Poor Video Quality Casting Ignite TV to Chromecast with Google TV

[Sidiam]

Hi all,

I have had a Chromecast for some time now and casting to it from the ignite TV app works great.

I recently updated to the "Chromecast with Google TV" and now when I try casting, I get maybe 360p video quality at best. This pretty much makes sports unwatchable!

Only the ignite TV app does this. All other apps, NETFLIX, Disney, YouTube, all work fine. All casting is being done from the same device. 

I did work with Google support for a couple hours on this and they had me try several things, but there was no improvement.  They finally said that there must be some new settings in the Chromecast with Google TV that the ignite TV app is incompatible with. 

Shame on google for not making their devices backwards compatible, but they won't investigate further when other apps are working.

Is anyone else having this problem? 

--Sid

[ColdGranite]

Hi, welcome to the forums.

I have Chromecast but not the Google TV version.

I am hoping others here will chime in... but my first impression is that this is more likely to be a connection problem than a device problem.

Did google have you try different locations within your space? ... near to the WIFI router, and distant from the router, etc. ???  Did that make any difference?  I realize that you say other apps work okay, but does distance make any difference for the Ignite app?

[Sidiam]

Hi ColdGranite,

Thanks for the reply.

Google had me verify that both devices were on the same network and the same mesh device. We even tried using my wired desktop as the casting source and same problem. We also ran a speed test and I am getting 170 Mbps down on the Chromecast.

Just in case though, I went out and bought an adapter to make the Chromecast with Google TV wired. I now get 300 Mbps down. Same problem though, even when casting from my wired desktop.

--Sid

[ColdGranite]

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@Sidiam wrote:

Hi ColdGranite,

Thanks for the reply.

Google had me verify that both devices were on the same network and the same mesh device. We even tried using my wired desktop as the casting source and same problem. We also ran a speed test and I am getting 170 Mbps down on the Chromecast.

Just in case though, I went out and bought an adapter to make the Chromecast with Google TV wired. I now get 300 Mbps down. Same problem though, even when casting from my wired desktop.

--Sid

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Did Google lead you through the "display and sound" settings for the device?

There are some reports around the internet about display issues solved with a "match content" setting, described here:  

https://www.gadgethacks.com/how-to/does-picture-look-weird-your-chromecast-with-google-tv-heres-fix-...

[Sidiam]

Yes, they had me check that. However my device does not have that setting;

They seemed surprised by this, but assumed it must have changed in a recent update.

SDR is the only option for dynamic range format. The other option for color format is RBG 8 bit; I tried both. I also tried turning game mode on under the advanced settings.

Another thought; the Chromecast with Google TV has a limited play store, but I did find that the Bell Fibe TV app is available. Rogers Ignite TV is not. Since this is an Android device I tried side-loading the ignite TV app, but it would not run. If Rogers ported the ignite TV app to the Chromecast with Google TV, there would be no need to cast and problem solved. I have seen this discussed in other forums, but nothing on this one.  Anyone heard anything about this?

Thanks,

   Sid

[dingle1]

I second this post. I used to have bell fibe. They had a native app and I could watch in 1080P. The quality casting is horrific and almost unwatchable

[arecad]

Samer here. I get low quality SD on my 2017 Shield TVs *only* with ignite. All the other apps stream in full HD or 4K. I have an older Chromecast HD and it works fine with Ignite but both of my Shields and my MiBox3 all display low quality SD making it unwatchable. I am sure whatever setting is triggering this for the new Chromecast w/GTV is the same as the Shield TV.

[RogersCorey]

Greetings Community!

It sounds like an update may be needed to resolve this issue since it seems to have sprung up after Chromecast with Google TV became available.

I would like to escalate a ticket if you're having this issue to ensure that we are looking into it.

Feel free to send us a private message to @CommunityHelps so we can assist you further. For more information on how our Private Messaging system works, you can find out more here.  

Regards,

RogersCorey

[Sidiam]

PM has been sent!

--Sid

[arecad]

This problem did not spring up after the CC for GTV was introduced. It's been there since Ignite introduced Chromecasting to the app a while back. It's always been poor SD quality on Shield TV and fine on an old Chromecast HD. 

[altimatic]

I agree.  We have a similar issue.  My sister recently switched to the Ignite TV/Internet package.  Everything is good quality except when you're trying to cast to a Chromecast with Google TV.  I've tried doing it from a laptop's Chrome browser.  I've tried it with the Ignite TV Android app.  The results are the same... poor video quality.  

Rogers needs to fix this!  There's absolutely no reason why this should happen.  The only explanation (as always)... Rogers did a poor job doing quality control/testing their app.  Chromecast with Google TV has been out for almost a year now, no excuse to not test the current version of Chromecast if you're offering casting on your app.

[arecad]

Any updates on this issue? Still seeing low quality with chromecasting on my shield tvs. I have an old chromecast HD too and it works fine. The shield tvs in my house, one wired, show low quality SD when casting.

[dingle1]

Rogers doesn't care. Never had these issues when I was with bell

[altimatic]

I'm stubborn.  I will keep complaining (and opening a ticket) about it until they get tired of me and eventually fix it just to stop hearing from me.  Others should do the same.  I think sometimes the issue is everyone complains on here but never reports it to Rogers.  The more that do so, the higher the chances they'll take the problem more seriously.  At least I'd like to think/hope so.

[Sidiam]

Hi all,

FYI, Rogers did contact me for details about this problem. which I provided. That was back in July.  As a huge company, I doubt things move very quickly in Rogers, but hopefully this is at least on the to do list.

--Sid

[Maelstr0m]

I don't know about you, but I've lost all ability to cast from Ignite TV App to Chromecast w/ Google TV in the past few weeks.

Maybe they decided to remove the functionality altogether, rather than address a legitimate issue.

[-G-]

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@Maelstr0m wrote:
I don't know about you, but I've lost all ability to cast from Ignite TV App to Chromecast w/ Google TV in the past few weeks.

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FYI, Comcast customers are also reporting the same problem: https://forums.xfinity.com/conversations/xfinity-stream-website/chromecast-streaming-is-not-working/...

[Maelstr0m]

Does that mean it's a backend issue? Cause I don't believe the Ignite TV App updated recently, so I'd expect an issue seen by Comcast customers to show up on Ignite only after the App was updated in some way. Aside from licensing Server side Application/Middleware/Client from Comcast, I thought Ignite was using Rogers infrastructure, so I guess they updated the backed and that broke casting?

Or is it more likely that an update on Chromecast, requires an update on the Xfinity/Ignite apps?

[-G-]

Here's another update from Comcast:

We’re aware of an issue affecting some customers’ ability to use Xfinity Stream with Chromecast. Please know that this is not an issue with our network; our network is functioning properly at this time. But there is a technical issue with the service provider which they expect to resolve this coming Monday. We’re monitoring the situation and appreciate your understanding.

I don't know who they are referring to when they say "the service provider"; presumably a third party that either generates or transcodes the stream that gets cast to your Chromecast device.  Regardless, they expect a fix for this issue on Monday.

[arecad]

The issue with poor video quality on my Shield TVs appears to be fixed now. I was able to watch all weekend in full HD quality. Thank you for fixing this.

[altimatic]

I can confirm that Chromecast with Google TV is now properly casting in HD as well.  I noticed it a few days to a week ago.

While I'm glad the issue is now fixed, it's no thanks to Rogers' horrendous support for Ignite TV.  I've had to open 2 tickets, supplied a lot of detail about the issue and both times support replies back within 48 hours with "more information needed".  It's a stupid tactic helpdesk and technical support people use to reset the response clock on their assigned tickets (just to show activity/response).  It just frustrates more customers.

Also, the first time I did open the ticket not only did they pull that . with the "need more info" and only to ask me the same . questions I already answered the first time... but a week later, they close the ticket indicating it's resolved (without verifying with me).  Of course, when I tried it, it was NOT fixed at the time.... which lead to helpdesk opening a 2nd ticket.  When questioned why they can't reopen the original ticket since they screwed up and didn't fix a . thing... I got the "that's what we're asked to do".  And the most stupid part of it?  They asked me the same stupid questions which I already answered AND are on the details of the first ticket they shouldn't have closed!  TERRIBLE!