Chromecast Questions

[tomoki]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have a problem I need solving and was thinking Chromecast would solve it but... I don't think that's going to be possible. 

 

My parents wish to watch online TV via websites on the smart LG TV we have but it's slightly stuttery due to the hardware specs of the TV itself. I've used one of the best powerline ethernet available to hook up the TV to the modem. 

 

I'm debating on whether getting Chromecast would solve the issues of lag or not. I told my mom to bring a laptop to the tv, get it hooked up and then watch tv that way but she refuses to have 2 devices on at the same time (phone is exception ...i know it's weird). I've also got a Plex server hooked up from my computer, to the modem ...which then reaches the TV. 

 

From what I've read... the only benefit I would have from getting Chromecast are to stream my phone games on to the tv... besides that, we won't have any benefit... given that we don't have any services like Netflix or Hulu. 

 

Are there any other approaches? I mean...HTPC is out of the question. 

[Majestic]

Chromecast works with Plex just fine. I've set it up for my parents that way. And yes, SmartTV's are trash.

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

the only limitation of chromecast is the good wifi network.

couldnt go wrong

alternative could be raspberry pi

[tomoki]

On 12/27/2018 at 1:38 AM, Majestic said:

Chromecast works with Plex just fine. I've set it up for my parents that way. And yes, SmartTV's are trash.

Wait so you're suggesting I do get Chromecast even though I have a smart TV that can run Plex no problem? I'm just trying to justify getting a Chromecast haha

On 12/27/2018 at 1:46 AM, dgsddfgdfhgs said:

the only limitation of chromecast is the good wifi network.

couldnt go wrong

alternative could be raspberry pi

Right. I would be running powerline ethernet. There's no way I'll be using Wi-Fi haha. It feels like that defeats the purpose... especially when I'm kind of a quality freak. 

[kirashi]

On 12/27/2018 at 1:00 AM, tomoki said:

Hi Everyone,

I have a problem I need solving and was thinking Chromecast would solve it but... I don't think that's going to be possible. 

 

My parents wish to watch online TV via websites on the smart LG TV we have but it's slightly stuttery due to the hardware specs of the TV itself. I've used one of the best powerline ethernet available to hook up the TV to the modem. 

--SNIP--

Do the same websites stream the content perfectly all the time 100% of the time? I have a feeling that this is an issue with the particular streaming sites being used, especially if they're sites that allow you to acquire content .... questionably legally. I'm not judging here at all - however you want to acquire content is up to you, but as someone who hears this from customers who contact my work because their "streaming box / site" is stuttery and buffers often, I can confirm most of these sites are prone to this from time to time.

[tomoki]

4 hours ago, kirashi said:

Do the same websites stream the content perfectly all the time 100% of the time? I have a feeling that this is an issue with the particular streaming sites being used, especially if they're sites that allow you to acquire content .... questionably legally. I'm not judging here at all - however you want to acquire content is up to you, but as someone who hears this from customers who contact my work because their "streaming box / site" is stuttery and buffers often, I can confirm most of these sites are prone to this from time to time.

Hahaha definitely not. They're streaming some asian dramas off some random website and so loading times are long to begin with but once it does finish it's initial buffer to load, it's consistently loading throughout the video so there's no stopping while playback. The random website has been hit with advertisements though and the LG smart TV can't have extensions be added to block some ads; the ads take you to some other website regardless of what you do and so it's extremely annoying. I guess that's what free means haha. 

 

We don't have a streaming box but maybe that might be the solution as opposed to getting a Chromecast. I have 0 knowledge in streaming boxes though really. 

 

Thanks for your honest reply  

[kirashi]

16 hours ago, tomoki said:

Hahaha definitely not. They're streaming some asian dramas off some random website and so loading times are long to begin with but once it does finish it's initial buffer to load, it's consistently loading throughout the video so there's no stopping while playback. The random website has been hit with advertisements though and the LG smart TV can't have extensions be added to block some ads; the ads take you to some other website regardless of what you do and so it's extremely annoying. I guess that's what free means haha. 

 

We don't have a streaming box but maybe that might be the solution as opposed to getting a Chromecast. I have 0 knowledge in streaming boxes though really. 

 

Thanks for your honest reply  

Gotcha, sounds like the sites could be the problem themselves then, since you get interruptions on a computer too. It's certainly worth exploring streaming media boxes, however, that's well beyond my knowledge and efforts, and technically a grey area so probably not kosher to discuss on the forums. (Unless we're talking purely hardware and say Kodi / Plex software to stream from a local server.)

 

Even with a streaming media player you can still run into random buffering issues though, since again the content isn't usually stored on a Content Distribution Network due to its' questionably legal status. It's worth looking into if you're willing to research though, since I know it can be impossible to legally pay for certain content depending on the country you live in, which is ironic because the entertainment industry doesn't want people stealing the content either...