Get Chromecast-Style Controls on Any Device With YouTube Pairing

YouTube has an integrated remote-control feature. Pair the YouTube app on your phone or the website on your computer with YouTube on any streaming box, smart TV, or game console for easy, Chromecast-style browsing and playback controls.

This even allows you to control YouTube playback in your computer’s web browser, which is very useful if you’re watching YouTube on a computer connected to your TV — or if you’re using your laptop as a makeshift television screen.

First, start the YouTube app on your game console, smart TV, streaming box, or whatever other device you want to watch it on. This can be anything from a Roku or the YouTube app built into your smart TV to the YouTube apps available on the various generations of PlayStation, Xbox, and Wii consoles.

Want to watch YouTube on your laptop, desktop, or any other device with a web browser? Load up the YouTube TV interface at https://www.youtube.com/tv#/ in your web browser. This will make your computer function a lot like a set-top box with a YouTube app. In fact, this is the exact same standard interface you’ll find on modern YouTube devices — except it can be run in a web browser on almost every platform. Press F11 to make this interface go full-screen in your web browser.

Scroll down in the menu at the left side of the YouTube interface until you see a “Settings” option. Select it. (If you’re using the YouTube TV interface on aa computer, use your arrow keys and the Enter key.) You can manage paired devices from this Settings screen later — you’ll see a number of paired devices to the right of the “Pair Device” icon if you have devices paired.

Select the “Pair Device” option to start pairing your device with the YouTube app on a modern smartphone, or the YouTube website on a laptop or other computer. You’ll get a pairing code you’ll need to pair another device with the YouTube TV interface.

You can use a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, or another type of device for this. On a smartphone or tablet, launch the YouTube app for Android, iPhone, or iPad. Open the sidebar, tap the Settings icon, and tap “Connected TVs.”

Enter the pairing code shown on the YouTube TV app here.

If you want to contorl the YouTube TV interface from your computer, open the YouTube Pair page at https://www.youtube.com/pair. You can also navigate to your YouTube account settings page and select “Connected TVs.”

Enter the pairing code shown on your TV and the YouTube website will be paired with it.

Whether you’re using the YouTube mobile app or the full YouTube website on your computer, you can now remotely control the TV’s playback. Search for videos and tap or click them — when you do, you’ll be able either start playing them immediately on the TV or add them to the queue. They’ll be played back automatically after your currently queued videos finish.

While watching videos, the YouTube app or website will function as a remote control, allowing you to pause videos, resume playback, rewind, and fast forward. It’s a lot like Chromecasting — but it will work with the YouTube app on basically any device, from smart TV interfaces to the YouTube website on a computer plugged into your TV.

YouTube also allows you to use the DIAL protocol to “cast” videos to a Roku, smart TV, or other DIAL-enabled device. This allows you to effectively use your Roku or modern smart TV like a Chromecast, at least for YouTube.

This may not be the most convenient feature if you already have a Chromecast, but it works anywhere you have a YouTube TV app or access to the YouTube website.

Chris Hoffman is a technology writer and all-around computer geek. He's as at home using the Linux terminal as he is digging into the Windows registry. Connect with him on Google+.

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Use Your TV’s Hidden “DIAL” Feature to Cast Netflix and YouTube Without a Chromecast

Many modern smart TVs have support for the Chromecast-like DIAL protocol built in. You can cast videos to your TV from YouTube and Netflix — on your phone or computer — without getting a Chromecast.

This works both with the YouTube and Netflix websites on your computer and with the YouTube and Netflix mobile apps on a smartphone or tablet.

Google’s Chromecast originally used a protocol known as DIAL, for “Discovery And Launch.” This protocol was co-developed by Netflix and YouTube. It allows “client” devices (like your smartphone, tablet, or computer) to discover apps on “server” devices (like a smart TV or streaming box) and launch content on them.

Basically, this protocol allows the YouTube and Netflix smartphone apps and websites to talk to the YouTube and Netflix apps on your smart TV. You can then find videos on your smartphone or computer and start playing them on your TV. Your TV does need the associated apps installed — so, if you want to cast YouTube and Netflix, your TV will need to have YouTube and Netflix apps installed as well as system-level DIAL support for advertising those apps.

Google’s Chromecast eventually diverged from DIAL, and now uses a different technology. However, the Netflix and YouTube apps still have support for DIAL, and so does Google’s own Google Cast browser extension for Chrome. Many modern smart TVs support DIAL, too — in fact, one of our Sony smart TVs recently received a firmware update that added support for DIAL and made the TV appear as a casting target. Even the Roku has support for DIAL, making it possible to cast YouTube and Netflix to any TV with a Roku, just like you’d use a Chromecast.

Unlike HDMI-CEC, DIAL shouldn’t be a hidden option in your smart TV’s menus. If it’s available on your device, it should just be enabled by default. Assuming your modern smart TV has built-in YouTube and Netflix apps, there’s a good chance the operating system is DIAL-enabled. If not, it may be enabled in the future with an automatic firmware update. And, if you’re a Roku user, your Roku is DIAL-enabled, too.

To use it, first make sure your smart TV is powered on. Next, open the YouTube app or Netflix app on your smartphone or tablet. Start playing a video and look for the “Cast” button — the same cast button Chromecast users use to start casting a device to their TV.

If your TV (or another device, like a Blu-ray player or set-top box) is DIAL-enabled, you’ll see it in the list. Tap it in the list and the video you’re watching will be launched on your TV.

Don’t see your TV in the list here? Assuming it’s powered on and is on the same Wi-Fi network as your smartphone, tablet, or computer, it probably doesn’t have DIAL support.

On a computer, you use Google Chrome and install the Google Cast extension — yes, that’s the same extension Chromecast users use. Visit the Netflix or YouTube website and use the Cast button. You’ll see DIAL-enabled smart TVs appear in the list and you can launch videos on them in the same way.

Remember, this only works for YouTube and Netflix — and, theoretically, other DIAL-enabled apps that could be installed on your smart TV. The Google Cast extension still supports DIAL.

You’ll notice that we keep mentioning “Netflix and YouTube,” even though this is supposed to be a larger standard. The biggest limitation you’ll find here is that DIAL only really works for Netflix and YouTube. In theory, it can, and should, work for other apps, and there’s a whole DIAL website dedicated to explaining how it works and letting other apps implement it. In practice, we haven’t seen any other apps that actually support DIAL in the wild.

This isn’t too surprising, sadly — YouTube and Netflix created DIAL. Google was initially pushing it with the Chromecast, and it’s become a bit forgotten now that Google is pushing a different technology. The Chromecast has an entire ecosystem of apps that use Google Cast instead of DIAL.

Don’t have DIAL support? Your TV may get it one day in the future via a firmware update. Try checking your TV’s system menu and seeing if there are any available firmware updates.

The point of DIAL is to use those apps preinstalled on your smart TV in a smart way. It’s a shame few new apps are rolling out DIAL support, but it’s still useful for YouTube and Netflix — probably the most popular apps used on the Chromecast, anyway.

Image Credit: Karlis Dambrans on Flickr

Chris Hoffman is a technology writer and all-around computer geek. He's as at home using the Linux terminal as he is digging into the Windows registry. Connect with him on Google+.

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