We may need to watch DTT with a Chromecast if we do not have an antenna on the television, but we do have an Internet connection with WiFi and a device from which to broadcast, be it an Android mobile or a computer with the Chrome browser.
For this we will use the TDTChannels app , which allows you to watch free DTT over the Internet , on its website or the Android app. Since TDTChannels has support for Chromecast on Android, it is the tool that we will use.
It is true that the official apps of the channels could be used, but the process would be more complicated. In addition, in principle this alternative is legal and offers very good quality , since it is limited to connecting with the online broadcast available open on the website of each chain.
If we prefer, we have already taught how to watch Atresplayer on Chromecast (Antena 3, LaSexta and the rest of the Atresmedia channels). We also have a tutorial to watch Mitele with Chromecast (Telecinco, Cuatro and others from Mediaset), and it can also be done in the RTVE app.
The advantage of TDTChannels is that it includes all Spanish and international DTT channels , apart from radio stations. In addition, it is an open project, which shares its channel lists with other popular streaming apps.
We are going to explain how to watch DTT in two ways: with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation Chromecasts and Chromecast Ultra (which depend on a mobile phone or other device to control them); and a somewhat more complex alternative exclusive to Chromecast with 4th generation Google TV (which is independent, as it comes with Android TV and its own remote control).
Chromecast up to 3rd generation
The first Chromecast models, sold from 2013 to 2020, are the most popular, and include three generations in addition to the Chromecast Ultra. In this image we can identify them:
The 2nd generation Chromecast was sold in three colors: black, yellow, and red. It is important to know if we have one model or another , because to watch DTT it is different than in Chromecast with Google TV (4th generation of 2020) there is another system, although the one that we will explain now also works. .
Once we have it clear, let’s see the steps:
- If we just bought the device, we must configure the Chromecast to use it.
- Now we will download the TDTChannels app for free to the mobile from its official website:
- Download TDTDChannels for Android
- Since it is not available in the official store, it is necessary to activate unknown sources in Android to install apps external to Google Play , if we have not done it before.
- After installing the app we will access the main menu where the DTT channels and available radio stations appear. Now we will choose the channel we want to see , in addition to the category of “Generalists” there are others such as “Informative”, “Sports”, “Children”, “International” and more:
- We will see the broadcast file, including the programming guide that summarizes what the current and upcoming programs are about, along with their schedule. We must choose one of the available broadcasts , which in any case are reliable and of quality, since they come from the official open streaming of the chain itself:
- Before the next step, we have to confirm that the Chromecast is turned on and connected to the same WiFi as the mobile , we will also turn on the TV and put it on the Chromecast channel.
- Now we will begin to see DTT on the mobile screen, we must touch the Chromecast icon that appears next to the playback controls. If it does not appear, the Chromecast is not being detected, so we will need to review its settings.
- The Chromecast icon (also called Google Cast) that we are looking for looks like this:
- A pop-up window will allow us to choose the Chromecast in which we are going to watch DTT, the name usually corresponds to a room in the house, unless we have customized it:
- We will wait a few seconds and the DTT will begin to be seen on television through the Chromecast:
- Now in the mobile app the screen will go black, showing the message “The content is playing on an external device”, and the playback controls will not work normally:
- If we need to pause the broadcast , we will click on the Chromecast icon again, and in a pop-up window it will let us pause the DTT, control the volume and stop sending the video:
With this, we can comfortably watch all DTT over the Internet through a Chromecast, using a mobile as a source. As an alternative, we can send the content from a computer with the Chrome browser (be it Windows Mac or Linux).
Of course, the Chromecast and the computer must be on the same WiFi network for it to work. These are the steps:
- First of all we will access the TDTChannels page from the computer , from the “Television” tab we will choose the DTT channel that we want to see and it will begin to play:
Web: TDTChannels
- Using the Chrome browser we go to the drop-down menu at the top right (three vertical dots) and choose “Send” :
- In the menu that opens we will choose the name of the Chromecast where we will send the video, the “Sources” menu will already be marked “Send tab” and it is not necessary to modify it:
- Since TDTChannels in its version for browsing is not adapted for Chromecast, a window will offer us to watch DTT only on the television, avoiding that the computer uses too much battery. We will click on “Optimize” to do so.
Now we only have to see the DTT content that interests us, if we want to change the channel or pause the playback we have to do it from the computer.
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Chromecast with Google TV (4th generation)
The so-called Chromecast with Google TV is the 4th generation of the device, which was launched at the end of 2020. Although it is possible to send the image from the mobile , to watch DTT as in the previous example, there is another more advanced alternative.
By integrating Android TV as an operating system, the Chromecast with Google TV gives us the option to run the app directly , and control it with the included remote, without depending on a phone or PC.
Chromecast with Google TV (4th generation) is available in white, pink, and blue, looking like this:
Unfortunately, installing TDTChannels on the Chromecast with Google TV has some complexity , and it may be easier for us to control it from the mobile. Anyway, we are going to indicate how to do it using a series of specific tools:
These are the necessary steps:
- First, we will download the APK installer file from the official website:
- Download TDTChannels for Android
- To send the file to the Chromecast we will use Send to TV , an app that apart from the version for Android TV has apps for Android, Windows and Mac mobiles. In addition, it is directly available in the Chromecast Play Store.
- Download Send to TV for Android, Windows and Mac
- The APK is in the “Downloads” (or “Downloads”) folder after sending it to the Chromecast.
- It will be necessary to activate the installation of external files in this menu:
Settings -> Security and restrictions -> Unknown sources
- Finally, we will use the File Commander file explorer to find the APK and open it:
- Download File Commander for Android TV
This process is more complex, and we may prefer to watch DTT by sending the content from our mobile phone if we are not very experts in technology , but it is worth knowing that it exists at least.
Either with the traditional system, or installing the app natively, it will be easy to watch DTT from a Chromecast , without depending on a traditional antenna. In addition, there are also options to connect a television without WiFi to the Internet that can be useful.
