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Pioneer and Onkyo, two major manufacturers of audio and home theater equipment, have announced that they are both rolling out firmware updates that will bring Chromecast Built-In functionality to a few different product lines manufactured during 2016 or later. Both manufacturers began putting the updates out on April 25. The firmware updates themselves are automated, as is most of the process of using the functionality on both devices. Users looking to make use of the Chromecast Built-In functionality won’t have to perform any sorts of setup rituals; the experience works seamlessly and simply with any supporting Chromecast device and app app, so long as the Chromecast-compatible device is on the same Wi-Fi network as the supporting Pioneer or Onkyo hardware.
Pioneer owners should look for updates to 2016 or later devices in the SC, VSX, SX, NC, FS, XC, X, and MRX device lineups. Onkyo owners, meanwhile, will see updates hitting relatively new hardware in the PR, TX, LS, R, NS, and NCP families. The full list of devices for each manufacturer are available in the source and via links. Neither company announced anything about older devices or other device lineups getting the functionality, but it’s entirely feasible for the functionality to hit any Onkyo or Pioneer devices with Wi-Fi functionality at some point.
Chromecast Built-In functionality is available on a wide range of devices, including sound systems, TVs, and Bluetooth speakers, among others. The functionality works pretty much the same among most use cases; simply make sure that the target device and the Chromecast-compatible device with the content are on the same Wi-Fi network, open up the menu within a Chromecast-friendly app, and let fly. The target device will then automatically pick up on the fact that it’s receiving a Chromecast signal, and automatically switch to and optimize that signal. That is how the software works in the new updates from Pioneer and Onkyo. Some devices may require a few additional steps, such as setting up individual apps or registering the Chromecast device onto the target device, depending on their age and software. Though many Wi-Fi equipped home electronics are Chromecast-friendly these days, some devices may still end up forcing you to use apps like MiraCast or Koushik Dutta’s Allcast.