Why google? Why?!?!

Android might be too open for Google's liking.
Allowing free streaming of audio and video would only cement Apple's good standing with companies more comfortable with controllable DRM.
Also, Android is seen as a highly vulnerable platform.

No one can have two masters.
Google can't make money on advertising alone.
Alas, only time will tell...

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rans0m00 said:

So I searched and came up empty.

Why would google stop the rooting of the chromecast? It's not like we can do anything too crazy with it..
Just whitelist and change the dns... So I don't get it.

One of the biggest reasons I bailed from Apple products to Android products was the ease of making it work how I wanted it to work thanks to all the devs.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Two of ways to look at it...

1. Google never intended for root to happen, initial bootloader vulnerability was an engineering version released by accident
2. Google loves us and released vulnerable bootloader on purpose, but that jeopardized their agreements with Netflix, Hulu, HBO, etc so they had to patch the hole

I think both have something do with it.
Given Hollywood's fear and lack of understanding of technlogy, they probably heard "rooted" and immediately called the lawyers. Doesn't matter that Chromecast doesn't actually download and store the content, so root really doesn't help in terms of "they have a copy that they can decrypt" - it's just fear.
From a business perspective Google's really pushing this mass market. So if that was the reason, the choice became "We lock it down, make the content providers happy and sell millions - or we don't lock it down, lose the content providers, and have a $35 Google TV that can't even access anything more than YouTube" well....

It's one thing to stand your ground and alienate a large group while still having functionality but standing your ground, alienating a large group and ending up with a fairly useless and unmarketable device is a recipe for angry stockholders.

tl;dr - blame the ignorant content industry decision-makers that think all we want to do is pirate stuff.

Well how willing would a company like Netflix be to support a device that once rooted could be used to steal their encryption and Auth methods So you could steal their content?

A rooted CCast could be programmed to off load the players and content it uses locally,

The content creators and providers know this which is why most content related apps are set up to refuse to work in the presence of root on a device.

Google doesn't really care if your device is rooted or not but the people they want to support the CCast care.

Remember the failure of GoogleTV, The TV Networks blacklisted the device because they believed it would be used to pirate their material and wanted to charge you or google to see it!
Unless you went directly to their site where they could count you as a view and make the money from advertising.

rans0m00 said:

Hopefully more apps pick up on this or it will just be another device google tried to get rolling and failed at.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

I think they will and are. Android mirroring will help a lot, but even now there are many "hidden gems" like Vbukit that could really take off once Google lets up on the reins.

rans0m00 said:

Hmm the possible using root to offload the videos makes sense. Seems like it would take some effort but could be as easy as some code a powered USB driver.

I think about it different... Rooted more options to make it stream more stuff... Not more options to snag stuff.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

actually there is nothing about root other than bypassing the whitelist that lets you play more stuff.
To put it another way....
Would rooting your TV make it do something more than it already does? No it wouldn't would it?

It'a nothing more than who has access to control the hardware but the hardware doesn't do any more than it already does and it still won't play an AVI natively without transcoding so your not really gaining capability, Just removing restrictions that are there to keep control of DRM content to keep Content providers and creators happy.

If they let it stay uncontrolled then devices like this would be supported while Content providers stayed away from CCast due to it's uncontrolled environment.

http://www.webpronews.com/ces-2014-netgear-announces-hdmi-dongle-chromecast-competitor-2014-01

Asphyx said:

A rooted CCast could be programmed to off load the players and content it uses locally

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

So can linux box, an android, a flashed ps3, a flashed xbox360, and anything else running a linux based distro which has access to netflix through web browsers or otherwise. Hell, with a little code, a raspberry pi could do it! Put a qualcomm chip, wifi capability and a touchscreen on my coffee maker and I could make the damn thing gain unauthorized access to netflix.

hp420 said:

Put a qualcomm chip, wifi capability and a touchscreen on my coffee maker and I could make the damn thing gain unauthorized access to netflix.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Yes, and then the Hollywood lawyers would try to stop your coffee maker's maker from making coffee makers. Whoa, that's a lot of makers...

hp420 said:

So can linux box, an android, a flashed ps3, a flashed xbox360, and anything else running a linux based distro which has access to netflix through web browsers or otherwise. Hell, with a little code, a raspberry pi could do it! Put a qualcomm chip, wifi capability and a touchscreen on my coffee maker and I could make the damn thing gain unauthorized access to netflix.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Yep and why do you think Netflix upgrades sometimes won't play on your rooted device?

What is more important to you...

having content to view or access to make the unit play any content you wanted if only there was content available for it!

Asphyx said:

Yep and why do you think Netflix upgrades sometimes won't play on your rooted device?

What is more important to you...

having content to view or access to make the unit play any content you wanted if only there was content available for it!

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Honestly?? Having root is more important to me. I've never used any of the services we're talking about (hulu, netflix, amazon, etc.) I use other means to get my video streaming accomplished, and prefer to have full control of my device without some corporate shmuck who doesn't even know what a rooted phone can do stepping in and saying I'm breaking their tos by tampering with open source firmware installed on hardware I own outright. This is why I choose to use alternatives

The chromecast was never advertised as an open source device.

Maybe it's time people realize that Google isn't synonymous with 'free, good or open source' .
They are a company and they are here to make money.

Honestly, I'm already set with the chromecast.

Netfliz+Hulu + avia + showbox +vget +plex + tab casting = my money's worth



Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

hp420 said:

Honestly?? Having root is more important to me. I've never used any of the services we're talking about (hulu, netflix, amazon, etc.) I use other means to get my video streaming accomplished, and prefer to have full control of my device without some corporate shmuck who doesn't even know what a rooted phone can do stepping in and saying I'm breaking their tos by tampering with open source firmware installed on hardware I own outright. This is why I choose to use alternatives

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

So given a choice of having Media available for a Media device or Rooted device that does nothing you want the Rooted paperweight....

Good for you!

rans0m00 said:

In defense... The rooted paperweight wouldn't be correct. With a strong enough dev environment we would have more options. Would seriously take a strong dev following though, since they would be responsible for keeping it from being a paperweight.

Anyways I got my answer from this thread. Which is my views are I like everything being as open as possible.

I understand now why google has to keep or attempt to keep the platform locked down for it to be a success. Maybe in the future google will find a balance of more options while still keeping the lawyers Happy.

Till then let's hope the chromecast just gets better support from app developers and increasing in popularity.... Which I think will bring more devs and possibly more chances for getting root and other roms.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Rans...Don't get me wrong I don't really have a problem with Root but there comes a point where having control over a device thats express purpose is to stream media and send content to a screen makes having content available more important than having control over Root access to a device that won't do what it is intended to do once you get it!

This is not a phone that you can sideload programs to and make it do something it wasn't intended to do.

It is like saying I want complete control over my TV Operating system and don't care if everyone who makes TV content available won't suppot my device making it a nice peice of electronics you can hack but serves no other purpose.

If rooting lost you Netflix, Plex, aVia and all the other content provider support what good would all that root access get you?
Are developers going to start making movies for you to watch as well?
Or are you just getting root to make your TV an Android box when an Android Stick would do the same thing for you?

Right now the only reason to have root is to Run Team Eureka's rom, And it is well worth having for that!

But if Netflix, Hulu and anyone else who has content to use on the device did a Root Check and stopped supporting your rooted device you would have nothing more than a nice Splash screen on your TV...

It's one thing to be a control freak about your devices...

Just remember the folks who make the content you want to see on your devices have the same desire (and RIGHT) to want to control who sees their content and who doesn't!

And you will blame them for not trusting you not yourself on insisting to have root on a device whose sole purpose is to display someone else's content!

We would all love to have root access to everything in life....
And thinking your going to get more just because you have more control is foolish because we have seen Root get you less from those who HAVE the content you really want.

If all this device could display was stuff you owned no one would need it because there are about 100 different devices that can already do it an better!