133-604: Chromecast is a discontinued line of digital media players developed by Google . The devices, designed as small dongles , can play Internet- streamed audio-visual content on a high-definition television or home audio system. The user can control playback with a mobile device or personal computer through mobile and web apps that can use the Google Cast protocol, or by issuing commands via Google Assistant ; later models introduced an interactive user interface and remote control . Content can be mirrored to video models from
266-401: A boxed version of Apple 's Mac OS X Public Beta operating system was released. Between September 2005 and May 2006, Microsoft released community technology preview s ( CTP s) for Windows Vista . From 2009 to 2011, Minecraft was in public beta. In February 2005, ZDNet published an article about the phenomenon of a beta version often staying for years and being used as if it were at
399-537: A closed beta , or an open beta ; closed beta versions are released to a restricted group of individuals for a user test by invitation, while open beta testers are from a larger group, or anyone interested. Private beta could be suitable for the software that is capable of delivering value but is not ready to be used by everyone either due to scaling issues, lack of documentation or still missing vital features. The testers report any bugs that they find, and sometimes suggest additional features they think should be available in
532-433: A digital media extender , digital media streamer , digital media hub , digital media adapter , or digital media receiver (which should not be confused with AV receiver ). Digital media player manufacturers use a variety of names to describe their devices. Some more commonly used alternative names include: By November 2000, an audio-only digital media player was demonstrated by a company called SimpleDevices, which
665-438: A feature freeze , indicating that no more features will be added to the software. At this time, the software is said to be feature-complete . A beta test is carried out following acceptance testing at the supplier's site (the alpha test) and immediately before the general release of the software as a product. A feature-complete (FC) version of a piece of software has all of its planned or primary features implemented but
798-403: A preview , preview release , prototype , technical preview or technology preview ( TP ), or early access . Beta testers are people who actively report issues with beta software. They are usually customers or representatives of prospective customers of the organization that develops the software. Beta testers tend to volunteer their services free of charge but often receive versions of
931-537: A streaming device or streaming box ) is a type of consumer electronics device designed for the storage, playback, or viewing of digital media content. They are typically designed to be integrated into a home cinema configuration, and attached to a television or AV receiver or both. The term is most synonymous with devices designed primarily for the consumption of content from streaming media services such as internet video , including subscription-based over-the-top content services . These devices usually have
1064-486: A vinyl record . A December 2015 update introduced support for high-resolution audio (24-bit/96 kHz) and multi-room playback; users can simultaneously play audio across multiple Chromecast Audio devices in different locations by grouping them together using the Google Home mobile app. The feature made Chromecast Audio a low-cost alternative to Sonos ' multiple-room music systems. The model number RUX-J42 may have been
1197-612: A "very minor" upgrade. Tom's Guide said it has almost "nothing to show" to reflect three years of hardware advancement in the streaming space. Chris Welch of The Verge gave the Chromecast with Google TV an 8.5/10 score, calling it a "big success" that "checks off almost everything important" for a streaming device. Welch praised the remote control and the Google TV interface's emphasis on content discovery, while noting some occasional sluggish performance. He concluded that Google "reinvented
1330-441: A PC with a TV tuner. Some other capabilities which are accomplished by digital media players include: In the 2010s, there were stand-alone digital media players on the market from AC Ryan, Asus, Apple (e.g., Apple TV ), NetGear (e.g., NTV and NeoTV models), Dune, iOmega, Logitech , Pivos Group, Micca, Sybas (Popcorn Hour), Amkette EvoTV , D-Link, EZfetch, Fire TV , Android TV , Pinnacle, Xtreamer , and Roku , just to name
1463-648: A US$ 6 credit to the Store for all Chromecast owners beginning on February 6, 2015. On September 29, 2015, Google announced the second-generation Chromecast and an audio-only model called Chromecast Audio. Each model was made available for purchase the same day for US$ 35. Days later, Amazon.com announced that it would ban the sale of Chromecast and Apple TV devices, presumably because they competed with Amazon's own Fire TV and Fire TV Stick . Google discontinued Chromecast Audio in January 2019. On September 30, 2020, Google announced
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#17330862998061596-467: A beta version to the users is called beta release and is typically the first time that the software is available outside of the organization that developed it. Software beta releases can be either open or closed , depending on whether they are openly available or only available to a limited audience. Beta version software is often useful for demonstrations and previews within an organization and to prospective customers. Some developers refer to this stage as
1729-423: A compact form factor (either as a compact set-top box , or a dongle designed to plug into an HDMI port), and contain a 10-foot user interface with support for a remote control and, in some cases, voice commands , as control schemes. Some services may support remote control on digital media players using their respective mobile apps , while Google 's Chromecast ecosystem is designed around integration with
1862-555: A conventional analog HiFi without connecting a computer to an amplifier or television. The means to play these files on a network-connected digital media player that is permanently connected to a television is seen as a convenience. The rapid growth in the availability of online content has made it easier for consumers to use these devices and obtain content. YouTube , for instance, is a common plug-in available on most networked devices. Netflix has also struck deals with many consumer-electronics makers to make their interface available in
1995-551: A different name in the future, as have torrent trackers . In June, the service's operator was also sued by the Bell/Rogers/Videotron consortium for inducing copyright infringement. In June 2017, Televisa was granted a court order banning the sale of all Roku products in Mexico, as it was alleged that third-parties had been operating subscription television services for the devices that contain unlicensed content. The content
2128-528: A digital media player was also introduced by Intel in 2002 at the Intel Developer Forum as part of their Extended Wireless PC Initiative. Intel's digital media player was based on an Xscale PXA210 processor and supported 802.11b wireless networking. Intel was among the first to use the Linux embedded operating system and UPnP technology for its digital media player. Networked audio and DVD players were among
2261-522: A downloadable update. It supports HDR through the Dolby Vision, HDR10, and HDR10+ formats, while also supporting the Dolby Digital , Dolby Digital Plus , and Dolby Atmos audio formats. It contains 8 GB of internal storage, 2 GB of RAM, and an Amlogic S905D3 SoC. The 4K model and its remote were produced in three different colors: Snow, Sky, and Sunrise. The HD model shipped with Android 12. Like
2394-503: A few. The models change frequently, so it is advisable to visit their web sites for current model names. These devices come with low power consumption processors or SoC (System on Chip) and are most commonly either based on MIPS or ARM architecture processors combined with integrated DSP GPU in a SoC (or MPSoC ) package. They also include RAM -memory and some type of built-in type of non-volatile computer memory (Flash memory) . HD media player or HDD media player ( HDMP )
2527-460: A gaming device to play the film on a television. She took these steps because she found television interfaces difficult to use when searching for content. Rishi Chandra, who previously headed up development of the Google TV operating system, had similar experiences at home, as his wife watched YouTube videos in their living room on a laptop rather than on a television because she found it "too much of
2660-456: A new trend in the broadcast television industry, as the list of options for watching movies and TV over the Internet grows at a rapid pace. Research also shows that even as traditional television service providers are trimming their customer base, they are adding Broadband Internet customers. Nearly 76.6 million U.S. households get broadband from leading cable and telephone companies, although only
2793-433: A pain" to play videos on their television. Bakar found the whole process inefficient and wanted to build a phone-based interface that would allow video to play on a large display through a small hardware device. After joining Google in 2011 to work on products that "would change how people used their TVs", Bakar pitched the idea for the Chromecast. In 2012, a small team split off from the Google TV team to begin development of
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#17330862998062926-448: A portion have sufficient speeds to support quality video steaming. Convergence devices for home entertainment will likely play a much larger role in the future of broadcast television, effectively shifting traditional revenue streams while providing consumers with more options. According to a report from the researcher NPD In-Stat, only about 12 million U.S. households have their either Web-capable TVs or digital media players connected to
3059-425: A pre-loaded app store offering apps for multiple streaming and subscription services dealing primarily in copyrighted media. Beta release The software release life cycle is the process of developing, testing, and distributing a software product (e.g., an operating system ). It typically consists of several stages, such as pre-alpha, alpha, beta, and release candidate, before the final version, or "gold",
3192-635: A receiver app, executing in a Chrome browser-like environment resident on the cast receiver device. Both make use of APIs provided by the SDK. Chromecast uses the multicast Domain Name System (mDNS) protocol to search for available devices on a Wi-Fi network. Chromecast previously used the Discovery and Launch (DIAL) protocol, which was co-developed by Netflix and YouTube. At the introductory press conference, Mario Queiroz, Google's VP of Product Management, said that
3325-484: A reference to the Jimi Hendrix albums Are You Experienced (stylized "R U eXperienced") and Midnight Lightning , which had the internal code J-42. Chromecast Audio was also developed with the internal codename Hendrix. Chromecast Ultra is similar in design to the second-generation model, but features upgraded hardware that allows the streaming of 4K resolution content, as well as high-dynamic range (HDR) through
3458-524: A resolution of 1080p, compared to the second-generation Chromecast's maximum of 720p at the same frame rate. Google said the third-generation Chromecast offered a 15 percent increase in speed over the second-generation model. The magnetic attachment between the dongle body and HDMI plug that was present on prior models was dropped for the third-generation device. The model contains Chromecast Audio technology, allowing it to be paired with other devices for multi-room synchronized playback. Chromecast with Google TV
3591-417: A tangible way". He praised the hardware, video and audio format support, and the user interface's ease of use, calling it a "retooled streaming device that... offers a whole new experience that's more user-friendly for folks who are used to using a remote control and an easily navigable interface." Brian X. Chen of The New York Times was surprised by the number of privacy policies the user had to agree to and
3724-619: A television without a lot of coding. Over time, many more applications have been updated to support Chromecast. At Google I/O 2014, the company announced that 6,000 registered developers were working on 10,000 Google Cast–ready apps; by the following year's conference, the number of compatible apps had doubled. Google's official list of compatible apps and platforms is available on the Chromecast website . Google has published case studies documenting Chromecast integration by Comedy Central , Just Dance Now , Haystack News and Fitnet. In July 2019,
3857-427: A temporary federal injunction against five retailers of Android-based set-top boxes, alleging that their continued sale were causing "irreparable harm" to their television businesses, and that the devices' primary purpose were to facilitate copyright infringement. The court rejected an argument by one of the defendants, who stated that they were only marketing a hardware device with publicly available software, ruling that
3990-429: A user to convert these media into playable digital files using a separate computer and software. They are also usually incapable of recording audio or video. In the 2010s, it is also common to find digital media player functionality integrated into other consumer-electronics appliances, such as DVD players , set-top boxes , smart TVs , or even video game consoles . Digital media players are also commonly referred to as
4123-540: A user-personalizable content feed called "Backdrop" that can include featured and personal photos, artwork, weather, satellite images, weather forecasts, and news. If a television's HDMI ports implement the Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) feature, pressing the cast button will also result in the video-capable Chromecast automatically turning on the TV and switching the television's active audio/video input using
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4256-464: A video-capable digital media player was presented by F.C. Jeng et al. in the International Conf. on Consumer Electronics in 2002. It included a network interface card, a media processor for audio and video decoding, an analog video encoder (for video playback to a TV), an audio digital to analog converter for audio playback, and an IR (infrared receiver) for remote-control-interface. A concept of
4389-412: A wired connection to accommodate the fast network speeds needed to stream 4K content. The Chromecast Ultra was one of the first devices to work with Google's now discontinued cloud gaming service Stadia ; a Chromecast Ultra was included with a controller in the "Founder's Edition" and "Premiere Edition" bundles for Stadia. The third-generation Chromecast added 60 frames-per-second playback capability at
4522-457: Is a consumer product that combines digital media player with a hard drive (HD) enclosure with all the hardware and software for playing audio , video and photos to a television. All these can play computer-based media files to a television without the need for a separate computer or network connection, and some can even be used as a conventional external hard drive. These types of digital media players are sometimes sold as empty shells to allow
4655-443: Is available for purchase, depending, however, on language, region, and electronic vs. media availability. Commercialization activities could include security and compliance tests, as well as localization and worldwide availability. The time between RTM and GA can take from days to months before a generally available release can be declared, due to the time needed to complete all commercialization activities required by GA. At this stage,
4788-751: Is called code complete when the development team agrees that no entirely new source code will be added to this release. There could still be source code changes to fix defects, changes to documentation and data files, and peripheral code for test cases or utilities. Also called production release , the stable release is the last release candidate ( RC ) which has passed all stages of verification and tests. Any known remaining bugs are considered acceptable. This release goes to production . Some software products (e.g. Linux distributions like Debian ) also have long-term support ( LTS ) releases which are based on full releases that have already been tried and tested and receive only security updates. Once released,
4921-547: Is cast). The app manages other Google Cast-supported devices, including the Google Home smart speaker. Originally called simply "Chromecast", the app was released concurrently with the original Chromecast video model and made available for both Android and iOS mobile devices. The app was released outside the US in October 2013. In May 2016, the Chromecast app was renamed Google Cast due to
5054-419: Is focused on reducing impacts on users and may include usability testing. After beta testing, the software may go through one or more release candidate phases, in which it is refined and tested further, before the final version is released. Some software, particularly in the internet and technology industries, is released in a perpetual beta state, meaning that it is continuously being updated and improved, and
5187-432: Is just a few days old." Michael Gorman of Engadget gave the Chromecast an 84/100 score, writing, "it's a platform that's likely to improve dramatically as more apps start to support the technology." In his comparing the Chromecast to competing devices, Gorman illustrated that it initially had support from fewer multimedia services, but because of its low price and ease of use, he concluded "we can wholeheartedly recommend
5320-601: Is likely a reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy abbreviation "H2G2"—in the novel, the number 42 is the " Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything ." The bundled power adapter bears the model number MST3K-US, a reference to the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 . The second-generation Chromecast has a disc-shaped body with a short length of HDMI cable attached (as opposed to
5453-426: Is meant to guarantee a minimum set of functionality and proper interoperability among digital media players and servers regardless of the manufacturer, but unfortunately not every manufacturer follows the standards perfectly which can lead to incompatibility. Some digital media players will only connect to specific media server software installed on a PC to stream music, pictures and recorded or live TV originating from
Chromecast - Misplaced Pages Continue
5586-586: Is never considered to be a fully completed product. This approach allows for a more agile development process and enables the software to be released and used by users earlier in the development cycle. Pre-alpha refers to all activities performed during the software project before formal testing. These activities can include requirements analysis , software design , software development , and unit testing . In typical open source development, there are several types of pre-alpha versions. Milestone versions include specific sets of functions and are released as soon as
5719-448: Is not yet final due to bugs , performance or stability issues. This occurs at the end of alpha testing in development . Usually, feature-complete software still has to undergo beta testing and bug fixing , as well as performance or stability enhancement before it can go to release candidate , and finally gold status. Beta, named after the second letter of the Greek alphabet , is
5852-427: Is released to the public. Pre-alpha refers to the early stages of development, when the software is still being designed and built. Alpha testing is the first phase of formal testing, during which the software is tested internally using white-box techniques . Beta testing is the next phase, in which the software is tested by a larger group of users, typically outside of the organization that developed it. The beta phase
5985-421: Is streamed through unofficial apps that are added to the devices through hacking. Roku objected to the allegations, stating that these services were not certified by the company or part of its official Channels platform, whose terms of service require that they have rights to stream the content that they offer. Roku also stated that it actively cooperates with reports of channels that infringe copyrights. The ruling
6118-523: Is the fourth generation of the Chromecast product line, and comprises two models: one capable of up to 4K resolution video that was released in September 2020; and a cheaper "Chromecast with Google TV (HD)" model capable up to 1080p resolution video that was released in September 2022. Unlike past models, Chromecasts with Google TV are bespoke digital media players based on the Android TV operating system, with
6251-571: The 32-bit editions of Windows XP and two service packs for the 64-bit editions. Such service releases contain a collection of updates, fixes, and enhancements, delivered in the form of a single installable package. They may also implement new features. Some software is released with the expectation of regular support. Classes of software that generally involve protracted support as the norm include anti-virus suites and massively multiplayer online games . Continuing with this Windows XP example, Microsoft did offer paid updates for five more years after
6384-470: The 802.11 ac wireless protocol and 5 GHz band, while containing three adaptive antennas for better connections to home routers . The device contains 512 MB of Samsung DDR3L RAM and 256 MB of flash storage. The model number NC2-6A5 may be a reference to the registry number "NCC-1701" of the fictional starship USS Enterprise from the Star Trek franchise, the "saucer section" of which
6517-575: The Amazon Prime Video apps for Android and iOS added Chromecast support, marking the first time Amazon's streaming service supported the device. The move followed a four-year dispute between Google and Amazon in which Amazon stopped selling Chromecast devices and Google pulled YouTube from Amazon Fire TV . The development framework has two components: a sender app based on a vendor's existing Android or iOS mobile app or desktop web app, which provides users with content discovery and media controls; and
6650-925: The Android platform which gives them an advantage in terms of applications and games from the Google Play store. Even without Android some digital media players still have the ability to run applications (sometimes available via an app store ), interactive on-demand media, personalized communications, and social networking features. There are two ways to connect an extender to its central media server - wired, or wireless. While early digital media players used proprietary communication protocols to interface with media servers, today most digital media players either use standard-based protocols such SMB/CIFS/SAMBA or NFS , or rely on some version of UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) and DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) standards. DLNA-compliant digital media players and Media Servers
6783-551: The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act for selling devices that can circumvent effective technical protection measures . In Canada, it was initially believed that these set-top boxes fell within a legal grey area, as the transient nature of streaming content did not necessarily mean that the content was being downloaded in violation of Canadian copyright law . However, on 1 June 2016, a consortium of Canadian media companies ( BCE Inc. , Rogers Communications , and Videotron ) obtained
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#17330862998066916-512: The Federal Court of Appeal blocked an appeal requesting that the injunction be lifted pending the outcome of the case. Although the software is free to use, the developers of Kodi have not endorsed any add-on or Kodi-powered device intended for facilitating copyright infringement. Nathan Betzen, president of the XBMC Foundation (the non-profit organization which oversees the development of
7049-624: The Google Chrome web browser on a personal computer or from the screen of some Android devices. The first-generation Chromecast, a video streaming device, was announced on July 24, 2013, and made available for purchase on the same day in the United States for US$ 35 (equivalent to $ 45.78 in 2023). The second-generation Chromecast and an audio-only model called Chromecast Audio were released in September 2015. A model called Chromecast Ultra that can display 4K resolution and high dynamic range
7182-524: The HDR10 and Dolby Vision formats. (The maximum resolution of the "Ambient" screensaver features is 1080p.) Google stated that the Chromecast Ultra loads video 1.8 times faster than previous models. Unlike previous models that could be powered through a USB port, the Chromecast Ultra requires the use of the included power supply for connecting to a wall outlet. The power supply also offers an Ethernet port for
7315-425: The "alpha/beta" test terminology originated at IBM . Similar terminologies for IBM's software development were used by people involved with IBM from at least the 1950s (and probably earlier). "A" test was the verification of a new product before the public announcement. The "B" test was the verification before releasing the product to be manufactured. The "C" test was the final test before the general availability of
7448-492: The 2010s. In 2024, the Chromecast product line was discontinued and replaced with the Google TV Streamer. The Chromecast was originally conceived by engineer Majd Bakar. His inspiration for the product came around 2008 after noticing the film-viewing tendencies of his wife Carla Hindie. Using her laptop, she would search for a film to watch on a streaming service and add it to her queue, before closing her laptop and using
7581-743: The 4K model, it included 8 GB of internal storage, but many other technical specifications were reduced. The HD version contains 1.5 GB of RAM and a less powerful Amlogic S805X2 chipset. It includes a hardware AV1 decoder, which was not in the 4K model. The HD model and its remote were only produced in the Snow color. GA3A00403A14 GA00439 GA01919 GA03131 At the time of Chromecast's launch, four compatible apps were available: YouTube and Netflix were supported as Android, iOS, and Chrome web apps; Google Play Music and Google Play Movies & TV were also supported, but originally only as Android apps. Additional Chromecast-enabled apps would require access to
7714-477: The Android operating system and branded as being " fully-loaded ", that are promoted as offering free streaming access to copyrighted media content, including films and television programs, as well as live feeds of television channels . These players are commonly bundled with the open source media player software Kodi , which is in turn pre-loaded with plug-ins enabling access to services streaming this content without
7847-519: The CEC command "One Touch Playback". Chromecast devices are dongles that are powered by connecting the device to an external power adapter or USB port using a USB cable. Video-capable Chromecasts plug into the HDMI port of a high-definition television or monitor , while the audio-only model outputs sound through its integrated 3.5 millimeter audio jack / mini-TOSLINK socket. By default, Chromecasts connect to
7980-509: The Chromecast app's search capabilities. He ultimately preferred other streaming devices with dedicated remotes over the Chromecast for everyday use, but said "for parties, travel and temporary connections, it's worth having a Chromecast in your arsenal". In the face of stronger competition from devices such as the Apple TV, Roku or Fire TV, reviewers started to consider the 2018 Chromecast a secondary streaming device. Trusted Reviews considered it
8113-407: The Chromecast as an excellent 4K streamer that's dramatically easier to use — turns out actual menus and a remote really do matter — without losing sight of what made the original great". Sam Rutherford of Gizmodo said the device "instantly catapulted Google to the front of the streaming dongle wars with a $ 50 device that's smarter and easier to use than pretty much anything else out there". He lauded
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#17330862998068246-494: The Chromecast but had not accounted for factors such as certification testing and retailers' profit margins; the initial model ultimately launched at a price point of US$ 35. Late that year, Bakar brought home a beta version of the product for Hindie to test. The device was launched in July 2013. According to a complaint filed against Google as part of a copyright infringement lawsuit, Google employees reportedly held several meetings with
8379-423: The Chromecast for anyone who's been looking for an easy, unobtrusive way to put some brains into their dumb TV." Will Greenwald of PC Magazine rated it 4/5, saying, "The Google Chromecast is the least expensive way to access online services on your HDTV", although he noted that "The lack of local playback and limited Chrome integration holds it back in some respects." David Pogue of The New York Times praised
8512-472: The Chromecast with Google TV during its "Launch Night In" event, though the product was already sold early at some retailers such as Walmart and the Home Depot during the week prior to its announcement. Google offered a promotion whereby anyone who signed up for YouTube TV and paid for one month of the service (a US$ 65 cost) would receive a Chromecast with Google TV at no cost; the offer was available only in
8645-432: The Chromecast with Google TV launched, the Google TV interface was compatible with over 6,500 apps built for Android TV, and over 30 streaming services were integrated with Google TV for use in its content aggregation features. Chromecast is managed through the Google Home app, which enables users to set up new devices and configure existing ones (such as specifying which "Ambient Mode" images are shown when no other content
8778-462: The Chromecast with Google TV models run on the Android TV operating system. A modified user interface, branded "Google TV" (unrelated to Google's discontinued smart TV platform), replaced the stock interface of Android TV. The Google TV interface emphasizes content recommendations and discovery across different services and installed apps, compared to the stock Android TV interface that is more focused on navigating between individual installed apps. When
8911-484: The Chromecast; Chandra described it as a "true kind of little mini startup inside of Google". At the time, Google had limited experience manufacturing its own devices and had to partner with other companies for its Google Nexus line of devices. The Chromecast team subsequently enlisted an employee from Motorola , which Google had just acquired at the time, to coordinate manufacturing as a "20% time" side project . Google originally targeted an introductory price of US$ 25 for
9044-521: The Google Cast software development kit (SDK). The SDK was first released as a preview version on July 24, 2013. Google advised interested developers to use the SDK to create and test Chromecast-enabled apps, but not distribute them. While that admonition remained in force, Chromecast-enabled applications for Hulu Plus and Pandora Radio were released in October 2013, and HBO Go in November. Google opened
9177-418: The HDMI plug built into the original model). The cable is flexible and the plug can magnetically attach to the device body for more positioning options behind a television. The second-generation model uses a Marvell Armada 1500 Mini Plus 88DE3006 SoC, which has dual ARM Cortex-A7 processors running at 1.2 GHz. The unit contains an Avastar 88W8887 radio chip, which has improved Wi-Fi performance and supports
9310-445: The Internet through a Wi-Fi connection to the user's local network. A standalone USB power supply with an Ethernet port allows for a wired Internet connection; the power adapter for early Chromecast models was first introduced in July 2015 for US$ 15, while the adapter for Chromecast with Google TV was released in October 2020 for US$ 20. The original Chromecast measures 2.83 inches (72 mm) in length and has an HDMI plug built into
9443-463: The Internet, although In-Stat estimates about 25 million U.S. TV households own a set with the built-in network capability. Also, In-Stat predicts that 100 million homes in North America and western Europe will own digital media players and television sets that blend traditional programs with Internet content by 2016. Since at least 2015, dealers have marketed digital media players, often running
9576-446: The Kodi software), argued that the reputation of Kodi had been harmed by third-party retailers who "make a quick buck modifying Kodi, installing broken piracy add-ons, advertising that Kodi lets you watch free movies and TV, and then vanishing when the user buys the box and finds out that the add-on they were sold on was a crummy, constantly breaking mess." Betzen stated that the XBMC Foundation
9709-403: The SDK to all developers on February 3, 2014. In its introductory documentation and video presentation, Google said the SDK worked with both Chromecast devices and other unnamed "cast receiver devices". Chromecast product manager Rish Chandra said that Google used the intervening time to improve the SDK's reliability and accommodate those developers who sought a quick and easy way to cast a photo to
9842-463: The US to first-time YouTube TV subscribers. Additionally, in December 2020, Google made an offer available to YouTube TV users who had been continuous subscribers since June 2018 that allowed them to redeem a Chromecast with Google TV at no cost. Nilay Patel of The Verge gave the Chromecast an 8.5/10 score in his review, saying, "The Chromecast is basically an impulse purchase that just happens to be
9975-838: The United Kingdom, the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) has taken court actions on behalf of rightsholders against those who market digital media players pre-loaded with access to copyrighted content. In January 2017, an individual seller plead not guilty to charges of marketing and distributing devices that circumvent technological protection measures . In March 2017, the High Court of Justice ruled that BT Group , Sky plc , TalkTalk , and Virgin Media must block servers that had been used on such set-top boxes to illegally stream Premier League football games. Later in
10108-649: The Xbox 360 gaming console from Microsoft was among the first gaming devices that integrated a digital media player. With the Xbox 360, Microsoft also introduced the concept of a Windows Media Center Extender , which allows users to access the Media center capabilities of a PC remotely, through a home network. More recently, Linksys, D-Link, and HP introduced the latest generation of digital media players that support 720p and 1080p high resolution video playback and may integrate both Windows Extender and traditional digital media player functionality. A digital media player can connect to
10241-663: The Year" as part of the website's annual awards; for the following year's awards, the website named the device the winner of "Best in Home Entertainment". In July 2015, Google signed a deal with the Television Academy to provide Chromecasts to Emmy Award voters to allow them to view screeners of nominated media. The multi-year agreement were intended to reduce the volume of DVD screeners distributed each year. Digital media player A digital media player (also known as
10374-438: The beta stages for developers. Typically, for iOS , it is the final build before a major release, however, there have been a few exceptions. RTM is typically used in certain retail mass-production software contexts—as opposed to a specialized software production or project in a commercial or government production and distribution—where the software is sold as part of a bundle in a related computer hardware sale and typically where
10507-551: The body. It contains the Marvell Armada 1500-mini 88DE3005 system on a chip (SoC) running an ARM Cortex-A9 processor. The SoC includes codecs for hardware decoding of the VP8 and H.264 video compression formats. Radio communication is handled by AzureWave NH–387 Wi-Fi which implements 802.11 b / g / n (2.4 GHz). The device has 512 MB of Micron DDR3L RAM and 2 GB of flash storage . The model number H2G2-42
10640-457: The company Touchstream in December 2011 to discuss its casting technology. However, Google later conveyed that it was not interested in Touchstream's technology. About 18 months later, Google introduced its Chromecast media-streaming devices, which were allegedly based on the technology demonstrated during those earlier meetings. All Chromecast devices offer at least two methods to stream content:
10773-579: The computer. Apple iTunes can, for example, be used this way with the Apple TV hardware that connects to a TV. Apple has developed a tightly integrated device and content management ecosystem with their iTunes Store , personal computers, iOS devices , and the AppleTV digital media receiver . The most recent version of the AppleTV has lost the hard-drive that was included in its predecessor and fully depends on either streaming internet content, or another computer on
10906-418: The defendants were "deliberately encourag[ing] consumers and potential clients to circumvent authorized ways of accessing content." 11 additional defendants were subsequently added to the suit. The lawyer of one of the defendants argued that retailers should not be responsible for the actions of their users, as any type of computing device could theoretically be used for legal or illegal purposes. In April 2017,
11039-413: The delivery mechanism or volume; it only states that the quality is sufficient for mass distribution. The deliverable from the engineering organization is frequently in the form of a golden master media used for duplication or to produce the image for the web. General availability ( GA ) is the marketing stage at which all necessary commercialization activities have been completed and a software product
11172-464: The device for its $ 35 retail price, saying, "It's already a fine price for what this gadget does, and it will seem better and better the more video apps are made to work with it." Pogue noted the limitations of the device's screen mirroring feature and said using only mobile devices as a remote control was not "especially graceful", but he called Chromecast the "smallest, cheapest, simplest way yet to add Internet to your TV". Nicole Lee of Engadget rated
11305-488: The device is powered on. Interface navigation on the television is usually done with an infrared remote control , while more-advanced digital media players come with high-performance remote controls which allow control of the interface using integrated touch sensors. Some remotes also include accelerometers for air mouse features which allow basic motion gaming. Most digital media player devices are unable to play physical audio or video media directly, and instead require
11438-429: The device resembles: NC can be read as NCC, and 6A5 converted from hexadecimal is 1701. Chromecast Audio is a variation of the second-generation Chromecast designed for use with audio streaming apps. Chromecast Audio features a 3.5 millimeter audio jack/mini-TOSLINK socket, allowing the device to be attached to speakers and home audio systems. One side of the device is inscribed with circular grooves, resembling those of
11571-448: The device said, "Even with a bug or two rearing its head, the Chromecast is easily worth its $ 35 pricetag." Gizmodo gave the device a positive review, highlighting the ease of setup and sharing video. In comparing the device to competitors, the review said, "Chromecast isn't Google's version of Apple TV , and it's not trying to be... But Chromecast also costs a third of what those devices do, and has plenty of potential given that its SDK
11704-404: The device's main function. Digital media players do not usually include a tuner for receiving terrestrial television , nor disc drives for Blu-rays or DVD . Some devices, such as standalone Blu-ray players, may include similar functions to digital media players (often in a reduced form), as well as recent generations of video game consoles , while smart TVs integrate similar functions into
11837-457: The device's menus, for their streaming subscribers. This symbiotic relationship between Netflix and consumer electronics makers has helped propel Netflix to become the largest subscription video service in the U.S. as of 2011 using up to 20% of U.S. bandwidth at peak times. Media players are often designed for compactness and affordability, and tend to have small or non-existent hardware displays other than simple LED lights to indicate whether
11970-482: The digital streamer market internationally in 2015. By October 2017, over 55 million Chromecasts and Chromecast built-in devices have been sold. When announcing the end of the product line in August 2024, Google said that over 100 million Chromecasts had been sold. Digital Trends named Chromecast the "Best Product of 2013". In March 2014, Engadget named Chromecast an Editor's Choice winner for "Home Theater Product of
12103-484: The end of extended support. This means that support ended on April 8, 2019. When software is no longer sold or supported, the product is said to have reached end-of-life, to be discontinued, retired, deprecated, abandoned, or obsolete, but user loyalty may continue its existence for some time, even long after its platform is obsolete—e.g., the Common Desktop Environment and Sinclair ZX Spectrum . After
12236-422: The end-of-life date, the developer will usually not implement any new features, fix existing defects, bugs, or vulnerabilities (whether known before that date or not), or provide any support for the product. If the developer wishes, they may release the source code, so the platform will live again, and be maintained by volunteers, and if not, it may be reverse-engineered later when it becomes abandonware . Usage of
12369-460: The feature is complete. The alpha phase of the release life cycle is the first phase of software testing (alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet , used as the number 1). In this phase, developers generally test the software using white-box techniques . Additional validation is then performed using black-box or gray-box techniques, by another testing team. Moving to black-box testing inside
12502-612: The final version. Open betas serve the dual purpose of demonstrating a product to potential consumers, and testing among a wide user base is likely to bring to light obscure errors that a much smaller testing team might not find. A release candidate ( RC ), also known as gamma testing or "going silver", is a beta version with the potential to be a stable product, which is ready to release unless significant bugs emerge. In this stage of product stabilization, all product features have been designed, coded, and tested through one or more beta cycles with no known showstopper-class bugs. A release
12635-596: The first consumer devices to integrate digital media player functionality. Examples include the Philips Streamium -range of products that allowed for remote streaming of audio, the GoVideo D2730 Networked DVD player which integrated DVD playback with the capability to stream Rhapsody audio from a PC, and the Buffalo LinkTheater which combined a DVD player with a digital media player. More recently,
12768-428: The first employs mobile and web apps that include the Google Cast technology; the second, which applies to video models, allows mirroring of content from the web browser Google Chrome running on a personal computer, as well as content displayed on some Android devices. In both cases, playback is initiated through the "cast" button on the sender device. When no content is streamed, video-capable Chromecasts display
12901-419: The first-generation Chromecast ran "a simplified version of ChromeOS ". Subsequently, a team of hackers reported that the device is "more Android than ChromeOS" and appears to be adapted from software that was embedded in the since-discontinued Google TV platform. As with ChromeOS devices, Chromecast operating system updates are downloaded automatically without notification. Differing from all previous models,
13034-906: The home network for media. Television connection is usually done via; composite, SCART , Component, HDMI video, with Optical Audio (TOSLINK/SPDIF), and connect to the local network and broadband internet using either a wired Ethernet or a wireless Wi-Fi connection, and some also have built-in Bluetooth support for remotes and game-pads or joysticks. Some players come with USB ( USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 ) ports which allow local media content playback. The convergence of content, technology, and broadband access allows consumers to stream television shows and movies to their high-definition television in competition with pay television providers. The research company SNL Kagan expects 12 million households, roughly 10%, to go without cable, satellite or telco video service by 2015 using Over The Top services. This represents
13167-453: The home network using either a wireless ( IEEE 802.11a , b, g, and n) or wired Ethernet connection. Digital media players includes a user interface that allows users to navigate through their digital media library, search for, and play back media files. Some digital media players only handle music; some handle music and pictures; some handle music, pictures, and video; while others go further to allow internet browsing or controlling Live TV from
13300-432: The mobile apps of content services. A digital media player's operating system may provide a search engine for locating content available across multiple services and installed apps. Many digital media players offer internal access to digital distribution platforms, where users can download or purchase content such as films, television episodes, and apps . In addition to internet sources, digital media players may support
13433-499: The month, Amazon UK banned the sale of "certain media players" that had been pre-loaded with software to illegally stream copyrighted content. On 26 April 2017, the European Court of Justice ruled that the distribution of set-top boxes with access to unauthorized streams of copyrighted works violated the exclusive rights to communicate them to the public. In September 2017, a British seller of such boxes pled guilty to violations of
13566-423: The number of permissions the user had to grant during the setup process, and he was disappointed with the recommendations given by Google TV. In July 2014, Google announced that in the device's first year on sale, "millions" of units had sold and over 400 million casts had been made. The number of casts surpassed one billion by January 2015, and 1.5 billion by May 2015. The company confirmed that Chromecast
13699-542: The organization is known as alpha release . Alpha software is not thoroughly tested by the developer before it is released to customers. Alpha software may contain serious errors, and any resulting instability could cause crashes or data loss. Alpha software may not contain all of the features that are planned for the final version. In general, external availability of alpha software is uncommon for proprietary software , while open source software often has publicly available alpha versions. The alpha phase usually ends with
13832-595: The permission of their respective copyright holders. These "fully-loaded" set-top boxes are often sold through online marketplaces such as Amazon.com and eBay , as well as local retailers. The spread of these players has been attributed to their low cost and ease of use, with user experiences similar to legal subscription services such as Netflix . "Fully-loaded" set-top boxes have been subject to legal controversies, especially noting that their user experiences made them accessible to end-users who may not always realize that they are actually streaming pirated content. In
13965-430: The playback of content from other sources, such as external media (including USB drives or memory cards ), or streamed from a computer or media server . Some digital media players may also support video games , though their complexity (which can range from casual games to ports of larger games) depends on operating system and hardware support, and besides those marketed as microconsoles , are not usually promoted as
14098-482: The practice of using digital media players for pirated television content first became popular during the Qatar diplomatic crisis , after Qatari pay television network beIN Sports was banned from doing business in the country. The pirate subscription television service BeoutQ operated a satellite television service featuring repackaged versions of the beIN Sports channels, but its Android-based satellite boxes also included
14231-485: The product they test, discounts on the release version, or other incentives. Some software is kept in so-called perpetual beta , where new features are continually added to the software without establishing a final "stable" release. As the Internet has facilitated the rapid and inexpensive distribution of software, companies have begun to take a looser approach to the use of the word beta . Developers may release either
14364-548: The product. As software became a significant part of IBM's offerings, the alpha test terminology was used to denote the pre-announcement test and the beta test was used to show product readiness for general availability. Martin Belsky, a manager on some of IBM's earlier software projects claimed to have invented the terminology. IBM dropped the alpha/beta terminology during the 1960s, but by then it had received fairly wide notice. The usage of "beta test" to refer to testing done by customers
14497-413: The production level. It noted that Gmail and Google News , for example, had been in beta for a long time although widely used; Google News left beta in January 2006, followed by Google Apps (now named Google Workspace ), including Gmail, in July 2009. Since the introduction of Windows 8 , Microsoft has called pre-release software a preview rather than beta . All pre-release builds released through
14630-449: The proliferation of non-Chromecast products that support casting. In October 2016, the Google Cast app was renamed Google Home, the name also given to the company's smart speaker—leaving "Google Cast" as the name of the technology. Google made the first-generation Chromecast available for purchase online in the US on July 24, 2013. To entice consumers, Google initially included a promotion for three months of access to Netflix at no cost with
14763-732: The purchase of a Chromecast. The device quickly sold out on Amazon.com , BestBuy.com , and Google Play , and within 24 hours, the Netflix promotion was ended because of high demand. On March 18, 2014, Google released the Chromecast to 11 new markets, including the UK, Germany and Canada with the BBC iPlayer enabled for UK users. In July 2014, to commemorate the first anniversary of the device's launch, Google announced it would offer their music streaming service, Google Play Music All Access , at no cost for 90 days to Chromecast owners who had not previously used All Access;
14896-475: The remote control and user interface of Google TV, saying that it "feels just a bit more curated, polished, and tweaked to make the process of jumping back into your favorite shows and movies (or discovering new ones) that much faster". Eli Blumenthal of CNET gave the device a 9/10 score and described it as "the search giant's best TV effort yet and one of the best streamers you can buy, period". He praised Google TV's content aggregation and called it an upgrade over
15029-423: The remote's microphone. The remote can be programmed to control the power, volume, and input functions of televisions and soundbars through HDMI- CEC or infrared signals. Unlike some previous models that could be powered by a television's USB port, Chromecasts with Google TV require a power adapter, which connects via USB-C . The 4K model shipped with Android 10 and was later upgradeable to Android 12 through
15162-436: The second generation Chromecast an 85/100, highlighting the added support for 802.11ac and dual-band Wi-Fi networks and the usefulness of the updated Chromecast mobile app for finding content to cast. She said of the device, "No, it's not that much better than the original, but it still delivers great bang for your buck." David Katzmaier of CNET gave it a 7.9/10 score, calling the new hardware design more practical and praising
15295-410: The simplest, cheapest, and best solution for getting a browser window on your TV." Speaking of the adapter's potential, he said, "it seems like the Chromecast might actually deliver on all that potential, but Google still has a lot of work to do." In particular, Patel pointed to Apple 's AirPlay protocol as an example of an established competitor with many more features. TechCrunch ' s review of
15428-442: The software and related hardware is ultimately to be available and sold on mass/public basis at retail stores to indicate that the software has met a defined quality level and is ready for mass retail distribution. RTM could also mean in other contexts that the software has been delivered or released to a client or customer for installation or distribution to the related hardware end user computers or machines. The term does not define
15561-459: The software development phase following alpha. A beta phase generally begins when the software is feature-complete but likely to contain several known or unknown bugs. Software in the beta phase will generally have many more bugs in it than completed software and speed or performance issues, and may still cause crashes or data loss. The focus of beta testing is reducing impacts on users, often incorporating usability testing . The process of delivering
15694-603: The software has "gone live". Release to the Web ( RTW ) or Web release is a means of software delivery that utilizes the Internet for distribution. No physical media are produced in this type of release mechanism by the manufacturer. Web releases have become more common as Internet usage grew. During its supported lifetime, the software is sometimes subjected to service releases, patches or service packs , sometimes also called "interim releases" or "maintenance releases" (MR). For example, Microsoft released three major service packs for
15827-405: The software is generally known as a "stable release". The formal term often depends on the method of release: physical media, online release, or a web application. The term "release to manufacturing" (RTM), also known as "going gold", is a term used when a software product is ready to be delivered. This build may be digitally signed, allowing the end user to verify the integrity and authenticity of
15960-462: The software purchase. A copy of the RTM build known as the " gold master " or GM is sent for mass duplication or disc replication if applicable. The terminology is taken from the audio record-making industry, specifically the process of mastering . RTM precedes general availability (GA) when the product is released to the public. A golden master build (GM) is typically the final build of a piece of software in
16093-410: The standard Android TV interface. She also opined that Google TV was better than Amazon 's Fire TV at aggregating content from multiple services, and that Google Assistant was "smarter" than Amazon's Alexa for voice commands. Nick Pino of TechRadar rated the device four-and-a-half stars and called it "a revelation – it fixes something that wasn't broken, and improves a nearly perfect technology in
16226-513: The standard cost of the service at that time was US$ 9.99 per month. On December 10, 2014, Chromecast was launched in India through e-commerce marketplace Snapdeal in partnership with Bharti Airtel . That same month, Google offered a promotion whereby anyone purchasing a Chromecast from a participating retailer before December 21 would receive a US$ 20 credit for the Google Play Store. Google offered
16359-439: The stock Android TV interface. Blumenthal also called the integration with Google Assistant the best part of the Chromecast, despite some quirks with search results for video content. Nicole Lee of Engadget called it "not only the best Chromecast yet, but also one of the most value-packed streaming devices on the market". She complimented the remote control design and the Google TV interface for being "far easier to navigate" than
16492-629: The television itself. Some TV makers have, in turn, licensed operating system platforms from digital media players as middleware for their smart TVs—such as Android TV , Amazon Fire TV , and Roku —which typically provide a similar user experience to their standalone counterparts, but with TV-specific features and settings reflected in their user interface. In the 2010s, with the popularity of portable media players and digital cameras , as well as fast Internet download speeds and relatively cheap mass storage, many people came into possession of large collections of digital media files that cannot be played on
16625-449: The then-new Google TV user interface that offers content discovery and search across various media services. Like previous models, Chromecasts with Google TV allow content to be cast to them from other devices. Chromecasts with Google TV are bundled with a Bluetooth remote control, which has dedicated buttons for opening YouTube and Netflix , as well as a Google Assistant button for initiating voice commands or search queries through
16758-787: The user to fit their own choice of hard drive (some can manage unlimited hard disk capacity and other only a certain capacity, i.e. 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, or 4TB), and the same model is sometimes sold with or without an internal hard drive already fitted. Digital media players can usually play H.264 (SD and HD ), MPEG-4 Part 2 (SD and HD), MPEG-1 , MPEG-2 .mpg , MPEG-2 . TS , VOB and ISO images video, with PCM , MP3 and AC3 audio tracks. They can also display images (such as JPEG and PNG ) and play music files (such as FLAC , MP3 and Ogg ). While most media players have traditionally been running proprietary or open source software frameworks versions based Linux as their operating systems, many newer network connected media players are based on
16891-529: Was awarded two patents covering this invention in 2006. Developed under the SimpleFi name by Motorola in late 2001, the design was based on a Cirrus Arm-7 processor and the wireless HomeRF networking standard which pre-dated 802.11b in the residential markets. Other early market entrants in 2001 included the Turtle Beach AudioTron , Rio Receiver and SliMP3 digital media players. An early version of
17024-566: Was not done in IBM. Rather, IBM used the term "field test". Major public betas developed afterward, with early customers having purchased a "pioneer edition" of the WordVision word processor for the IBM PC for $ 49.95. In 1984, Stephen Manes wrote that "in a brilliant marketing coup, Bruce and James Program Publishers managed to get people to pay for the privilege of testing the product." In September 2000,
17157-657: Was overturned in October 2018 after Roku took additional steps to remove channels with unauthorized content from the platform. In May 2018, the Federal Communications Commission sent letters to the CEOs of Amazon.com and eBay , asking for their help in removing such devices from their marketplaces. The letter cited malware risks, fraudulent use of FCC certification marks, and how their distribution through major online marketplaces may incorrectly suggest that they are legal and legitimate products. In Saudi Arabia,
17290-515: Was released in November 2016. A third generation of the HD video Chromecast was released in October 2018. The final models, called Chromecast with Google TV, were the first in the product line to feature an interactive user interface and remote control; a 4K version was released in September 2020, followed by a 1080p version in September 2022. Critics praised the first-generation Chromecast's simplicity and potential for future app support. The Google Cast SDK
17423-569: Was released on February 3, 2014, allowing third parties to modify their software to work with Chromecast and other Cast receivers. By May 2015, more than 1.5 billion stream requests had been initiated and over 20,000 Cast-ready apps had been made available, according to Google. Chromecast was the best-selling streaming device in the United States in 2014, according to NPD Group . Over 100 million Chromecast devices were sold over 11 years, according to Google. Many technology publications included Chromecast on their lists of popular and influential products of
17556-536: Was the best-selling media streaming device in the United States in 2014, according to NPD Group . In February 2015, Google Korea announced that about 10 million Chromecasts had been sold globally in 2014. At Google I/O in May 2015, the company announced 17 million units had sold since launch, a figure that reached 20 million by September 2015, 25 million by May 2016, and 30 million by July 2016. According to Strategy Analytics, Chromecast captured more than 35% of
17689-479: Was willing to enforce its trademarks against those who use them to promote Kodi-based products which facilitate copyright infringement. Following a lawsuit by Dish Network against TVAddons, a website that offered streaming add-ons that were often used with Kodi and on such devices, in June 2017, the group shut down its add-ons and website. A technology analyst speculated that the service could eventually re-appear under
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