hey nest folks
i’ve been experimenting with using a Nest Hub / Chromecast-enabled TV as a cheap secondary display for testing android apps — specifically for Java-heavy mobile games like Minecraft Java Edition ports. i mainly test builds through PojavLauncherDL.com, which lets you run Java apps/games on Android, and thought i’d share what i’ve learned so far.
why use a Nest device?
- cheap second screen for quick visual checks (UI layout, input lag, passthrough rendering)
- great for showing a running build to teammates during remote debugging sessions
- no extra cables / quick cast → easy to iterate
real things i learned (so you don’t waste time):
- Prefer Cast (screen cast) over web mirroring for interactive apps.
- Mirroring via Cast (Cast screen from Android) is simple, but it introduces input/display latency. Good for visual checks, bad for tight input testing.
- Lower phone render resolution first.
- Reducing the app render resolution before casting reduces CPU/GPU load and improves frame pacing on the Hub. Works great for apps like PojavLauncher.
- Turn off overlays & telemetry while testing.
- Overlays (FPS counters, analytics overlays, heavy logging) often cause frame spikes that look like the cast/device is at fault. Disable them to isolate causes.
- Watch thermal throttling.
- Extended casting + heavy rendering makes phones hot → throttling → janky cast. Short sessions or a small fan help a surprising amount.
- Network matters — use 5GHz where possible.
- Cast latency and packet loss go up on busy 2.4GHz networks. If the Nest and phone are on separate bands or guests, expect worse stutter.
Short checklist for quick tests:
- put phone & Nest on same 5GHz network
- lower in-app render resolution
- disable overlays
- start casting & record short 30s logs
Would love to hear if anyone else here has used their Nest Hub as a dev/test display or paired it with Android game builds like this. Any smart tweaks for stability or long test sessions?
— random tinkerer sharing weird setups
