There are now many different streaming services available in the market. Airtame is one of the latest products, and it looks quite similar to Chromecast. Which one is the right one for you to buy? That depends on what you need. Below we will see how Airtame vs Chromecast are different from each other.
Continue reading below to learn more about:
– The connectivity features supported by each model
– The device management capabilities of each model
– Which device that is generally easier to use
– The screensaver on each device
– The performance of Airtame vs Chromecast
– Which streaming service that is more recommended for you
Connectivity
Both Airtame and Chromecast are wireless devices that allow you to stream whatever that is on your computer or mobile device to display screens or projectors with HDMI ports. However, Airtame is optimized for office and enterprise settings, whereas Chromecast is optimized for home networks. See also: Nyrius Aries Pro vs Prime.
Airtame supports WPA Personal and WPA2 Enterprise. In a regular wireless network, it can broadcast itself to the network so that the connected devices can receive the stream. However, many business and school networks block all kinds of broadcasting for security. Airtame can work around this by allowing you to type in the IP address of the device that you want to connect. The IP address is then displayed on the screen all the time.
Chromecast supports WPA Personal, which is commonly used in home networks. But it doesn’t support WPA2 Enterprise, which is often implemented in big companies, hotels, and schools. Chromecast relies on broadcasting, so it can’t work in a network that blocks broadcasting.
Both Airtame vs Chromecast can work with Ethernet connections. This is useful when you want to avoid using an unstable Wi-Fi network. With Airtame, you can plug an Ethernet adapter into the Micro USB port. With Chromecast, you can use the optional Ethernet adapter that Google provides for its devices.
Device Management
Airtame allows organizations that use multiple Airtame units to easily manage their devices through Airtame Cloud. It is a free platform where you can monitor and manage all Airtame devices connected to the network. You can check connection settings and Wi-Fi signal strength remotely through this platform. It also allows you to reboot, update, and edit settings of multiple devices at once.
Airtame has robust guest streaming. Your guest can connect to any Airtame unit as long as he/she is connected to the same network. If your network has administrative restrictions that prevent people from installing software, they can use the Airtame Windows Guest app to connect to the streaming device. In addition, Airtame also has Pin Code Connect, which is similar to Chromecast’s four-digit PIN mechanism, to ensure that only people in the room can cast to the unit.
So far, Chromecast doesn’t have any device management feature. This is understandable. An average home user is unlikely to have a high quantity of Chromecast units installed in their household. Nevertheless, Chromecast does have Guest Mode. In the Guest Mode, someone can cast their screen to your TV without connecting to your wireless network. They only need to enter a four-digit PIN from the TV.
Ease of Use
Airtame vs Chromecast actually use different technologies. Airtametakes content from a computer screen to the display, and this is called mirroring. Meanwhile, Chromecast takes content from the Internet to the display; in other words, it is casting.
Airtame simply streams what is displayed on your computer screen to the TV. This is what you need when you want to lead a presentation. However, when you want to stream a TV show or film for other people, you need to keep the window screen on your computer. In other words, you won’t be able to use the computer for other things while streaming.
The distinctive advantage that Airtame offers is the ease of use. It is incredibly simple and straightforward to mirror your computer’s screen on the TV. You just need to open the Airtame app and click on the “Start” button. Airtame is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
With the Chromecastapp and the Chrome browser installed on your computer, you can stream content from online media subscriptions, like Netflix or HBO, and cast it to the TV. Once the stream has started, you can use the computer for doing other things without disturbing the stream. Nevertheless, you can also cast your desktop to the TV through the Chrome browser.
Chromecast can be quite versatile in this regard. However, the operation is not really straightforward. It involves multiple clicks, as you need to open the Chrome browser (which may take some time on some computers), open the settings and head to the “Cast” section, open the drop-down menu, select “Cast Desktop”, and choose the device.
Screensaver
Airtame has a highly customizable Homescreen. When your TV is not streaming anything, you can customize what is displayed on the screen. You can show custom images, websites, or the KPI dashboards. If you want a high-tech look, using a KPI dashboard like Strea.ma or Klipfolio is a great idea. There are four selectable overlays, which are Minimal, Guide, Guide Left, and None.
When Chromecast is idle, it can be set to show a backdrop of custom photos, arts, satellite images, news, or weather. You can also sync it with your Google+ photo albums. Unfortunately, there isn’t much room for customization here.
Performance
There is a very significant difference between these two devices. Airtame is not really designed for entertainment purposes. When streaming, it has some quality reduction, so it is not the ideal choice if you mainly want to watch uncompressed Blu-ray movies or superbly detailed 4K content. However, for business applications, the performance is pretty good. The video and audio never go out of sync.
Chromecast, on the other hand, offers superior image quality. It supports 4K when casting from a media service, so you can enjoy your favorite movies and TV shows in the highest quality currently available. When casting your desktop, the resolution is downscaled to 1080p.
Airtame vs Chromecast
Conclusion
For most home owners who just want to watch films and TV shows, Chromecast should be your choice. The main reason is that this device supports 4K and 1080p without causing some quality reduction. The performance is generally smooth and good.