Connecting to Chromecast from Windows Desktop Client

[EquinoxDK]

When I want to use spotify connect to connect to my chromecast, I need to use my android phone/tablet versionn of spotify to connect first, then take over that connect session from my desktop client. It's imposible to directly connect to the chromecast from my desktop client 

Steps to reproduce the issue:

1. Start Spotify on phone
2. Connect to my Chromecast
3. Start Spotify on my desktop. It automaticly connects to the connect session between my phone and Chromecast
4. Kill Spotify on phone
5. Use desktop client to control Chromecast

What steps you’ve tried already:

No devices are shown in the "choose device to play to" button on desktop client. Chromecast is found on phone

Your device and operating system (e.g. MacBook Air, 10.10 OSX)

Windows 10 I7 based computer / Samsung S6 android smartphone

Type of Spotify account you have (Free/ Premium):

Premium

The app version of Spotify you’re using:

1.0.15.133.gf21970bd 

Best regards 

Jan Skrubbeltrang

[hex4]

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@durin wrote:

The reason why the desktop clients don't support Chromecast is because Google doesn't provide support for desktop in their cast SDK.

https://developers.google.com/cast/docs/sender_apps

Only supported platforms are Android, iOS and Chrome. Spotify is a CEF (Chromium Embedded Framework) application and CEF doesn't have support for Chromecast (yet).

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Spotify windows client worked well just couple weeks ago , so this is not valid excuse. 

[durin]

Chromecast appears in the desktop client devices list when you connect to it from your Android or iOS device. After that you can control Spotify on your Chromecast from the desktop client or switch between the desktop client and Chromecast.

[PhilWilliscroft]

I bought my new Chromecast home today excited to connect my laptop to my stereo without cables, but no I have to tether it thru my phone.  I lose the hi def I pay for and it glitchy as hell.  Stops all the time coughs and splutters as I wonder around the world of music.  It's not very impressive.  My wired experience isn't feeling so tragic. 

I get that you don't support desktop as MVP but losing the hi def because of android's  limits is annoying.

[brandited]

Hi durin, you said Spotify Desktop is a CEF.

Isn't this project also a CEF and it streams to Chromecast?

https://github.com/acidhax/chromecast-audio-stream

[durin]

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@brandited wrote:

Hi durin, you said Spotify Desktop is a CEF.

Isn't this project also a CEF and it streams to Chromecast?

https://github.com/acidhax/chromecast-audio-stream

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No. That is a JavaScript program that has binary drivers for Windows and MacOS. CEF is Chromium Embedded Framewok that is a simple framework for embedding Chromium-based browsers in other applications (https://bitbucket.org/chromiumembedded/cef).

The application you linked uses castv2-client (https://github.com/thibauts/node-castv2-client) JavaScript library to cast to Chromecast. Castv2 is a 3rd party library that implements Cromecast API and makes it possible to make applications with JavaScript that can cast to Chromecast.

Since castv2 is a 3rd party library it doesn't have any support from Google and doesn't work if Google makes changes to the API. Ofc Spotify could use that in their desktop application but they couldn't get any support from Google if they encountered problem with it.

My understanding is that since the Chromecast device appears in the devices list when we connect to it with our mobile device starting the Spotify application in the Chromecast it would be enough if the desktop application could search the Chromecast devices and start the application in the selected device.

A while ago I played with another 3rd party Python library and managed to start the Spotify app in my Chromecast but I got an authentication error because I didn't have a valid session ID to start the Chromecast app. Searching for the Chromecast devices and starting the application in Cromecast can be done with basic network commands so it could be done without a library but it would be very "hacky".

[NeedForSpeed73]

I found a very simple but effective way to listen to Spotify on the Chromecast from my computer without having to use any mobile: just use the Spotify Web Player inside a Chrome Browser tab and then send the audio of that tab to your Chromecast with the Google Cast Chrome extension.

[PhilWilliscroft]

Ahh, yes thanks. Does it allow hifidelity streaming?  My biggest problem with streaming via android is that this constrains the bandwidth so much.

[NeedForSpeed73]

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@PhilWilliscroft wrote:
Ahh, yes thanks. Does it allow hifidelity streaming?  My biggest problem with streaming via android is that this constrains the bandwidth so much.

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I dunno! I can't find the mini-jack to RCA cable to connect directly my laptop to my hi-fi system and test wether the "high quality streaming" option makes any notable difference.

I don't wanna sound snob but my idea of "hifidelity" is a couple of notches higher than any internet streaming music has ever provided me yet (on paper only Tidal is supposed to comply) and so even if I'd find the cable I won't consider using my laptop earphones output a hifi solution.

I listen to Spotify mainly while I work. When I look for a hifi experience I sit on the sofa, at the center of the stereo triangle and put on a CD or a vinyl record source.;)

[flipside010]

Ok ive just spent 20 mins trying to figure out why I cant see chromecast in the desktop app and then google bought me here. Ive read alot of teh posts but im still not sure if this issue sits on googles shoulders or spoitifys ... possible 6 of one half a dozen of the other.

[EquinoxDK]

the problem is a lack of officicial Google Cast SDK for windows. So the
problem is definitive in Googles end of the playingfield.

[radiobread]

As far as I know you cannot cast the Spotify Desktop programme directly to
Google Chromecast on your TV.

However there are work arounds.

Play Spotify on your Mobile Phone. In the Devices box on your PC desktop
version in the lower right corner
your phone will be displayed as a device.

Click on the Chromecast icon and it will show you a list of devices that
you can cast to.

I use Google Chromecast connected to my TV HDMI port.

I also use Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Of the 3 the best audio is playing through the Amazon Fire TV Spotify App.

Once music is playing on your TV you can control it through the Spotify
Desktop Client.

You can also Cast from Google Chrome Browser using the Spotify Web Player,
but it is prone to audio drop outs.

Hope this helps,

Radiobread

[Mightybees]

Unless I'm missing something .... I can cast from the Spotify webplayer to one cc. But multi room isn't available, unlike the iOS version? 

[jurienwouters]

Not sure if the Google SDK is guilty. On one of my pc's it was posible to play music to my chromecast with a older version of Spotify. After a update of the spotify client the connect function was not working anymore. The broke it in version 1.0.32.x.

[vegasmassimo]

Dear Spotify ..

I have been paying for Premium for over a year ...  I am also a huge advocate for Spotify with Facebook - HiFi Audio Streaming ...  and the many other streaming media sites...  but that might need to stop

I have several audio systems and use Google Chromecast Audio to get wireless play from any device to any of the 5 systems in my house or to group them together for whole house sound.

The inability to use the power of a desktop or laptop computer and have it send to wireless devices is complete and total BS... and this is some poor management planning.

The current solution – use my desktop to make a playlist – then use a dedicated tablet to send that playlist to Chromecast Audio ...

Plugging 2000 watts of audio directly into a headphone jack is not a smart idea... you ever hear “You’ve Got Mail” at 118db right in the middle of your favorite concert.

Slacker Premium requires no special app/program/interphase - it simply works... I can send playlist from ANY device (computer {Apple or PC}, Tablet or Phone) to ANY Wi-Fi receiving device...  this is a MUST...

I can’t imagine you don’t have a simple desktop web player or streaming channel... the ridiculously overly complex app you seem married too will be the undoing being taking seriously as a fun and useful streaming source...  you have turned yourselves into Photoshop – a bloated trying to do everything super program and pissing off users by making it too complex to use.

[Mange3]

Agree with the post above. Fix ChromCast support for the Windows Desktop app.

[KarlXII]

Seriously.....this problem is still current??!?

I got myself a Chromecast Audio a few days ago and it's really pissing me off that I need to start Spotify with the phone, before I can use the PC - which is my weapon of choice. And not being able to control the volume...? Dev@Spotify: You really need to fix this! I'm one of your first customers. I can oversee- for now - that you don't have lossless audio, but this is making my music experience much less fun than it ought to be. Just checked with Tidal - they have both. 

Your move. 

[ASDSDFF34]

The best fot the moment is this:

I have to open Chrome, then go to play.spotify.com and then with the chromecast extension enabled on the browser, start to cast.

Thats the easiest, and less anoying way to do it...

If you plan to do it with the spotify program, you have to bridge the cast with your phone, and thats really anoying and unstable to me.

[EquinoxDK]

That usage does not allow for high quality (320kbps) streaming

https://support.spotify.com/us/article/What-bitrate-does-Spotify-use-for-streaming/

[Sharoon]

Can't believe we're still waiting for this option..... come on spotify!!!!!!!!

[g3minii]

As of now there's plenty of sdk's.