Welcome to our review of the OneCast programs for streaming your Xbox One to your Mac!
We all know how it goes, suddenly someone in the house wants to watch TV and you are in the middle of a game. It used to be tedious to work around this, but for a while, this issue exists no more. OneCast provides a paid solution/alternative to the PS4 Remote play app. Not just on Mac, but also on iPhone and iPad. The nice folks over at OneCast provided us with a review code and after some extensive testing, here are my results.
First let us talk about the installation of both. Anyone with a Mac knows what to expect and there are no issues to be expected. Installation went smoothly on both platforms and before I knew it, I was entering the set up of the programs already.
Unfortunately there is an issue with the Xbox Controller USB driver that OneCast is using, that prevents the X button from working correctly with newer Xbox One wireless controllers connected via USB. Please note that this only affects newer controllers bundled with Xbox One S/Xbox One X (controller model 1708). Older controllers are not affected. OneCast Will Allow Xbox One Users Stream Games to their Mac March 2, 2018 March 9, 2018 Grant Hamersma The world of gaming is dominated by PC, PS4 and Xbox One but you just can’t write Mac.
Step 4) (For Better Performance) Pair Xbox One controller to Quest using the Oculus App. Step 5) Launch Oculus TV. Step 6) Open OneCast. Step 7) Pair to Xbox One and Complete! Edit: For pairing the controller to your Quest you need a Xbox One S Controller because old models do no support bluetooth. The reason I made this video is to solve a problem that arose when I wanted to watch my Xbox One X content in full 4K HDR while streaming with an Elgato HD60. This video will easily show you to how to stream your Xbox One to your Macbook using software called One Cast! This video will easily show you to how to stream your Xbox One to your Macbook.
The Set up was something I would be finding myself going back to, I kept fiddling with the quality of streaming as this was most important. For my test, the Xbox 1 was connected to the Apple Time Capsule, specifically the 5GHz band. Both my MacBook Air and the iPad were connected to the 5GHz band.
First, the macbook air. I loved playing in the medium setting, for some reason the higher settings did not full do the trick. I played a variety of games and here are the issues encountered for each.
- Yoku’s Island express, delays in audio only when playing at high, perfectly smooth on medium.
- Darksiders Warmastered, medium again was perfect, pixelation visible on high
- Galaga on games pass, played great on high and medium.
- Disney’s Adventures, surprisingly laggy on high and completely normal on medium.
What I really enjoyed, being able to just play them when the TV was not available. Despite mostly being forced into the medium setting, I did not mind this one bit. It is great to be able to play anytime and anywhere in the house.
Next up, my tests for the iPad, which were a bit less good. I will not go into detail as I only had good results from the medium setting on my fourth-generation iPad Mini. The 2017 model, however, did improve the video quality remarkably and a lot of the graphics were surprisingly great at even the higher settings.
So how does it compare to the PS4 alternative?
Well, to do the comparison, we need to eliminate the price from the equation. Ps4 Remote play happens to be free while the OneCast apps are not. It could be construed as a downside, but let me tell you, the functionality of the app makes you ignore this.
How To Stream Xbox One To Mac Without One Cast App
My wife recently started working at the airport, so she is having real early hours and really late ones compared to my day shifts. This app is like godsend for anyone in my situation, when she goes to bed, I just go play elsewhere and not disturb her. The apps are decent enough to let you play intensively, though I do prefer playing on my MacBook Air.
How To Play Xbox On Mac Without Onecast
In conclusion, OneCast is not the cheapest of apps, but it does provide a great alternative to being able to play when the TV is occupied or to avoid waking up someone by taking your MacBook to another room. I loved using it and will enjoy it a lot in the future.
You can download the apps from onecast.me website!
in Mac Softwareedited March 2018
OneCast claims to be the world's first Xbox One game streaming client for macOS, offering Mac owners a taste of what Windows 10 users have had access to for some three years.
Previously, no company offered a solution for native streaming to Mac, meaning users had to rely on clunky workarounds like installing Windows 10 via Boot Camp or Parallels. These stopgaps were often buggy and failed to perform well enough to handle fast-paced games.
OneCast promises 1080p video throughput, 'extremely low lag' and support for either full-screen or windowed viewing modes. An Xbox wireless controller can be connected to the Mac via USB or Bluetooth after a firmware install, and the app supports multiple Xbox user profiles, making it simple to use different Xbox One consoles or gamertags.
In addition to streaming from an Xbox One to a Mac sharing the same wireless network, OneCast supports remote connectivity features that let users play games from anywhere with an internet connection. The company notes play anywhere functionality requires manual configuration of a network router, specifically port forwarding settings.
Why it took so long for a third-party firm to arrive at a Mac streaming solution remains unknown, but OneCast in a statement to The Verge said it conducted a 'clean room reverse engineering' of the Xbox One game streaming system to create its eponymous app. The software utilizes the same protocol used by Microsoft's official Windows client, meaning Mac owners can expect performance on par with a Windows 10 system.
OneCast is currently available as a two-week free trial, while the app is priced at $9.99 for a limited time. On April 1, regular pricing of $20 will go into effect.
Comments
- I don’t understand why anyone would want to do this, but then again I’m not one to play games non-stop anymore.
- Interesting concept.Who knows, Microsoft might sue them.
I don't get what the point of this is either. I use a PS4, and Sony's had Remote Play for a while where you can stream games to a Vita, Mac, or PC. Not sure why you would not use your console and stream to another device.I don’t understand why anyone would want to do this, but then again I’m not one to play games non-stop anymore.
I personally use it for remote play when not at home (requires setting up a DDNS and router with a DMZ). Also, if my wife or kids want to watch TV, I can still play. PS4 has had this for ever, including the ability to steam when not at home without needing a home VPN on Mac or PC. I run bootcamp on my Mac so I can stream my Xbox. Haha
I don't get what the point of this is either. I use a PS4, and Sony's had Remote Play for a while where you can stream games to a Vita, Mac, or PC. Not sure why you would not use your console and stream to another device.I don’t understand why anyone would want to do this, but then again I’m not one to play games non-stop anymore.