GTrusted
The Chromecast Ultra is the first Chromecast device that supports not only 4K and also both the HDR10 and Dolby Vision versions of HDR. The Chromecast Ultra should be able to work with any 4K TV or streaming service that supports HDR no matter if it's HDR10 or Dolby Vision.
When released, it was only available through the Google Store which is where we purchased it from. The Chromecast Ultra comes in very sturdy premium style packaging, a step up from the Google Chromecast (2015) which while cheaper, does not support 4K.
The Chromecast Ultra's packaging really highlights all the popular media apps that now support Chromecast.
Inside the box, you'll find the Chromecast Ultra itself as well as a USB charger and cable.
The Chromecast Ultra uses the same USS Enterprise look as the Google Chromecast (2015).
The USB charger that comes with the Chromecast Ultra is a standard 5 volts @ 1 amps charger.
Setting up the Chromecast Ultra is very easy. After plugging in the Chromecast Ultra to a 4K HDR enabled HDMI port on your TV, make sure it's also charged through the USB charger or a USB port of the TV capable of delivering the same power. You should then see the Welcome screen on the TV.
Here we used the Google Pixel where Google Home was already installed. Note Google Home replaces the previous Chromecast App that had previously been used to control the Chromecast.
Even if the Chromecast Ultra is not set up yet on a WI-FI network, the Google Pixel will still recognize that the Chromecast is nearby. After selecting "SET UP", the Google Home App will switch the Google Pixel's WI-FI to a new WI-FI network created by the Chromecast Ultra for setup purposes.
You can see from the WI-FI connection that the Google Pixel is connected to this temporarily network created by the Chromecast Ultra. Once you confirm you see the same code on the TV as on the App's screen, you can click "I SEE THE CODE" to continue the setup.
You can then select the WI-FI network you want the Chromecast Ultra to join and enter the password to join that network.
If you haven't already, you can also sign into your Google account so that it's linked to the Chromecast Ultra.
The Chromecast Ultra will need to reboot to apply the update.
The Google Home App will then proceed to update the Chromecast Ultra with the latest software. The App also provides sample clips showing how to use Chromecast with various Apps like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, etc. Note that one popular streaming service not supported by Chromecast is Amazon Video.
With the Google Home App, you can directly play content from a variety of media sources like Netflix.
Unlike other 4K HDR capable streaming media players like the Roku 4, you need to use your phone to browse for media content either from the Google Home App or directly using Apps from Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc. These Apps should have the Chromecast icon on the top, allowing you to select and play the content on the Chromecast Ultra.
In the next review, we'll take a look at how the Chromecast Ultra works with 4K TV that supports HDR like the LG B6 OLED 4K HDR Smart TV - 65" Class to play Netflix.
