Thanks Soundman, if you can help me out a bit more. I’m thinking of getting Kayo as I don’t reckon I can get to too many games this year (Bloody Work). I hear you can get a Google Chrome thingamijig to watch Kayo through my TV as it doesn’t have the Kayo ap, is this Google Chrome thing the same as Alexa Google Home you described above?
TLDR; the new Chromecasts that can run the Kayo App do have the Google Assistant voice technology built in, I don’t know if it can be disabled. The older Chromecasts don’t have the Google Assistant voice technology, but they have other caveats.
Long version:
The Google Chromecast is a device that plugs into your TV via HDMI (and gets power from your TV’s USB port or an AC adapter.) You can send content to it over wifi, so that content can be displayed on your TV.
With the most recent Google Chromecast (“Chromecast with Google TV” I think is the official name,) you plug it into your TV, download the Kayo App (and other apps too, like Netflix if you want) to it, then watch the footy on it. However this “Chromecast with Google TV” does have the Google Assistant (voice control “Hey Google”) thing built in, of which I’m personally not fond. I don’t know if it’s possible to turn off this functionality. You also probably need a Google account to download apps too, and of course the thing has to be connected to your home wifi to work.
The older versions of Chromecast (Chromecast 1st\2nd\3rd Generation) don’t have the Google Assistant built in, but they also don’t run the Kayo\Netflix etc apps. Instead you’d need to run Kayo on your phone\laptop\tablet (possibly within a web browser, as opposed to the dedicated Kayo app,) and then you can “cast” the content of that app\browser window (the Kayo stream) to the Chromecast over wifi so it appears on your TV screen.
BTW
Google Assistant (“Hey Google”) - Google
Amazon Alexa (“Hey Alexa”) - Alexa
Siri (“Hey Siri”) - Apple
^All voice control technology from different companies that work pretty much much the same way. The devices running this technology (eg Chromecast with Google TV, Amazon Firestick, AppleTV4) are always on, always listening for their activation phrase (“Hey Goole\Alexa\Siri.)” When you say it, they send your voice commands back to their companies’ servers for analysis and to generate the code for the outcome you want, then the company sends back that code to your device, and the device’s executes them; the device’s speaker speaks\the house lights dim\the TV starts playing\whatever you’ve asked it to do. At least in theory. In practice they do a lot more, eg if you were to ask a Google Assistant\Alexa what the Essendon v FC score was, there’s a real danger that the next day your Google\Amazon account would start giving you a whole lot of FC ads.
There also evidence of them being activated inadvertently without the owner knowing (eg perhaps you’re watching a TV show, and the actor on screen mentions “Google,” that word comes out of your TV’s speakers and is picked up by your Google Assistant’s device microphone, activating it,) meaning a whole lot more data (supposedly private home conversations) are sent to these companies, and perhaps instructions too, that could be actioned without your knowledge, in ways you didn’t intend, like this https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-44248122
Personally I’d be getting an older Chromecast without Google Assistant, or just a laptop+HDMI cable straight into the TV, but I know that these days a lot of people are happy to take the risk and forego the privacy for the sake of convenience. To each his own.
HTH
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just get a apple tv.
This is the way for moi still atm.
Would love to know of a non google / amazon / big tech firm made Chromecast type dongle to replace the HDMI delivery though.
Old Chromecast can mirror the laptop screen, but in horrid (likely deliberately so) resolution.
Moi aussi.
raspberry pi with kodi/osmc installed
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I have a 12 year old Samsung LED 42 inch. does the job, actually a bit surprised with the longevity.
Was a smart TV at the time, but not by todays standards.
Surprised kids haven’t broken it the amount of times it gets turned off and on each day.
I look at TV’s in JB Hi-FI and although they look bigger, dont look any better.
I don’t game much anymore, so thats where I would probably enjoy it i guess.
Mainly only use old consoles or XBOX one offline.
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Can only seem to find a USB Dongle, and it’s been discontinued / obsoleted since 2018?
Wouldn’t whatever would do the job need 2 dongles going into HDMI ports on both ends?
The missus drew the line at bedroom.
And I guess when it’s a creepy bald guy who owns Alexa she has a point.
What do you do with old tellies?
My 55 inch sharp is perfectly fine, except a couple of lines have appeared.
I love that TV but I also want those liens gone. Repair is out of the question(price costs more than a new one…replacement controller board thingo off eBay then someone to fit)
I mean seems so to wasteful to throw out such a big home appliance
Mines in the shed for using as a secondary monitor for work and gaming on a ps3. It’s still in amazing nick.
About 13 year old Sony 40inch.
no no no, a proper raspberry pi kit. has hdmi output, and you can install a kayo add-on to the software running it.
a laptop isn’t even involved
Google wireless hdmi dongle, there’s heaps which will let you connect your lappy to your TV via wifi.
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Yes. Off brand electronics are definitely 100% safer, from a privacy perspective.
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I might be mistaken because it’s so not HAP’s way, … but I think I detect just a tad of sarcasm there.
Well you can pick up grey market Chinese ones for 20 bux or something like this from Microsoft
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@BLOODSTAINED_DEVILS i do want to point out that I have a reputation for making terrible technology decisions amongst my mates.
I usually pick the lemons, so do your due diligence.(googlin to see what works best)
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Just wait, as facial recognition software becomes more accessible and pushed out from
these companies. Won’t be your device as a footprint or landing strip for them to shove information down your throat but soon it will be your own face.
Just think, 3 maybe 5 years into the future. New shopping centre has just done itself up. Brand new entrance and car park is now further away. Don’t worry, there’s a bus stop with an Autonomous bus to pick you up and drive you right into the brand new entry lobby of the shopping centre.
Cameras with facial recognition scan your face on board, collect your data and your interests. Hang on, they realise as they view your history map of shopping in their shopping centre. You only navigate to one half of the centre but there are similar products and identical interests in other parts of the store. As this bus drives you to the centre it then starts to show advertisements, linked to your interests and linked to departments or zones in the shopping centre you don’t generally visit. To not only get you to visit new stores but subconsciously explore other parts of the supermarket.
It’s only a matter of time, this exact scenario is literally a concept piece for a Westfield here in Adelaide.
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Mate what can I say? But thanks I’m a whole lot wiser now,
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Apple TV let’s you watch Kayo without voice tech?