New Chromecast Apps

Chromecast in MediaCenter
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Ylinen

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New Chromecast Apps

#1

Post by Ylinen » Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:49 pm

There are now new chromecast apps. I tried the Revision3 app. It shows the cast icon and my MCE is listed. When I try to cast, it does not connect. Made sure my system was working with youtube app and it works fine.

Anyone getting the Revision3 app to work. I also saw that Pandora is suppose to be cast enabled, but I don't see the cast icon.

Hope we can have all the new CAST apps work with the MCC.

fredx21

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#2

Post by fredx21 » Tue Dec 17, 2013 1:07 pm

I do have a version that supports the new apps, but the Revision3 app has problems. I am working on it.

Ylinen

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#3

Post by Ylinen » Tue Dec 17, 2013 8:25 pm

fredx21 wrote:I do have a version that supports the new apps, but the Revision3 app has problems. I am working on it.
Fantastic, The SDK for Chromecast will be release in early 2014. Then I expect that many will upgrade their apps to work with Chromecast.

I also see that Google is upgrading the Chromecast device as well, so I am sure you will be racing to keep up with those changes as well.

Thanks for all our efforts on this APP.

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#4

Post by AnthonyB » Fri Dec 27, 2013 12:38 pm

Working on it still? It's been a while.

fredx21

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#5

Post by fredx21 » Fri Dec 27, 2013 4:05 pm

Yeah still working on it.

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#6

Post by therealbiglou » Sat Dec 28, 2013 3:56 am

fredx21,

Do you think you could provide a little bit better customer service? You're selling your app for $10 and can only provide responses like someone who is texting their friends. There hasn't been an update in over 3 months despite the amount of additional apps that have been added to the chromecast. Where are these updates? When can we expect you to deliver on your promises?

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pd veeps

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#7

Post by pd veeps » Mon Feb 03, 2014 8:48 pm

fredx21 wrote:Yeah still working on it.

Hey are you still working on updating the app? I paid for the app and it's getting buggy. Would love to see some updates.

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#8

Post by fredx21 » Tue Feb 04, 2014 11:56 am

Hi, I have been working on an update, but it does not yet work well enough to publish. However, I have fixed a few glitches like the automatic next on Google Play Music. Many apps do work, but some like red bull or revision 3 are "bad" clients. Hang on there, I will release an improved version soon.

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#9

Post by Ylinen » Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:27 pm

Fred,
My favorite app is Pocket Podcast on Andriod. They have just updated it to support Chromecast. Of course when I try it with MCC, I don't see the Cast icon on the phone. Can you please update this app so it supports these new apps.

Please, soon

Ylinen

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#10

Post by Ylinen » Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:27 pm

fredx21 wrote:Hi, I have been working on an update, but it does not yet work well enough to publish. However, I have fixed a few glitches like the automatic next on Google Play Music. Many apps do work, but some like red bull or revision 3 are "bad" clients. Hang on there, I will release an improved version soon.
Fredx21,

Have you given up on this application. I really like it, but now that there are more cast apps out, I want to use it with them.

Most specifically pocketcast by shifty Jelly.

If you are not going to continue development, guess I will have to get a Chromecast and switch HDMI ports. Not a great solution.

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#11

Post by barnabas1969 » Sat Jun 21, 2014 11:04 pm

Ylinen wrote:guess I will have to get a Chromecast and switch HDMI ports. Not a great solution.
Oh, God! I can't imagine having to actually switch HDMI ports! Imagine the travesty! It would be soooo difficult to program a macro in my remote to actually... gasp... change the HDMI port when I press a button!

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#12

Post by mcewinter » Sun Jun 22, 2014 12:41 am

barnabas1969 wrote:
Ylinen wrote:guess I will have to get a Chromecast and switch HDMI ports. Not a great solution.
Oh, God! I can't imagine having to actually switch HDMI ports! Imagine the travesty! It would be soooo difficult to program a macro in my remote to actually... gasp... change the HDMI port when I press a button!
That's reasonable advice but IR as a reliable solution is overrated and a bit archaic in my opinion. I tend to control media center with my phone or tablet these days as that's what's already in my hand (insert joke). I would love to completely move away from IR to something IP based. I hate my Harmony One and I found a cheap replacement to be a much better experience in some regards but it lacked in others, like IR strength.

To get back on topic, Media Center Cast isn't free and was once stated that there would be advancements in functionality so it's fair to ask a question. I would have paid for MCC if it truly mimicked Chromecast, luckily I waited.

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#13

Post by barnabas1969 » Sun Jun 22, 2014 12:51 pm

I don't like use a phone/tablet as a remote because I have to look at it to find the buttons. I prefer a remote that has buttons I can feel without looking.

I've never owned a Harmony. I bought the AR-RX18G when it first came out because it was half the price of a Harmony and did everything the Harmony does except power state tracking (which has never been a problem for me).

I will admit that IR macros are sometimes problematic. My kids would often put down the remote before it was finished sending commands... or someone would walk in front of the TV just as a command was sent. That's where EventGhost comes in. I now have it setup so that a single IR command triggers a macro in EG. That way, only the one IR command needs to be received in order to execute the macro.

When I turn on my TV, it starts a macro in EG which sets everything the way it needs to be for Media Center (turns on the AVR, sets the correct input, starts Media Center). Then, one more button press... and I'm looking at the Roku main menu. I'm using the Pulse-Eight HDMI-CEC bridge plus some TCP/IP communication to do it. You can use pretty much any combination of ways to communicate with your devices... including RS-232 and IR blasters.

All it takes is a little imagination.

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#14

Post by mcewinter » Sun Jun 22, 2014 8:55 pm

Your setup sounds great. As I upgrade equipment, I could see myself looking into a similar solution. I also can't help but believe that the future holds an easier solution so I'm not in a huge hurry to make any major upgrades at the moment.

I agree that having buttons you can feel provides great ease of use. Button shapes and layout is something important to me when shopping for a remote. However, there are plenty of moments that I like or need to control the system from somewhere away from the sweet spot (the place where I left remote). With that being said, I might want to see what else is on TV (yes, I watch live TV) and the guide on my phone is easier to read than the one on my TV from where I'm sitting. The point is, in my household, there is value in being able to control the system from more than just the IR remote. I think we'll see more IP/app controlled devices sooner than later...we are already.

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#15

Post by barnabas1969 » Mon Jun 23, 2014 1:39 am

The future is here today. The "My Media Center" app is great for seeing what's on TV (now, tomorrow, next week, whatever).

For music, my AVR has that covered. It has its own app which controls the AVR and allows me to listen to Pandora, Sirius-XM, Napster, and several other online pay services, plus more than 60,000 radio stations which stream their content online for free. I can control the volume, channel, input, equalization, and many other things. All independently for all three output zones (zone1 for my living room, zone2 for the porch/pool, zone3 for the bedroom). The AVR can also be controlled via IR, TCP/IP, RS-232, and HDMI-CEC.

My TV also has IR, TCP/IP, RS-232, and HDMI-CEC capabilities.

The Roku can be controlled via TCP/IP or IR.

The benefit of HDMI-CEC is that devices get feedback. There is two-way communication. Some devices (like my AVR) can give status information over TCP/IP also... but only when queried. Whereas HDMI-CEC is an active communication protocol. Devices give status updates without being asked for an update. They can give a status update when asked too... but asking isn't required if you listen to the CEC bus.

I don't think we're going to see something better in the near future. Use what's available today. You can do it with your existing components, and EG is free. The most you'll need to buy is an IR blaster and/or an HDMI-CEC device like the one from Pulse-Eight. In some cases, you don't even need those.

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#16

Post by mcewinter » Mon Jun 23, 2014 10:56 pm

Upgrading my equipment would certainly help the cause. I'm not crazy about IR emitters or IR at all. MyMovies supports IP receivers or they at least experimented with it, I didn't follow too closely but now I'll have to take a look. Meanwhile I'm content on using MC for 99% of my use making my system pretty simple to control.

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#17

Post by barnabas1969 » Tue Jun 24, 2014 1:26 pm

I understand how you feel about IR emitters. That's why I did what I did. EG is very useful. It can be made to listen to the Media Center IR dongle, and you can make it respond to any IR signal. That way, you can program buttons on your remote which send an IR signal for some component that you don't own... and make that signal trigger a macro in EG. The macro can communicate with your TV, AVR, and other components via any combination of the aforementioned methods (IR, TCP/IP, RS-232, IR) and there are even plugins for Bluetooth.

With EG, your imagination is the only limitation.

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#18

Post by dhwinner » Wed Dec 03, 2014 2:23 am

I recently installed and purchased a license for MCC. Works great with YouTube!! Been reading lots of these threads, its seems that earlier this year there was going to be some updates, and I presume that hasn't happened yet. Anyone know of any status. There are so many websites and streaming services now with Chromecast, but none of them work with MCC. IS there going to be any updates? Anyone chime in. Maybe 1geek1tool chime in!!

Thanks

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#19

Post by mcewinter » Wed Dec 03, 2014 2:11 pm

dhwinner wrote:I recently installed and purchased a license for MCC. Works great with YouTube!! Been reading lots of these threads, its seems that earlier this year there was going to be some updates, and I presume that hasn't happened yet. Anyone know of any status. There are so many websites and streaming services now with Chromecast, but none of them work with MCC. IS there going to be any updates? Anyone chime in. Maybe 1geek1tool chime in!!

Thanks
You are better investing in an actual Chromecast. MCC may have well been abandoned.

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