Connecting Chromecast to an A/V receiver

Benny879

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Just got done setting up my Chromecast and can answer some "connecting to a receiver" questions. I have a Pioneer VSX-1020 that's only a year old which I have the Chromecast hooked up to directly. Works fine when you switch to the proper HDMI. I have a Logitech Harmony so I just created an Activity to automatically switch to the proper HDMI with a button click. Volume controls still work from phone/tablet/PC which control the Chromecast output not the receiver volume. Most Netflix movies are encoded in 5.1 which the receiver sees as Dolby Digital Plus. Think of it like virtual 5.1 surround which is OK but no where near as good as a Blu-ray disc. Some movies are still encoded in stereo such as Avengers which I was surprised by. During movie playback you can press an icon from the Netflix app to select the audio format being pushed. YouTube and Google Music will decode as stereo only, if you want 5.1 you need to switch the receiver to Dolby Pro Logic or Circle Surround depending on your receiver or preference. Google Play Movies was the biggest disappointment. The two movies I tried (Transformers and Tron: Legacy) both played naitively in 2-channel stereo not 5.1. Had to force virtual 5.1 through receiver to get all my speakers going. Hopefully this is addressed very soon. I also had some experimentation with wi-fi bands. I run everything in my apartment on the 5 GHz spectrum so I had to drop my phone and tablet down to the 2.4 GHz to set up the Chromecast initially. I was bummed out by this at first but then realized that after your setup is complete you can go back onto your 5 GHz band and still control the Chromecast just fine. My 2.4 and 5 GHz channels have different SSID names which didn't seem to matter. (Chromecast is a 2.4 GHz only device, FYI)

Some other tidbits:
- I'm not able to listen to Google Music while having the TV screen off. Once the TV is turned off the audio cuts out immediately even though the Chromecast is plugged directly into my receiver.
- The rumors about HDMI 1.4 being able to power the Chromecast are false. As soon as I unplugged the USB cable from the Chromecast itself it powered off. My receiver has 1.4a ports.

Feel free to ask any questions or make any requests.
 

B. Diddy

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Good info, thanks! I was wondering about Chromecast on AV receivers myself. And always nice to hear from another Tron Legacy fan!
 

Benny879

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Good info, thanks! I was wondering about Chromecast on AV receivers myself. And always nice to hear from another Tron Legacy fan!

Tron: Legacy is the most underrated sci-fi movie in recent years. Amazing soundtrack to go with it. I'll be first in line for the sequel.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
 

Chex313

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Hey Benny out of curiosity what happens if you plug the USB into the Pioneers port? Assuming it has one for audio play. Any chance it plays audio through It? As if it was a plain USB stick with MP3's on it for example.

I guess it needs the Hdmi to control the playback still? Just wondering if audio can go through USB on it.

Thanks
 

Benny879

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Hey Benny out of curiosity what happens if you plug the USB into the Pioneers port? Assuming it has one for audio play. Any chance it plays audio through It? As if it was a plain USB stick with MP3's on it for example.

I guess it needs the Hdmi to control the playback still? Just wondering if audio can go through USB on it.

Thanks

USB is for charging only...good thought though.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 4 Beta
 

strongergravity

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My Chromecast won't pass video through my Onkyo TX-SR607 A/V receiver. My TV only has 1 DVI port, so I have to pipe & switch everything through the receiver. I've tried several HDMI ports - audio only. When plugged directly into the TV I get video. I have tried every combination of turning things on/off, plugging/unplugging. No luck.
 

klay jones

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What is the output on the power supply (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mAh)? Wondering if I can power it off a USB port (micro USB to USB cord) or if it needs the wall plug.
 

radyoactive

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Thanks for starting this thread. I hooked mine up to my Denon 2308Ci which is an older model and couldn't get Dolby 5.1 going either. I figured it was in the streaming and app, hopefully it will get resolved.

I actually set mine up with the HDMI port on the side of the TV first and then moved it to the receiver. The receiver does not have HDMI 1.4 so I just plugged it into the power condtioner/protector. So far it works as expected. It locks up my phone every now and then but that should all get worked out as well. For $35, this is a nice little device.

One thing I found is that the Play Music does not play music that was "sideloaded" so I bought a couple of songs to test. I hope 3rd party devs will figure out a way to play my own music.
 

rwryne

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Thanks for the post, I am using the exact setup (Chromecast + Pioneer VSX-1020 + Harmony One)

I was hoping CEC would work through the receiver, but unfortunately not. I initially hooked it up directly to my TV and liked it automatically switching the input for me....its a shame the receiver doesn't do the same thing. Apparently the VSX-1020 psuedo supports CEC....another "standards" issue where different companies implement the "standard" in different ways.

I wish the receiver also had a USB port on the back, would be nice not to have to go to a AC wall plug. My TV has a USB port right next to the HDMI ports and was able to power the chromecast without running the wire a long way.
 

shawnkahen

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I have a question, which may seem like a silly one. I too set up the chromecast with my receiver (a pretty old Denon 2307 CI). I've resolved the surround sound issues, which while are not ideal, but do the job good enough for me. My concern is this: does the chromecast ever turn off? Even after I shut off the receiver, the chromecast (which is plugged thorugh usb power) remains "ready to cast" on the chrome browser and every other app. How can I ensure this thing won't burn out before long without having to go and manually remove the usb which is much too inconvenient to do every time since it is buried in a highly inaccessible location?
 
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Thanks for starting this thread. I hooked mine up to my Denon 2308Ci which is an older model and couldn't get Dolby 5.1 going either. I figured it was in the streaming and app, hopefully it will get resolved.

I actually set mine up with the HDMI port on the side of the TV first and then moved it to the receiver. The receiver does not have HDMI 1.4 so I just plugged it into the power condtioner/protector. So far it works as expected. It locks up my phone every now and then but that should all get worked out as well. For $35, this is a nice little device.

One thing I found is that the Play Music does not play music that was "sideloaded" so I bought a couple of songs to test. I hope 3rd party devs will figure out a way to play my own music.

You can use Google Music Manager to upload any music on your PC to Play Music and then you will have access anywhere
 

radyoactive

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Looks like I figured out what the problem was from another thread. Chromecast will only play music loaded in the cloud. The first song I played was uploaded to Google Play music but not on my SD card. The other songs I tried were on my SD card. For now, it doesn't look like Chromecast will allow you to music from your device.

You can use Google Music Manager to upload any music on your PC to Play Music and then you will have access anywhere
 

radyoactive

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I questioned this too and worry that it could burn itself out. THe other issue someone else pointed out was that there is no screensaver feature either and he fell asleep with the "ready to cast" screen on and burned in the image!

I have a question, which may seem like a silly one. I too set up the chromecast with my receiver (a pretty old Denon 2307 CI). I've resolved the surround sound issues, which while are not ideal, but do the job good enough for me. My concern is this: does the chromecast ever turn off? Even after I shut off the receiver, the chromecast (which is plugged thorugh usb power) remains "ready to cast" on the chrome browser and every other app. How can I ensure this thing won't burn out before long without having to go and manually remove the usb which is much too inconvenient to do every time since it is buried in a highly inaccessible location?
 

jontalk

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If anyone has a Marantz SR-6005 or 6007 would love to hear from you. I cut the cable two years ago and stream all my content via a Roku XS which works very well. I get any Dolby Digital 5.1 film on Netflix, Vudu or Amazon with no problem and also can stream You Tube vids when I save them to my Plex server. I hesitate to get one of these since it requires using my phone or laptop to control it. It's far easier with the Roku remote. Just not sure I see any big advantages over the Roku other than viewing my Chrome bookmarks. Thanks.
 

Stang68

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I can't stop laughing at this. TRON LEGACY was one of the most disappointing films of the year. The only reason people still talk about it is because of Daft Punk's soundtrack. I wanted to love the film but it was just such a missed opportunity.
 

B. Diddy

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You can think what you want, of course, but Tron Legacy is still one of my favorite flicks in recent years. Loved the effects, thought the story was good, and Jeff Bridges is always fun to watch. Laugh if you want, but I'm sure I could find fault with one of your favorite movies as well!
 

Liquidretro

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Thanks for the info, I should have mine tonight. I am hoping my Yamaha receiver will allow the TV to be off and still play music from Google Music.
 

hmanders

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My Chromecast won't pass video through my Onkyo TX-SR607 A/V receiver. My TV only has 1 DVI port, so I have to pipe & switch everything through the receiver. I've tried several HDMI ports - audio only. When plugged directly into the TV I get video. I have tried every combination of turning things on/off, plugging/unplugging. No luck.
I have an Onkyo, too - don't remember which model - but my Chromecast hasn't arrived yet so I haven't tried this. One question: have you tried plugging in the USB power cord to see if that work while the CC is plugged into the receiver? I wonder if it's just a matter of the CC not getting any power through the HDMI port.
 

hrockh

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You have mentioned that when the tv is off, the chomecast doesn't work anymore, even for audio only.
I wonder if there's a method to use the chromecast as a audio only solution, alas sonos system.
I'm thinking of upgrading my amp to a a/v receiver, plug in the chromekey and just listen to my google music library via the speakers connected to the receiver.
Can you please try to disconnect the hdmi output from the receiver to see if audio only works? in theory it should work
 

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