No option to reduce output & streaming quality to 720p

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What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. Plug in and set up Chromecast on a TV that can only display 720p but is 
designed to accept 1080p if offered, and convert it down.
2. Stream video from Netflix or YouTube over a broadband connection that is 
fast enough to carry 1080p.
3. Examine resulting bandwidth usage and output resolution to TV.

What is the expected output? What do you see instead?
Expected result: Chromecast limits streaming to 720p in order to avoid wasting 
bandwidth, in light of the fact that many home users have caps on their 
broadband connections. Chromecast should be able to pass the intended 
resolution to apps in order to permit them to choose a lower bandwidth stream. 
A 720p TV is essentially discarding more than half the pixels it receives from 
a 1080p stream, hence there is no point in pulling a 1080p stream when the 
result will be no better than a 720p stream on the screen in question.
Actual result: Chromecast outputs a 1080p stream to the 720p TV which converts 
it down for display. Bandwith usage is consistent with 1080p streaming on both 
Netflix and YouTube. There is no user-configurable option to limit output or 
streaming to 720p, hence the streaming apps automatically choose 1080p 
streaming if the connection is fast enough. 

What version of the product are you using? On what operating system?
Chromecast Build 12940. Casting devices are Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7 3G, both 
on Jellybean 4.3.

Please provide any additional information below.
Depending on the ISP, the end user may have a bandwidth cap anywhere from 50 GB 
to 500 GB. If the user is on a 720p television that cannot benefit from the 
acuity of a 1080p stream, the apps should be able to drop to 720p streaming to 
avoid wasting bandwidth. Presumably if this could be implemented in a future 
Chromecast build, the user could configure this in the Chromecast setup app.

It is clear that both the Netflix and YouTube apps are capable of pulling a 
720p stream when bandwidth is limited. I was able to test this by configuring 
my router's QoS to throttle Chromecast down to 3 Mbps downstream. The bandwidth 
usage and picture quality as a result become consistent with 720p streaming. It 
would be helpful if the user could select this mode directly on the Chromecast 
itself, as the user may not always want Chromecast to max out the streaming 
bandwidth at 1080p.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by ctros...@gmail.com on 4 Sep 2013 at 4:01

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This will also broaden Chromecast market to the TV's that can only receive and 
display up to 720p resolution and aren't able to convert a 1080p stream down to 
720p.

I believe Chromecast setup should start at the lowest resolution (480i) and 
then allow user to select higher resolution(s) as desired.

Original comment by sid.sidd...@gmail.com on 7 Sep 2013 at 9:50

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Original comment by l...@google.com on 25 Sep 2013 at 11:24

• Changed state: NotSDK

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Please direct me to a forum where it is appropriate to bring up this oversight 
and request that it be resolved. Thank you.

Original comment by ctros...@gmail.com on 2 Oct 2013 at 3:43

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I Currently cannot use my chromecast because of this exact reason. My TV cannot 
accept 1080p but it does suppoort 1080i and 720p I want to use this but I just 
can't until this is resolved.

Original comment by xcom...@gmail.com on 16 Dec 2013 at 1:45

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TV downstairs requires 720p input only it seems, had a similar issue with a DVD 
player (blu-ray), where we could adjust the display output for the dvd player 
so it can be recognized with the HDMI, had to use component first, change 
setting and then use HDMI.

Original comment by alpas...@gmail.com on 17 Dec 2013 at 2:52

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I have the same problem and most old TVs can do only 1080i and 720p. Mine is a 
Hitachi 55inch 2005 Plasma TV that can only do 1080i or 720p. Chromecast is not 
usable. Google should fix this.

Original comment by sai...@gmail.com on 8 Jan 2014 at 5:19

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I too cannot use my new chromecast on my older Samsung HLP5663W DLP TV that 
supports upto 1080i

Original comment by shounak...@gmail.com on 13 Jan 2014 at 3:48

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Change this please. My chromecast is useless on my 720p television, Vizio 
320i-A0.

Original comment by evanm...@gmail.com on 16 Jan 2014 at 6:23

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Like many, i have a projector that takes the analog signal (via VGA) upto 
720p/1080i. Since chromecast outputs at 1080p, using the HDMI to VGA converter 
doesn't help! 
GOOGLE TEAM....PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, give us (the users) the ability to set 
signal output resolution!

Original comment by jass...@gmail.com on 17 Jan 2014 at 4:37

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I have the same issue on a HD-70G886 JVC, 720p/1080i and I get nothing. I 
tested the device on my 1080p computer monitor and it works fine. Please help 
soon.

Original comment by bmsouth...@gmail.com on 20 Jan 2014 at 3:08

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Same problem here. Cant use Chromecast on my projector as it only does 1080i

Original comment by derekrde...@gmail.com on 22 Feb 2014 at 11:23

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Just thought I should mention here: I eventually got the chromecast to work on 
my 1080i TV by using this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015YRMXI/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&p
sc=1

Chromecast inputs to the splitter. I used only one of the outputs. The other 
can be left unconnected (or can be used for a 2nd display, but not required).

Original comment by shounak...@gmail.com on 3 Mar 2014 at 6:44

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Hello shounak, 

Has that splitter some kind of settings for you to change the resolution?

Thank you very much.

Sorry for my bad English...

Original comment by chiscol...@gmail.com on 7 Apr 2014 at 7:02

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No settings/switches on the splitter. I think the splitter does the hdcp 
handshake with chromecast and sends an un-hdcp'd signal to my TV that works 
well 

Original comment by shounak...@gmail.com on 7 Apr 2014 at 8:59

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Hello again!,

I have just tried with this one:

http://www.konigelectronic.com/en_us/1095290

It is not working...

Original comment by chiscol...@gmail.com on 8 Apr 2014 at 6:47

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I would suggest that you return that and get the splitter from amazon. It seems 
like a HDCP issue. I believe that splitter (from the link I sent) remove the 
HDCP. Worst case scenario you can return it back to amazon. 

Original comment by shounak...@gmail.com on 8 Apr 2014 at 8:57

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Thank you shounak,

Could you try to cast any video to the chromecast without the splitter?

To see if you can hear it although you have no image.

Thank you and again sorry for my bad english...

Original comment by chiscol...@gmail.com on 9 Apr 2014 at 2:50

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Without the splitter it does not work. The network 'sees' the chromecast, but 
the video is blank

Original comment by shounak...@gmail.com on 9 Apr 2014 at 2:57

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I have set up my chromecast in another TV, Now in my TV the network "sees" the 
chromecast. I can cast videos but only sound, no picture is shown.

I will try with another splitter. The one you have is no available in my 
conutry (Spain).

Thank you!

Original comment by chiscol...@gmail.com on 10 Apr 2014 at 6:08

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Yes!
I have bought this one:

http://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B003U0M3BQ/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&ps
c=1

Now the Chromecast works like a charm!!! and my slimport adapter too!!!

Yhank you shounak!!!

Original comment by chiscol...@gmail.com on 13 Apr 2014 at 4:49

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My Sharp TV cannot accept 1080p but it does suppoort 1080i and 720p. My TV 
screen is showing error message as "An incompatible video signal has been 
received.Check the output device setting".  Please fix this and allow use to 
set the output to 720p.

Original comment by nagar...@gmail.com on 14 May 2014 at 9:57

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This should be of high priority. Many people's bandwidths are used in 5 days 
instead of a month just because of this big bug. why would the chromecast 
download at a rate of 4GB/sec when only 700MB/sec is enough?
My bandwidth for this month was gone in the first week of usage before I found 
out about this.

Original comment by mhsobh...@gmail.com on 19 Jul 2014 at 2:03

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same problem here not able to limit the bandwidth which results in increase 
internet usage, please fix as all do not have hi speed unlimited bandwidth.. i 
want to use youtube but could not as the bandwidth will be used in a couple of 
days so please fix this..  doesn't see much effort needed for that

Original comment by canuj.to...@gmail.com on 21 Sep 2014 at 6:38

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I have the same problem with my Asus P1 projector that does not work with 
Chromecast via HDMI to VGA adapter because P1 does not support 1080p (btw, I do 
see the Chromecast loading screen as it probably has a lower resolution during 
boot).

I wonder why there seems to be no reaction from chromecast team... It seems to 
be quite an annoying bug for many users.

Original comment by graywo...@gmail.com on 11 Oct 2014 at 5:47

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Why is there no fix for this yet?  I just wasted 30 dollars in adapters 
thinking it was an adapter malfunction. Come on, support your product!

Original comment by ScottwJ...@gmail.com on 14 Oct 2014 at 10:54

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There are lots of 720p equipment wich advertised itself by EDID as 1080p 
capable but the downscaling is badly implemented. It would be very useful being 
able to force an specific output mode.

Original comment by vquint...@gmail.com on 10 Nov 2014 at 1:09

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"There are lots of 720p equipment wich advertised itself by EDID as 1080p 
capable but the downscaling is badly implemented. It would be very useful being 
able to force an specific output mode." 

Exactly this. My TV has a crappy downscale from the CC's 1080p to its native 
720p. Being able to set the HDMI output resolution would be a fantastic 
solution. 

Original comment by st...@stevedinn.com on 3 Dec 2014 at 4:53

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I vote that this be offered too. Choice of output resolution to match native 
resolution of the tv that it is plugged into should have been there from day 
one.

Original comment by jrichard...@zingermans.com on 16 Dec 2014 at 1:08

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Same problem with Grundig Vision 6 TV, 1080i. Shows "bluescreen", indicating 
that there is no signal. Shows 480p bootscreen for just about a second, and 
nothing more. Please do something to let us be able to force output resolution. 

Original comment by laa...@gmail.com on 22 Dec 2014 at 11:55

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If you have a router capable of running Advanced Tomato (Shibby..victek..etc) 
firmware you can set per device bandwidth limits, simply limit the chromecast 
to 3800kbps and you will limit Netflix and YouTube to 720p.

This is how I run Netflix in 720p since they won't implement a setting. 

Original comment by timturne...@gmail.com on 25 Jan 2015 at 12:12