Screen Mirroring/Casting: Chromecast vs. AppleTV

Black Hole

May contain traces of nut
Some time ago I bought a Chromecast (2nd gen) to investigate its screen casting from Android phone and iPad, in comparison with a 2nd gen AppleTV box (ie the cheap one!) which I've had in my toolbox for much longer (mainly to get iPad video onto a TV screen when I upgraded my iPad and my 30-pin dock HDMI adapter was obsoleted).

While I was playing today (in connection with THIS POST), my Chromecast went and updated itself. Subjectively, it seems better than before. I also have access to a 1st gen Chromecast, and in comparison that is disappointing (won't do proper 1920x1080, for example, so displays photos and video – from iOS, not sure about Android – in a 1280x720 sub-window... maybe that's to do with how the TV is set up).

Other equipment mentioned below: Apple iPad Pro 9.7" running iPadOS (iOS) 13.6.1; Samsung Galaxy A3 (2016) running Android 7.0.


AppleTV (2nd generation)

The AppleTV box comes with a (minimalist) RC handset and thus can operate stand-alone to some extent (although not as capable as the 3rd gen unit, which can access an app store). Until it is linked to a phone/tablet, it has access to stuff in your Apple account, and the main menu includes apps for such things as Radio (AKA Internet Radio, but not including my favourite W Jazzowym Kimacie in the list and apparently no search facility), Prime Video, Now TV, Netflix... (unwanted items can be hidden from the menu).

I have used this capability recently to catch up an episode of Voyager which I failed to record, IIRC paying the princely sum of £1.99 to Apple TV for the privilege, and even on my 3Mbps (if I'm lucky) broadband I was delighted with the result. (Don't get me wrong: I really wouldn't pay extra on a regular basis just to watch TV.)

AppleTV is mains powered.

AppleTV + iPad

No additional apps required: screen mirroring is available directly from the Control Centre (swipe down from off the top right corner of the screen), and apps have access to AirPlay (the Apple name for casting) on the Share menu. Even if mirroring, the Photos app (for example) automatically switches to casting when displaying a specific photo or video, so there is little point making a distinction between mirroring and casting (unlike for the Chromecast – see below), except to note that when mirroring the 4:3 iPad screen occupies the centre of the 16:9 TV screen so nothing mirrored will ever be displayed full-screen (unlike Android where the screen is typically 16:9).
  • Photos display filling the screen (either vertically or horizontally according to their original aspect ratio), but if the TV is set to overscan (as is normal for TV) the edges get cropped. (Uncropped iPad photos are 4:3 native, but modern TV screens are 16:9. That means there will usually be black bars at the sides. If required, the editor in the Photos app can crop to a preset 16:9.)

  • Video is disappointingly jittery in both video and audio, but that might have something to do with my WiFi.

  • YouTube cast from the YouTube app plays full-screen.

  • The iPad can be closed with the casting (AirPlay) active and the casting continues regardless.

  • Closing the iPad aborts the mirroring; opening resumes mirroring complete with lock screen.
AppleTV + Android Phone

There are many Android apps which claim to cast/mirror to AppleTV, and I installed one some time ago, but that doesn't seem to be working now and there are similar reviews on the other apps. It seems each time somebody works out how to do it, Apple close that gap. If anyone knows one which (still) works please let me know, but I think we can take it Apple don't want anything to do with Android (despite there being iOS apps to cast/mirror to Chromecast).


Chromecast (2nd generation)

The Chromecast has no autonomous functionality, it comes with no dedicated RC handset and only operates via an app (Google Home) on Android or IOS. When "idling" it displays a slideshow of default photos (which I believe can be customised).

Chromecast is USB-powered, which is convenient if the TV happens to have a USB port.

Chromecast + iPad

In iOS, screen mirroring is enabled within the Google Home app (which has to remain running) and then mirroring has to be turned on in the Control Centre. Mirroring does not have to be turned on at all to simply cast direct from the Google Home app – which offers direct access to photos and videos in the camera roll, playback of music, a browser for Internet video (eg YouTube), casting direct from the camera, and access to "Files" (not tested – these seem to be photo/video/music files imported directly into the app rather than access to the iOS Files).

Direct casting from the Google Home app:
  • Photos display filling the screen (either vertically or horizontally according to their original aspect ratio), but if the TV is set to overscan (as is normal for TV) the edges get cropped. Still photos are displayed "dynamically" – instead of static on the TV screen, they are very gradually zoomed which enlivens them (a trick used on TV) – but that means the overscan cropping gets worse the longer a photo is on-screen.

  • Video goes through a process of "optimising for TV" before it is played, which takes a few seconds, but the result is smooth playback.

  • YouTube does not play full-screen, I know not why. I saw an instance where the vertical was stretched.

  • The iPad can be closed with the casting active and the casting continues regardless.
Screen Mirroring:
  • Photos display the same as when casting, except without the dynamic zoom. The main defect is the overscan cropping, but that is unavoidable (and the TV can be configured not to overscan if it's that important).

  • Video playback is immediate but can be a little jerky, not smooth like the cast version, but without audio jitters unlike the AppleTV.

  • YouTube does not play full-screen. The instance I saw where the vertical was stretched when casting was correctly proportioned when mirrored.

  • Closing the iPad freezes the mirroring, which resumes when it is opened again (including the lock screen).
Note it is necessary to actually disconnect from the Chromecast before closing the Google Home app, otherwise the device is not released for other users.

Chromecast + Android Phone

Screen mirroring is a function within the app in Android rather than something you have to enable in the OS. The Google Home app doesn't seem to have the same casting functionality as in iOS, but that might be compensated by the range of apps available for Android with built-in cast-to-Chromecast functionality. Consequently, using the default Samsung Gallery app to access photos and videos, there was no choice than to mirror them to TV – which was OK but with the jittery video as per iOS screen mirroring. Closing the phone stops the mirroring, but it immediately resumes when the phone is opened again (complete with lock screen).

The one app I found on my phone with direct casting capability is YouTube, which performs very well – and (unlike in iOS) providing full-screen playback and without the vertical stretch I saw previously. Play continued when the phone was closed, and I think I've found my preferred way to access YouTube from my (non-smart) TV. Here's a list of Chromecast-compatible Android apps.

Photos and video in Android (at least, on my phone) are 16:9 native.


Conclusion

TBH, this exploration has opened my eyes to possibilities/capabilities I wasn't really conscious of, eg the Internet Radio facility on the AppleTV unit – which works instead of bombing out as per Internet Radio on the HDR-FOX! I think phone+Chromecast has become my preferred way to watch YouTube on TV (on the rare occasion that I do), and very handy if I'm away with time to kill in a hotel bedroom so long as I can get to the TV's HDMI port.

The AppleTV 2nd gen scores a few points in having some autonomous functionality, but frankly it falls down when it comes to actual mirroring/casting – poor video performance, lack of Android compatibility. Given that I could probably achieve the same functionality using apps on the phone (except maybe Apple TV), albeit less conveniently, the Chromecast 2nd gen wins because:
  • Compatible with iOS and Android devices (using appropriate apps);

  • Better video performance when casting;

  • USB powered means it can run from the TV port or be mains powered from an adapter;

  • Comparable price.

It should be noted that some TVs have built-in Chromecast capability, and/or their own pre-installed or installable apps for access to YouTube, catch-up, etc, so investigate those before considering buying something else. Also, devices such as the Amazon Firestick, Roku, NowTV etc, offer stand-alone smart functions (but not necessarily screen mirroring).
 
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