…allow me to play films (Mp4s) stored on my laptop directly to my TV?

And the same for photos?

ie content stored on the laptop HD rather than via a browser or cloud-land etc?

Sorry, bit of a Luddite these days and feeling older…

yes – if you install Google Cast in your chrome broswer on your laptop, you can put the file path in the browser address bar (it will then play the film in your browser) and you can then cast that tab to your chromecast.

there are a number of howtos online for that

does it support avi yet, or just MP4?

As far as I know it doesnt support AVI yet. A lot of streaming systems don’t.

just been to check, and yes, you can tab cast mp4 from chrome tab to the chromecast, but you can’t cast AVI as you cant play it natively in Chrome (on my chromebook it launches one of the v few “applications” on the device that isnt in Chrome: a Video Player)

A better way to do it would be to use Videostream, which is made for what you want. Works great with all kinds of video files… http://www.getvideostream.com/

Have a look at bubble unup

videostream chrome plugin will allow you to cast local media via chrome (it shows as an app). i think it supports AVIs too…

If you are going to watch illegal stuff, get with the program and just stream with showbox like everyone else! 😆

i have a chromecast and also a droidsticks u-m8 android tv box. both have their uses, but i find i’m using the u-m8 more than anything else as it streams pretty much anything in the world. for free (well, except for its initial cost obv).

not sure if this is only for Smart TVs but Chromecastt can mirror your PC screen to your telly and works outside a browser (still in beta IIRC but works for me on a samsung smart telly). I use it to play a flight sim because my windows laptop has a tiny screen.
Anyway with smart (maybe any) telly you can play whatever you like on your PC and Chromecast can mirror the PC screen on your telly.

EDIT Aha, here we are

Thanks guys, really helpful and lots to go on there.

Is there way to set this up so I can control the output from the laptop (in the office) from the comfort of my sofa (lounge) with my iPad?

Have a look at bubble unup… presumably on ios?