Google Chromecast Audio on offer at Currys/PC World for £20 saving £10 on RRP. Collect in-store only.
All comments (77)
BristolBillyBob
5 Aug 17#1
Great deal, good find. I use mine all the time, love it. Make sure you enable Full Dynamic Range if you're using it with a proper hifi, kids. :smile: support.google.com/chr…-GB
M_z to BristolBillyBob
5 Aug 17#19
I think, if you use the optical output it defaults to full dynamic range.
Andy_Green to M_z
5 Aug 17#24
Yep, if using optical output it'll be full dynamic.
"When Chromecast Audio is connected through an optical interface (see here for compatible cables), it will always use Full Dynamic Range. Setting Full Dynamic Range to OFF won't have an effect as it will remain ON."
DrWig to BristolBillyBob
6 Aug 17#42
I did not know my cc audio was doing this...
Thank you
Walija
5 Aug 17#2
Great for iplayer radio etc.
need premium for spotify though ...
allsa001
5 Aug 17#3
Will this allow me to play the audio from my computer through my Amp wirelessley?
ajdinmore to allsa001
5 Aug 17#5
A quick search says there are apps that enable that, yes.
Yes, but it depends on the app. Sound quality is excellent, as far as my untrained ears can tell.
RJ1
5 Aug 17#4
Is this compatible with the iPod touch (3rd gen) and what's the sound quality like? Thanks
finleygibson to RJ1
6 Aug 17#49
Compatibility is very limited with apple devices. I've just bought this and got home to find that while it works well with Spotify (premium) and the sound quality is excellent, the default audio from apple is not compatible. That means no playing music from your library, no podcasts, no audio streamed through the internet browsers and while YouTube does support casting, you can't cast the audio only, and would need a video chromecast to cast to.
Disappointed. Especially as this lack of compatibility is entirely intentional in a brand battle. Would return it if I could be bothered.
oneeyedvic
5 Aug 17#6
I have a 2008 Ford Mondeo which has bluetooth but only for phonecalls. It does however have a phono in. Can I plug the Chromecast into the stereo, connect my iPhone via wireless to it and stream music - and then take phone calls via bluetooth?
spannerzone to oneeyedvic
5 Aug 17#7
This connects to your wifi so you'd need some wifi network in the car, so while it might be possible to do this with a phone's hot spot I think it would be a real hassle.
dergal to oneeyedvic
5 Aug 17#9
Nope... there are loads of solutions for that, but this isn't it... this is for more for home audio via wifi not Bluetooth...
oneeyedvic to dergal
5 Aug 17#10
What sort of thing? Can't be Bluetooth otherwise the hands free won't work (only connect to one bluetooth at a time)
RadiantDuck to oneeyedvic
5 Aug 17#15
If the car has an aux in, just use a auxiliary cable and plug into your headphone jack.
dergal to oneeyedvic
5 Aug 17#20
Ah ... my phone lets me say this one for audio and this for calls... I've had to use an fm Bluetooth thing which isn't perfect... tbh the best thing is the other suggestion of aux in
DingoDirk to oneeyedvic
5 Aug 17#21
Forget it.
The Chromecast needs to be connected to WiFi for it to work. You can't use your phone as a WiFi mobile hotspot because the phone also needs to be connected to the same network as the Chromecast in order to communicate with the Chromecast.
So you would need a second mobile device acting as a WiFi bridge for both the Chromecast and your phone.
There are some Android apps, most decent ones requiring root, that can do it with one device but it's very, very flaky and not worth the effort.
Then you also have to power the Chromecast via mains adapter or USB power.
It's not worth the hassle especially when for £150 you can buy a decentish car system with Bluetooth music support and integration with Android and iOS.
Otherwise, there are cheaper options available including for example this (which I've never used):
Use main phone as a hotspot, connect 2nd phone to the hotspot, use 2nd phone to setup the chromecast audio to the hotspot, once set up, you only need to connect the first phone to the chromecast via hotspot,
DingoDirk to jaddy
6 Aug 17#40
Sure. But this means you would need two devices strapped to a hands free cradle because it would be illegal to handle the Chromecast (phone) controller whilst driving. Better in terms of not breaking the law to have a dumb wi-fi bridge in the car although this would mean another data supply.
Point is there are just much easier solutions
jaddy to DingoDirk
6 Aug 17#44
bull rubbish, you only need one phone, the 2nd phone is only used the very first time to set the chromecast up, and isnt needed again, have it in a cradle and dont opperate when driving, just the same as if the car stereo was bluetooth. im well aware there are other options, the guy asked if it can be done the way he asked, the answer is yes.
diktiomenos to jaddy
6 Aug 17#48
You can also drive to Bristol from London via way of Inverness. The question is: It's rather pointless to use the CCA that way really.
jaddy to diktiomenos
11 Aug 17#72
it wasnt me wanting too, he asked a question, the answer is yes it can be done, i have android auto myself.
diktiomenos to jaddy
11 Aug 17#74
Yes, I'm not suggesting that you said so yourself.
There are a lot of people that confuse mirroring/streaming and casting, and so got a wrong understanding of what a CC (or CCA) can do or is sensible to do. Streaming is generally a simple concept, most people already know about it and if not, then it's quite easy to explain.
That's why, everytime there's a Chromecast deal posted here there are also people asking about Heath Robinsonian uses for it.
damec
5 Aug 17#8
What speakers and an amp are recommended to use with these? Just for a small/medium size room, nothing too large or powerful.
mccririck to damec
5 Aug 17#29
You can use any. The best you can afford I guess, like always.
jaddy to damec
6 Aug 17#47
anything with a headphone socket, i have 6 1/2 pyle flush ceiling speakers from amazon and i use a leppy amp from amazon, its not going to blow your roof off but its more than enough , you can also link these like a sonos system, iv got my full house with google homes and chromecasts, and can chose zones or full house.
David23
5 Aug 17#11
Wish they worked with Alexa rather than Google Home for voice control because Alexa is going to become the defacto system I just know it!
mcrobbj to David23
5 Aug 17#22
Don't think so, I have an echo dot and I am developing for it and Home, the Home model is far superior as you don't need to download skills - you get them all. Added to that google has google behind it rather than bing, its multi user, its also context aware so you etc. If google had a dot equivalent it would be killer. Alexa integration isn't that great, no deezer, google music, no chromecast ( so no Netflix, Now TV etc)
windhoek
5 Aug 17#12
The Chromecast Audio is one of the best Bang-for-Buck hi-fi gadgets available if not the best, period. I use mine primarily to stream music from my Synology NAS, although sometimes I use it to stream BBC R6, and it works exceptionally well as a DAC - assuming you've enabled Full Dynamic Range... let me say that again, FUUULL DY-NA-MIC RAAAANGE - feeding damn fine audio into my £2k+ amplifier or Sennheiser HD650s when it's late at night as it's also a great headphone amp.
CCA ftw ::
matthewsimms83 to windhoek
5 Aug 17#13
What app do you use to stream from Synology NAS to Chromecast Audio?
windhoek to matthewsimms83
5 Aug 17#17
I use Synology's own music app, DS Audio Station, with my Android phone and it does a great job all round - it even transcodes DSD to WAV on the fly to so that DSD files can be cast to the CCA. The only snag about the app (or CCA, I'm not sure which) is that there's a brief gap between tracks. Apparently, Hi-Fi Cast can play gapless, but in order to do that, the app casts audio to the CCA only after it has been received by the phone itself (meaning the phone must remain connected to the network for it to work), unlike the Synology app that casts directly from the NAS to CCA.
alexjameshaines to windhoek
6 Aug 17#39
OMG the late night headphones is an awesome idea. I wouldn't have thought of that!
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Opening post
All comments (77)
"When Chromecast Audio is connected through an optical interface (see here for compatible cables), it will always use Full Dynamic Range. Setting Full Dynamic Range to OFF won't have an effect as it will remain ON."
Thank you
need premium for spotify though ...
Yes, but it depends on the app. Sound quality is excellent, as far as my untrained ears can tell.
Disappointed. Especially as this lack of compatibility is entirely intentional in a brand battle. Would return it if I could be bothered.
Bluetooth otherwise the hands free won't work (only connect to one bluetooth at a time)
It's rather pointless to use the CCA that way really.
There are a lot of people that confuse mirroring/streaming and casting, and so got a wrong understanding of what a CC (or CCA) can do or is sensible to do. Streaming is generally a simple concept, most people already know about it and if not, then it's quite easy to explain.
That's why, everytime there's a Chromecast deal posted here there are also people asking about Heath Robinsonian uses for it.
CCA ftw ::