Chromecast with Google TV (4K)

tl;dr - pros: Google Assistant, turn old TVs into smart ones, cheap, very simple setup cons: limited selection of apps, no web browser, may not work with off-brand TVs quite so well Been using this most days for about a month. I bought this for the older TV in my house that's in the bedroom and it's awesome to be able to effectively turn an almost 10 year-old TV into a smart TV. Super simple to set up, it only took about five minutes or less (not including finding all the apps I wanted and installing them). The remote is really simple to use and appears to be both wireless and IR, because the Chromecast is not visible at all from the front of the TV and yet it works perfectly, plus I was able to set up the TV itself to be controlled (turned on and off, turn the ... Moretl;dr - pros: Google Assistant, turn old TVs into smart ones, cheap, very simple setup cons: limited selection of apps, no web browser, may not work with off-brand TVs quite so well Been using this most days for about a month. I bought this for the older TV in my house that's in the bedroom and it's awesome to be able to effectively turn an almost 10 year-old TV into a smart TV. Super simple to set up, it only took about five minutes or less (not including finding all the apps I wanted and installing them). The remote is really simple to use and appears to be both wireless and IR, because the Chromecast is not visible at all from the front of the TV and yet it works perfectly, plus I was able to set up the TV itself to be controlled (turned on and off, turn the volume up and down) by the Chromecast remote - this TV is a Panasonic, you may have issues with this if you're using an off-brand TV like Veon from The Warehouse. Also as far as I can tell, you can't use the Chromecast remote to change brightness or other TV settings not mentioned above. I was a bit disappointed that there is, as yet, no support here for Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming. I was able to sideload a version of the app for Android, but it didn't work at all so I uninstalled it. Also a bummer that there's no official browser support, meaning you can't even download Google Chrome. I thoroughly recommend this for the bedroom especially, because it's cheap enough that you won't mind not using it every single day, and it's convenient for things like playing rain sounds to fall asleep to for example - I've done this several times now. You can set it to turn off the TV automatically after a period of inactivity, so there's no waking up in the middle of the night to the TV still blaring. The Google Assistant integration here is very good. Being able to change the aircon temperature, or turn it off completely, with my voice using the Chromecast remote is pretty cool, and you can do it without turning the TV on. I'm excited to get more Google Assistant devices to see how well they all play together. I love this, definitely a recommend despite its shortcomings.

A Decent Device for the General Consumer

I recently got the Nest Wi-Fi Pro. Up front, the Nest Wi-Fi Pro is NOT a modem/router combo. You will need an Internet Service Provider (ISP) supported modem (or modem/router combo, set in Bridged mode) in which to plug the Nest Wi-Fi Pro to get internet service. OOB: you get the modern-looking Nest Wi-Fi Pro (with a very small 5” tall x 3” wide footprint – in Snow, Fog, Linen, or Lemongrass), a 22 watt power adapter, a white, slim ethernet cable (no bright, obnoxious yellow or blue cable), and setup instructions. On the reverse, you have an Ethernet in (from your modem), a power jack, and an Ethernet out (to another device, e.g., a laptop or another Nest Wi-Fi Pro that will serve as a wired extender). Although you can also connect other Nest Wi-Fi pros wirelessly ... MoreI recently got the Nest Wi-Fi Pro. Up front, the Nest Wi-Fi Pro is NOT a modem/router combo. You will need an Internet Service Provider (ISP) supported modem (or modem/router combo, set in Bridged mode) in which to plug the Nest Wi-Fi Pro to get internet service. OOB: you get the modern-looking Nest Wi-Fi Pro (with a very small 5” tall x 3” wide footprint – in Snow, Fog, Linen, or Lemongrass), a 22 watt power adapter, a white, slim ethernet cable (no bright, obnoxious yellow or blue cable), and setup instructions. On the reverse, you have an Ethernet in (from your modem), a power jack, and an Ethernet out (to another device, e.g., a laptop or another Nest Wi-Fi Pro that will serve as a wired extender). Although you can also connect other Nest Wi-Fi pros wirelessly to create a mesh network. There are no physical buttons on the Nest. The only light is a status light that can be set, in the Google Home app, to high, low, or off. Specs: The Nest Wi-Fi Pro provides Wi-Fi 6E, using the 802.11ax Wi-Fi standard (AXE5400, tri-band (2x2 (6 GHz), 2x2 (5 GHz), 2x2 (2.4 GHz)) mesh system that allows combined wireless speeds of up 5.4 Gbps, with automatic band steering. The 6Ghz band (while much faster than their slower counterparts) is intended for close range, indoor, connections… e.g., other 6GHz devices, such as other Nest Pros. The Nest offers proactive 802.11k/v client steering for seamless mesh point roaming for uninterrupted Wi-Fi, auto-QoS for video calls, and device prioritization for up to 8 hours. The Nest can handle up to 100 connected devices per extender and has a Dual-core 64-bit ARM CPU, with 1 GB RAM, 4 GB flash onboard. It covers up to 2200 sq ft (each additional Nest Pro provides another 2200 sq ft of coverage, with Google recommending no more than five in a home). But, coverage mileage may vary though depending on where you put the device… a central, exposed area is best. From a smart home perspective, the Nest supports Matter, Thread border routing, Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE), and is, of course, ready for 6Ghz smart devices when market ready. Setup: Geared more toward the general consumer and not more tech-savvy individuals, setup is super easy. Download the Google Home app. Connect your existing modem to your Nest’s “in” connection. Or set any existing modem/router to bridged mode (much easier than it sounds, with a little web research) and then connect to the Nest. Plug in the Nest. Open the Google Home app, which will find the Nest, and follow directions. The app walks you through everything and does all the work for you. A few notes. Ensure that your device’s Bluetooth connection is on. Make sure you’re in a well-lit room to scan the QR code on the Nest’s underside when prompted. When creating a Wi-Fi network name (if you have an existing wireless network and you want your devices to connect to the Nest easily) give the Nest network the same name as your current wireless network. When creating a password (if using the same network name) use the same password. Confirmed… you must agree to turn on Nest Wi-Fi cloud services if you want to use Family Wi-Fi, Guest Network, Advanced Networking, and Device Lists available in the Google Home app. If you have an active internet connection, the Nest will search for and update its software/firmware and will restart. With the network setup done, you manage the network in the Google Home app. “Wi-Fi” will appear as a selection option. Tap “Wi-Fi.” You’ll see connectivity status (internet, Wi-Fi devices, and, if cloud services are enabled, devices connected to the Nest), an option to run a network speed test (I was able to consistently get my standard wireless speeds through the Nest, from different points both inside and outside my house on my cell phone), as well as the following cards: Devices List, Family Wi-Fi, and Guest Network. In the app’s Settings you’ll see the following options… change network name and password, Family Wi-Fi, Guest Network, Preferred Activities (i.e., video conferencing and/or gaming), notification settings (new device, new device (guest network), password mismatches, and lost connections), advanced network settings ((do not change these settings unless you know what you’re doing – WPA3, 160Ghz for 5Ghz channels, UPnP, enable/disable IPv6, DNS, WAN, LAN, DHCP IP reservations, Port Management (requires cloud services), and Network mode (allowing you to set the Nest Pro itself into NAT or Bridged mode). From Settings you can also view open-source licenses, restart the network (i.e., the Nest Pro) or factory reset the network (i.e., again, the Nest Pro). With cloud services enabled, you’re able to see the devices connected the Nest Pro… including signal strength, how much data they’re using (upload and download… by real-time, per day, week, and month) and have the ability to pause / prioritize device-specific internet connections (the latter of which ensures that at least 80% of your internet bandwidth is dedicated to that device… e.g., your laptop/phone during business hours). Family Wi-Fi allows you to schedule a Wi-Fi pause, again, really only effective on devices that rely solely on Wi-Fi to get to the web (e.g., laptops, gaming consoles, etc.). You can group devices to allow you to pause Wi-Fi on all devices in that group. Keep in mind though, if you pause Wi-Fi on a cell phone, and the cell has a data plan, the cell will use that data plan vs. your home Wi-Fi, especially important to know if you don’t have unlimited data. I also didn’t set up a guest network, but the option is there and allows you to determine what devices you want folks on that network to see – those devices of course have to be connected to the Nest Pro’s network. While the Nest Pro and its functionality are pretty robust, I do have a few bones to pick. I couldn’t find a way to create multiple networks based on internal radios… i.e., assign the 2.5Ghz radio a name like “2.5GHzNetwork” etc. While there are benefits to having one network and allowing the router to band steer and while your devices will find the band that works best for them within the Nest Pro’s network, I prefer to define networks based on available bands and assign devices to those networks. Also, you can’t combine a Nest Wifi Pro (Wi-Fi 6E) with other mesh devices (Google or otherwise). If you upgrade to a Nest Wi-Fi Pro, and you want other mesh extenders, you’ll need to use other Nest Wi-Fi Pros. Moreover, for those who have multi-gig networks, the Nest Pro’s ethernet ports (in and out) are capped at 1 gig. The 5.4Gbps throughput is based on combined available wireless radio speeds. If wired, you’ll never benefit from the multi-gig speeds for which you’re paying… which just doesn’t make sense given there are so many devices now that support wired multi-gig speeds. Worth buying? Yes. The Google Nest Wi-Fi pro is a solid 4-star. It was easy to set up and served my home’s devices well during this review. Given how easy setup was, I have zero reason to believe that setting up a mesh network would be the least bit complicated. If Google Home would let me create multiple network names and attribute a given radio to each network, for my purposes, this would be a 5-star device. As it is, Nest Wi-Fi Pro is geared toward the average consumer, who wants a device to work out of the box, with minimal to no configuration.

A decent streamer

The Chromecast HD with Google TV is a decent option for turning computer monitors (which have audio output) or old non-smart TVs into smart streaming devices, or as an alternative to the built-in software of smart TVs which are often slow, clunky, and lacking in features. [ The good ] - The remote is reasonably convenient to use. The voice assistant button is especially handy, as the assistant is capable of doing many things, such as launching a specified app, finding and playing requested media, showing the weather forecast, and much more. The voice assistant button can also be used to fill in text input fields where supported, which I find to be much more convenient than navigating an on-screen keyboard. - Good Google ecosystem integration. I can, for example, ... MoreThe Chromecast HD with Google TV is a decent option for turning computer monitors (which have audio output) or old non-smart TVs into smart streaming devices, or as an alternative to the built-in software of smart TVs which are often slow, clunky, and lacking in features. [ The good ] - The remote is reasonably convenient to use. The voice assistant button is especially handy, as the assistant is capable of doing many things, such as launching a specified app, finding and playing requested media, showing the weather forecast, and much more. The voice assistant button can also be used to fill in text input fields where supported, which I find to be much more convenient than navigating an on-screen keyboard. - Good Google ecosystem integration. I can, for example, launch applications on the Chromecast by voice command from a Nest Hub, cast to the Chromecast from the Chrome browser on another device, or use the remote to stream video from my Nest doorbell or security cameras to the Chromecast. Unfortunately, however, there doesn’t seem to be a way to browse local devices from the Chromecast like I can with the Nest Hub. - Direct access to the Google Play Store provides a large selection of apps. - Navigating the user interfaces is reasonably snappy. [ The bad ] - I went through the initial setup process on two separate Chromecast units. In both cases, the process took a long time and hung up with the Chromecast waiting for the Google Home app on my phone to complete the setup process. In one instance, the Google Home app indicated that setup was complete (while the Chromecast remained in its ‘waiting’ state). In the other instance, the Google Home app appeared to crash or abandon the setup process around the same spot. In both cases, I had to manually continue setup on the Chromecast/TV. - Though the setup process stepped through configuration of the volume buttons and power button, it completely skipped the input button which didn’t work directly after setup. I had to manually enter the settings and configure this button to get it working. - While some users may appreciate the content discovery provided by the prolific amount of advertisements present, I greatly prefer the basic app launching type of screen that a popular competing product has. The Chromecast does have an ‘Apps only mode’, but this comes at the severe punitive cost of 1: the inability to use the voice assistant button, 2: the inability to install apps (at least the two search bars used for installing new apps are removed), though apps that are already installed can still be launched, and 3: even though the home screen is reduced to an ‘Apps’ tab, they now throw in a gigantic advertisement banner that wasn’t there previously. - Some of the apps I tested from the Play Store are a bit different than the same apps on other smart TV and streaming devices and behave a bit differently, sometimes not even being properly adjusted for use on TVs (such as expecting the presence of a touch screen). - The lack of an Ethernet port means you’re stuck with WiFi being a potential weak point in your viewing experience. - The two app buttons on the remote are not reconfigurable (at least not natively).

Beautiful, Powerful Device – Makes Every TV Smart!

Google Chromecast with Google TV is a very inexpensive and effective way to upgrade your older (non-smart) TVs to utilize the wide variety of streaming services available today. It is very simple to set up, provides great menus for source selection and a very nice, compact voice-controlled remote. Google, founded in 1998, is the largest subsidiary of Alphabet, one of the largest technology firms in the world. Google provides search technology, online advertising, cloud computing, email (Gmail), web browsing (Chrome), navigation (Google Maps), video sharing (YouTube), operating systems (Android), productivity software (Workspace), language translation and many other online services. It also produces consumer electronics products including Pixel smartphones, Google ... MoreGoogle Chromecast with Google TV is a very inexpensive and effective way to upgrade your older (non-smart) TVs to utilize the wide variety of streaming services available today. It is very simple to set up, provides great menus for source selection and a very nice, compact voice-controlled remote. Google, founded in 1998, is the largest subsidiary of Alphabet, one of the largest technology firms in the world. Google provides search technology, online advertising, cloud computing, email (Gmail), web browsing (Chrome), navigation (Google Maps), video sharing (YouTube), operating systems (Android), productivity software (Workspace), language translation and many other online services. It also produces consumer electronics products including Pixel smartphones, Google Assistant, Nest smart home devices, wearable devices (Fitbit) and this Chromecast device. Here are the key features: • Google Chromecast with Google TV (Model: G454V) • Provides 1080p (with HDR10) streaming content from a wide range of services • 3.0 inch x 2.5 inch wireless receiver dongle with 3 inch HDMI connection cable • 59 inch USB-A to USB-C power cable • 5 volt, 1.5 amp, 7.5 watt power adapter for USB cable • Remote control with power, volume, home, preset Netflix, & YouTube, Google Assistant buttons • Two AAA alkaline batteries included • Google Assistant voice control through remote • Access to thousands of apps through Google Play • Wireless connectivity: 801.11a/b/g/n/ac • Bluetooth connectivity to remote control • Set up through Google Home app • Full easy to follow on screen instructions • Manufactured from recycled plastic (49% by weight) • One year warranty The Chromecast device, cables, power adapter and remote control are all very attractively designed. They are nicely rounded, very compact and their color is a pleasing arctic white called “Snow.” Even the included AAA batteries are a matching white color. Set up is very easy. Simply attach the USB power cord to the included adapter, connect the USB-C end to the wireless receiver dongle and plug that dongle into an HDMI port on the TV. Then use the Google Home app on a smartphone to set up the wireless connection to your network. The device will download firmware updates and it will be ready for use. You can then mate the remote to your TV so that it can control power, volume and (in most cases) the input switching. The menus are very easy to navigate and seems to include all streaming services (Netflix, Prime, Disney, Apple, Hulu, Peacock, Paramount, HBO, Sling, Spotify, YouTube, etc.) plus many free services found in the Google Play app. Connections were solid and provided a very clean data stream for all services I tested. The remote control connects to the dongle via Bluetooth so line-of-sight is not necessary and the range is at least 30 feet. You can safely expect that the device will work perfectly in most home situations, reliably covering multiple rooms. The device is very compact and lightweight so it can be attached to any HDMI port on the TV and just hang unobtrusively behind the TV without straining the wiring. The 59” power cord is long enough to easily reach an available power source. Or, you could just plug in the USB-A end into a USB port on your TV (most TVs have a USB-A port.) No matter how old your digital TV is, this Google Chromecast device will instantly upgrade it to the latest “smart” functionality. In fact, even if your TV has streaming functions you might find that this unit adds some important capability which you did not have (such as voice search or Google Assistant controls). The beautiful, tiny remote gives you access to not just all of the streaming services, but also provides to the full range of Google Assistant capabilities. You can use it to control your lights, thermostat, doorbell cameras, etc. if you utilize Google Nest devices. You can also use the remote to answer questions or do quick searches using the power of Google and the breadth of YouTube to quickly find relevant material. Given the comparable price and basic capabilities, the obvious comparison is to Amazon’s Fire Stick. But I think the Google Chromecast is superior in several aspects. First, it is undeniably more attractive. The beautiful color and shape of the remote is a pleasure to look at. Second, it probably has a broader range of apps available, due to the extensive Google Play library. Finally, because its software is based upon Google search technology, the search function is certainly superior to anything Amazon can offer. I am delighted to give this great and bargain-priced device my full and enthusiastic recommendation!

Clumsy Chromecast with Google TV

I have helped family and friends purchase and set up at least 15 streaming devices in addition to all my own over the last few years and they were all super simple plug and play. I found this Chromecast with Google TV to be much more complicated. Cute Snow white dongle but it doesn't matter what it looks like since the built in HDMI cord attached is only 3 inches long so it is hidden behind your TV. Unfortunately you have to plug the power cord into the provided power cube since the instructions warn that the TV USB can't power the device like some of my others. I had to do some cord management to make an outlet available for set up. After installing the included AAA batteries in the slick little remote (yes, it is slick and I drop it constantly. It is just under 5 ... MoreI have helped family and friends purchase and set up at least 15 streaming devices in addition to all my own over the last few years and they were all super simple plug and play. I found this Chromecast with Google TV to be much more complicated. Cute Snow white dongle but it doesn't matter what it looks like since the built in HDMI cord attached is only 3 inches long so it is hidden behind your TV. Unfortunately you have to plug the power cord into the provided power cube since the instructions warn that the TV USB can't power the device like some of my others. I had to do some cord management to make an outlet available for set up. After installing the included AAA batteries in the slick little remote (yes, it is slick and I drop it constantly. It is just under 5 inches long and 1.5 inches wide so smaller than my other streaming remotes) then you have to add the Google Home app on your iPhone or Android just to do the installation. "Follow the steps on your TV and in the app" which kept telling me I was disconnected from the internet and once it said it was connected it did two lengthy updates so "Simple Setup" is now approaching an hour! I thought maybe it had installed my apps but they were just preloads as pictured on the box so I attempted to log in to Netflix first since it is one of the two shortcut buttons on the remote, the other being YouTube. That worked and I was also able to sign in to Apple TV+ and watch "Its the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown". The volume controls on the side of the remote automatically found my TCL TV and worked with no extra steps but only works when using the Google Chromecast. I gave up after this two hour ordeal. Came back to it the next night and logged in to STARZ (which just spins and never opens) and Disney+ and Paramount+ with no trouble until I tried to play a movie. Disney+ immediately gave me an error code to look up if the problem persists and to "try again later". Attempted to play the movie "Prophecy" and it tells me "Sorry, this video is currently unavailable. Please try again." Or I can visit Paramount + (6100). Tried "Tales from the Darkside" with the same result. I was able to play "TFD" on Pluto on demand later. Playing a digital copy of "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" worked after taking a few minutes to load and then the digital copy of "Escape from the Planet of the Apes" took about 4 minutes of spinning before it began to play. Picture quality is surprisingly good for 1080P HDR. Google assistant button on remote tells me "Something went wrong, give it another try" when I hold it and say "Restart movie" but if I press and hold and say "What can you do?" as show in the skimpy little manual I get a YouTube tour of some options before it returns to the paused movie. Instructions are minimal even in online help and support. I haven't given up yet but may just do a factory reset and start over at this point. My first and last Chromecast with Google TV.

Easy To Setup, But needs improvement

The Nest Wifi Pro is a quick and easy way to upgrade home network and give it boost with Wi-Fi 6E. Not only does it look good great, but it’s super easy to setup as all it requires is power (which is included), and an ethernet cable to connect your Nest Wi-Fi Pro to your home network modem, router, and/or switch. I love how simple and easy it was to add to my home network as it required no additional configuration, the Nest Wifi Pro was literally plug and play. Once everything’s plugged in, install Google Home App on your phone (if you don’t already have the app), and follow the instructions. What I love most about this setup is that the Nest Wi-Fi Pro really does it all on its own. This is perfect for people whom want a fast and reliable home Wi-Fi network without ... MoreThe Nest Wifi Pro is a quick and easy way to upgrade home network and give it boost with Wi-Fi 6E. Not only does it look good great, but it’s super easy to setup as all it requires is power (which is included), and an ethernet cable to connect your Nest Wi-Fi Pro to your home network modem, router, and/or switch. I love how simple and easy it was to add to my home network as it required no additional configuration, the Nest Wifi Pro was literally plug and play. Once everything’s plugged in, install Google Home App on your phone (if you don’t already have the app), and follow the instructions. What I love most about this setup is that the Nest Wi-Fi Pro really does it all on its own. This is perfect for people whom want a fast and reliable home Wi-Fi network without knowing the technical details of how it all works. Each mesh router covers 2200 sq ft, so a single unit maybe sufficient for most homes, however it’s just as easy to add another one or two into your mesh setup. Nest Wi-Fi Pro’s biggest selling point of course would be the addition of Wi-Fi 6E which really helps if you have a plethora of Wi-Fi enabled devices in your home. It works well to improve speed and alleviate congestion as you would now have three bands of connectivity. While I was anticipating excellent/improved speeds, it does not seem to be as advertised as my home network seemed to be bottled around 70-90 mb/s when compared to my current mesh home network setup which normally runs around 200-300 mb/s during the peak hours and upwards of 500-600 mb/s during off hours (for reference, I have FIOS gig internet service but well over 40 Wi-Fi enabled devices in our home). This was pretty disappointing as a swap of hardware would not lead me to expect such a dramatic drop in speed/performance. The interesting thing was that when I ran speed tests through the Google Home app, it seems to show speeds of 600 mb/s, but it doesn’t measure up with real world scenarios. I’m incline to think there maybe some firmware bugs and/or circumstances that maybe causing a cap on the network speed. Still trying to troubleshoot the setup to improve speeds. A quick Google of Nest Wifi Pro issue does seem to indicate that I’m not alone with lackluster speeds. Overall, the Nest Wifi Pro has a good value proposition, however it seems that I may not be experiencing the best that the hardware has to offer at this point. If it does end up working as advertised, then it’s an excellent option if you’re looking to improve your overall home network. However, if already have a reliable mesh network and don’t have many Wi-Fi enabled devices, chances are, you don’t need to upgrade simply for Wi-Fi6E at this point. If you are looking for a quick and simple mesh setup that will give you Wi-Fi6, then the Nest Wifi Pro maybe it as it priced very competitivity in the market where Wi-Fi6 is still not readily available.

Nest Doorbell Wired (2nd Gen)

The Google Nest Doorbell is my first experience with a smart video doorbell and it's been a really up and down experience. First, you must check that the doorbell is compatible with your existing doorbell's wiring. Luckily, my transformer was in an easy to locate place and my current voltage was compatible. However, this may be an issue in older homes. The installation is pretty straightforward. You scan the QR code on the back of the doorbell or on the instructions included in the package and the Google Home app provides a walkthrough. I didn't have to drill any additional holes as the Nest Doorbell lined up with my existing doorbell. Everything was going smoothly until it came to mounting the doorbell itself to the base plate. The wiring provided in the package is ... MoreThe Google Nest Doorbell is my first experience with a smart video doorbell and it's been a really up and down experience. First, you must check that the doorbell is compatible with your existing doorbell's wiring. Luckily, my transformer was in an easy to locate place and my current voltage was compatible. However, this may be an issue in older homes. The installation is pretty straightforward. You scan the QR code on the back of the doorbell or on the instructions included in the package and the Google Home app provides a walkthrough. I didn't have to drill any additional holes as the Nest Doorbell lined up with my existing doorbell. Everything was going smoothly until it came to mounting the doorbell itself to the base plate. The wiring provided in the package is much too long. After hooking everything up, all of the wiring would fit behind the doorbell. The instructions say to just tuck the wiring into the wall, however the hole in my doorframe was not large enough to do that. So after some Macgyver-ing of the wires, I was finally able to get it on to the base plate correctly and the security screw that is on top of the doorbell to fully secure it to the base plate would not screw in. I double and triple check that everything was lined up, I could see though the hole in the top that it was lined up, but no matter how much I twisted the screw, it would not secure. I've also had issues with the doorbell ringing my mechanical chime indoors. I have plenty of experience in wiring and electrical work and have made sure everything is setup correctly and the indoor chime refuses to ring. After a lot of troubleshooting and research, it seems that this generation has an issue with the included puck that you attach to the chime. I'm guessing I'm just one of many that got a dud. I recently bought a new router to help manage all of my smart devices and you cannot simply change the SSID that this doorbell is connected to, you have to factory reset the doorbell in order to hook it up to a new wifi connection. However, even with all of these issues that I've experienced, the video and audio quality are excellent. The video is clear and crisp even at night and you get 24 hours of history for free. The audio is clear and can pickup noises from a significant distance. Overall, you might have an easier experience than I have had and the quality of the video is worth it, especially if you have other Google smart devices that can integrate with the doorbell, but the issues that I've had, particularly the inability to ring the indoor chime, makes me wish I had gone a different direction.

Nice Interface, clunky dongle

This Chromecast is actually a full-fledged streaming dongle complete with a solid remote control. It does everything I expect from a small format streamer. I picked this up to pair with an older 1080 "dumb" tv that I retired from bedroom duty to office duty, where the tv is often on even when not actively being watched. That said, the image looks just fine on the 40" screen and I can easily say this would be a good add for a spare room or some other scenario where 4k isn't necessary. Setup through the Google Home app was pretty simple, especially since I had used the exact same process when setting up some earlier Google devices. After getting the basics set up I took it for a test drive. I really like how the user interface built around the "Google TV" framework ... MoreThis Chromecast is actually a full-fledged streaming dongle complete with a solid remote control. It does everything I expect from a small format streamer. I picked this up to pair with an older 1080 "dumb" tv that I retired from bedroom duty to office duty, where the tv is often on even when not actively being watched. That said, the image looks just fine on the 40" screen and I can easily say this would be a good add for a spare room or some other scenario where 4k isn't necessary. Setup through the Google Home app was pretty simple, especially since I had used the exact same process when setting up some earlier Google devices. After getting the basics set up I took it for a test drive. I really like how the user interface built around the "Google TV" framework feels less like a series of tiled apps in their own walled gardens than a seamless content browser. I have experienced similar interfaces on other smarts devices/dongles/tvs but this one just seems very slick. Navigating through to the content both canned and live on numerous streaming services is very simple and something that I would think would be extremely appealing to people with little or no patience for searching for things on the myriad possible apps. The remote functioned well and was responsive and accurate, two things I have had issues with on other brands of streaming devices. Despite my overall approval of the way the device functions, I have to say this is bar far one of the clumsiest "dongle" type devices I have encountered. The large puck/oval shaped device body is larger than any other streaming devices I currently use, including a couple that aren't even really considered dongles. This puck is attached to a short, but not too short, HDMI pigtail on one end, and then has a power port on the opposite end. The included USB cable is robust, but probably overly so, and overly long if unless you plan to plug the device into a separate power supply and not the USB on the TV. The upshot of all this is that the device is a bit ungainly and a bit over-sized. It would seem that this would be marketed for the smaller end of TVs, say in that second bedroom, dorm room or kitchen, where the highest resolution is generally lower than the big tv in the master bedroom or family room. If this dongle is used with a big tv, it is probably easy to hide behind the set. On a 32" or even the 40" I hooked it to it can be difficult to keep out of sight and neat. This dongle didn't appear in my use to have any performance superior to the stick type streamers or even some of the much smaller dongles I have tried. Since the price is in line with most of the stick type devices, I would be hard pressed to argue this is a better device just because of a superior visual interface, which isn't device dependent. I think of they could condense this device down to stick format it would be a 5-star package when taking into account the intended market.

The best smart doorbell on the market!

The Google Nest Doorbell (wired version of the 2nd second generation) has several significant and marked improvements from its predecessor, and is poised to improve the Google Home experience once the Google software catches up. What I found to be an especially wonderful touch is that despite the second generation device being smaller than the first, the mounting holes are reused. As someone who tries to minimize the impact of my improvements, this is a very thoughtful touch in the design process. Starting with the hardware, I immediately noticed that the camera quality has been improved quite substantially from my generation one doorbell thanks to the inclusion of HDR. Nighttime footage during low light looks detailed while daytime footage is no longer washed out. ... MoreThe Google Nest Doorbell (wired version of the 2nd second generation) has several significant and marked improvements from its predecessor, and is poised to improve the Google Home experience once the Google software catches up. What I found to be an especially wonderful touch is that despite the second generation device being smaller than the first, the mounting holes are reused. As someone who tries to minimize the impact of my improvements, this is a very thoughtful touch in the design process. Starting with the hardware, I immediately noticed that the camera quality has been improved quite substantially from my generation one doorbell thanks to the inclusion of HDR. Nighttime footage during low light looks detailed while daytime footage is no longer washed out. Wonderful. New is that Google has transitioned from a widescreen picture to a more vertical orientation. I noticed on my first day what I had been missing! The vertical orientation lends to seeing packages and getting a full view of your visitors instead of a wide view of the low value background. This improvement alone is worth the upgrade. Cosmetically, the slim profile is very modern looking and I receive comments about it from curious guests quite often. Responding to an alert brings up video nearly instantly and is far more swift than similar products I have experienced. Because this device is wired, concern about battery health during extreme temperatures is thankfully a thing of my past. For example, my Ring 4th generation would regularly fail in extremely cold temperatures. The only place that I feel needs some work still is Google Home itself, which is not as refined or organized as Apple’s HomeKit. I understand that major updates are imminent, which is great, and I would never fault a hardware device for the greater ecosystem that it serves. Overall, I am extremely happy with this doorbell and am proud to include it in my ever evolving smart home setup. The quality of the device is so apparent using it and it truly is a pleasure every use. A subscription is necessary to reap the true benefits of the device, but the (cheap) price is well worth it.

Versatile, easy to set up and use, good value

I’ve been using this Chromecast with Google TV for several days now, and my impression is that it is a very convenient streaming device. But it’s not really a whole lot different from other streaming devices I’ve used. All have similar setup procedures. In this case, you plug the Chromecast device into a power outlet (A/C adapter and USB cable are included), plug the attached HDMI cable into an HDMI port on your TV, put batteries (included in the box) in the Chromecast remote, turn your TV on and set it to the correct input, and let the device take you through the setup process. One slight peculiarity with the Chromecast is that, unlike every other streaming device I’ve ever used, it does not have an HDMI port that you would connect a cable to while connecting the ... MoreI’ve been using this Chromecast with Google TV for several days now, and my impression is that it is a very convenient streaming device. But it’s not really a whole lot different from other streaming devices I’ve used. All have similar setup procedures. In this case, you plug the Chromecast device into a power outlet (A/C adapter and USB cable are included), plug the attached HDMI cable into an HDMI port on your TV, put batteries (included in the box) in the Chromecast remote, turn your TV on and set it to the correct input, and let the device take you through the setup process. One slight peculiarity with the Chromecast is that, unlike every other streaming device I’ve ever used, it does not have an HDMI port that you would connect a cable to while connecting the other end to your TV. Rather, it has a permanently-attached, short (four-inch) cable with an HDMI plug on the end. The advantage is that you don’t need an HDMI cable here. The disadvantage is that you need to get close to the back of your TV, and, if your situation is like mine, getting to the back of the big screen TV is not necessarily trivial. The device then hangs from the HDMI port on the TV, and it obviously cannot be seen from the front of the TV, so you’ll never see it after you connect it. I ’m not saying any of this is bad. It’s just different. There is no “on” switch on the Chromecast, so it is always powered when plugged in. The power switch on the remote is programmed to switch on the TV (and sound bar if you have one). The setup process includes connecting the device to your home wireless network, letting it download and install any firmware updates, and then pairing the remote with your TV and sound bar if you have one so that the single remote can control everything. In addition, as part of the setup process, you are instructed to download and install the Google Home app and pair your phone with the Chromecast device. Once done, you can control the device from your phone as well as from the included remote. You can also control things through the remote by issuing voice commands. In my case, I already had the Home app on my phone because I have another internet-connected Google device, a smart thermostat. It was a simple matter to add the Chromecast to the device list on my phone. Part of the setup process includes having you identify which streaming services you frequently use and/or have subscriptions to. The device uses this information when you search for a particular program by checking your subscribed services first to see if it is available there. The device also pays attention to what you watch and makes recommendations based on your viewing history. In my experience with other streaming devices, it has never been a problem to search for a particular program or movie or sporting event or anything like that. All devices will search all streaming services and show you your options. The Chromecast is advertised as making jumping between streaming services to decide what to watch obsolete, but I’ve never jumped between streaming services when searching for something on any other device. This is much ado about nothing, in my opinion. In the end, the Chromecast is an excellent streaming device that is easy to set up, easy to use, and has every feature you could want. In my opinion, it is a great value for the money.