Spotify and Chromecast solution that works.

[v3ntilator]

Google have lately added Screencast, which means it can cast anything to TV.

1.) Enable that function on original Chromecast app on Android.

2.) Run official Spotify app on Android.

3.) Install "Rotation Lock Adaptive" or similar app from Google Market and lock the screen to horizontal mode.

Now you will get Spotify in 16:9 on TV, with cover, sidescrolling of playlist and whatever Spotidy app supports.

This is as good as Spotify could ever be with native support. You wont notice the difference.

Something kinda mindboggling here:

I read that Spotify can't support Chromecast because of Sonos.

Well. In a new Sonos advert in Norway, 12 month Deezer is bundled with Sonos, and it also supports Chromecast at the same time.

I have for a long time planned to switch from Spotify to something else, but there is no reason for that anymore.

1.) Screencast

2.) The song list is mostluy the the same at any big music streamer anyway.

I will just keep on using Spotify as always.

[eymey]

Sorry, that is at mworkaround workaround. Many android devices do not have screen cast yet and it totally occupies and drains your device

[v3ntilator]

If you read the first line in my post, you will see that Its the official Chromecast Android app itself that is casting to TV. Android phones don't need support for that, when Chromecast app does it. It uses WIFI directly to Chromecast. Samsung Screencast is Disabled when i use Screencast with Chromecast.

Another proof: The TV i use Chromecast on don't support Screencast. Chromecast does all the job.

I don't need Chromecast for my WIFI TV.

Battery is draining no matter which app you use for playing music on TV with Android.

Galaxy Note 3 for example lasts from party start to finish, so i don't see any battery issue. 😉

[cHagHi]

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@v3ntilator wrote:

Battery is draining no matter which app you use for playing music on TV with Android.

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See, you are totally wrong. When you are properly casting with native support directly in an app, you can even turn off your phone, and the video/audio will still be casted, because it is the Chromecast device itself the one pulling the content from internet. This is a huge advantage of native Chromecast support in an app that none of the available workarounds have.

Whereas with your workaround (yes, is a workaround using the new native casting feature that only a few top tier android phones have, but a workaround nonetheless), the Spotify app in your phone is pulling the audio, Android is using the CPU in your phone to make a video in real time of your screen, and sending that video to your Chromecast using your LAN. There is a huge waste of cpu power, battery and network bandwidth when you do that, compared to a native solution.

And a native solution would work no matter which phone you have, it would even work with iPhones/iPads (if Spotify does it right), while your "solution" is restricted to the Android platform and (so far) a very tiny fraction of devices.

One more thing: if you think you've got the best idea in the world by suggesting this, then again you are wrong. If you take the time to properly read the Chromecast thread, you'll notice that you are far from being the first user proposing this particular workaround.

[v3ntilator]

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@v3ntilator wrote:

Google have lately added Screencast, which means it can cast anything to TV.

1.) Enable that function on original Chromecast app on Android.

2.) Run official Spotify app on Android.

3.) Install "Rotation Lock Adaptive" or similar app from Google Market and lock the screen to horizontal mode.

Now you will get Spotify in 16:9 on TV, with cover, sidescrolling of playlist and whatever Spotidy app supports.

This is as good as Spotify could ever be with native support. You wont notice the difference.

Something kinda mindboggling here:

I read that Spotify can't support Chromecast because of Sonos.

Well. In a new Sonos advert in Norway, 12 month Deezer is bundled with Sonos, and it also supports Chromecast at the same time.

I have for a long time planned to switch from Spotify to something else, but there is no reason for that anymore.

1.) Screencast

2.) The song list is mostluy the the same at any big music streamer anyway.

I will just keep on using Spotify as always.

---

First of all, i dont wanna turn off phone when playing music, as i use it as a remote control.

Secondly, native support is always best. If native don't exist, you go to plan B if possible.

That was clearly mentioned in my first post if you bothered to read it. Looking at your answer, you only read 50% of my 2 posts.

We know that Spotify will never add Chromecast support, as they are against that and most other media hardware.

A workaround is nice, and battery usage is not an issue to me. My phone came with a charger. 😉

Even when using alot more CPU, it still lasts whole day on most newer phones.

Even my 1 year old Galaxy Note 3 doesen't use that much battery on Screencast.

Seriosly.. Does people even in 2014 complain about LAN network bandwidth usage?

I used  1000.Mbit network for over 10 years, and still had no bandwidth issue. Secondly, even if i used 4G on cell phone network its unlimited use each month.

Even with 100.Mbit you wouldn't strugggle with Screencast.

It have lately been online some places that you you can use Chromecast to stream anything to TV, so its not a secret.

Somehow it still seem that most people don't know about it, so i made a new thread so its easier to see.

Anyways. We know how negative Spotify is at supporting newer media hardware, and that they are still doing false marketing.

"Play on all devices" Sure. Its basically only limited to PC app+web, TV app, Tablets and Phones.

Everything else is ignored, and even HTML5 alone would have made Spotify work on nearly 10 more "media devices".

Spotify also states that it can play on 3 devices, but that don't work. More false advertising.

Account can only be used 1 time at a time, and not 3 like they claim. That still don't work as of today.

[Andrews32]

Let's not fight amongst ourselves. The villain here is the company that refuses to institute, OR EVEN COMMENT ON, Chromecast integration. Any workaround is a modest improvement, at best, to Spotify working on a solution that even one-man dev shops can handle. The burden should be on Spotify, not its members to come up with workarounds. Let's keep the focus there. Tweet them, email them, comment on the boards here and keep the pressure up. 

[v3ntilator]

Well said Andrews. 🙂

I was just trying to be helpful, but i got flamed for it instead. Its a sad world we live in. 😉

Anyway. I don't think Spotify have lack of resources, considering Chromecast support was added in a few apps right after SDK was out.

Some says they can't support Chromecast because of Sonos.

Deezer supports Sonos and Chromecast at the same time, the Sonos rumour with Spotify must be wrong.

Complete Sonos setup is so expensive that its not ment for the mass market anyway.

Anyways..I will stick with Spotify and my way of make it work on TV flawlessly with no lag. It doesen't even slow down my phone, so i don't know where the CPU issue is. It also drains far less battery than any game for obvious reasons.

BTW: TuneIn Radio is also getting Chromecast support now, and of all the big sound apps Spotify will be the only popular app left behind by the end of year perhaps.

The reason why Chromecast,quickly became popular worldwide is because of its low price, user friendnliness and SDK. Its superior to built in apps for TV unless you have a brand new Android TV.

One more thing: If you run Spotify Windows program and Chromecast Screencast at the same time, you can remote control it on TV with Android and PC at the same time. Windows program detects the Android one on network automatically.

[Glide]

Even @cHagHi could be a little rude, I quite agree with him, and not only because my SIII can't cast the screen natively (Android 4.2.2).

The aim (and the advantage) of Chromecast is to pull the content from the internet, serving it from your device disables the advantage.

I personnaly often listen music for quite a long time, and I'd rather not leave my screen activated and even less leave the charger plugged.

Also I'd like my wife to be able to control the music with her old Android phone which would not be enough powerful to serve the cast.

Even if it does not allow me to control from my phone, I prefer the solution based on Chrome by sharing a play.spotify.com tab from a computer. This solution actually pull the sound directly from the internet as the page is interpreted by Chromecast (AFAIK). By the way I also control the computer with Chrome Remote Desktop (No I'm not sponsored 🙂

[v3ntilator]

Thats nice. There is a few ways to do this, and its nice from Chrome on PC. I think a phone is more handy as remote thou.

BTW: I use Galaxy Note 3 phone, and is why i don't notice Chromecast is running.

I just tried TuneIn Radio now which finally got Chromecast support, but its basically a gimmick. It shows song and cover art on TV.. and thats it. Soundcloud etc.. is not much better either.

Is there even any point of having Spotify on TV? They could add a time slider, but there is not that much else to add.

[user-removed]

I am not sure if there is a point. I have two Internet devices an HDTV and blue ray player with Internet apps, I do not touch them, they are all somewhat slimmed down from the full Internet accessible versions and with missing features. I use my HDTV as what is was intended an HDTV from my cable HD service, and as a PC monitor, my spotify service comes from my PC into my home sound system, and I have access to full features of the desktop app. No messing around with these device markers using apps as selling points and coming up very short of what should be expected. I saved a hundred bucks on my home sound system getting a version without the internet apps. I did not need it anyway, would have just been another device to add to my home network and not needed in the first place, and after seeing the issues other users have had with theirs, I would have been ticked off spending an hundred extra bucks for those apps on those systems not working right.

Internet app ready devices is just a marketing con game. If you have a home sound system with a multi video/sound input for use with an HDTV just pipe the sound from your notebooks or PC's into the sound system and ditch these stupid internet device apps that do not work half the time anyway.

[Glide]

HDTV box is a cool device to have, but keep in mind anybody can't buy one and/or have the place to put it beside AV receiver. A Chromecast dongle is about 35$ and is for me one of the numerous inputs coming into my AV receiver (TV box, PS3, ...).

After that, a single HDMI cable goes to the screen and indeed Spotify should not need any display on the screen. The sound job is processed by the AVR.

[camillo75]

Does Chromecast works with the Spotify App?

If yes does it work on Android and Apple too?

Thank you!

[Yellowbooth]

This is really annoying - Deezer has a chromecast button - why can't spotify add this? 

[Jet3D]

I'm listening to Spotify on Chromecast right now. 

The simplist way is just to go to the web version at .....    play.spotify.com       Then in a Chrome browser with the Chromecast extension installed.

Start listening to your music and then push the Chromecast button in the upper right corner.

Voila Chromcast Spotify.

Here's my favorite Acoustical Radio Station with French language vocals. Great to work or study with!

Later : )

[Glide]

I was mentionning this solution 7 posts ago, but this does not allow a non computer device to cast, which for me is the aim.

[v3ntilator]

I'm writing a list here for possible solutions. I have used them all, and they all work.

For TV output:

1.) With this Spotimote app you can remote control Spotify natively on TV.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nop.spoticast

2.) Chrome web Browser with Chromecast plugin.

3.) Screencast with official Chromecast app App to TV (Galaxy S4/Galaxy Note 3 and similar specs or better recommended).

Non TV Spotify Remote on phone/tablet 

1.) Official Spotify app have native Android remote in app.

2.) Spotimote (Alternative to remote control)

Showing Spotify on TV is not as big deal is i thought, as it basically only shows a cover, song title, running time and slider.

YouTube with native Cnromecast support is not an alternative as songs is removed all the time there. Especially by Universal Music which is by far the worst.

[hans-jürgen]

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Yellowbooth schrieb:

This is really annoying - Deezer has a chromecast button - why can't spotify add this? 

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Right, I recently noticed that new button in the Deezer webplayer in Firefox, too. I read that Deezer Chromecast is available on mobile apps since last summer and also on Google Chrome with another extension, but on Firefox directly in the web player? How long has this been available, and does it need a Premium account (which I don't have)?

[thetech101]

you are so stupid

[leonardocamejo]

Thanks for the tip! Not the perfect solution but it's close enough, until Spotify decides to support chromecast.

[sharat1]

Spoticast is really an app that works