Google expands Chromecast functionality to include YouTube live streams

By Alex Tretbar June 18, 2014

Google announced yesterday that it has added Chromecast support of YouTube live streams, allowing users of the dongle to cast content such as live concerts and sporting events from their mobile devices onto the big screen. Until recently, users could cast live streams to their televisions only via PC, but the expanded functionality removes the need for that workaround.

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In the Google+ post detailing the update, Google explains that with the “Chromecast available in 18 countries and YouTube live streams happening on the regular, we wanted to share one of our favorite ways to use Chromecast.” The post offers up four upcoming live stream options for users who might be unfamiliar with the YouTube feature:

Have a personal concert with Adam Levine during the AMEX EveryDay Live with Maroon 5 (6/20)
Dance your heart out while nobody’s watching all night with the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) (June 20-22)
Catch up on soccer action by casting Adidas – The Dugout Live from Rio (June 27, June 28, July 3, and July 12)
Get your surfing fix with the ASP World Tour from South Africa (July 10) and from Huntington Beach (July 27)

Also included in the blog post is a link to Google’s restrictions on live streaming, which includes notes on global availability, network strikes, advertisements, and InVideo Programming (a YouTube feature that enables you to embed a specific video of your choice, or your channel logo, across all of your channel’s videos.

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Alex Tretbar, audio/video intern, is a writer, editor, musician, gamer and sci-fi nerd raised on EverQuest and Magic: The…

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