Chromecast with Google TV is one of the best streaming devices you can ever get. It is even better when you consider its price, and that it is one of the few devices in a similar category of devices that ships with Google TV (as its name suggests).
Others simply have Android TV, which is not bad, but we like the former because it looks great in terms of UI/UX.
Those who had purchased the earlier Chromecast from many years ago should be able to remember how good the stick was. It functioned as advertised, and had one great feature: you could actually power it from one of the USB outlets on your TV, meaning you didn’t need an additional plug for the same.
However, this is not the case with the Chromecast with Google TV (4K), and the recently launched Chromecast with Google TV (HD). The two devices need to be powered by a separate plug, which is a step backward from what many people had loved so much about their older sibling.
Powering the device from a USB port is actually attractive because it means that you do not need to load your power extension with additional cables. Cables just make things messier.
Besides, modern TVs have a ton of ports, which are actually capable of powering small peripherals.
I can understand why the 4K model cannot be powered by a TV USB socket (I have the same device, and love it dearly as clearly outlined in the link below, including the fact that it runs a Google TV software that is easy to play around with). It needs a 5V/1.5A power brick to run, which is also included in the packaging materials. I, nonetheless, tried to power it using my TV’s USB port, but it prompted me to plug it directly into a main source of power.
READ: Chromecast with Google TV 4K Review
However, I don’t understand why this is the case with the newer HD version of the device. Could it be because the device runs a full OS, rather than the original model that basically ran a cast platform? Likely so but would have been better if it need not need an additional power plug to run.
Which streaming device/box are you currently using? Are you on Android TV or Google TV? Do you like the software that your TV ships with do you immediately put it aside for a streaming box?
