“Free” Google Chromecast with Google TV

[LasVegas]

Just thought I’d put it out there that google is currently running a deal where you pay $89.99 before tax for a chromecast with google tv and they give you the $14 Netflix plan for 6 months. So it’s end up being pretty close to free if you already subscribe to Netflix. And yes, offer is good for current subscribers.

http://https://store.google.com/config/chromecast_google_tv_netflix?hl=en-US

[Acymetric]

I was really close to jumping on this before I remembered where my Netflix access comes from. It is a pretty killer deal and I might still do it anyway (I need to upgrade from my incredibly old Roku).

Huge props for including existing Netflix customers, which you hardly ever see with these types of promotions.

[Acymetric]

One thing to note: the device by itself is only $49.99. So it's still a good deal, but you're not actually getting the Netflix access for free (just at a discount). It ends up equivalent to ~$25 off the device.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

One thing to note: the device by itself is only $49.99. So it's still a good deal, but you're not actually getting the Netflix access for free (just at a discount). It ends up equivalent to ~$25 off the device.

I bought one about eight years ago for $25. I'm sure the new ones are better. This was before I got a smart TV, rendering the device rather useless.

[Acymetric]

I bought one about eight years ago for $25. I'm sure the new ones are better. This was before I got a smart TV, rendering the device rather useless.

There are actually some good reasons to get a separate streaming device even if you have a smart TV.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

There are actually some good reasons to get a separate streaming device even if you have a smart TV.

Do tell

[LasVegas]

One thing to note: the device by itself is only $49.99. So it's still a good deal, but you're not actually getting the Netflix access for free (just at a discount). It ends up equivalent to ~$25 off the device.

I don’t get what you are saying here. I currently pay for Netflix monthly at $14. Google is basically giving me a credit for 6 months which is a value of $84. My chromecast deal I just bought was $97 with tax. That puts me at spending just $13 once it’s all said and done for one chromecast. A single one with tax is $54. Am I missing something in my math?

[LasVegas]

Do tell

One thing I have found with built in apps is that they suck. I haven’t purchased a tv in 2 years but the Vizio and Samsung I have included the worst apps I have ever used. They are just way too slow to use as daily drivers of entertainment. I also tried the fire stick and Roku about a year or 2 ago and found those to be slow as well.

My Apple TV 4K (1st gen) gives me the best experience hands down. Very smooth and very fast with a simple UI that isn’t trying to show me things that it thinks I will like on my “home” screen. But it’s $179 before tax so that can quickly add up when you have one on every tv in your home. This is why I am giving the new chromecast with google tv a shot. I am hoping that it can be used in bedrooms. We shall see!

[Acymetric]

One thing I have found with built in apps is that they suck. I haven’t purchased a tv in 2 years but the Vizio and Samsung I have included the worst apps I have ever used. They are just way too slow to use as daily drivers of entertainment. I also tried the fire stick and Roku about a year or 2 ago and found those to be slow as well.

My Apple TV 4K (1st gen) gives me the best experience hands down. Very smooth and very fast with a simple UI that isn’t trying to show me things that it thinks I will like on my “home” screen. But it’s $179 before tax so that can quickly add up when you have one on every tv in your home. This is why I am giving the new chromecast with google tv a shot. I am hoping that it can be used in bedrooms. We shall see!

Yeah. Performance is usually better (faster, more disk space). Getting a separate device let's you pick the best TV without really caring about the operating system or built in features because you'll be using the streaming device which is probably better designed anyway. It's not the only way to go or anything, but it is definitely a way to go. Also, your TV manufacturer can stop supporting updates for your model, which might eventually prevent you from using some streaming apps. Having a separate device avoids this (they are supported much longer, and if support is ever dropped you just go grab a new one for $50 and keep using the old TV).

[Acymetric]

I don’t get what you are saying here. I currently pay for Netflix monthly at $14. Google is basically giving me a credit for 6 months which is a value of $84. My chromecast deal I just bought was $97 with tax. That puts me at spending just $13 once it’s all said and done for one chromecast. A single one with tax is $54. Am I missing something in my math?

No, I don't know what I did last night to arrive at my number but I can't reproduce it and it certainly isn't correct

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

One thing I have found with built in apps is that they suck. I haven’t purchased a tv in 2 years but the Vizio and Samsung I have included the worst apps I have ever used. They are just way too slow to use as daily drivers of entertainment. I also tried the fire stick and Roku about a year or 2 ago and found those to be slow as well.

My Apple TV 4K (1st gen) gives me the best experience hands down. Very smooth and very fast with a simple UI that isn’t trying to show me things that it thinks I will like on my “home” screen. But it’s $179 before tax so that can quickly add up when you have one on every tv in your home. This is why I am giving the new chromecast with google tv a shot. I am hoping that it can be used in bedrooms. We shall see!

Built in apps are definitely hit and miss. But my smart TV (~$300 three years ago?) let's me cast from my phone/tablet to the television - effectively mimicking the ChromeCast. Unless they've dramatically changed the ChromeCast dongle. Which would not be surprising since mine is maybe eight years old.

[Acymetric]

Built in apps are definitely hit and miss. But my smart TV (~$300 three years ago?) let's me cast from my phone/tablet to the television - effectively mimicking the ChromeCast. Unless they've dramatically changed the ChromeCast dongle. Which would not be surprising since mine is maybe eight years old.

The new Chromecast isn't just for casting from devices, it is now Google's version of a Roku/Apple TV/Fire Stick with an OS and streaming apps and the whole 9 yards (as I understand it, I haven't actually used one).

[PackMan97]

We have a CRT TV with a roku old enough to be compatible and we can cast YouTube to the TV. It's a sweet set up. Can't wait till the TV dies and I can upgrade

[LasVegas]

The new Chromecast isn't just for casting from devices, it is now Google's version of a Roku/Apple TV/Fire Stick with an OS and streaming apps and the whole 9 yards (as I understand it, I haven't actually used one).

Yep, this is correct! I am excited to try it out!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Yep, this is correct! I am excited to try it out!

That explains the higher price. But aren't you just swapping one set of built-in apps for another?

[LasVegas]

That explains the higher price. But aren't you just swapping one set of built-in apps for another?

Yeah, in a way. But the Apple TV 4K is $179. I have 5 TVs in my home and we are a streaming family. That’s almost $1000 for my home. If the new chromcast can do it for $50 a tv, that’s a easier pill for me to swallow!

And I’m not a huge fan of “casting” a device to a tv. I like my apps to be on a dedicated streamer.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Yeah, in a way. But the Apple TV 4K is $179. I have 5 TVs in my home and we are a streaming family. That’s almost $1000 for my home. If the new chromcast can do it for $50 a tv, that’s a easier pill for me to swallow!

And I’m not a huge fan of “casting” a device to a tv. I like my apps to be on a dedicated streamer.

Okay. That tells me that the Chromecast must be a wholly different device than it used to be. It was solely for "casting" originally, hence the name.

[Acymetric]

Yep, this is correct! I am excited to try it out!

Apparently it amalgamates all your streaming services into essentially one app (I am probably describing it poorly/innaccurately) or something. Please do report back. I'm going to have to move on from my Roku3 eventually.

[Acymetric]

And I’m not a huge fan of “casting” a device to a tv. I like my apps to be on a dedicated streamer.

I'm not a fan either, primarily because it locks me out of whichever device I'm casting from (slightly less true for casting from a computer than casting from a phone and probably depends a little on what app you're trying to cast, but still).

[OZZIE4DUKE]

There are actually some good reasons to get a separate streaming device even if you have a smart TV.

Do tell

I've had two Amazon firesticks for about 4 years for our not smart TV's, a 9 year old Vizio and and even older Sony. One firestick died during the winter and Amazon offered me a $10 discount to get the new V2.0. As I had just purchased a new smart LG tv for the bedroom (replacing the Sony), I didn't need it (I used the built in apps). Until baseball season started and as a subscriber to MLB.TV I wanted to add the app to the LG. It wasn't listed in their library and the tv OS wouldn't let me download it to the TV. I called Costco's concierge tech support and she looked it up. Apparently LG (and Sony too, not sure about Samsung) don't have agreements with MLB and they can't be downloaded. So I bought the new firestick. It works great and is faster loading than the older V1.0, and new new remote that came with V2.0 now has volume and mute buttons that automatically synced to the LG tv.

Another side note, the LG does have a downloadable app for casting from my iPhone. Before buying the new firestick I tried to cast MLB to the TV, but the MLB app wouldn't let me.

The picture on the LG is great, but I hate their "magic remote" and only use it for selecting inputs. Normally I use the Spectrum cable remote for TV functions, but other than calling up and displaying the 3 HDMI inputs, I can't change the selection from one to another.