Any Chromecast users?

[r00t4rd3d]

Does anyone else have a Chromecast? Just sitting idle it uses a ton of data, I monitored it today and it used 23mb in a hour while doing nothing but displaying the background/screensaver image. I believe those images are whats causing the data use, when it goes to cycle to a new image it downloads one from Google's server.

Now onto the fun stuff, stopping it! The first thing that was tried was stopping the Chromecast from connecting to anything outside the lan but this breaks the functionality of the device cause it apparently phones home to Google and if it cant reach Google it goes into setup mode.

The wallpapers reside on a CDN network and as soon as one IP is blocked, it queries for the address of another. If you stop the query itself, chromecast becomes non-functional.

So my goal is to determine exactly where the images are coming from and to block them, redirect to local, dnsmasq, etc but I am not sure the best path to take.

Anyone up for some brainstorming?

 

[jlake]

I was thinking about getting one of those as a gift. I have Apple TV. For Apple TV, you can go in to settings and tell it to sleep after 15 minutes of idle. I suppose you've already checked the settings and can't make it automatically sleep after inactivity. Is there a firmware update for it?

 

[r00t4rd3d]

There is no sleep settings. Google silently updates the firmware and doesnt say anything official about it. I am on the latest version. When it first came out you could root it, which would solve all my problems, but then Google patched the exploit to obtain root with a update and no one has found a new method yet.

 

[RMerlin]

If you can determine the IP it connects to, you might block it through iptables - assuming it does not need to connect to that same IP for other purposes as well.

One stopgap measure might be to put it under Parental Control, to at least block its Internet access during the night.

 

[claymoh]

Does anyone else have a Chromecast? Just sitting idle it uses a ton of data, I monitored it today and it used 23mb in a hour while doing nothing but displaying the background/screensaver image. I believe those images are whats causing the data use, when it goes to cycle to a new image it downloads one from Google's server.

Now onto the fun stuff, stopping it! The first thing that was tried was stopping the Chromecast from connecting to anything outside the lan but this breaks the functionality of the device cause it apparently phones home to Google and if it cant reach Google it goes into setup mode.



So my goal is to determine exactly where the images are coming from and to block them, redirect to local, dnsmasq, etc but I am not sure the best path to take.

Anyone up for some brainstorming?

Yes, in fact I noticed the same thing. I also noticed a second thing. The chrome browser has seemed very sluggish lately. I found the chrome extension enable, disabled it, and boom the browser sped up NOTICEABLY. It was set on computers I had never streamed either (must have pulled it from my login?). I just checked the traffic though, and it is still pretty high. I love the chromecast, but they should not have silly side effects like this.

 

[rljames]

Yes, in fact I noticed the same thing. I also noticed a second thing. The chrome browser has seemed very sluggish lately. I found the chrome extension enable, disabled it, and boom the browser sped up NOTICEABLY. It was set on computers I had never streamed either (must have pulled it from my login?). I just checked the traffic though, and it is still pretty high. I love the chromecast, but they should not have silly side effects like this.

I have a Chromecast but haven't noticed any Browser impact.
Where do I find data traffic stats for device?

 

[Vandergraff]

I have a Chromecast and bandwidth logging by IP enabled so I will check when I get home tonight.

In my case the Chromecast gets power from a USB output on the TV - so it is only on when the TV is on. Obviously when powered off (most of the time) I doubt it is using any bandwidth - but it will be interesting to see what it is doing when the TV is on and we are using other sources.

I haven't noticed any slowdown in Chrome.

 

[tbessie]

Yes, in fact I noticed the same thing. I also noticed a second thing. The chrome browser has seemed very sluggish lately. I found the chrome extension enable, disabled it, and boom the browser sped up NOTICEABLY. It was set on computers I had never streamed either (must have pulled it from my login?). I just checked the traffic though, and it is still pretty high. I love the chromecast, but they should not have silly side effects like this.

Are you talking about the Chromecast plugin for Chrome? Or are you saying your Chrome browser slowed down even without using that plugin?

- Tim

 

[Vandergraff]

Yes as I expected my Chromecast is downloading some but not a lot of data on days where we haven't used it (~16 MB today, 23 MB yesterday). However as it is powered from a USB port of the TV it is only on when the TV is on for a couple of hours each day.

 

[rljames]

Yes as I expected my Chromecast is downloading some but not a lot of data on days where we haven't used it (~16 MB today, 23 MB yesterday). However as it is powered from a USB port of the TV it is only on when the TV is on for a couple of hours each day.

Where are the Chromecast download stats?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[stevech]

What does Chromecast get me that the combination of my cable TV $$$ tiers don't, and my Internet enabled TV doesn't (Netflix plus all the free but uninteresting stuff) brings?

Truly, all we watch is several of the Discovery channels, NBCsports, FOXsports and a few others. No sitcoms and no faked hillbillies.

 

[tipstir]

What does Chromecast get me that the combination of my cable TV $$$ tiers don't, and my Internet enabled TV doesn't (Netflix plus all the free but uninteresting stuff) brings?

Truly, all we watch is several of the Discovery channels, NBCsports, FOXsports and a few others. No sitcoms and no faked hillbillies.

Gets you into trouble that's what it does! LOL Just kidding..

This device sends whatever you have smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop to our HDTV. Video wise. It also has built-in programs like Netflix Youtube an etc. There is already underground to make this device do more that it can do right out of the box.

I've seen this for $25 bucks at Walmart SuperCenter. Aren't you on Time Warner, COMCAST is buying up TW and dropping some 3m customers.

Also with Chromecast there is no remote, your tablet, laptop, smartphone is your remote.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Just got a ChromeCast for our office a few days ago. Have it on our big screen TV up on the wall of our office, we use it from our desktops while doing training, education meetings, etc.

Based on our Ubiquiti controller for our Unifi AP in the office, in the past 1x day and 8 hours, it's pulled down just over 2 gigs of data. Much of that time has been idle.

Have not noticed performance issues of my Chrome browser at all since install the plugin.

 

[sm00thpapa]

I have 2 chromecasts and they work well. My only issue is the on all the time part. No biggie there's a block to check off where it says to send serial number to google while updating. I leave that unchecked.

 

[L&LD]

I have 2 chromecasts and they work well. My only issue is the on all the time part. No biggie there's a block to check off where it says to send serial number to google while updating. I leave that unchecked.

And you think google honors that, eh? lol...

 

[sm00thpapa]

And you think google honors that, eh? lol...

Ahh I hope so. LOL!