In addition, the company has started informing its partners about YouTube short support in the YouTube app running on Android TV and Google TV. On a regular basis, YouTube shorts reportedly reach around 30 billion views. And that number is growing exponentially, according to reports.
Stream Smart: Tips and tricks to get the most out of your Apple TV, Chromecast, Firestick
Turn on the TV
With many streaming services vying for your attention, it’s no surprise that video-on-demand is seeing a huge increase in subscribers. If you’re already using a streaming service, chances are it’s via Chromecast, Fire TV Stick, or Apple TV. These devices are much more powerful than we give them credit for. Hitesh Raj Bhagat shares some of his favorite tips and tricks for all three.
Apple TV 4K – Rs 17,430 for 32GB, Rs 19,480 for 64GB
Since the Apple TV doesn’t have to be visible to you (the remote is RF, not infrared), you can put it inside a cabinet or buy mounts to stick it behind the TV or on the wall in an inconspicuous spot. The beauty of AirPods is that you don’t need to connect them individually to your Apple devices. This also applies to Apple TV. Just make sure you’re signed in with your Apple ID and your AirPods will connect to your Apple TV. The touchpad of the remote control is glass which means it can break. If you or other family members tend to drop it often, you can buy a soft silicone case for it for less than Rs 199. In the tvOS 13 update (public beta in July, final coming later), Apple is going to add full-screen video previews, picture-in-picture (watch videos while in another app), multi-user support (each user has their own of interface customization and suggestions) and support for Xbox/PS4 game controllers. Apple TV is powerful enough for big-screen gaming. There are already games that you can play with the remote or a third-party controller. To bring out this full potential, Apple Arcade is coming soon. This will essentially turn it into a proper games console with various exclusive titles.
Google Chromecast – Rs.3,498
Chromecast can play games. Search for “Chromecast Games” on the Play Store using your phone and you’ll find games like Tankcast, Doodlecast, Dinoh Family Games and Just Dance Now. These games are designed for streaming, so you’ll be looking at the TV and using your smartphone as a controller. If your TV has HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronic Control), it can be controlled by Chromecast. Make sure that the HDMI-CEC feature on your TV is enabled and that you can wake the TV from sleep mode and switch to the correct input source by starting a broadcast. Sharing your Chromecast with friends while watching videos is easy. Just make sure they’re connected to your home WiFi and can use their own phone to stream. There is also a guest mode on the Chromecast itself. With this enabled, devices can connect directly to Chromecast instead of your Wi-Fi network. The tiny Chromecast is the perfect companion if you regularly spend long days in hotel rooms. You will need a separate WiFi access point (dedicated access point or phone) so that you can connect both your phone and Chromecast to it. You can then stream video to the hotel TV just like you do at home. When you want to stream something at home without disturbing others, you can use an app called Local Cast. This will stream the video to your TV and keep the audio on your phone. Then just use your headphones paired with your phone to continue watching.
Fire TV Stick – Rs 3,999; Fire TV Stick 4K – Rs.5,999
If you find the built-in app store limited, don’t worry because you can easily install Android apps. Get the free Easy Fire Tools app on your Android phone and enable app installations from unknown sources and ADB debugging on your Fire TV (found in Settings > System > Developer Options). Check your Fire TV’s IP address (Settings > Network > System Information) and enter it in the app. You can then install any app from your phone directly to the Fire TV Stick. If you have an older Fire TV stick and don’t want to upgrade to the 4K version, you can buy the new voice remote separately for `1,999. This gives you the benefit of Alexa voice control and infrared capabilities to control your existing TV/sound system. You’ll only need to pair the remote with the Fire TV Stick before first use by holding down the Home button. Fire TV Stick supports Bluetooth headsets. Just head to the settings to pair your headphones and you can continue watching without disturbing anyone else. Make sure you put your headphones in pairing mode so the Fire TV Stick can see them and connect to them. Reports also suggest that the ‘YouTube TV’ smart TV platform is also planning to add a new feature called ‘Mosaic Mode’. In this mode, viewers will be able to watch around four live streams simultaneously on the smart TV screen. Although YouTube is coming with short-form videos for the smart TV platform, it is not the first service to do so. Short-form video hosting service Tiktok has been experimenting with smart TV interfaces for some time now. According to reports, YouTube will be able to allow subscribers to view up to four live streams after acquiring the Mosaic feature. All four live streams will be presented simultaneously on your Android smart or Google TV from the four-quadrant dive screen. Disclaimer: This content was created by an external company. The views expressed here are those of the respective authors/entities and do not represent the views of the Economic Times (ET). ET does not warrant, guarantee or endorse any of its contents or be responsible for them in any way. Take all reasonable steps to ensure that any information and content provided is correct, up-to-date and verified. ET hereby disclaims any warranty, express or implied, relating to the report and any content thereof.
