5 Reasons You Should Use A Google Chromecast (Even With A Smart TV)

From large, realistic 4k screens to Dolby Atmos surround sound, it's no secret that the technology for in-home entertainment is getting better each year. However, it can be daunting to choose what can truly make a difference in your home viewing experience. Recently, many homeowners have transitioned to owning smart TVs, which often feature an array of built-in features, including streaming apps, web browsing, music listening, and more. Knowing this, it can seem like your smart TV can check all the boxes for your daily viewing.

However, smart TVs have some limitations, ranging from slight inconveniences to real security risks. Because of this, there are some compelling reasons why adding a streaming device to your home entertainment setup can still make sense, even if you already own the latest smart TV. Among the many streaming device options in the market, here's why a Google Chromecast could potentially complete your home entertainment setup.

While smart TVs may have a lot of standard streaming capabilities, they may lack a lot of key features related to accessibility. On the other hand, because Chromecast is integrated with the Google Home app, you can enjoy features like the voice assistant and parental controls, which can be incredibly useful for homes with aging family members or underaged children.

Aside from this, plenty of hidden Chromecast features can make a difference in your everyday viewing. For example, if you ever struggle with losing your smart TV remote often, you'll be able to use your phone as a remote. For homes with multiple housemates or family members, you can also create multiple profiles for each user for a custom experience.

From a purely aesthetic perspective, if you can't afford the flashy Samsung Frame TV, you can still experience the joys of displaying elegant artwork when your TV is not in use. Through your Chromecast's Ambient Mode, you can display a slideshow of screensaver photos after ten minutes of idle time. 

With Google Chromecast's Art Gallery, you can display landscapes or artworks on your Chromecast-enabled TV for free. You can even put a personal touch and show photos from your Google Photos gallery. If it seems like too much of a hassle to add your photos, Google Photos can choose the best images for you, which avoids blurry and low-resolution photos.

These days, it's standard practice for smart TVs to have access to all the latest streaming apps. However, streaming partners for less popular smart TV platforms may be limited since it depends on licensing agreements and partnerships.

With such a large user base, Chromecast users can usually enjoy a wide variety of consistently available streaming platforms. If you're unsure if this affects you, check if your streaming platform is available on Chromecast (but not on your smart TV).

To determine if your favorite app is accessible on Chromecast, all you have to do is go to Chromecast's built-in app page and search for the streaming app's name. Aside from TV and movie streaming apps, Google Chromecast users can also enjoy platforms for music and sports.

Additionally, Chromecast users also benefit from Google's live TV experience. In 2023, Tech Crunch reported that Google TV expanded its free streaming lineup to over 800 live TV channels, which include Tubi, Plex, and Haystack. Aside from this, Google has committed to offering more languages, citing programming in over 10 languages, including Spanish, Hindi, and Japanese.

By supplementing your smart TV with a Chromecast device, you essentially integrated it with your Google smart home ecosystem. With this, you'll have all the benefits of integrating it with smart home assistants and other devices linked through the platform. In addition, you can even access integrated smart home devices directly from your smart TV, without opening your mobile phone at all. For example, if someone rings your doorbell in the middle of streaming a show, you can quickly transfer the view to your smart doorbell camera, like the Nest Doorbell, directly to your smart TV.

Despite being out for quite some time, Google Home also regularly adds new features to its arsenal. For example, one unexpected use for your Chromecast is quickly being able to swap the sound to your headphones. By adding your headphones or earphones to the Remote Accessories section of your Google Home app, you can avoid waking up sleeping guests or shocking people when a mature scene suddenly pops up when you're streaming your favorite show. 

For mobile gaming fans, one of the most annoying things is not having a big enough screen to share with your friends. With some games supporting controllers, you can stream games from your phone to the TV for a console-like experience. Google Chromecast even takes this further, wherein you can cast games directly on your TV. To find a list of supported games, you can quickly browse the TV games tab on the Google Play Store. Additionally, Chromecast's nifty screen mirroring benefits can also be applied to a variety of apps. 

Although many people use Chromecast for entertainment, it's also possible to stream presentations from Google Slides. Aside from just showing your presentation, Chromecast lets you navigate to the next slide, view your presenter notes on your casting device, and manipulate materials. For example, you can use the Draw icon to highlight important points, make notes, or create emphasis.

In 2019, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) field office issued a warning on the Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including smart TVs, and how they can be vulnerable to intrusion. Citing how hackers can use unsecured devices as a path into your router, the FBI warns how bad actors can access all the other devices in your home network through them.

In general, smart TVs use software that may have inconsistent patching schedules and may no longer be supported after a certain number of years. Although Chromecast has had a history of hacking before, wherein hackers displayed a pop-up video notice to unsuspecting viewers, its developers are incentivized to find solutions to prevent the threat from happening again.

When you have guests over, you can issue guest passes on your Chromecast if they want to watch on your smart TV. Instead of giving your guests a copy of your Wi-Fi password, which could potentially cause additional security issues, giving guests temporary access is a much safer option.

To set up guest access for your Chromecast, open your Google Home app and select your Chromecast device. Next, select Settings > Recognition & sharing > Guest mode. Afterward, toggle it on. Once you set it up, anyone within range of your Chromecast device can cast media directly to your TV without access to your network.

With the Chromecast with Google TV (HD) priced at $29.99, Chromecast streaming devices are becoming increasingly cheaper with time. If you find that it makes sense to add a streaming device to augment your smart TV, the many Chromecast features added with each new iteration make it a great option. 

From enhanced streaming options to integrating your TV into your smart home ecosystem, a Chromecast can bring your friends and family together in more ways than one. Not to mention, it's a great way to get more bang for your buck for your existing smart TV.

However, it's best to remember that although using it can help reduce overall security issues, you still hold the responsibility of regularly updating your Chromecast to prevent any known issues from being exploited. After all, good entertainment shouldn't be at the cost of your privacy and security.