Good news for Android TV and Chromecast owners — VLC Player 3.0 is finally here. The latest version gives users the ability to stream from VLC to Chromecast or Android TV, and it gives users flexibility like no other. No more extra steps are necessary.
Welcome to the future of screencasting with ease.
You know what this means, right? If you have an old flatscreen TV that has an HDMI port, then you can turn that TV into a media player extension with the help of a Google Chromecast! This thumb drive-looking device can turn your ordinary TV into a smart one.
Suppose you are thinking about upgrading your multimedia experience at home by bringing some of your TVs or monitors back to life. In that case, We highly recommend checking out the prerequisites listed below.
What do you need to start streaming from VLC to Chromecast?
When it comes to preparing the things you need to stream from VLC to Chromecast, you only need to make sure of 4 things:
- VLC Media Player Current Version 3.0 or higher
- Windows or Mac-based Computer as multimedia source
- Chromecast Device or Android TV Device
- A Capable Wi-Fi Router or Network Switch*
While we don’t prefer which Chromecast device works best for you, we highly recommend checking out the basic ones first to get an idea of what you’re buying into. You can get something as low as $24.99 on Amazon.
Expect to shell out more if you want better features, such as more advanced features and better compatibility across multimedia files.
But, don’t worry, since you’ll be using a computer to stream from VLC to Chromecast, we have suggestions later on.
*A consistent Wi-Fi Router or Network Switch is recommended when streaming video playback over the network. Range and network congestion also play a significant role in streaming quality.
How to Stream from VLC to Chromecast for Windows and Mac
Got everything you need? Great! Now, it’s time to discuss how to set everything up correctly.
When streaming from VLC to Chromecast, what you need to do is pretty straightforward: launch the app, find the streaming device, and pair.
Here are some steps by steps for a much easier breakdown:
STEP 1
Make sure your Google Chromecast device is already installed. Then, open VLC player and click on Playback Tab.
STEP 2
On the top left corner of the VLC media player window, highlight Renderer and look for your Chromecast device to screencast on.
Once your device is selected, open a file that you want to cast onto your device. Then, wait for an error prompt.
STEP 3
Once you can see the error prompt, click on View Certificate to proceed to the next step.
STEP 4
Click on Accept permanently or Accept 24 hours, depending on your preferences. We recommend permanently if you’re going to use the display more than once.
Congratulations! You’re basically done with the challenging part. Now, all you have to do now is to see if your collection is compatible with your choice of streaming device.
Then, check your video files to see if they are playable.
Additional Tip:
You can also use Google Chrome tabs to screencast. If the Chrome tab has multimedia content playing in it.
Then you should see a drop-down arrow giving you options to cast it to your preferred streaming device. Use this as a way to troubleshoot screencast issues with VLC.
For Mac Users
Mac to Chromecast is pretty much the same. Open up VLC Media Player for macOS, search for your streaming stick, and watch the magic happen.
You can also use your Chrome browser to cast to Chromecast-Enabled devices. If done correctly, you should be able to stream from VLC to Chromecast as usual.
Making the most out of cheap Chromecast Devices
While Chromecast on VLC is a great option, some users have been having tech issues in different aspects of screencasting.
From incorrect video outputs and out-of-sync audio outputs to black screens and incompatibility issues.
Fortunately, this can be easily fixed by checking your device’s supported formats.
Best Practices
In our experience, here are our best practices for avoiding technical difficulty when using Chromecast on VLC:
- Avoid using advanced codecs such as H.265, MKV, and WebM. Using MPEG-4 and H.264 codecs worked flawlessly in most of our tests. Some files returned weird audio file glitches.
- Use 5Ghz for better streaming quality. While the downside is a shorter Wi-Fi range, the benefit of being closer to the source is a must for a better watching experience.
- Try to download a different file format for the same video. Take note of errors or issues along the way.
- Always keep your VLC Player up-to-date. This is very important for your VLC stream to Chromecast as optimizations will just keep getting better.
- If you are having problems with VLC Chromecast, try using your mobile phone and see if it’s the file or the app itself. Check out your Android Video Player if the file plays there.
Summary
There you have it. Hopefully, you were able to figure out how to screencast from VLC to Chromecast with ease.
We also hope that the additional tips we have provided will make your playing and streaming experience more pleasurable.
Again, note that VLC + Chromecast is still in beta stages, and compatibility will be better in future patches.
We’re pretty sure that we will have a wide variety of audio formats and video container file types soon. Be sure to keep the VLC player up-to-date.
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API