Mine doesn't have that? Or am I missing something. Which button do you mean?
Bottom right, with an arrow pointing into a square
I've bought this a month or 2 ago, replacing a Vero 4k, and mainly use it for Stremio & Smarttube. Initially I was worried about the performance, but no issues at all. I get the very rare stutter in the UI, but viewing content is always fast.
I have two of these and both regually drop the wifi connection, so video stops. So if it doesn't reconnect I have to keep manually reconnecting in the google tv settings (Spark and Skinny fibre routers tested). But I don't have wifi issues with anything else, including a fire tv stick which works fine.. Apparently it isn't an uncommon issue. Apparently you can connect ethernet with an adapter but yet to really look into this and what the best and most affordable option to do this is. Apparently there used to sell an adapter but can see them listed anymore.
@nzmax Have you tried changing wi-fi channel? Does this happen on 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz?
Not sure , I just use the default, and t doesn't give the option to select between the two on the device.
Your router must be transmitting two network names. Try the other one.
Theres a function in many routers called band steering. If you have this enabled and it is by default then it kinda 'mixes' the two frequencies (2.4 + 5ghz) so it appears as one. If you DISable this then you now have the two frequencies seperately broadcasting their own SSID names and this makes it easier sometimes to connect devices which still persist in using 2.4Ghz in particular. I have done this and renamed the Frequencies thus Freq24 & Freq5, (you can name them anything you like). This can indeed be useful and reduce confustion.
@Drcspy: It is not required for chromecast. I have this for sometime now and have used it with Orbi mesh (you can't have separate freqs) & Asus and both had/have single network. Never had any issues with the connection. I can understand to rule out the possibility of 5ghz issue you can try only 2.4 connection.
Most likely issue here would be the range or either limit of devices as op is using isp provided routers. Or it could just be interference.
Try turning off auto scanning as mine used to do the same sometimes, picked up the furthest router on my mesh and drop the signal.
Its the freebie crappy Spark router. Purchase something better, you will find your issue will resolve instantly. Not the Google TV at fault.
Does it have apps or do you just cast to it?
@jaknz It has all major streaming apps.
You don't need any other device to use it. It has app store and remote to work as an independent device. It has pretty decent & responsive UI as well.
It has play store for all streaming apps, and you can still cast, eg for photos from your phone.
Is there any point in getting the 4K version if I only have an HD projector. Or is it best to just get the HD model?
Future proofing, faster cpu and more ram.
Besides the 4k version is only slightly more expensive.
Anyone looked at affordable dongle cables to expand the storage to USB?
From what i read so far, a USB C OTG adapter with PD \and a bigger wattage power brick will do the trick.
Normal usb c hub with pd works fine. I have tried it with the ugreen usb c hub & baseus hub. Attached usb drive and lan connection works absolutely fine. You just have to make sure the power adapter has enough juice to power all.
Hell, I even plugged in 2tb portable external storage and could play movies from it directly. I am not using any of this as standard, it was just for test.
I setup Kodi + Seren/Fen/Real-Debrid/Sky Go on my Chromecast with Google TV 4K yesterday just as a back-up for my aging Minix Neo U9-H box, and it's going pretty well.
Just couldn't get ethernet to work through an Orico docking station but WiFi is good enough anyway. Streamed a 4GB episode seamlessly.
Next step: switch to Arctic Zephyr and make it look a bit tidier.
meanwhile Kodi 19 stopped working on my fire stick max
Firestick has a better remote and more RAM, but the frame rate matching doesnt work at all and is a PITA to do manually