Chromecast Yanks Input Feature.

Playing with Google Chromecast over holiday season. Looking at all the apps to cast. The Chromecast has a nifty feature of grabbing the HDMI input on our Toshiba TV. That HDMI-CEC feature alone is useful. Read on.

Our Toshiba like many TVs has about ten inputs. It has has a standard input selector (pressing "input" switches to next input source). But the loop of ten types of inputs (and their respective timeouts for signal detection) make it almost impossible to loop through to the desired input. And though it has an option to select input by number, that numeric option apparently works only through the Toshiba remote and not universal remotes.

Enter Chromecast: Hook it to the first HDMI input (usually grouped together) immediately before the most interesting input or group of inputs. In the in-laws-TV case just before the main composite input of interest (cable box or other).  In Toshiba case HDMI-1 just before cable box on HDMI-2. Basically hook it up to the input in the loop as close as possible and before the desired/main TV input source (apart from Chromecast itself of course *grin*).

One simply gets the right input for Chromecast by invoking a cast application (like YouTube or other). To get back to other main most-used inputs one can simply push the input button once or twice (not six or seven times).

Actually wish the DVD players and TV set top box had this HDMI-CEC "yank" feature built in (linked to menu or play - NOT volume or channel change - for obvious contention reasons). Then there would be no more pressing input at all. When target device was accessed via remote, it would simply grab an HDMI port.

Brings up idea of an HDMI selector box with four inputs and one HDMI output and built in HDMI-CEC control feature. Button on top for "emergency" manual select. "Yank" by ability to sense HDMI control.

Chromecast itself is well worth it alone just as HDMI "yank" input.

Minimal portable PC – USB3, HDMI, 10G Ethernet, 5V (internal battery), 10G RAM, 100G SSD, Under 1kg, Under 15W.

Had previously sought a minimal PC.

http://albertputnam.blogspot.com/2010/12/small-portable-brick-computer-without.html

Still looking.

And, okay, will take an integrated display if one is forced into the package. This is almost a reality with the Microsoft Surface and related tablets. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_Pro_2

USB3 but sadly no devoted Ethernet... but via USB3 is possible.

CuBox is close but not USB3 (yet?). And not yet well Windows supported. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CuBox

But it is very much within technical reach to meet the specs. Staying rather firm about no WiFi, Bluetooth, nor other wireless. Want the assurance of physically disconnecting those interfaces. See separate blog on WiFi tracking.

http://albertputnam.blogspot.com/2013/11/wifi-tracking-any-rf-tracking.html

Basically run full latest modern OSes with all I/O (except network and video and those “could” be USB3 too – if the OSes could accept the USB3 devices at boot).  To repeat:

- Ethernet (up to Gigabit speeds – maybe 10G)

- USB 3

- HDMI

- 6hr+ battery. No fan.

- Form factor of small brick like book/tablet. Under one kg.

- Power over Ethernet (PoE) 802.3af, or power from a USB outlet.

- 8+G Memory, 100+G SSD, i7 based?

Small Portable Brick Computer Without Display

Have been seeking a small personal or embedded computer. The market is getting close but is still not there.

Want "laptop" or "palmtop" with power to run full modern Linux/Windows, but no screen nor keyboard nor mouse. All entry I/O attached via USB.

- Ethernet (up to Gigabit speeds)
- USB 2.0+ (4 port)
- HDMI
- eSATA or microSD (maybe)
- 6hr+ battery. No fan.
- Form factor of small brick like book/tablet. Under one kg.
- Power over Ethernet (PoE) 802.3af, or power from a USB outlet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet

No integrated display. One gets to choose the display. Most importantly one gets to choose to not to carry a display. Use with HMD or projector (mini LED projector) or display (like hotel LED/LCD TV, or desktop monitor).

No Wifi or other RF like 4G. RF is easy to attach via USB. The same attachment ease applies to external DVD/CD and other media and I/O. HDMI and eSATA can provide high bandwidth I/O.

Battery is for riding out glitches and outages, for portability, and for peaking when USB and PoE charging are insufficient in their continuous rating.