A complete home media server for 35 $

Today's market is filled with a wide variety of clever gadgets for integration with modern TV entertainment services. However, not all of them are equally good. In this article, we will present another interesting and practical life hacking, which will enable to improve your leisure!

For example "tricks" not far to seek - to take the same popular SmartTV feature, which adds to the good value of a new TV. Unfortunately, the utility of this it does not become - SmartTV hardly justifies the investment, while remaining for many ordinary toy for a couple of days.

All the matter in the organization and opportunities! A much more effective would be to link the TV to your computer and other smart device - smartphones and tablets than to incorporate a lot of ambiguous function. The main thing to do it without extra wires and dancing with a tambourine. It is also desirable that the user is not up to a pretty penny!

Recently (or rather with another Google presentations) the opportunity came - the whole process of modern integration is now in charge of a small "flash drive» Chromecast. Its basic function - broadcast on TV video from your computer, as well as all devices which is the most able to record video: tablets, smartphones - and not only based on Android, your Chromecast works with iOS. In addition, another big advantage Chromecast - a full browser on the TV screen.

How to use Chromecast?

Use Chromecast is quite simple: it connects via HDMI to the TV and via the USB-in to the power adapter. Next, you need to take care of the software - for desktop and smartphone / tablet.

After you install and run the application on your smartphone, the device detects a Wi-Fi hotspot - this is our Chromecast. What follows is a small and straightforward setup, and all - ready to operate. Now, through the TV, you can access YouTube, Google Play and Netflix. Also, Chromecast allows you to cast a tab from Chrome to your TV screen.

Those who are in the subject will notice that the practical benefits of Netflix movies and GP in Russia is not enough. Right! However, Chrome - a far not just a browser, a multi-purpose machine. So why not use it fully, because after the Chrome browser without a drop of discomfort you can watch the same movies.

Desktop Applications

PC application to help organize a bunch of «Chromecast + PC + TV" full-fledged media server:

Tonido

Compact virtual media server. Runs on Windows, Linux and Mac. With it, you can run any movie from a PC browser, and move broadcast on the TV screen. In addition to live video streams, Tonido allows you to listen to music and view photos - in general, is the standard set. Standard and complete - the program works fine, it is not difficult to install, and registration takes just a few minutes.

Plex

Unlike Tonido, Plex'u need another and a browser extension - myPlex. Plex have a simple and intuitive interface, but there are small flaws. The most notable: the video larger than 2GB slightly retarding. This, of course, largely depends on the characteristics of the computer, but this feature is obviously not a pleasant one.

Also, in these applications, there are many analogs that may suit you even more than these two!

What's in the box?

Though Chromecast and looks like an ordinary USB flash drive, it is not so simple. The device runs on the Marvell chip, it 2GB memory, 512 MB RAM and of course, Bluetooth, FM, Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n.

To work Chromecast requires power, so it is set to the adapter. However, if the TV has a USB input - it is quite enough for food and the adapter is not needed.

supplied Chromecast:

• Chromecast
• Power adapter
• USB-cable
• HDMI-adapter

Dimensions Chromecast 72h35h12mm. The main advantage of Chromecast - versatility, small size and low price. Speaking of price ...

Purchase

The great advantage of Chromecast - you can buy it, not only on the Google Play store, but also in the Amazon, which is considerably simplifies the buying process (however, the device is not always in stock, so you may still have to go to Google Play). The cost of the device is simply ridiculous - only $ 35. Obviously, the Google expect to take the market cheap, after all, this price udelyvaet AppleTV and even their own Google TV.

Today you can buy a Chromecast in the following stores:

• Amazon
• google Play
• BestBuy

Unfortunately, you can only buy a Chromecast in the United States. And, if you order it separately, the shipping cost may exceed the cost of the device itself. Another thing, if you order the same in the United States something bigger. For example, Nexus 7 or MacBook Air. Then, the media server from Google will not add to the cost of sending anything at all! After all, the weight of the device is very small, and the consolidation of parcels in banderolku free.

That's right, for just $ 35, it can already be very convenient to connect important mediauzly your home into one network!