It's easy to assume an old Chromecast has reached the end of its useful life once you've upgraded your TV or moved on to a newer streaming device.After all, if you no longer need it to stream movies and shows, what else could a tiny HDMI dongle possibly do? For many people, the answer is simply to toss it into a drawer and forget about it, or throw it away when they finally get around to cleaning out their old electronics.But an old Chromecast can still be surprisingly useful, even when streaming is no longer its primary job.
Depending on which model you have, that little dongle can be repurposed in ways that make use of its ability to put content on a screen and interact with other devices around your home.You may not need it for its original purpose anymore, but that doesn't mean it's ready for the trash just yet.There are several ways to give it a second life, and some are far more useful than you might expect.
Chromecasts are versatile and can do much more than you'd think Upgrading doesn't mean you have to throw your old one out The Chromecast has evolved quite a lot over its lifetime.It has gone from being a simple casting dongle, controlled exclusively by your phone, into a fully-fledged streaming device.As technology evolves, we inevitably end up ditching older models for newer ones, leaving your old device lying in your junk drawer.
However, older Chromecasts can receive a second life.Google started selling the Chromecast as a casting dongle back in 2013.A lot of us still have these hanging around, and they can definitely be used for numerous DIY projects.
Chromecasts with Google TV were launched back in 2020, meaning that it is still likely that you've outgrown these models and don't need them for streaming anymore.Obviously, the newer models are a little more versatile when it comes to repurposing them.Give your old Chromecast a second life There are loads of ways to repurpose one Close I no longer use my Chromecast as a streaming device.
After upgrading my Smart TV, I have found very little need for it, with my TCL being Google-based anyway.This means that it has been sitting in my junk drawer for quite a while, and I've almost thrown it away several times.However, my fellow writer on How-To Geek, Andy Betts, has put together a list of ways you can repurpose your old Chromecast.
There are many things that even older Chromecasts can do.One of the easiest things you can do is turn a screen or monitor into a digital photo frame, projecting a slideshow of photographs onto the screen from a device.While some newer phones and tablets have some sort of desktop functionality, a Chromecast can be an easy way to use your TV or screen as a monitor for older devices.
You can also pretty easily set up a smart home dashboard.There are also some ways to use your Chromecast that don't just simply involve casting your phone or tablet's screen.Plugging it into a soundbar with an HDMI input allows you to turn it into a pretty simple music/podcast player.
With a little sideloading, you can even turn it into a retro gaming console.If you have an older Chromecast, you can even integrate it into your home security system.Google Nest doorbells and cameras are compatible with some older Chromecasts, allowing you to stream the video footage directly to a particular screen.
Reducing e-waste is incredibly important Always look for new uses for old tech It is inevitable that technology gets replaced.As our needs change, and new devices hit the market, our old tech is going to become a little redundant.Obviously, if you buy a brand-new Chromecast, you aren't going to also be using your old Chromecast.
With e-waste being such a massive problem, though, it is important to find ways to repurpose your old tech.According to the United Nations, every person on the planet will produce an average of 16.8 pounds of e-waste in their lifetime.This means that during your lifetime, a whopping 64.3 million tons of e-waste will be produced worldwide.
Unfortunately, making it even worse, a very small percentage of this waste actually gets recycled.It is only natural to outgrow the original purpose of your technology, but there are tons of ways to give your old tech a second life.Not only do you get to reduce your contribution to global e-waste, but you can tackle some genuinely cool and useful projects.
Your Chromecast can be more than just a streaming device The Chromecast is a great streaming device, but it exists in a space that is constantly evolving.As good as your Chromecast is, it will at some point become redundant.Because it is such a versatile little device, though, it is pretty easy to find new uses for it that extend beyond streaming.
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