Nexus Player Cast useless - Nexus Player Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi!
I was going the get me a second Chromecast, but went for the Nexus Player instead.
This was a huge mistake. The cast function is useless. It does not work the same way as the Chromecast.
I have tested HBO Nordic, the picture gets all distorted. Then I tested CanalDigital Go (Norwegian tv distributor), here the audio is out of sync with picture.
Both these apps works great on a Chromecast. The Nexus player is up to date, have tried factory reset
Anyone with similar problems?

Being from Canada i can't test those apps unfortunately. However in my experience, casting to my Nexus Player is MUCH MUCH MUCH better than to my Chromecast. Unfortunately it seems that a lot of people have the same issue as you

I, too, can't speak about the apps OP mentioned. But like koperniczx3, I also find the Nexus Player to work MUCH better than Chromecast.

Exakt same problem with HBO Nordic on Nexus player. Distorted picture every few seconds. I so wish I had bought a second chromecast instead
Works perfekt on chromecast.

Just sideload those apps to the nexus and you wont have to cast.....or load lollirock on it and just install from the playstore
Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

Same issue here, new start-up called "iflix" just available where I live. Able to cast to chromecast, but not available on Nexus Player. Maybe the DRM is why it won't work. Only hope is either dev fix the casting (to nexus player) , or release tv version.

I haven't noticed any major problems with casting to the Nexus Player. The only issue I can think of is that the Chromecast plugin for ES File Explorer doesn't seem to work with the Nexus Player but I've already emailed the app developer about it. Google occasionally releases software updates through Google Play to improve the casting feature on Android TV devices. If you use the Hulu app to cast from your phone or tablet to a Nexus Player with AdAway installed, this actually works surprisingly well because it even skips the video ads.

Nexus Cast not working properly
Svimmel said:
Hi!
I was going the get me a second Chromecast, but went for the Nexus Player instead.
This was a huge mistake. The cast function is useless. It does not work the same way as the Chromecast.
I have tested HBO Nordic, the picture gets all distorted. Then I tested CanalDigital Go (Norwegian tv distributor), here the audio is out of sync with picture.
Both these apps works great on a Chromecast. The Nexus player is up to date, have tried factory reset
Anyone with similar problems?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am having same issue. Casting work well with google products but other apps it works well with chromecast but when I cast from same app to nexus player it doesnt work at all. Example of apps (CTV GO, Lynda, Plualsight) they all work well with chromecast but not with nexus player cast.

Svimmel said:
Hi!
I was going the get me a second Chromecast, but went for the Nexus Player instead.
This was a huge mistake. The cast function is useless. It does not work the same way as the Chromecast.
I have tested HBO Nordic, the picture gets all distorted. Then I tested CanalDigital Go (Norwegian tv distributor), here the audio is out of sync with picture.
Both these apps works great on a Chromecast. The Nexus player is up to date, have tried factory reset
Anyone with similar problems?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only time I have noticed casting to work better on a Chromecast is with casting a screen. The apps I use either work the same, or better on the Nexus Player. But sideloading and having the app on the Nexus Player is so much better than casting anyways. But some people are more technically advanced than others. You have to control these apps with a mouse but to get around that, just use Droidmote. This Nexus Player has been the staple in our living room and we love it.

I have had both a chromecast and nexus player. (currently posting this on my nexus player with a logitech k400 plus) I have found that casting works way better for me on my Nexus Player. On my chromecast it would drop off constantly, and video quality would go down so I would stop and restart the app/video to get it good again. I have had zero problems casting to my Nexus Player. I cast from my Nexus 6. Although I don't cast nearly as much as I use to being HBO GO is now fully supported and available on the App Store. That was the main thing I casted. I still cast Fox Now, Watch ABC, NBC, CBS and FX Now. I never have any issues. It sounds like a problem more so related to the apps you are casting.

Related

CNN and Xfinity Apps

Just got a new N7 2013 32gb from Best Buy to replace my existing N7 16 gb and while the new one is definitely better in almost every way, the CNN and Xfinity apps do not seem to work at present. None of the videos on CNN or the Live TV feature work, they just say 'Video Not Available' when trying to play a video. Xfinity app also just shows a blank screen when trying to play a video. Both of these apps work fine on the older N7.
Thankfully Netflix seems to work just fine. I came across a few posts on android central about CNN not working with the new N7 too.
Any one else experienced the same or knows a fix for this? This seems to be an app level issue : may be they need to be updated for 4.3 / N7 but if there is workaround, that would be great. The Live TV feature on CNN is particularly useful and would be great to have it back.
sidm2k9 said:
Just got a new N7 2013 32gb from Best Buy to replace my existing N7 16 gb and while the new one is definitely better in almost every way, the CNN and Xfinity apps do not seem to work at present. None of the videos on CNN or the Live TV feature work, they just say 'Video Not Available' when trying to play a video. Xfinity app also just shows a blank screen when trying to play a video. Both of these apps work fine on the older N7.
Thankfully Netflix seems to work just fine. I came across a few posts on android central about CNN not working with the new N7 too.
Any one else experienced the same or knows a fix for this? This seems to be an app level issue : may be they need to be updated for 4.3 / N7 but if there is workaround, that would be great. The Live TV feature on CNN is particularly useful and would be great to have it back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update: Just downloaded a 720p mkv file and I get no audio using BS Player Pro or ES Video Player on the new nexus but the same files plays back without issue on the older n7. This is disappointing to say the least, looks like some codecs are missing on this new device. To be clear my older N7 was rooted but that was it, everything else was stock. This may be an issue with 4.3 or a S4Pro vs Tegra 3 issue with the S4 missing some audio codec support.
Will have to hang on to the old one for a while it seems as the new one still has kinks that need to be resolved.
I just used the Xfinity app on my unlocked and rooted new Nexus 7. Worked fine for me.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Xfinity App works fine for me, both downloaded and streamed content. Watch ESPN also worked, but Watch ABC seems to be hit our miss.
CNN App does not work.
Sent from my Nexus 7
Ok, xfinity started working for me after clearing the data and restarting the app, doing the same for CNN did nothing as it still does not work.
This is not something that root and unlocking can fix so not really inclined to do that right now.
The audio on the 720p mkv file so far only works with vplayer , an obscure media player that I found on the play store. Hoping BSPlayer will update their player for Nexus 7 soon.
Ok, so it turned out the latest version of BS Player 1.9.152 removed DTS/AC3 support because of licensing issues with Dolby, so had to manually downgrade to .151 through an apk posted online ( I own the pro license). If anyone uses BSPlayer (best media player in my book) please keep that in mind. So right now the only remaining issue is the CNN app, hope they fix it sooner than the 6 months+ they took to officially support the original N7 and another 3 months before live streaming was added.
Update: The CNN app on the play store states that they are aware of the issues with 4.3 and are working on fix, hope that comes soon.

[Q] Issues Casting to Nexus Player (Starz/Showtime/Sling)

I can cast most things. But Slingbox, Showtime, and Starz are having issues casting to Nexus Player.
The other Chromecasts I have in the house work perfectly fine with these 3 apps. But casting to Nexus Player doesn't work for those apps.
Anyone else having these issues?
Edit: I am using an iPhone 6
I came to post the exact same thing! Showtime and starz both don't cast to nexus player. I tried using different frequencies on wifi and used a USB to ethernet adapter on player until I finally tried the apps to my chromecast with no issues. This is a major bummer! I also noticed that when casting HBO GO voice wasn't in sync with video. Nexus Player is definitely buggy hopefully they push out a bug squashing update soon.
ok. Well at least it's not just me. I posted on google forums as well. Maybe a google employee will see it? Hopefully they know about it.
Are you on android? Don't think it's an OS thing...
I also tried it from starzplay.com to nexus player. That doesn't work either. So I think it is a problem with nexus player casting. Some bug fix is needed.
Funny I have an app that works when casting to a nexus player but not on chromecast. Seems like there is more to the googlecast protocol than I thought. I thought the implementation would be the same on all devices.
Sent from my Nexus 5
I can add casting chrome desktop doesn't work to the Nexus Player either. I get a black screen (just like with showtime app). Again works perfectly fine with chromecast. I hope this gets resolved soon. Another thing I noticed is the HDMI-CEC. I can cast things to the player and it will turn on the player but it doesn't change input if the TV is currently on like the chromecast does.
Devices I've used with same results are Nexus 5 (lollipop), 10(kit kat), and Acer Chromebook 13.
vudu showtime anytime abc all dont work properly, yet android and windows screen mirroring and windows chrome tab casting works much better, i was able to sideload hbogo, maxgo, showtimeanytime, and vudu ....which can all be used with a mouse and keyboard combo like the logitech k400 as long as you have a microusb otg to usb hub
Netflix via Chrome wasn't working for me
I had problems last night getting Netflix to load from my OS X box running Chrome. I clicked the Cast button in Netflix and I just got the spinning/loading icon. I then went to the Chrome Cast Extension, and "no devices found" showed up. When I went to Youtube, the Chrome Cast Extension showed the device.
I haven't tried restarting browser, but just wanted to see if anyone else was having similar issues.
I am also experiencing the same issue with Slingplayer on my iPhone 6. The cast icon appears within the player of the Slingplayer app, and my Nexus Player shows up as the cast device. However, when I select the Nexus Player, I just get an endless spinning/loading icon.
Also having some casting issues!
Previously had a Chromecast and everything I had worked great with it.
With the Nexus Player though, I have two apps that don't even give me the option to cast anymore (Vudu, Disney Movies Anywhere). It is like they don't "see" the Nexus Player as a cast capable device. Every other app I have works fine (Netflix, YouTube, Flixster, Twitch, Google Play Movies, etc).
So is the Googlecast part of the Nexus Player just different enough that apps written specifically for the Chromecast don't work with it or what?
Orbiting234 said:
Also having some casting issues!
So is the Googlecast part of the Nexus Player just different enough that apps written specifically for the Chromecast don't work with it or what?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The guy who developed the Videostream app pretty much said exactly what you said. They are not exactly the same. Unfortunate because I bought the Nexus Player for it's casting feature over Wifi AC and it turns out it doesn't work for the main website I want it to work for.
Solving Google Cast to Nexus Player Issue.
HI there,
Issue: the Chrome cast app in the Google Chrome browser no longer 'finds' the Nexus Player (Windows 8.1).
Fix: 1) Unistall the Chrome cast app in the browser.
2) Navigate to your AppDate file in the Windows user folder (view, shown hidden files etc.)
3) Find and delete the Chrome Cast app data.
4) Reinstall the Chrome Cast app in the browser.
Finding the app data in step 3), above can be a chore, as it will depend on your particular Chrome browser's configuration. You may need to go to other Windows or Google forums to learn how to locate the file.
Cheers.

[Q] Local Streaming/Plex & Alternatives

Hey guys, I just pulled the trigger and bought a Nexus Player, currently im a kernel developer for the Nexus 4/5/7, will be checking into optimizing it and adding some features, but first I got a question. I know plex only works with plex pass customers, can you sideload the plex app? Looking to save some money, already bought the plex app for android and have an insanely large collection running on a Plex media server, is there any DLNA apps that are Android TV Sexy as an alternative? Getting mine in next week, can't wait
Thanks
defcon
Yes you can side load it with sideload launcher. But as far as the sexiness I would imagine its less than stellar. I've noticed most apps run great that are side loaded but the screen resolution for the apps are not optimized for the player. Meaning some apps will cut off the sides or top of the screen.
However on the plus side...
The plexpass app for the player looks and functions beautifully.
Super easy and fast to navigate.
I was very impressed with the plexpass app.
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
defconoi said:
Hey guys, I just pulled the trigger and bought a Nexus Player, currently im a kernel developer for the Nexus 4/5/7, will be checking into optimizing it and adding some features, but first I got a question. I know plex only works with plex pass customers, can you sideload the plex app? Looking to save some money, already bought the plex app for android and have an insanely large collection running on a Plex media server, is there any DLNA apps that are Android TV Sexy as an alternative? Getting mine in next week, can't wait
Thanks
defcon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What he said. The sideload version *works*, but the official version is so much better. SIdeload one doesn't show on homescreen, no 5.1 surround, no display of movies on home screen, no searchability. Official does 5.1 passthrough, can be searched from the menu, and is aesthetically perfect for the Nexus Player.
Historically, plex pass-only features make their way to the regular app after a month or two. In this case, at least for me, I am absolutely fine with paying $4 or $8 for such an amazing UI. Oh, and it does all kinds of neat category sections when browsing - "Top movies by Ivan Reitman" or "Top unwatched Comedy" if you watch a lot of comedies. It's almost netflix-like...but even better looking.
Also, if you're gonna use it...get a USB NIC adapter. Even over AC, HD streaming is laggy. Having a solid LAN connection will always trump wifi in my mind.
digitalhigh said:
What he said. The sideload version *works*, but the official version is so much better. SIdeload one doesn't show on homescreen, no 5.1 surround, no display of movies on home screen, no searchability. Official does 5.1 passthrough, can be searched from the menu, and is aesthetically perfect for the Nexus Player.
Historically, plex pass-only features make their way to the regular app after a month or two. In this case, at least for me, I am absolutely fine with paying $4 or $8 for such an amazing UI. Oh, and it does all kinds of neat category sections when browsing - "Top movies by Ivan Reitman" or "Top unwatched Comedy" if you watch a lot of comedies. It's almost netflix-like...but even better looking.
Also, if you're gonna use it...get a USB NIC adapter. Even over AC, HD streaming is laggy. Having a solid LAN connection will always trump wifi in my mind.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you recommend a NIC adapter? I bought one on Amazon and it doesn't work with the Nexus Player. It's supposed to be pretty much automatic once connected, right?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KBZF20W/ref=pe_385040_121528360_TE_dp_1
defconoi said:
Hey guys, I just pulled the trigger and bought a Nexus Player, currently im a kernel developer for the Nexus 4/5/7, will be checking into optimizing it and adding some features, but first I got a question. I know plex only works with plex pass customers, can you sideload the plex app? Looking to save some money, already bought the plex app for android and have an insanely large collection running on a Plex media server, is there any DLNA apps that are Android TV Sexy as an alternative? Getting mine in next week, can't wait
Thanks
defcon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I disagree with the others... I sideloaded and bought the plex pass.. IMHO, not worth the extra money... Sideloaded version works just fine.. I personally dont need the bells and whistles of searching for movies or seeing suggestions from the home screen.
You can easily see the app via Sideload Launcher... Plex works perfectly on both the sideloaded and the plex pass version.
defconoi said:
Hey guys, I just pulled the trigger and bought a Nexus Player, currently im a kernel developer for the Nexus 4/5/7, will be checking into optimizing it and adding some features, but first I got a question. I know plex only works with plex pass customers, can you sideload the plex app? Looking to save some money, already bought the plex app for android and have an insanely large collection running on a Plex media server, is there any DLNA apps that are Android TV Sexy as an alternative? Getting mine in next week, can't wait
Thanks
defcon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I side loaded Plex for android but it pretty much unusable for me. Any of my files with DTS audio will not play with sound when forcing direct play (no transcoding). Basically audio pass through for all 5.1 formats is broke.
Kodi/xbmc works as it supposed to but that is not how I want my player to function I feel like I'm booting into another os to play my media. I want the full integration with the launcher and search. Kodi does not do this.
Lastly I have a HD homerun prime that will stream my Comcast cable to my network devices. They are working on a app but from what I have been reading there is no MPEG2 hardware decoding. Seems Asus or google didn't license the codec. Huge fail for me and has got me contemplating on retuning it. A question for you could this codec be added with a custom kernel or rom? Or is this entirely at the mercy of Asus or google? If this won't be implemented im sending it back.
I love the player interface because of it simplicity my family immediately picked it up and figured it out unlike my kodi/xbmc setups. So if I can get the updated interface Plex app with out paying a monthly subscription and mpeg2 hardware decoding support I will purchase one for every TV. Until then this device isn't cutting it for me.
Guys with Plex pass....is direct play and audio pass through for DTS working for you?
WhiteWidows said:
I side loaded Plex for android but it pretty much unusable for me. Any of my files with DTS audio will not play with sound when forcing direct play (no transcoding). Basically audio pass through for all 5.1 formats is broke.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you install Plex For Android, I recommend changing the layout to tv rather than mobile, then set the Device Media Profile to "External Player." If you pair that with a good video player app, you can play almost anything (even with dts) stutter-free without needing to transcode. I use MX Player with the x86 version of DTS custom codec, and all hardware decoding options enabled; works perfectly so far. Hopefully the officially supported Plex app will re-add some of these features in time; I don't understand why the ui was completely changed and most of the advanced features/options removed to "best support" the Nexus Player, when the ui of Plex For Android is working lightning fast with no major issues so far.
Ok audio passthrough works for both dts and dd?
What about direct playable video codecs? Is it like chromecast x264 only or does it support other codecs as well. I wish it played video as good as on my Samsung. Then it's a good option to our bedroom TV.
Skickat från min GT-I9505 via Tapatalk
MX Player? I have it working, but no 5.1 options.. I used the custom codec, and can play DTS, etc - but its all 2.0 - Are there no 5.1 pass through options that work? Does anything besides Netflix and Google Play even have any kind of 5.1 support?
biosystemics said:
If you install Plex For Android, I recommend changing the layout to tv rather than mobile, then set the Device Media Profile to "External Player." If you pair that with a good video player app, you can play almost anything (even with dts) stutter-free without needing to transcode. I use MX Player with the x86 version of DTS custom codec, and all hardware decoding options enabled; works perfectly so far. Hopefully the officially supported Plex app will re-add some of these features in time; I don't understand why the ui was completely changed and most of the advanced features/options removed to "best support" the Nexus Player, when the ui of Plex For Android is working lightning fast with no major issues so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didnt know the tv layout setting existed, thanks for that suggestion!
I have a plex server and I havent been able to get 5.1 to work with plex on the NP at all yet. Things I have tried:
-Plex for Android app
-Plex for Android app + MX Player as external player, with the custom codec pack
-Plex for PlexPass Users
XBMC Gotham does work like a charm for 5.1 audio. I connected it up to my media share, enabled Passthrough and Dolby Digital (AC3) capable receiver (Settings -Advanced Settings Level- > System > Audio)
I was not using any addons, btw.
I still have not tried XBMC Helix.
I prefer Plex's Interface and the Plex Server over XBMC's setup... So has anyone else figured out 5.1 audio for Plex on the Nexus Player? For me it really is not that big of an issue, the NP will be the entertainment box for the kid's tv (no surround system) upstairs, so I dont really require 5.1 audio... but I would still like it to work, and would consider it for my main system if it did.
---------- Post added at 12:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:10 AM ----------
d2globalinc said:
MX Player? I have it working, but no 5.1 options.. I used the custom codec, and can play DTS, etc - but its all 2.0 - Are there no 5.1 pass through options that work? Does anything besides Netflix and Google Play even have any kind of 5.1 support?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sideloaded XBMC, with passthrough enabled in settings
ok just got the NP all hooked up, its badass, much better than roku/samsung smart bluray, I sideloaded plex but pulled the trigger on one month of plexpass, I hope they make it free/integrate it into the android app but I have a feeling they will change for the nexus player app seperately or require plexpass for good... Its really nice for now though. Sideloaded Kodi and that works great too.
Does sideload launcher show the sideloaded Plex app?
For some reason that is the only app that doesnt show in the sideload launcher for me.
psychicsword said:
Does sideload launcher show the sideloaded Plex app?
For some reason that is the only app that doesnt show in the sideload launcher for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope gotta launch it from app settings
defconoi said:
ok just got the NP all hooked up, its badass, much better than roku/samsung smart bluray, I sideloaded plex but pulled the trigger on one month of plexpass, I hope they make it free/integrate it into the android app but I have a feeling they will change for the nexus player app seperately or require plexpass for good... Its really nice for now though. Sideloaded Kodi and that works great too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you like it, as do I, I love the interface and voice search capabilities, but as everyone is saying its not a finished product. All I want to work right now is Plex 5.1 audio with no trans-coding, and MPEG2 hardware decoding. Then it will be perfect for my living room.
I see you said your a kernel dev, well im looking for some collaborators to get mpeg2 hw decoding working on this device. I opened a dev thread and have been trying to build ffmpeg into android x86 hoping this will enable it. So far my builds have been failing. If you can help me out drop me a pm.
Ive been going off this documentation.
https://software.intel.com/en-us/android/blogs/2013/12/06/building-ffmpeg-for-android-on-x86
Also have you herd any chatter on anyone working on a custom recover for the NP?
I have been using Kodi (formerly known as XBMC) and it works like a charm. I'm running the latest beta 2 version, so I experience a crash or two from time to time, but other than that it works wonderfully. 720p content scales up very nicely to my hd screen (even 480p). I have no issues streaming 1080p content from my NAS to the box. I have a 802.11ac network, and I have not tested it with a n network, though.

[Q] Is the Nexus Player right for me ?

Hi fellows,
I currently own an Xbox 360 and a Rasperry Pi running OpenElec. The Xbox 360 is used for games and Netflix while OpenElec is running Kodi to play the local media on my NAS. I am looking to replace my RPi with a device that will be able to have the following features :
- Kodi. I tried Plex and didn't like it.
- Netflix (Because my X360 is really noisy and pisses me off)
- Google Play Music
- Google Play Movies (for Renting and already owned)
- Spotify
- Small mobile games
- Can use my phone to remote control
- Chromecast feature to cast my computer screen
I think that the Nexus Player can handle all that, however I wonder how good and stable is the NP at accomplishing these tasks. I am very familiar with Android (been using it for over 4 years on my phones) and I am tech-savvy. I would like however a simple and stable solution where my wife and kids can play with the device easily. I was able to achieve that easiness and stability with OpenElec, but I am looking for a device that will be able to be much more than just a Kodi player.
I think the direct competitor to the NP is the Roku. Roku cannot run Kodi, but has the Google Play Music and Movies available. However, I have seen numerous issues about renting movies through Google Movies not working on Roku. Has anyone ever rented a movie on Google Play Movies on the NP and had issues ? Is this service stable ? Renting through Google Play Movies is cheaper than my local TV provider, so I'm thinking about making the switch to Google. Or any other suggestions than Google Play Movies ? Netflix Canada selection really sucks.
I'm not looking to spend more money than a Nexus Player. The NVidia Shield TV is out of the question and the Amazon Fire TV does not seem to be available in Canada. The Roku and the NP are my 2 viable options as far as I know. I like Android, so the NP looks very interesting. However I wouldn't want to buy the NP to find out that it cannot do everything I want it to do.
Thanks for any input !
Neo.
The Nexus Player will handle almost everything in your list.
* Kodi works quite well on the Nexus Player. It can be downloaded directly from Google Play which means it will automatically update and won't require sideloading APKs.
* Netflix comes preinstalled on this device and generally works fine as long as your Nexus Player has Android v5.1.1 build LMY48J installed. You might want to adjust your TV's aspect ratio modes while watching movies if the black bars from widescreen content bother you. I don't use the app very often so perhaps other users can comment on things like surround sound support.
* Google Play Music comes preinstalled on this device and is linked to your account like the rest of the apps from Google. The only issue I see with it is that the on-screen album cover doesn't move around like it does when you cast from the app but the Nexus Player's "Daydream" screen saver mode cycles through different images after a few minutes without user interaction. Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) will support Bluetooth audio streaming which means you can pair the Nexus Player with a sound bar and play music that way.
* Google Play Movies comes preinstalled and seems to work fine. It probably is the most convenient option to rent or purchase movies or TV shows on this device. I don't use this service enough to say much about it but the free movies I have in my account are synced and easily accessible. As with Netflix, you may want to adjust your TV's aspect ratio during playback.
* Spotify is the only thing in your list that doesn't work well on the Nexus Player. You can try sideloading the app but it may not be easy to use with a remote. The developers of Spotify don't support casting either, as far as I'm aware.
* You can download Android TV games from the Google Play Store and some of them will be playable with the remote but others will require a gamepad. You can either use a separate Bluetooth gamepad or root your Nexus Player and pair a PS3 or PS4 controller with it using the paid Sixaxis Controller app.
* Yes, you can use your phone to control the Nexus Player with the free Android TV Remote Control app from Google. It is rather basic, though, compared to a paid root app combination like DroidMote Server & Droidmote Client which is definitely more versatile. If you're willing to buy a Flirc infrared USB dongle for about $24 USD, you can even use a universal remote to control the Nexus Player. I have one and it works very well after being programmed for convenient usage with my Philips SRP5107 universal remote.
* Casting to the Nexus Player generally works well but there may be a few apps which work better with an actual Chromecast. I prefer casting to the Nexus Player because it supports 5 GHz wireless AC while the Chromecast only supports 2.4 GHz wireless N.
I've never used a Roku device but the Nexus Player provides great value for the price and you can do a lot with it (especially if it's rooted). As for the limited content selection of Netflix Canada, you can use a smart DNS service such as UnoTelly to "change your region" and access content that's licensed for other countries. UnoTelly even offers a free trial and up to 3 free months of service if you mention them positively on social media. In conclusion, let's answer your question. Is the Nexus Player right for you? I certainly think so.
spookyneo said:
Hi fellows,
I currently own an Xbox 360 and a Rasperry Pi running OpenElec. The Xbox 360 is used for games and Netflix while OpenElec is running Kodi to play the local media on my NAS. I am looking to replace my RPi with a device that will be able to have the following features :
- Kodi. I tried Plex and didn't like it.
- Netflix (Because my X360 is really noisy and pisses me off)
- Google Play Music
- Google Play Movies (for Renting and already owned)
- Spotify
- Small mobile games
- Can use my phone to remote control
- Chromecast feature to cast my computer screen
I think that the Nexus Player can handle all that, however I wonder how good and stable is the NP at accomplishing these tasks. I am very familiar with Android (been using it for over 4 years on my phones) and I am tech-savvy. I would like however a simple and stable solution where my wife and kids can play with the device easily. I was able to achieve that easiness and stability with OpenElec, but I am looking for a device that will be able to be much more than just a Kodi player.
I think the direct competitor to the NP is the Roku. Roku cannot run Kodi, but has the Google Play Music and Movies available. However, I have seen numerous issues about renting movies through Google Movies not working on Roku. Has anyone ever rented a movie on Google Play Movies on the NP and had issues ? Is this service stable ? Renting through Google Play Movies is cheaper than my local TV provider, so I'm thinking about making the switch to Google. Or any other suggestions than Google Play Movies ? Netflix Canada selection really sucks.
I'm not looking to spend more money than a Nexus Player. The NVidia Shield TV is out of the question and the Amazon Fire TV does not seem to be available in Canada. The Roku and the NP are my 2 viable options as far as I know. I like Android, so the NP looks very interesting. However I wouldn't want to buy the NP to find out that it cannot do everything I want it to do.
Thanks for any input !
Neo.
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would agree with all answers above, only thing that I'll add is that its a shame the community isn't larger or more active.
BUt with the addition of a couple of additional peripherals can also be considerably more user friendly.

Nexus Player: Problems With Casting Function

Issue with Chromecast function
I switched from Chromecast to a Nexus Player today because I use my Chromecast (v1) all the time and the media player on my new TV sucks so I wanted to use Kodi and Chromecast in one device. Kodi works very well with the Android M preview but I'm having an issue with the Chromecast function. There is some strange smoothing or interpolation thing going on. For example when I'm streaming something from ShowBox or a local file from my phone via LocalCast or BubbpleUPnP the picture looks sped up. In fact I initial though there was some motion smoothing enabled on my TV. But there was not. The sound is also out of sync.
This only happens on the Nexus Player, the Chromecast (old version) does not have that issue.
Does anyone know why that happens and how to fix it?
Edit: I found a posting with the same issue: http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-player/general/nexus-player-soap-opera-effect-v5-1-t3068551
Apparently it was introduced with Update 5.1 and only happens when apps use the native Android video player. Any idea how to fix that? TVHZ did not fix it btw. I'm pretty sure I'm SOL but I'm asking anyway.

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