Officials at Google say they are aware of a problem that is preventing some customers with older-model Chromecast devices from using them.
The issues began over the weekend when users of the second-generation Chromecast dongle and the long-retired Chromecast Audio reported issues using Google Cast to send content from their mobile devices to their TVs and home stereos.
Some users thought implementing a factory reset of their device would solve the problem, only to find that Google’s activation page was unavailable to them — rendering their device completely useless for the time being.
In a support post this week, a support technician at Google said the company is aware of the problem and “working on a fix,” but did not provide specifics as to what caused the issue or when a patch will be deployed.
The second-generation Chromecast originally sold for $35, and was one of the cheapest ways to stream high-definition video content from Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube to non-smart TVs. The Chromecast Audio did much of the same, but for streaming music and other forms of audio to a home stereo. Google stopped selling the second-generation Chromecast in 2018, and discontinued the Chromecast Audio in 2019, but promised to continue supporting both for the foreseeable future.
The issue does not affect the Chromecast with Google TV, a streaming device that Google retired last year in favor of its Google TV Streamer. Those devices, which run a version of Android TV, continue to function.
Other Android-powered devices, including Walmart’s line-up of Onn TV-branded streaming gadgets and the TiVo Stream 4K, are unaffected by the bug. They continue to work as standalone Android TV devices and with Google Cast.
