2 days ago Apple gave Siri a new look in iOS 14, but while the virtual assistant has gone through a visual refresh, it is both still very familiar to use, as well as introducing a bunch of new features. I am unable to download the appropriate app onto my Mac to run Chromecast from my computer. I can control chromecast from my ipad but not my macbook pro?? What is the difference? Recommended this. Original Poster. Alexandra Hetherington. Marked this as an answer.
Make your Mac invincible
As of 2018, more than 30 million households in the U.S. had “cut the cord” on their pay TV subscriptions, and around three million ditched cable in that year alone. In other words, smart TVs and other streaming devices are only going to get more popular.
Google’s Chromecast, thanks to its flexibility — allowing you to watch the likes of YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu, as well as “cast” photos, slideshows, video calls, and much more — is among the most popular devices for people looking at how to connect Mac to TV.
While Chromecast lacks one-click interface on the same intuitive level as Apple TV, it really isn’t difficult to set up your Mac for casting. In addition to covering that, this article presents some of the different ways to get the best performance possible when using Chromecast for Mac.
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How To Use Chromecast On Mac
Your initial Chromecast setup on Mac shouldn’t take more than about 10 minutes as long as everything goes smoothly. Once that’s all done you can start having some fun with the device.
Assuming that you already have your Chromecast plugged into an HDMI port on the back of your TV and powered up using a USB port or the power cube included in the box, proceed to the following steps you need to take:
- Open Chrome on your Mac and visit www.google.com/chromecast/setup
- You’ll be prompted to download Google Home for iPhone/iPad from the App Store or Android from the Google Play Store
- As long as your Chromecast is plugged in, it will automatically appear in the Google Home app when you open it up
- Make sure your device is connected to the WiFi network you want Chromecast to use and follow the steps to pair it
Your Chromecast device can now be used by any Mac, Android phone, or iPhone/iPad connected to that WiFi network. This is a far cry from setting up using a computer, something that’s now no longer possible, which used to involve downloading a Chromecast extension for Mac and entering codes to pair the device properly.
Using Chromecast on Mac effectively
Now that your Chromecast is connected, it’s easy to mirror your Mac’s screen on your TV. In the past you needed to download a Chromecast extension for Chrome before you could do this but now, as long as you’re using an up-to-date version of Chrome, you don’t need to add anything else in order to use Chromecast on MacBook.
In Chrome, just select View ➙ Cast (or use the three vertical dots to the right of the toolbar to select Cast from there) and choose from the Sources dropdown whether you want to broadcast:
The tab you have open
Your desktop
A particular file
If you’re viewing a media file on your laptop, say via YouTube, then you may see a box with three lines (that look like the WiFi symbol rotated 45 degrees clockwise) that will say Play on TV when you hover over it. You can also access the Cast menu from here. Now you officially know how to Chromecast from Mac!
The media or video call or photo album you’re trying to view will appear on your TV like magic and, if you’re lucky, everything will run swiftly and without issue. Unfortunately, many of us aren’t quite so blessed and do experience a few problems.
Optimizing Chromecast playback on Mac
For most Mac users, a trickier issue than how to use Chromecast on Mac is making sure that their laptop or desktop is functioning in such a way that allows for smooth and seamless playback.
Two common issues when streaming from Chromecast to Mac include poor audio and video that jumps and stutters or plays in low quality. Most problems like these boil down to one (or more) of three causes:
Lack of RAM or processing power on your Mac
Weak or underperforming internet connection
Hardware limitations or configurations
Using Chromecast from Mac places additional demands on your machine that can be challenging for laptops or desktops that are older and full of clutter. Try using an app like CleanMyMac X, which scans your Mac with a single click to search for issues with your hard disk, malware, and unnecessary apps.
Still looking at video that’s blocky or jumping? It could be a problem with your WiFi. For this, WiFi Explorer is a useful app that acts as a one-stop shop for monitoring, analyzing, and troubleshooting your WiFi network. Just open up the app and it’ll automatically provide feedback on the network your Mac is currently connected to.
Just a glance at the real-time scan of networks in the area should quickly and easily reveal if something like signal strength or overcrowded WiFi channels might be to blame for the issues. If that’s the case, you may want to try a wired connection or moving your router from its current location.
Make your WiFi connection ideal
Get WiFi Explorer, a Mac app that will automatically solve every network-related issue for you. From monitoring to troubleshooting, it’s all covered.
Solving Chromecast audio issues on Mac
You can have the crispest video quality in the world but, if the audio isn’t up to scratch, you won’t get the immersive experience that you’re looking for. Unless you have a soundbar, most flat screen TVs put out quiet and tinny audio. In some cases, you may be better off using headphones or even your Mac’s built-in speakers.
Unfortunately, by default, the sound put out by Macs can also be a bit lacking due to volume limitations or incorrect equalizer setup. Luckily, there’s an app out there called Boom 3D that allows you to unlock the true potential of your Mac’s audio output.
In addition to enabling virtual 3D surround sound on built-in speakers or headphones, which is a pretty cool piece of patent-pending tech in and of itself, it comes with a palette of equalizer presets (that can be manually tweaked) for different genres.
You can also boost the volume capability of your Mac way beyond the system default and, if you’re worried about accidentally blaring Spotify in the middle of a meeting, set custom volume adjustments for individual apps.
Volume discrepancy between different hardware providers is pretty common, as anyone who has almost deafened themselves when switching inputs on their TV will be able to attest to, and it’s great to know you’ll no longer need to turn the volume on your TV set way up or down when you’re casting from your Mac.
Streaming devices like Apple TV and Google Chromecast on Mac have enabled an entire generation to move away from cable TV in favor of individual streaming apps that they can pick and choose from. And because there’s no need to download an additional Chromecast app for Mac or anything like that, the process of getting started is usually very straightforward.
As innovative and modern as that idea is, the whole thing can be derailed by audio or video problems. These, however, can be easily resolved with a couple of additional apps.
It’s difficult to know exactly what the future of media streaming holds, but two things are for sure:
Available picture and sound quality will continue to improve
More streaming services (e.g. Disney Plus) will appear
What do both of these have in common? They’ll likely place additional demands on your internet connection and your hardware. With that in mind, it makes sense to improve the performance of both as much as you possibly can.
Fortunately, CleanMyMac X, Boom 3D, and WiFi Explorer mentioned above are available for a free trial on Setapp, a platform of more than 150 Mac apps and utilities designed to optimize every aspect of your digital life. So what are you watching tonight?
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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The feature of Chromecast to VLC had finally added to the stable version 3.0 of VLC media player. Better still, VLC 3.0 not only supports casting video to Chromecast with VLC from Windows, but also from Mac and Android. So, you can directly stream your videos to TV from VLC via Chromecast, instead of cast the computer screen to TV.
Note: The VLC Chromecast support is not quite perfect yet, although it has been tested a few times and launched in the stable version - 3.0. Some users reported problems like failing to find the 'render' option on Mac, having problems to cast some certain types of media files,etc.
Even so, we still encourage your to try by yourself to see whether it is work well with you. Now follow the steps to see how to stream from VLC to Chromecast that connect to your TV.
CONTENTS
- 1. VLC Chromecast Mac - Stream Video to Chromecast on Mac
- 2. Use VLC to Cast Video from Windows to Chromecast
- 3. Stream VLC to Chromecast on Android
- 4. VLC Chromecast iOS Support is Available Now
VLC Chromecast Mac - Stream Video to Chromecast on Mac
To cast, you need to get the version 3.0 or later of VLC. If you don't have it on your Mac, just download the latest version of VLC from its official website.
Unlike other Chromecast supported apps, you can't see a 'cast' icon on the VLC media player on Mac. Instead of that, you have to find the 'option' from the settings. The steps is as below:
Open VLC > Menu Playback > Renderer
Note: Even though VLC claims that this feature is available on Mac, there might be no render option shown in the VLC Media Player on Mac.
Chromecast App For Macbook
On Reddit, some users discuss the problem they meet when cast local video to Chromecast via VLC. Maybe you can get more information from there. Or you can turn to other choices to help you cast video to smart TV.
Chromecast For Mac Os X
As for me, I like Airflow, which is an app on Mac that can help you stream videos to Chromecast. This app is really easy to use. Just drag-and-drop or add your videos, choose the right Chromecast, and click play. But now it's not free, you need to pay $19 to get it.
Use VLC to Cast Video from Windows to Chromecast
After downloading VLC Media Player 3.0 on your computer, follow the steps below to cast videos from VLC to Chromecast on Windows.
Step 1. Connect the Chromecast device to your TV properly.
Step 2. Now in the VLC player, go to the top bar menu items and click on the 'Video>Renderer> Scan' option. It will start scanning the available devices.
Step 3. When you find the Chromecast option on the submenu items of the Render option, just click it. VLC will connect to your Chromecast.
Step 4. Now open the video you want to stream to Chromecast on VLC player. When you try to play the video, there will be an 'Insecure site' prompt. You need to select the 'Accept permanently' Option.
Step 5. The video file should play in your Chromecast connected TV. You can use the controls in the VLC window to control the playback.
Stream VLC to Chromecast on Android
Here, we are going tell you how to stream from VLC player to Chromecast on your Android phone. You can easily stream any video from VLC to Chromecast from Android device. Below is the complete procedure for doing this.
Step 1. Install the latest Chromecast app on your Android device.
Step 2. Now connect the Chromecast dongle to your TV and pair it with Chromecast app.
Step 3. Open VLC Player and start the file you want to cast.
Step 4. Open the Chromecast app you downloaded and tap on the menu button. From there just select the 'CAST SCREEN' option. Follow the on-screen instructions to cast your device's screen to your Chromecast.
Step 5. Go back to VLC Player and fullscreen the video that you are playing. You are done!
VLC Chromecast iOS Support is Available Now
The VLC player finally gives the iOS users the ability to stream content to their Chromecast. The VLC Chromecast Support for iOS was first added in the version 3.1.0. The Version 3.1.0 of VLC for iOS also came with a few of new features including the Chromecast support.
Moreover, the VLC not only can stream the formats that support by Chromecast, but also can play every single video and audio files that plays in VLC. Because VLC will convert the incompatible video to the format that Chromecast supports during the playing. That sounds great!
VLC adding support for Chromecast is a huge progress due to VLC is such a popular media player which can play almost all videos and even DVDs. Though the Chromecast support has been optimized in the latest version of VLC, users might still encounter some playback problems.
If you have some media files that can't be streamed to Chromecast with VLC, try to convert the format to Chromecast supported format. VideoSolo Video Converter Ultimate is a good choice.
It can provide you an all-around solution of converting any videos that are incompatible with VLC. The supported formats up to 300+ and with the powerful built-in editor, you can edit and enhance your video for better visual experience when casting the video to Chromecast. Take a try now!