Chromecast questions
 

As our laptop is playing silly beggars with the sound disappearing after about 10 minutes we are trying to watch BBC via Chromecast from either my android phone or from my iPad using an app. I can get as far as Chromecast recognizing that there's a video to play, it states the webpage and a green line runs across the bottom of the screen but that's it. Any suggestions? Trying to cast from Chrome.

Also, if I cast a single image to the tv from my photos after a while the app drops out. It isn't due to the phone screen timing out.

Re: Chromecast questions
 

Do you mean BBC live or BBC iPlayer? I would reinstall Chromecast to both my phone and PC Laptop. I find streaming the iPlayer is much better on my iPad using Unblockus.com VPN. I also have and use an Apple TV.

Re: Chromecast questions
 

BBC iplayer. We have unblockus on the modem. Not sure what you mean by reinstallChromecast? Is there a specific app for them? I have TVCast.

Re: Chromecast questions
 

It's a limitation with Chromecast. I'll try to explain this simply...

So, yes, you have unblockus set up and working fine. When your computer requests content from BBC, it gets routed through unblockus which lies about your location and then delivers the content.

When you ask the Chromecast to show the content, even though you're controlling it from your laptop (or phone or tablet or whatever), the Chromecast goes "okay, cool, I'll go straight to BBC and get that content. But first I have to check where I'm located. Hey Google, where am I located?" This is where the issue is. The Chromecast is hardcoded to ALWAYS ask Google where it's located, so Google responds "You're in Canada!" and then BBC says "screw you, no iPlayer for you!!". Your laptop doesn't do this - your laptop uses your router's default setting to work out its location, which it does via unblockus... but Chromecast ALWAYS goes to ask Google.

The solution is a router hack... you have to install some custom software on the router (if your router is compatible) and program in a rule that says "every time something on my network asks Google for its location, redirect it to unblockus instead!". Then Chromecast will work.

The other [simpler] workaround is cast the SCREEN instead of the content, so that the content is mirrored. But you may have some issues with speed and video/audio sync... not always, but sometimes. That's worth a shot.

Hope that helps :)

Re: Chromecast questions
 

Thanks for the detailed and understandable reply. I'm trying to cast from the webpage not the app so I think I'm casting the screen. But it won't cast.

We have a pretty yuck internet supply so I guess we're stuck with the laptop method. Another poster, whose name I can't remember but I hope they forgive me as I'm useless with names, was being equally helpful with info about getting Apple TV to work with BBC. Still no luck. We're doomed I tell ya, doomed.

In the meantime I might have fixed the laptop's sound issues. We will see.

Do you have any idea about my second issue? That iwhen sending a single image over it doesn't stay cast for long. Maybe 10 minutes. I'm wondering if it is because it isn't a video or series of images.