New
#1
Google Chromecast and PLEX -- great combo (Audio and video)
Hi there
while no great love for Google I have to admit the Chromecast device is brilliant.
Using PLEX (Free) on W10 / Linux (works on both) it works brilliantly to cast both your own local / server based VIDEO and AUDIO to a remote device and is so easily controlled with the PLEX app on a smartphone. What is particularly great is that the PLEX server can transmit FLAC files which the google chromecast easily plays on your remote TV.
The sound quality when pushed into a decent amplifier sounds fine --assuming the HDMI sound from the TV has reasonably good DAC converters to get the digital sound output OK.
When setting up the library first time on your TV ensure the agent is set to LOCAL MEDIA so all your local video files including TV series etc are built into the library the first time.
For a really cheap piece of hardware Google has come up trumps and converts any HDMI enabled TV into a smart TV.
Can't believe I'm actually praising Google - and controlling the app with a smartphone is really convenient as it saves yet another remote controller tv type handset.
Ensure you buy the latest version of the hardware as thee is an inferior earlier version.
No trouble with PLEX on W10 -- don't sign up for any extra stuff if you are interested in just streaming from a remote computer / NAS etc.
No trouble either if you have several PLEX servers running - I have one on Linux and another on W10 --the phone app allows you to scroll files on any of the servers and cast to the chromecast device.
Cheers
jimbo