Topic: Chromecast Audio -- A Fit with JRiver Media Center? (Read 55765 times)

MBlue72 · « **on:** September 29, 2015, 10:02:25 pm »

Hello;

Today, as many of you probably know, Google announced several new products including “Chromecast Audio.” Similar to their other Chromecast offerings, the cost is very low ($35!). It allows streaming over a WI-Fi network (802.11ac at 2.4GHz or 5Ghz). The device will connect to powered speakers or audio systems having aux/line, RCA, or optical inputs. Supported operating systems include Android 4.1 and higher; iOS 7.0 and higher; Windows 7 and higher.

Sounds very interesting to me! I am a long-time JRiver user but have little/no experience networking the product via DLNA, etc. Do you folks think JRiver Media Center 20/21 will be able to stream to the Chromecast Audio device?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Dave

Hendrik · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2015, 01:56:15 am »

Google does not offer an SDK for desktop applications to stream to their Cast devices, so no, Media Center itself will not be able to stream to it, unless Google changes their mind.
You will be able to stream to it using Gizmo though, just like you can to the old Chromecast today.

bubbleguuum · « **Reply #2 on:** October 06, 2015, 07:34:34 am »

Quote from: Hendrik on September 30, 2015, 01:56:15 am

Google does not offer a SDK for desktop applications to stream to their Cast devices, so no, Media Center itself will not be able to stream to it, unless Google changes their mind.
You will be able to stream to it using Gizmo though, just like you can to the old Chromecast today.

I suppose this still can be done if you embedded a Javascript engine and use the Google Cast JS API.
I supposed this is how Firefox got it supported.

AndrewFG · « **Reply #3 on:** October 06, 2015, 10:33:41 am »

Do you mean that could work on non Android OSs?

bubbleguuum · « **Reply #4 on:** October 06, 2015, 04:45:06 pm »

Quote from: AndrewFG on October 06, 2015, 10:33:41 am

Do you mean that could work on non Android OSs?

Looks like I spoke a bit too quickly and this is not possible.
Only Android Firefox supports Google Cast, likely using the Android Cast SDK (and not its own JS engine).

Hendrik · « **Reply #5 on:** October 10, 2015, 07:46:09 am »

Apparently VLC implemented the ChromeCast protocol without any Google SDK, so it may not be that complex. It uses Protocol Buffers, apparently.
It might be possible to do something similar from MC, but please do understand that there hasn't been any investigation or decision been made to actually pursue this at all.

bubbleguuum · « **Reply #6 on:** October 10, 2015, 08:39:22 am »

Quote from: Hendrik on October 10, 2015, 07:46:09 am

Apparently VLC implemented the ChromeCast protocol without any Google SDK, so it may not be that complex. It uses Protocol Buffers, apparently.
It might be possible to do something similar from MC, but please do understand that there hasn't been any investigation or decision been made to actually pursue this at all.

If they did that, they reverse engineered it, which is the only way. AFAIK it uses strong encryption.
Google shows total disdain for desktop app developers with a lack of a proper C/C++ SDK.
In Google's magic land, there's only iOS, Google Android and Chrome. The rest is insignificant (or just a means to run Chrome, the trojan horse).

The Computer Audiophile · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2015, 11:28:10 am »

This is such a bummer. Streaming lossless audio to my Chromecast Audio is like pulling teeth. I'd love my Chromecast Audio devices to appear in MC as zones, but I guess it ain't gonna happen. Streaming straight from the Spotify iOS app works, as does streaming Spotify from a Chrome browser tab to the Chromecast Audio, but this isn't what I'd prefer :~(

InsaneRC · « **Reply #8 on:** October 17, 2015, 05:12:05 am »

Has anyone got Gizmo working with Chromcast Audio? I can stream to my old Chromcast but the new Chromcast Audio doesn't work.

ralphawilson · « **Reply #9 on:** October 25, 2015, 03:35:47 pm »

I can't get Gizmo to work either, even though the Chromecast icon shows up, and my Chromecast shows up when I click the icon. Sometimes I get a message "Connection to cast device failed", othertimes no message but doesn't connect. Frustrating to say the least--it could be great.

InsaneRC · « **Reply #10 on:** October 28, 2015, 01:17:41 pm »

Will their be any upcoming update that will make this work?

JimH · « **Reply #11 on:** October 28, 2015, 01:32:20 pm »

We will probably get around to looking at it. I can't say when.

InsaneRC · « **Reply #12 on:** October 28, 2015, 10:34:15 pm »

Thank you

BryanC · « **Reply #13 on:** November 30, 2015, 12:18:27 pm »

Any update on this? Is MC working with the Chromecast Audio yet?

wig · « **Reply #14 on:** December 12, 2015, 07:40:02 am »

Looking at this for an Xmas gift. Gizmo compatibility on the horizon?

Hendrik · « **Reply #15 on:** December 12, 2015, 08:05:32 am »

We'll fix Gizmo with Chromecast Audio soon. No exact ETA however.

wig · « **Reply #16 on:** December 12, 2015, 08:35:39 am »

Quote from: Hendrik on December 12, 2015, 08:05:32 am

We'll fix Gizmo with Chromecast Audio soon. No exact ETA however.

InsaneRC · « **Reply #17 on:** December 13, 2015, 02:43:42 am »

Quote from: Hendrik on December 12, 2015, 08:05:32 am

We'll fix Gizmo with Chromecast Audio soon. No exact ETA however.

Awesome

Hendrik · « **Reply #18 on:** December 15, 2015, 10:22:55 am »

I've just pushed a new version of Gizmo to the play store and the website, which supports the ChromeCast Audio devices.
You may need to reboot the ChromeCast Audio to start working with Gizmo.

BryanC · « **Reply #19 on:** December 17, 2015, 05:10:48 pm »

Quote from: Hendrik on December 15, 2015, 10:22:55 am

I've just pushed a new version of Gizmo to the play store and the website, which supports the ChromeCast Audio devices.
You may need to reboot the ChromeCast Audio to start working with Gizmo.

Excellent!

bubbleguuum · « **Reply #20 on:** January 27, 2016, 09:02:32 am »

You can now play to a Chromecast Audio (or regular Chromecast) with MC,
using the latest version of BubbleUPnP Server released yesterday to make your Chromecast Audio a DLNA renderer, then use
MC to play to it:

Install BubbleUPnP Server 0.9-update13, or update to this version
in the web config, go to the Media Renderers tab
select your Chromecast Audio in the list and check 'create DLNA renderer'
in MC, select the newly created renderer in the 'Playing Now' section of the left pane
play something
music on Chromecast audio !

Eventually, look at the doc for more info on features and some limitations.

Mr ChriZ · « **Reply #21 on:** February 02, 2016, 04:24:20 am »

Has anyone tried this:
https://github.com/acidhax/chromecast-audio-stream/

I found it through googling and ending up here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Chromecast/comments/3qflra/stream_all_sound_in_windows_automatically_to/

prevaljo · « **Reply #22 on:** February 18, 2016, 05:20:52 pm »

I've just purchased a Chromecast Audio and am having difficulty getting it to function with Gizmo. Gizmo shows the Chromecast Icon and you can select Chromecast Audio but music plays on through the Chromecast /audio system AND through the Android device which initiated the connection. Plus they are out of sync. I can play through BubblePnP but haven't worked out how to get Gizmo to play through BubblePnP and then Chromecast.

prevaljo · « **Reply #23 on:** February 18, 2016, 10:02:24 pm »

An update on the above, I created a Bubblepnp Server on a windows pc, Named the Chromecast Audio as a DLNA renderer could then see and connect through Gizmo but can't play any audio. Can play through other DLNA apps.

prevaljo · « **Reply #24 on:** February 19, 2016, 01:46:14 pm »

Connecting Gizmo to the BubbleuPnP server doesn't seem to work. As far as I can tell the server stops working and cannot be found on the network by Gizmo until it has been restarted.

blgentry · « **Reply #25 on:** February 19, 2016, 02:19:21 pm »

I've never used the bubbleUPNP server, but...

I thought the idea was this:

1. Use bubblePNP to make a connection to Chromecast Audio. This then becomes available, via this server as a DLNA device.
2. Now MC can see the DLNA device, being proxy served by Bubble. I.E., MC will now see another zone under Playing Now.
3. Gizmo, connected to MC, can now see all zones in MC, including the new device being presented to it by Bubble.

So you connect Gizmo to MC, not to Bubble. If I have all of that correct.

Brian.

prevaljo · « **Reply #26 on:** February 21, 2016, 03:45:51 am »

Rebooted everything including router and :

1. Install BubbleUpnP Server on a PC or MAC or Linux box.
2. Configure the software Media Renderer to connect to the Chromecast Audio
3. Use DLNA and not Open Home in the configuration
4. Connect Gizmo to BubbleUPnP Server as the renderer - .

Can get it to play very slow to respond and a bit flakey. Will be better if and when you can drop the BubbleUpnp Server component and connect directly from Gizmo.

blgentry · « **Reply #27 on:** February 21, 2016, 08:06:33 am »

^ You are still doing it wrong as far as I can tell.

Why aren't you using MC as described in my post and in Bubble's post?

Brian.

prevaljo · « **Reply #28 on:** February 26, 2016, 02:52:32 pm »

You're probably right, I think it's my understanding of the way it all hangs together that's lacking, having not had a DLNA device before that MC can see and talk to before and I didn't/don't fully understand the MC "Zones" thing.

Anyway it's flakey and I'm not sure if its the Chromecast Audio, the BubbleUPnP Server or MC or my Network Router which seems to have a part to play.

Currently I can see all the components from MC and Gizmo but when I play an album I don't get any audio and MC steps through each track after about five seconds.

blgentry · « **Reply #29 on:** February 26, 2016, 02:56:26 pm »

^ Go into MC. Look on the left under playing now. You should see your Bubble server as a DLNA zone. Rename it if you want, to make it obvious what it is. You should be able to play to it from MC. Click on it. Then select some songs and play them. If they play through your chromecast, then it's all working.

The only thing left is to use Gizmo and to set Gizmo to the Bubble zone, so everything you select via Gizmo will be played through the Bubble server, and therefore the chromecast.

Good luck.

Brian.

prevaljo · « **Reply #30 on:** February 27, 2016, 03:05:21 am »

If I restart everything (including my router) I can see the BubbleUPnP Chromecast Audio DLNA as an option in the MC Player Overview.

Using BubbleUPnP player on my Android phone I can see and select the BubbleUPnP Chromecast Audio DLNA as a renderer and play music to it from the MC Library.

Using MC I can see it in the MC Overview as a player and can select it and try and play to it, it doesn't I get no music and stepping through the tracks in approx 5 second intervals.

So I restarted MC again and voila music, too flakey if you have to restart bits of the chain without knowing which bits have stopped working.

JimH · « **Reply #31 on:** February 27, 2016, 07:11:15 am »

I had a problem with Chromecast that was similar. I found I could get it to work by unplugging the power to the Chromecast device and plugging it in again. What happens if you do that?

ncwalz · « **Reply #32 on:** February 28, 2016, 12:19:23 pm »

I was able to get my Chromecast Audio to work with MC using BubbleUPnP Server on my Windows PC. I'm sending it to my DAC with Toslink and it works flawlessly for one track. No matter what I do, I cannot get MC to play more than one track. This is the same whether I control MC via my computer or with
JRemote. One track only.

Anybody else have this problem?

bubbleguuum · « **Reply #33 on:** February 29, 2016, 07:45:56 am »

Quote from: ncwalz on February 28, 2016, 12:19:23 pm

I was able to get my Chromecast Audio to work with MC using BubbleUPnP Server on my Windows PC. I'm sending it to my DAC with Toslink and it works flawlessly for one track. No matter what I do, I cannot get MC to play more than one track. This is the same whether I control MC via my computer or with
JRemote. One track only.

Anybody else have this problem?

- What exact version of MC are you using ?
- can you play a track until next track doesn't play, them send me (bubbleguuum@free.fr) the BubbleUPnP Server log file: c:\Program Files (x86)\BubbleUPnPServer\BubbleUPnPServer.log.0

ncwalz · « **Reply #34 on:** February 29, 2016, 08:15:24 am »

Thanks. I'll do that today.

ncwalz · « **Reply #35 on:** February 29, 2016, 05:28:56 pm »

Quote from: ncwalz on February 29, 2016, 08:15:24 am

Thanks. I'll do that today.

I restarted my computer, iPhone and chromecast audio and now everything is working perfectly. I'm able to play entire albums via JRemote through chromecast audio to my DAC.

Thanks for making a tool that allows me to enjoy both MC and my chromecast audio.

GaryAR · « **Reply #36 on:** March 02, 2016, 07:33:54 pm »

I'm new to JRiver, but this feature works perfectly for me and I will buy the program since it's so much more convenient than casting to foobar2000. Very much appreciate that this was implemented and that it's so easy to set up.
-gary

JimH · « **Reply #37 on:** March 02, 2016, 08:01:48 pm »

Thanks for saying so. Welcome to the forum.

GaryAR · « **Reply #38 on:** March 09, 2016, 09:49:20 pm »

Everything was working beautifully until JRiver auto updated today, then it started stuttering terribly. Nothing else changed, and I'm not using any kind of antivirus that should affect the process. To try to fix the problem I rebooted both the computer and my chromecast audio and I also switched to the latest channel and updated again but those did not help. Any ideas?

JimH · « **Reply #39 on:** March 10, 2016, 07:26:30 am »

Try powering the Chromecast off and on.

GaryAR · « **Reply #40 on:** March 10, 2016, 12:07:48 pm »

I already tried to restart it with the Chromecast plugin for chrome and by unplugging it, neither had an impact unfortunately. It works fine when I stream to it from my phone so the problem seems to be on the computer side. I have also rebooted the computer a couple times.

andrewt · « **Reply #41 on:** March 18, 2016, 06:24:40 pm »

Does this work with video too? I'd like to be able to stream from my PC via MC to chromecast. I haven't really been able to find a whole lot of info about streaming from a PC instead of Gizmo or JRemote.

DJLegba · « **Reply #42 on:** April 15, 2016, 12:14:15 pm »

My experience with BubbleUPnP and Chromecast Audio is that if the CCA has been unplugged I just have to restart the BubbleUPnP service via the handy web interface.

I've been using the CCA as a cheap remote DAC for playing from MC to powered speakers near the BBQ, for example. Today I realized my inexpensive TOSlink cable had come with a mini-adapter, so I took the opportunity to try the CCA feeding my DAC via TOSlink. It works fine up to 48/24. When I stream a 96/24 track the DAC tries to sync, briefly flashes 96KHz, then drops back to 48KHz and eventually gives up. I suspect my inexpensive TOSlink cable with mini-adapter is the problem here, but I'm not going to bother troubleshooting. This was just an experiment. I've already got a NUC running another copy of MC21 feeding the DAC via USB.

aert077 · « **Reply #43 on:** June 06, 2016, 11:04:11 am »

My experience with MC and chromecast audio (since yesterday) is that it works well and produces great sound.
I used the advice given by bubbleguuum on january 27th 2016.
After fiddling wirh some (medianetwork I think) settings my chromecast audio device was found under "playing now" , as promised.
My first impression was allright and I enjoyed my music.....
My problem is: I can listen to the music, but I can not see the audiospectrum or the promised visualisations.
This was my main reason for trying MC, since I had the same problems with foobar.
I hoped that MC had solved the problem, but it behaves the same as foobar.
Apparently it is a problem using visualisations when not using the speakers built into your computer ??
I know that it is possible to load and even see them, but nothing happens "inside" the visualised window (or panel)
So the background is there, but no data reaches the visualisation to actually make it work. Alas.....

Someone out here to confirm my suspicions ??

I will keep listening to some grat music in the meantime

aert077

jmschnur · « **Reply #44 on:** June 19, 2016, 04:50:20 pm »

Any idea what the jitter is in the chromcast audio dongle and if a good DAC can handle that?

kolia · « **Reply #45 on:** July 06, 2016, 11:43:24 pm »

MC21 installed on a HTPC. BubbleUPnp installed on the Syno. Works really nice with JRemote able to select the zone to play music on a Tivoli stereo set.

wondroushippo · « **Reply #46 on:** October 18, 2016, 12:14:18 pm »

Quote from: jmschnur on June 19, 2016, 04:50:20 pm

Any idea what the jitter is in the chromcast audio dongle and if a good DAC can handle that?

If you still wanted to know, jitter's not great: http://archimago.blogspot.ca/2016/02/measurements-google-chromecast-audio_27.html

BubbleUPnP Server works for turning Chromecasts into DLNA Renderers, if that's an issue.

bluesfendermanblues · « **Reply #47 on:** November 02, 2016, 06:00:01 pm »

Quote from: bubbleguuum on January 27, 2016, 09:02:32 am

You can now play to a Chromecast Audio (or regular Chromecast) with MC,
using the latest version of BubbleUPnP Server released yesterday to make your Chromecast Audio a DLNA renderer, then use
MC to play to it:

Install BubbleUPnP Server 0.9-update13, or update to this version
in the web config, go to the Media Renderers tab
select your Chromecast Audio in the list and check 'create DLNA renderer'
in MC, select the newly created renderer in the 'Playing Now' section of the left pane
play something
music on Chromecast audio !

Eventually, look at the doc for more info on features and some limitations.

Thanks for simple "how to" guide. Works like a charm.

JRiver user since version 18 in 2012 and having recently bought a Chromecast Audio run with toslink, I'm very satisfied with the sound and ease of use.

astropuppy · « **Reply #48 on:** December 27, 2017, 02:04:10 pm »

Wanted to mention, cca's can be grouped together using google home; then the grouping can be defined as a dlna client within bubbleUPNP server; thereby seen by JRiver server as a single endpoint.

Results in perfectly synchronized music throughout the house.

On another note, my experience has been plugging a cca into a dac using toslink results improved sound.

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: Chromecast Audio -- A Fit with JRiver Media Center? (Read 55765 times)