# I got my Chromecast today **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 26, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252 "2013-08-26T22:37:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/21 "2013-08-29T16:10:25Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > What is the advantage? I stream Netflix to my TV through a WII (which statys connected to the TV anyway) or can stream to the PC/notebook. Is Chromecast better? For the WII, yes, assuming a HD TV. But in general, the Chromecast is meant to be a lower-cost alternative to other boxes that have streaming functions. If you’ve already got the other box, it’s not likely to compel you to switch. I’m not going to replace my much more powerful AppleTV with one, for example, but the Chromecast is nice for inexpensively adding streaming to a second TV. ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/22 "2013-08-29T16:41:20Z")
The reason I bought one is that while my Blue-ray player will stream Netflix, it will not do closed captions on Netflix, while c.c. does work on Netflix on my laptop. (I’ve been watching the British version of Shameless and at times I can’t understand what they say.) Yes, I know I could run a HDMI cord from my laptop to my TV, but that’s a hassle. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/23 "2013-08-29T19:28:23Z")
Thanks for the info, **Munch**. I think **TimeWinder** nailed it, not compelling enough for me to switch since the WII is there and connected anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/24 "2013-08-29T22:50:07Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > One question though. Once the streaming starts, you can turn off your laptop right? From what I understand, you’re not actually streaming from your laptop. You’re actually streaming from the cloud. The laptop, (or whatever device you use) is just the method you use to control the device. > Is this correct? No, this does not appear to be the case. I just started streaming something from Netflix and then closed the tab. The Chromecast immediately went blank (well, not blank but a generic screen on using it to stream from your phone, tablet, or PC). ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/25 "2013-09-12T21:23:30Z")
Got mine today. (A month early!) I’ve been having lag issues. The sound doesn’t want to sync with the video. Anybody else have that problem? Granted, I’m watching video that is not supported by Cromecast. I’m just casting the tab. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/26 "2013-09-12T21:37:57Z")
I just got notice that mine was shipped Tuesday and my expected delivery is Monday. It may already be waiting for me, though. Tracking shows it got to my town this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/27 "2013-09-12T21:43:43Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Got mine today. (A month early!) I’ve been having lag issues. The sound doesn’t want to sync with the video. Anybody else have that problem? > > Granted, I’m watching video that is not supported by Cromecast. I’m just casting the tab. Huh. I have a similar issue in that if I cast a tab, the video on my laptop is not in sync with the video on the TV screen, but since the sound is coming from the TV and is synced with the TV’s video, I just turn the laptop away a bit. The biggest issue I have is that I am unable to play mp4 files hosted locally in a chrome tab. I get audio but no video and I can’t figure out why. ---
**Author:** ![MattB101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@MattB101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattB101)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/28 "2013-09-12T21:54:19Z")
When you cast to the Chromecast from netflix on you phone or laptop you can get out of netfix on you devic ed and Chromecast will continue to play your show. You only need to go back into the netflix app if you want to pause or rewind ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/29 "2013-09-12T22:16:27Z")
Right but I’m not always casting from Netflix or youtube. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/30 "2014-01-02T03:38:27Z")
I think Willem Dafoe always plays a great villain, and certainly has the looks for the part. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/31 "2014-01-02T04:08:54Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Got mine today. (A month early!) I’ve been having lag issues. The sound doesn’t want to sync with the video. Anybody else have that problem? > > Granted, I’m watching video that is not supported by Cromecast. I’m just casting the tab. I got mine a while back and was surprised that ten minutes later (after just buying in Best Buy) I got an E-mail saying I would get 3 free months of Netflix even though I was already a member. That was nice. I’ve hardly used it at all. I was a nightmare to set up, it’s pixilelated as hell, it’s very laggy and overall it’s a PITA. Have there been any updates for it in the last few months? Maybe it’s better now. Of course, most people don’t seem to be complaining, so I get the feeling it’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/32 "2014-01-02T04:55:47Z")
I just cast a BBC TV show from my laptop and it worked great. The TV plays Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu already, so I won’t use it for that. I think just other things I stream online should work. I have the Chromecast app on my iPad, but it seems to work better from the laptop. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/33 "2014-01-02T05:33:29Z")
Damn… I posted in the wrong thread, oops. Not sure how that happened. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/34 "2014-01-02T14:44:05Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’ve hardly used it at all. I was a nightmare to set up, it’s pixilelated as hell, it’s very laggy and overall it’s a PITA. Sounds like a wifi issue to me, but there are likely much more qualified people to diagnose that than me. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252/35 "2014-01-02T15:11:51Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Sounds like a wifi issue to me, but there are likely much more qualified people to diagnose that than me. It was, it was very very difficult to set up on a network that doesn’t use DHCP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-got-my-chromecast-today/667252.md?page=1)