Hacking your TV – Google Chromecast and a few other tricks

This is pretty cool, Google just released the Chromecast for $35. This is pretty amazing in one fell swoop they have connected the TV to the internet and mass content (albeit via another device).

The idea is that this little device plugs into your HDMI port on your TV and presto your TV is internet enabled. It is an expedient solution to connect your TV for a really small cost and avoid having to upgrade to a SmartTV.

Google probably realised this was what was holding back their Google TV business, it just wasnt easy enough to connect your TV to the internet, $35 later problem solved.

Get rid of the media PC next to the TV, kill the Apple TV and all the media sharing devices, run your apps straight off the ipad, iphone, notebook, Andriod device whatever device you want.

Shame they haven’t released here and it looks like none of the e-commerce sites will ship it to you but you should be able to buy it off Ebay (at double the price).

Only problem then is will run into the great Geo Firewall Fence that stops Australian’s and others from watching US TV via Hulu and Netflix.

There is a lot of options to get around this, many sites talk about connecting via VPN etc which is a real pain to setup. I have just found an easy Chrome Browser plugin called Hola Unblocker add this to your Chrome Web Browser and it bypasses the Geo IP filters that stop you from accessing overseas sites and so far it works a treat.

Please add any tricks or tips you have used to get around Australian content restrictions in the comments below.