How-to: Setup and Use Chromecast to stream your content from a Mac ... | how to use chromecast on machow to use chromecast on mac
Columnist Kim Komando helps you cross services, accouterments and agreeable if you're accessible to canal the TV bill. Kim Komando/Special for USA Today
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How-to: Setup and Use Chromecast to stream your content from a Mac ... | how to use chromecast on macThe Roku Ultra retails for $99.99.(Photo: Roku)
Roku is able-bodied positioned to advance its spot atop the alive video accessory competition.
The Los Gatos, Calif.-based tech aggregation helped conductor in the alive video bazaar in 2008 with its first set-top box for watching Netflix. Now, you can get added than 5,000 channels and watch 500,000 movies or TV shows on the latest Roku devices.
The Roku basics: the accessory connects to your TV and your home broadband arrangement via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Application Roku's easy-to-use menu, you can accept from a array of channels including Amazon Video, HBO Now, Netflix, and Showtime, as able-bodied as alive cable TV casework such as DirecTV Now, Hulu, Sling TV and Sony's PlayStation Vue. Once you baddest them, they are downloaded and stick on your Home card like apps on your smartphone.
Roku earlier this ages active its calendar and now offers bristles altered alive accessories including the entry-level Roku Express ($29.99), which connects via Wi-Fi to deliver HD agreeable to your TV.
With added consumers affairs 4K TVs, Roku now has two accessories that abutment 4K video, with alike added abundant images than HD. The Ultra (99.99), about the admeasurement of a coaster and 0.85 inch thick, handles HD video, accepted 4K video and 4K video in aerial activating ambit (HDR) with bigger adverse and a added ambit of richer colors. The $69.99 Alive Stick additionally supports 4K HDR; the $49.99 Alive Stick handles accepted HD.
Under Streaming Channels, Roku has a 4K area that directs you to the growing cardinal of channels with agreeable in the college resolution architecture (it is generally referred to additionally as Ultra HD and 4K Ultra HD). You can arch to Netflix and bound acquisition its 4K shows including Stranger Things and Narcos. In Amazon Video, the 4K offerings accommodate TV alternation such as Transparent and Tin Star.
Roku quickly launched anniversary account with crisp 4K video alive in seconds. (For 4K video, Amazon and Netflix acclaim broadband speeds of at atomic 25 Megabits per second.)
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Getting Started With Google Chromecast and a Mac | how to use chromecast on macAnother 4K antecedent on Roku is Walmart-owned alive account Vudu, which has chargeless movies and shows, as able-bodied as movies for hire or purchase. I bought the 4K UHD adaptation of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Acquaint No Tales for $24.99. The aperture scene's dark caliginosity and adulterated reflections were rendered absolutely and the Dolby Atmos soundtrack articulate ominous.
Even if you don't accept a 4K TV now or don't plan to accept one in the future, the Roku Ultra is still a acceptable archetypal to accede if you appetite to use Ethernet as your broadband affiliation (the blow of Roku's calendar uses WiFi).
The latest Roku alive video players ambit from $29.99 to $99.99. (Photo: Roku)
I acclimated HDMI and Ethernet cables to affix the Roku Ultra to a Samsung 4K Ultra HD TV and my Verizon Fios router (you can affix wirelessly, too.)
If you anytime get absent award article to watch, you can hit the aback or home button on the Roku remote. You can additionally use authority the microphone button to use your articulation to chase for comedies, movies with Clint Eastwood, or to barrage a specific approach such as DirecTV Now. The new alien additionally has buttons that booty you beeline to Hulu, HBO Now, Netflix and Sling TV.
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Despite Roku's strengths, its one weakness ability be admiring diehard Apple fans. That's because Apple's own Apple TV alive accessory ($179-up for 4K) is the easiest way to get your iTunes TV and cine rentals and purchases on a big TV — although you could additionally use an HDMI cable to connect, say, a Macbook, anon to your TV.
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How to Cast Music (Or Any Audio) From Your Mac to Chromecast « Mac ... | how to use chromecast on macMore: Apple TV takes on 4K streaming: spiffy catch-up to Amazon, Roku
Apple TV has a apple-pie menu, but won't be as automatic for beneath technologically savvy users. And its sleek, minimalistic motion-sensitive alien requires some accepting acclimated to. The acceptable account is you can ask Siri to advice you acquisition apps and content.
(Photo: Apple)
A TV area collects your best frequently accessed apps and shows, as able-bodied as suggests new movies and TV shows and area to acquisition them. Apple TV has all the above apps and an Amazon Video app is in the works, too. However, alone accurate Apple admirers should bypass because Roku.
Amazon advocates would absolutely appetite to accede its Fire TV accessories — a new $69.99 Fire TV archetypal is out Wednesday with 4K HDR abutment and an Alexa-powered articulation remote.
You don't accept to be an Amazon Prime affiliate to accede Fire TV, but if you do pay $99 annually for the account you'll acquisition bags of movies and TV episodes for chargeless actuality including Star Trek Beyond and TV alternation such as Mr. Robot. Others can be busy or bought. (Amazon Prime additionally gets you free aircraft on purchases and added perks.)
The all new Amazon Fire TV ($69.99) with 4K Ultra HD and HDR (high activating range) video. (Photo: Amazon)
The Amazon Video home folio makes sense, calmly collecting your admired apps such as Netflix, DirecTV Now or Hulu, as able-bodied as Amazon Music and Amazon Photos. And like Roku, you can consistently hit the Home button. Or you can let Alexa accessible DirecTV Now. Yes, Alexa will additionally acquaint you the acclimate and accompany up a seven-day anticipation on screen.
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Getting Started with Chromecast on Mac OS X - Ask Dave Taylor | how to use chromecast on macGoogle's Chromecast 2, which costs $69.99 and streams 4K, is a chic way to accelerate video to your TV, too. But I wouldn't acclaim it for newcomers as it's a bit harder to use and requires application your smartphone or computer to "cast" the video to your TV.
Google chromecast 2nd generation (Photo: Reviewed.com)
The Roku Ultra may be the best aggregate of amount and functionality, but the antagonism is acute the issue. That should beggarly a connected beck of addition for the growing broadband-TV audience.
More: Apple TV takes on 4K streaming: spiffy catch-up to Amazon, Roku
More: Roku revamps its alive video players
More: A new way to canal the cable box: Alive Internet apps
Follow USA TODAY anchorman Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.
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