Humax Aura

[Anonymous User]

Hi I've recently bought a Humax Aura is there any way of installing Now TV onto it so I can watch Sky Sports?

[commanda6]

Hi @Anonymous User 

you don't need to install the now app on the Aura to watch sky sports you should be able to cast to the Aura using the now app on android or iOS phone or tablet. 

Be aware though that you'll need to make sure that the chromecast audio option/setting is set to stereo in the now app on your mobile device is 5.1 audio does not work on chromecast built-in devices such as the Aura . This means that if you have boost you will get 1080p, but won't be able to get 5.1 audio when casting to the Aura. 5.1 audio support is pretty much non-existent on chromecast built-in devices for all services, not just now

[Anonymous User]

Great thanks!

[schnapps]

Hi @commanda6 

Out of curiosity does the inbuilt Chromecast still work for you on your Humax Aura box when casting NOW on Demand (not NOW live streams) from either your smartphone or tablet ?

The inbuilt Google Chromecast feature doesn't seem to play on Demand NOW content anymore, where live NOW streams are still casting perfectly fine from Android mobile devices to my Philips Android 9 Smart TV with inbuilt Chromecast.

Before a recent NOW App update on my mobile casting devices, on Demand casting on NOW would play fine on the Philips Android Smart TV.

i have left stereo ticked under the NOW App settings on my phone & tablet.

Just curious if other Android devices with inbuilt Google Chromecast is also affected apart from the Philips Android TV (noted by another forum member plus myself).

Here's the link thread.

https://community.nowtv.com/t5/Mobile/Why-can-t-I-cast-stream-on-demand-shows-to-my-smart-TV/m-p/572... 

I don't really use the Chromecast feature on the Philips TV, but wondering if other Android inbuilt Chromecast devices are also encountering the issue or not ?

Thanks.

[schnapps]

Hi @commanda6 

i may have cracked it by a fluke accident.

What i did was go into the NOW App settings on my tablet and toggled between Stereo and 5.1 and then back to Stereo.

Then under the wifi button on the NOW App settings i toggled this on, off and on.

After that i immediately powered down the tablet.

Switched  the tablet back on and started the NOW App and a NOW on Demand movie is casting fine to my Philips Smart TV.

Don't know which of the three above things that i played with resolved it.

Going to try casting something else on NOW Demand to see if it plays or flags up the same problem noted previously.

Will report back after testing.

[schnapps]

Hi @commanda6 

OK toggling between Stereo, then 5.1 Surround Sound back to Stereo, does cast and playback on the inbuilt Chromecast on my Philips TV but it is a bit "hit & miss" and sometimes you need to try hitting the play button on the phone a few times before it eventually casts and starts playing.

Got Mad Max Fury Road on Demand running and an Episode of Dexter New Blood working, after hitting the play button on my phone a few times where these both titles did eventually play on my Philips TV.

I tried an episode of The Mare of East Town also but this wouldn't play at all when casting to the Philips TV 😠.

[commanda6]

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@schnapps wrote:

Hi @commanda6 

i may have cracked it by a fluke accident.

What i did was go into the NOW App settings on my tablet and toggled between Stereo and 5.1 and then back to Stereo.

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It will be the first one @schnapps  'switching from 5.1 to stereo audio' it would appear that chrome cast built-in devices have a long-standing issue with 5.1 audio and this doesn't just relate to now, but virtually every other streaming service as well. The same issues were even occur on what is arguably considered the flagship android TV device. The Nvidia shield

Casting to a chromecast built-in device will work flawlessly as long as you switch the Now audio setting on the control device to stereo. In actual fact in some ways chromecast built-in it is one of the better ways to watch now. As you get better subtitle functionality when casting to a chromecast built-in device. In fact, the subtitle control/customisability is on par with what you get on a now/Roku device. when casting to a chromecast built-in device. The accessibility settings for captions on the control device will be followed. The only thing you still have to do is turn subtitles on manually on the control device. The system settings on the cast/output device will do the rest

The subtitle settings that I refer to on the cast/output device can be found at

settings > device preferences > accessibility > captions

Have a play around and you'll find you can change the subtitle appearance to your liking 😉

[schnapps]

Hi @commanda6 

Leaving the Chromecast on Stereo via the NOW App through my mobile devices doesn't seem to work flawlessly for me on the inbuilt Chromecast feature on my Philips Android 9 Smart TV.

On demand stuff on NOW via the inbuilt Chromecast is a bit hit & miss (more miss).

If your Humax Aura is still running flawlessly with NOW on Demand content with the inbuilt Chromecast feature on it, then i am guessing it must be something on a recent firmware update i received from Philips.

Both me and the other OP in the link that i posted are owners of Philips Smart Android TV's.

I don't really use Chromecast on my Philips TV, nor do i need subtitles, but when i have some spare time i will check out your subtitles settings suggestions 👍.

[commanda6]

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@schnapps wrote:

Hi @commanda6 

Leaving the Chromecast on Stereo via the NOW App through my mobile devices doesn't seem to work flawlessly for me on the inbuilt Chromecast feature on my Philips Android 9 Smart TV.

On demand stuff on NOW via the inbuilt Chromecast is a bit hit & miss (more miss).

If your Humax Aura is still running flawlessly with NOW on Demand content with the inbuilt Chromecast feature on it, then i am guessing it must be something on a recent firmware update i received from Philips.

Both me and the other OP in the link that i posted are owners of Philips Smart Android TV's.

I don't really use Chromecast on my Philips TV, nor do i need subtitles, but when i have some spare time i will check out your subtitles settings suggestions 👍.

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Hi @schnapps 

I probably should have clarified a bit more there. you see in terms of an android TV device at the current point in time. The Aura is probably second only to the Nvidia shield both in terms of software and hardware, hence why it works flawlessly if the audio is switched to stereo. Some of the earlier android smart TVs most of which have now been updated to android TV nine. But won't receive any further updates are a bit flaky in terms of hardware, for example chrome cast built-in doesn't work too well on the Sony android TV we have in the dining room, but that dates from 2016. Back in the earlier days of android TV. Virtually no one put any reasonable effort into the hardware that was put inside and if you're running android, that's a bad idea.

The software on the shield is now a bit better than the Aura as the shield has just been updated to android TV 11, although of course not every shield in existence would have had it yet, as it will be rolled out over time. The Aura is still an android TV nine at the moment, but apparently Humax is working on a firmware update whether the update will take the Aura to android TV 11 that remains to be seen.

From my testing in the past. It will also work properly with the linear channels which makes me wonder if I would be able to get subtitles on the linear channels when casting as you can't currently get subtitles on the linear channels when using fire TV stick, but now recently enabled subtitles on linear channels for android phones and tablets. So, perhaps I need to have a play also 😁