Airtame - I'd like this from my Chromecast!

Wisiwyg · Jan 17, 2014

Airtame is a new HDMI dongle that promises to allow you to display anything from your devices...

Details here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/airtame-wireless-hdmi-for-everyone--2

I was one of the early Chromecast buyers, successfully able to root and now running a number of the utilities found in this forum. But I still want to be able to simply cast anything I see on my pc or android phone to my TV. This new crowd-sourced device promises to do that, and more. Take a look at the link to see all the cool things they've planned. They started out requesting $160k, but have raised nearly $1M. With each successive goal completion, they've added a stretch goal and have achieved nearly every one. I think the key to its success is the ability to display just about any content you want.

Is there a way to do the same with our Chromecasts? I see the only thing holding it back at the moment is content. The devs here have been doing wondrous work bringing in content and more will be made available. Can we make Chromecast open to all content?

Oh, and they won the Engadget award for the "Best Startup of CES 2014"!

Admins - Please feel free to move/delete if you feel this is inappropriate.

bhiga · Jan 17, 2014

Android screen mirroring seems to be on the way but it will require either Google or an OEM (not third party developer) to implement it, probably because of security concerns (not to mention DRM/copyright concerns).
https://plus.google.com/110558071969009568835/posts/ch57ZKvqpYb

Meanwhile Koush is continuing to work on his own alternative for other targets.

MadBob · Jan 17, 2014

Meh!

Only supports PC's etc. DOES NOT and by the sound of it WILL NOT support Android other than as a remote.

Asphyx · Jan 17, 2014

Miracast already does this and all this seems to do is remove the proprietary Miracast Wireless part of it...

CCast could do this already if someone just made an app for it and got it added to the whitelist.

jchillerup · Jan 19, 2014

I'm actually working on getting the Airtame software running on the Chromecast. The software, its library and the protocol will be open source, so don't worry so much about hardware support just yet. Just stick around and see what the community will come up with. Disclosure: I'm working at the same office as the Airtame team.

Right now my problem is getting the Chromecast to a hackable state. The ones I have are all updated past the fixed boot loader, so I need to find a new vector. Last night I tried to solder probes to the I/O pins of the NAND chip itself to dump the flash using an Arduino and its super slow serial connection -- better than nothing at least. I need to find some thinner wire though; the stuff I used was 20-something AWG. Will give it another go next weekend.

atiti · Jan 19, 2014

Looking forward to it jchillerup

bhiga · Jan 19, 2014

jchillerup said:
I need to find some thinner wire though; the stuff I used was 20-something AWG. Will give it another go next weekend.

Wire-wrapping wire (Kynar, 30+AWG) is your friend, though that stuff will break if you sneeze. Forceps and magnifying glass are also your friend.

And if you haven't already, sign up to be a developer so you can get your Chromecast whitelisted. That's the "proper" way to do mainstream Chromecast development.

siratfus · Jan 20, 2014

MadBob said:
Meh!

Only supports PC's etc. DOES NOT and by the sound of it WILL NOT support Android other than as a remote.

Did you read the fundraising targets? It hit a million, so there will be android and iOS support.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

maxjivi05 · Jan 20, 2014

Sound awesome

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

Nizda1 · Jan 20, 2014

Looks interesting. But in the faq it states that the ability to stream from an Android or iOS device is technically possible but access to specialized hardware is restricted by the vendors, thereby needing root or jailbreak to work. Which they also say they will not support. That's their words, so it looks like the road map is only for a remote or possibly casting a screen to the mobile device.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

ntajlis · Jan 20, 2014

I like the way Airtame is heading but the price is overkill. Chromecast + Avia ($2.99)=$38 is already have and can do what airtame can except the optional ethernet port.

SPH-L720_!

atiti · Jan 20, 2014

ntajlis said:
I like the way Airtame is heading but the price is overkill. Chromecast + Avia ($2.99)=$38 is already have and can do what airtame can except the optional ethernet port.

SPH-L720_!

Hard to get the price down to Chromecast level when you can't order millions at once, and there is not a big search engine with ad revenue backing the financial losses on a 35$ device....

Asphyx · Jan 20, 2014

siratfus said:
Did you read the fundraising targets? It hit a million, so there will be android and iOS support.

Well they have raised the Funds now the hard part starts...Actually manufacturing them! LOL

atiti said:
Hard to get the price down to Chromecast level when you can't order millions at once, and there is not a big search engine with ad revenue backing the financial losses on a 35$ device....

Google probably isn't even making a penny off the CCast sales either....

This device is all about the DIAL protocol whose patents are co-owned by Google and Netflix.
It is meant mostly as a way of expanding the customer base for their content products to those who do not have a Smart TV or other streambox connected to their TVs.

It is far simpler to create a standard method for streaming to remote devices and creating a device to do that than it is to get the 5-10 TV Manufacturers to adopt a protocol standard that has not already been established in the Market.

This device seems to be a hybrid CCast/Miracast. The Main difference is that it doesn't use Player Apps as much as it does Mirroring. WHich is good in cases where Mirroring is desirable but it depends on the streaming device to do most of the work (aka BATTERY KILLER!)
CCast should be able to do everything this device claims to do if only Google would open up the Whitelist or create the apps for Mirroring.

Mirroring makes sense in some situations but not all. And unless this device adds some of the DIAL capability Chromecast has to play content without requiring the initiating device to do most of the work this seems a bit like a Miracast killer but still won't be as useful as the Chromecast is, Knowing what we know it is capable of doing if only Google would let it!

Just to add I would describe the three methods like this...

Miracast - Mirror via Wireless Radio ONLY!
Airtame - MIrror via IP
Chromecast - Mirror via Wired or Wireless (such as the way GoogleCast works), PLUS the ability to play remote content without killing your battery.

All Google really needs to do to beat the other two contenders is to more fully support Mirroring on more Platforms than just the desktop or add the capability to add the CCast as a display device for PC, Tablets and Phone.

If it does that then the others will be forced to act more like Chromecasts to sell.

jchillerup · Jan 22, 2014

Asphyx said:
All Google really needs to do to beat the other two contenders is to more fully support Mirroring on more Platforms than just the desktop or add the capability to add the CCast as a display device for PC, Tablets and Phone.

Now, I'm obviously biased but I just want to make one point clear: There is a difference between Airtame and the Chromecast in that one is completely open source and hackable while the other one isn't. Want root? You got it. Moreover, the Airtame protocol can be implemented by whoever wants to move imagery and metadata from one device to another with low latency.

The Airtame team acknowledges the fact that they're not just selling a commodity device; they're selling a tiny computer to people and they're encouraging the community to hack around with it. If we're just looking at differences in current offerings we're completely disregarding a (potential) community around this thing.

Asphyx · Jan 22, 2014

jchillerup said:
Now, I'm obviously biased but I just want to make one point clear: There is a difference between Airtame and the Chromecast in that one is completely open source and hackable while the other one isn't. Want root? You got it. Moreover, the Airtame protocol can be implemented by whoever wants to move imagery and metadata from one device to another with low latency.

The Airtame team acknowledges the fact that they're not just selling a commodity device; they're selling a tiny computer to people and they're encouraging the community to hack around with it. If we're just looking at differences in current offerings we're completely disregarding a (potential) community around this thing.

I understand but the fact it can be rooted will not make it play content without requiring a device to stay connected to it.
If they add DIAL support so you can launch a content and then go play a game on the device that launched it they have a shot...

But from what I have seen and heard of from this device, it is merely a Mirroring Dongle that doesn't require some proprietary wireless protocol to do it's Mirroring like Miracast does!

So it will Mirror in a similar way that the CCast does, but not do the other stuff CCast does.

And if Mirroring is all you want it's much better than Miracast!

Not Knocking the product at all just pointing out it is a different beast that CCast and not even trying to do some of what the CCast can do...

ntajlis · Jan 23, 2014

This Airtame sounds just like Ouya when they promise the device to be hackable and rooted. Then it happens. Look what happens to the Ouya.

SPH-L720_!

siratfus · Jan 24, 2014

What's annoying with all these devices is that they require your tablet or phone to use a certain OS number. Is the Airtame any different?

I've been searching for a mirroring device for the Sony Tablet S, and nothing is compatible with the OS version I currently have. The damn thing doesn't even allow micro usb to HDMI cables. Miracast, tronsmart, etc.. "S" stands for SUCK in Sony Tablet S. It has the latest updates too. So there is nothing more I can do other than wait for Sony, and I don't think they'll support this tablet anymore. It has a stupid "throwing" feature for DLNA, but I need to mirror streaming apps and sites.

Asphyx · Jan 25, 2014

siratfus said:
What's annoying with all these devices is that they require your tablet or phone to use a certain OS number. Is the Airtame any different?

I've been searching for a mirroring device for the Sony Tablet S, and nothing is compatible with the OS version I currently have. The damn thing doesn't even allow micro usb to HDMI cables. Miracast, tronsmart, etc.. "S" stands for SUCK in Sony Tablet S. It has the latest updates too. So there is nothing more I can do other than wait for Sony, and I don't think they'll support this tablet anymore. It has a stupid "throwing" feature for DLNA, but I need to mirror streaming apps and sites.

Well it requires certain OS' because it requires a WiFi implementation that is relatively new and not supported by older OS'.

But for the Record I don't believe the Airtame suffers from that problem at all. I believe it works closer to the CCast in that it connects to the Wireless Router and you stream over IP which does not require any specialized WiFi support.
It is not making a direct Radio to Radio connection.

Miracast does.

Wisiwyg · Jan 25, 2014

My biggest desire is straight-up mirroring. Whatever I display on my PC to a tv/projector. I like the idea of CCast having competition. Maybe this will entice Google to open it up a bit more if people have alternatives.

For those that commented the cost was too high, just think about what you're getting: dual core cpu, b/g/n wireless, I/O, ram... and open. pretty sweet for the cost.

But it will not compare to the CCast as G is playing the long game - they'll know anything you're looking at/casting and target you with promotions and use your aggregated data. Now, couple that with what's going to happen with the Nest thermostat/smoke detector. They'll know when you're home, where you live, your daily home/away habits, when you rise, when you sleep... I want options that aren't tied into G. Just wait until they offer a Google 'Fridge that inventories what you purchase and makes a shopping list for you and a Google ODB-II dongle that plugs into your car and maps out your gas mileage, frequent trips, etc and projects it to your Android Phone, while they collect the data.

Yes, they are out to know everything... and it starts at home. Like I said, I want options.

jdmanley87 · Mar 26, 2014

So this still won't support Android? I think on the airtame website the lead mentioned this is because "we need Google or Apple to open up". But couldn't they support an airtime android app to use only rooted, and with CyanogenMod (or other aftermarket ROM)?

Also, plain mirroring is boring (though still useful), I'd prefer an app that lets me stream from my phone to TV a local video file, while letting me still use the phone for other things. I like movies, but get bored and would want to multitask like browse Reddit while watching said movie.

Airtame - I'd like this from my Chromecast!

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