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Google Launches Third-Gen Chromecast With 60fps Video, Multiroom Audio Support (variety.com)

Posted by msmash on from the about-time dept.

Alongside the new Pixel smartphones, and the Pixel Slate laptop-tablet hybrid, Google on Tuesday also announced a new version of its Chromecast streaming adapter, the third generation of the company's streaming device, which supports playback video at higher frame rates and can also stream multiroom audio. From a report: The new device goes on sale Tuesday in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore and Sweden. Stateside, the new Chromecast once again costs $35 -- the same as its predecessor. [...] The bigger changes are on the inside: The new Chromecast is 15% faster than the previous model, which allows it to stream 1080p HD video with a rate of up to 60 frames per second (fps). "Everything becomes much smoother," said Google Home product manager Chris Chan during a recent interview with Variety. He specifically cited the growth of 60fps content on YouTube as one of the reasons Google added the new feature.

6 of 39 comments (clear)

  1. AV1 support by enriquevagu · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Since AV1 has been standardized six months ago and there are no HW decoders available yet, it will not support the flagship new royalty-free video codec from Google. Somewhat odd they have not delayed the launch some few months; 15% faster is an incremental improvement.

    1. Re:AV1 support by llamalad · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You must be new here... Why sell one significantly upgraded product when you can sell two incremental upgrades instead?

  2. Quite the opposite by SuperKendall · · Score: 2

    No remote?

    You don't need a remote, since any electronic device is monitored by Google at this point. Just type "volume up" in a search bar, or tap out "play cat videos on YouTube" on the door of your connected fridge in morse code. The GoogleMind will receive your desires and act on them, often desires you didn't even know you had until Google meets them.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  3. Reliability (lack of) by Andy+Smith · · Score: 2

    We use our Chromecast a lot (using it right now) but ooh boy is it unreliable! You can start a show, and 2 minutes later the app has lost the Chromecast so you can't pause or rewind etc. Then a few minutes later it's there again. Then it's not there but "local device" is, and sometimes you can connect to that, sometimes you can't. It's really frustrating.

    1. Re: Reliability (lack of) by Andy+Smith · · Score: 2

      Yes, first gen, and I feel the same -- tempted to upgrade, but it works enough that we just put up with the flakiness.

    2. Re:Reliability (lack of) by schweini · · Score: 2

      Make sure your phone isn't configured to once in a while disconnect from wifi and check if 3G/4G is better. Many phones do this in order to ignore shitty or saturated wifi internet connections. Once the wifi is disabled, the phone can't see the chromecast anymore and problems arise.