Best way to stream HD video from PC & iOS devices to TV via Chromecast?

[budmonster]

I just picked up a Chromecast tonight to test and see what all off this fuss is about. I already have a WDTV Live and I also use my PS3 once every blue moon, mainly for the apps like HBOGO, etc. The WDTV Live is the only streaming box that can handle basically everything that is thrown at it, really one hell of a machine. The PS3 just stutters if I try playing to large of a file using PS3MediaServer. But I was hoping that the CC could eliminate my needs for the WDTV Live & PS3.

I'm simply trying to stream videos from my computer to CC that is hooked up to my LG 50". I need to stream 720p & 1080p files with MKV/mp4 containers, DTS/DD5.1/AC3/AAC audio, x264/h.264 codecs, etc. the list goes on as I'm simply trying to explain the files I need to stream. Is there something from CC that can handle all these formats like WDTV Live can? I tried Videostream in Chrome tonight along with my new CC, however I don't think it plays 1080p in VidStream, just 720, I could be wrong? I did try playing a pretty big file tonight, check out the MediaInfo below:

General
Complete name                            : N/A
Format                                   : Matroska
Format version                           : Version 4 / Version 2
[B]File size                                : 10.2 GiB[/B]
Duration                                 : 1h 37mn
[B]Overall bit rate                         : 14.9 Mbps[/B]
Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-11-23 18:46:59
Writing application                      : mkvmerge v7.3.0 ('Nouages') 64bit built on Oct 22 2014 18:53:34
Writing library                          : libebml v1.3.0 + libmatroska v1.4.1

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames                : 5 frames
Codec ID                                 : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration                                 : 1h 37mn
[B]Bit rate                                 : 13.1 Mbps[/B]
[B]Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 800 pixels[/B]
Display aspect ratio                     : 2.40:1
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 23.976 fps
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.356
Stream size                              : 8.96 GiB (88%)
Writing library                          : x264 core 140 r2377 1ca7bb9
Encoding settings                        : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:-3:-3 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / subme=10 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.05:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=48 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=0 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=12 / lookahead_threads=2 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=0 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=8 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=23 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=60 / rc=crf / mbtree=0 / crf=16.6 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=62500 / vbv_bufsize=78125 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.30 / pb_ratio=1.20 / aq=1:0.72
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : Yes
Forced                                   : No

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : DTS
Format/Info                              : Digital Theater Systems
Mode                                     : 16
Codec ID                                 : A_DTS
Duration                                 : 1h 37mn
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 1 509 Kbps
Channel(s)                               : 6 channels
Channel positions                        : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                                : 24 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 1.03 GiB (10%)
Title                                    : N/A
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : Yes

After trying to play that movie above in Videostream I keep getting stutter errors popping up in Chrome telling me to try a lower resolution. I have a pretty decent router from Verizon FiOS (MI424WR), FiOS just started advertising that router not to long ago. Along w/ my 75/75 connection I thought stuttering would be a thing of the past. If I stream that movie above from my PC to WDTV Live it'll play most likely without any hiccups.

Last question/comment. I'm no longer an Android user, I now have an iPhone 5s and iPad Air so I'm having a hard time finding apps that work with iOS 8. Are they an apps for iOS that work with CC? I know the iOS apps like UFC.TV, YouTube and some small apps do work with CC from your iPhone but what about streaming HD videos from the iPhone/iPad to my TV using CC? Anything like that going around?

Thanks guys for listening to me ramble, Happy Holidays!

 

[B. Diddy]

I'll be honest--I don't know too much about the details you're asking about. But I'll suggest Plex:

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...pU4085115/https://www.plex.tv/&token=9lRduH-Y
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/plex/id383457673?mt=8&at=10l3Vy

 

[Ronnie Sandifer]

I use Plex. Its pretty sweet.

 

[tflash]

I wouldn't get my hopes up too much about an Apple app working well with a google device (chromecast).
I personally know very little about apple aps or products.

As for streaming video from a PC (windows?) to the CC; I use the streaming app called Bubble UPnP. It allows you to set up any device on the same WiFi network to be used as a 'library' or a 'renderer'. It uses DLNA, but also supports CC. The CC doesn't support many video formats, but Bubble UPnP has a server program you can load onto the PC that can do some transcoding.

If the WDTV works so well, why do you want to replace it? I use a Sony blueray player with smart features. It's a better streaming device than the chromcast, mainly because it supports the DTS audio format, and it has a user interface and a remote. The thing that ruins both of those devices to stream high bit rate full HD video with DTS or trueHD is they only use 2.4 GHz wifi. Actually the best way to stream is a tablet with HDMI out and 5GHz wifi. The Nvidia Shield tablet with a wireless controller gives the best 'Android on TV' experience I've found yet. It has HDMI output, 5GHz wifi and can use video players like MX player that supports DTS sound (with a codec download).