Earlier this week, we took a look at the top streaming sticks on the market and crowned Google’s Chromecast the undisputed Presentation Display Champion and a worthy successor to the tried-and-true HDMI cable setup. Assuming you agreed with our assessment (we are the presentation experts here, after all!) and are ready to take the $30 plunge, your next step will probably be trying to figure out how to use your new toy for your next public speaking outing. Well we’re here to help! Read on to find out how to set up your presentation on your brand new Google Chromecast.
Initial Setup
While you probably could make a go of setting your Chromecast up for the first time as you’re preparing to give your presentation, it’s not the best way to go. Familiarizing yourself with the equipment and process (since you’ll be more or less repeating these steps when you travel to a new location with a new wireless network) before you’re in front of your audience will let you concentrate on presenting instead of technical support. Otherwise, you might as well stick with that mess of tangled cables!
1. Verify that you’re connected to a secure Wi-Fi network. Whether you’re on your mobile device or computer, you’ll then need to download the corresponding app. For iOS or Android phones, check out Google’s setup video if you need a visual aid.
2. Plug your Chromecast into the HDMI port of your display, using the included cord to power the stick with either your TV’s USB port or a standard electrical outlet. Change the input until you see the Chromecast information on your screen.
3. Follow the instructions on the Chromecast app.
Load Your Presentation
So, you’re acquainted with your new device, and you’ve verified that your existing equipment will interface with the Chromecast the way you need it to. Now you need to decide what presentation platform you’ll be using. You have a few options:
Use Google Slides
Google’s layout should look familiar to Powerpoint users, and here users will benefit from its integration in the Googleverse. All you need is the Google Slides app, which has cast functionality built right in. Just look for that cast button.
Use PowerPoint
The only way to currently get your PowerPoint deck to a Chromecast is to use the screen-mirroring feature. This may not be optimized for every device, and can introduce a delay (it will also stream everything on your device’s screen, not just the slides), but it will work with either the Microsoft Office desktop suite or the online application.
Go another route
If you really like the way Prezi displays your slides, or prefer a newer option like Swipe, you’ll have approximately the same level functionality as you do with PowerPoint online, since they’re getting beamed to the Chromecast in the same way (screen-mirroring yet again). There are also increasingly numerous third-party workarounds like ShowCast, an app for iOS and Android that allows you to create makeshift Chromecast-ready presentations by saving your image files and sharing them to its custom interface. For the extra hassle, it promises screen orientation lock capability and private speaker notes, which may be worthwhile for the right presenter.
Google’s Chromecast was designed to be as open a product as possible, and that flexibility is what really sets it apart from the other options on the market, especially when it comes to the needs of speakers and presenters. No competing streaming device combines ease of use and connectivity options like the Chromecast does, and after a quick setup, we think you’ll agree it’s the presentation tech for today and beyond.
