Amazon FireTV, Google Chromecast?

[Pergamum]

Hello,

On Amazon I am seeing advertisements for an AmazonFireTV and it is being compared to a Google Chromecast. Does anyone else these? I think there is also an AppleTV?

What are these exactly? Is it like cable tv? Do you pay monthly, or just for what you order? If I want to order like 50 episode of nature shows, can this be done affordably?

 

[Logan]

I'm pretty sure that Chromecast just allows you to "throw" any video or pictures from your Android device (or computer) onto your television. I think it's mainly tied to Google's ecosystem though (i.e., if you have your music through Google Play, videos through Youtube, etc).

 

[SRoper]

Roku is another one although it isn't tied to any mobile device. People typically use them to watch Netflix or Hulu on their TV. There is no monthly fee for the box itself.

 

[ralphmnj]

Chromecast is awesome. I have it at my house. It works with Netflix, YouTube, Google Play (movies for renting, music for listening), Pandora, and other apps. Google has a list of the available apps on their chromecast sight.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Pergamum]

Ralph,

Can my son play his ipad's Minecraft game on the big Tv this way? Also, can the kids watch Megamind from their ipad to the TV?

 

[Rom]

If you are using Apple devices you have to use an AppleTV , which will let you do what you ask assuming your iPad is recent enough. It is rumored that the AppleTV will receive an update shortly however so I might wait a couple of months to see.

 

[sastark]

I have an Apple TV. It does a few things, one of which is allow you to mirror what is on your iPad/iPhone on to your TV screen. But, it also comes with several preinstalled apps on the AppleTV itself. For example, if you are a Netflix subscriber, you can view Netflix via your AppleTV. There is also a YouTube "channel", several news channels and a few sports channels. You can also buy movies and TV shows through iTunes on your AppleTV and view them on your TV. Whatever you buy on any Apple device via iTunes will also be available on other apple devices. So, if I buy Captain America on my iPad, I could also watch it on my AppleTV.

And, Pergy, to answer your question: yes, your son would be able to play Minecraft on an ipod/ipad/iphone, and view it on the TV. He would still be controlling the game on the iDevice, but the screen would be mirrored on the TV.

I really, really like our AppleTV.

 

[ralphmnj]

Ralph,

Can my son play his ipad's Minecraft game on the big Tv this way? Also, can the kids watch Megamind from their ipad to the TV?

No, unfortunately. It will only "cast" video/music/images from a supported app. Maybe in the future they'll incorporate something like this. It is Google after all.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk