In my last Chromecast for Canadians post, I wrote that I am less than electrified by the current selection of compatible apps. At last count there were 14.
Anyone who lives in a Netflix service region can download and cast from Netflix. YouTube, Google Play TV & Movies, and Google Play Music (which does nothing useful in this country) come pre-installed with Android. Google Play restricts Pandora and Hulu Plus to the USA. Plex requires a subscription to enable the Chromecast icon. The remaining Chromecast apps are pointless.
That means Canadian users face a harrowing First World predicament: should I buy Chromecast if the only apps that offer worthwhile content are Netflix and YouTube?
If you use either service to supplement your basic cable television subscription, then the answer is yes, absolutely. Read my review.
If you intend to use Chromecast as a way to replace your cable television subscription, I would dissuade you without Hulu Plus.
In my opinion, Hulu Plus is a necessary complement to Netflix. People who are prone to bitch about everything will also bitch about the fact that you have to sit through two or three commercials per viewing. Well, suck it up buttercup. If you want to watch New Girl every week, you have two options: whatever absurd amount you’re paying now for basic cable, or $7.99 per month for Hulu. I choose Hulu.
The problem, of course, is that Hulu is for Americans only and Google Play’s country restrictions are impenetrable. I’ve tried everything I know to bypass them. I stand before you, miserable and defeated.
Fortunately for you, I am one to never abandon an interesting technical challenge. It took a while – my pot-addled mind isn’t what it once was – but I had a literal flash of inspiration yesterday.
Here’s how I successfully installed Hulu Plus and Pandora on my Nexus 5, and used those apps to cast to my television. It’s easier than you might think.
- Install the Amazon Appstore. Amazon offers complete instructions on how to do this. Please, read and follow them. I am not your personal support service.
- Create a new account on Amazon.com. Enter your Android smartphone number when Amazon prompts you to register your cell phone.
- In your Amazon account, Add a New Address and choose any address in the USA. You will not be asked for credit card information. Inexplicably, you will be asked to re-enter your cell number.
- Search for Pandora and Hulu Plus on the Amazon Appstore for Android.
- Click the [Get now with 1-Click] button.
- Open the Amazon Appstore on your Android device.
- Go to My Apps > Cloud and install your apps. You may need to sync your device before you see Hulu Plus and Pandora listed for installation.
A few points to remember: You’ll still need an unblocking service to cast from Hulu Plus and Pandora over your home wireless network. I use and recommend Unblock-us.com but there are others. If you use your cellular data plan to stream US content to your Android device, then you’ll also need DroidVPN or similar VPN software for Android to bypass geoblocking. These instructions work only for free apps on the Amazon Appstore. If you want to buy and install paid apps, then you’ll need to use a US credit card (with verifiable US address) or spoof a Canadian Amex by following these instructions.