Hey guys, I have been playing with my Chromecast and I had a few questions that I ran into.
First, does a shared queue work for Google Music right now? My wife on her SGN2 and me on my Nexus 7 (gen 2) were not able to add songs from both devices to the same queue. I added mine to a queue and she added hers to her own, but once one of us played a song, the other was locked out and would get an error message saying that they were unable to cast the song. Also, the song queue did not show both of our song selections combined. It was only our own personal song queues.
The second issue I found, was that half the time that I clicked the menu for a song and selected "add to queue," all of the songs in that song's playlist are added, rather than just the one song I selected. The other half the time, the song is added by itself. Maybe this is just growing pains for chromecast, but it is weird and does not seem like it should happen that way.
Thanks!
Also, sorry that this is a question in a non-question sub, but I do not see a chromecast Q and A sub.
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Has anyone else noticed that with either Windows Media Player or the HTC Audio Manager, it will always use the same shuffle order? Doesn't this defeat the purpose? Anyone know how to get it to "reshuffle" with every play. I am getting tired of hearing my play lists in the same order everytime.
jgermuga said:
Has anyone else noticed that with either Windows Media Player or the HTC Audio Manager, it will always use the same shuffle order? Doesn't this defeat the purpose? Anyone know how to get it to "reshuffle" with every play. I am getting tired of hearing my play lists in the same order everytime.
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Amen, thought I was the only one who noticed this!
Yes, surprising isn't it. Even a using a search on all forums didn't turn up this same question. I think this is true for Wondows Media Player on all devices, or at least the one's I have owned. Would be nice is HTC could provide a shuffle option that actually shuffles with the Audio Manager. Perhaps they should call it "Reorder" instead of "Shuffle".
Just searched and this is the only thread I could find on this problem.
My media player doesn't actually play the library in folder order, but seems to shuffling only a few songs on the list.
Is playing them from the library the only option? - you can play only one song at a time when accessing the music folder with windows explorer.
to "reshuffle" have you tried turning off shuffle, selecting another track, playing it, then turn shuffle back on.
Thanks for the suggestion - yes I've tried that, but it just seems so hit and miss with the Windows media player and the shuffle play seems to repeat a few tracks too often.
I've now installed MortPlayer and it's working great, so I'm not going to bother with the WM player now.
Thanks.
firstbuddha said:
to "reshuffle" have you tried turning off shuffle, selecting another track, playing it, then turn shuffle back on.
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Yes, this is my half baked solution. I just scroll down and start a few songs later in the list as it is sorted via the playlist. It still does not "shuffle" though, just puts me at a different point in the (properly termed...) reordered playlist. If it's a short playlist though, you will figure out pretty quickly that the songs go in the same order every time, you just started at a different point.
In computing, the random doesn't exist, we can only approach it by simulating.
You won't never get a "real" shuffle. When you select this mode in WMP or HTC audio manager, it follows an algorithm, that's why you always hear songs in the same order with the same playlist. The best way is to change your playlist.
I hope this explanation is helpful and clear, and if somebody can give us more details on the subject, don't hesitate (I like learning more and more )
sarce39 said:
In computing, the random doesn't exist, we can only approach it by simulating.
You won't never get a "real" shuffle. When you select this mode in WMP or HTC audio manager, it follows an algorithm, that's why you always hear songs in the same order with the same playlist. The best way is to change your playlist.
I hope this explanation is helpful and clear, and if somebody can give us more details on the subject, don't hesitate (I like learning more and more )
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I hear what you saying regarding computers not being good at random, but I can tell you that this MortPlayer is doing a damn fine job of it.
I think that these workarounds with the playlist are a poor reflection on WM media player - I have about 1.5G in my music folder and MortPlayer can shuffle the lot without the need to first create a playlist.
I didn't say that you need to create a playlist. On the contrary, more the numbers of songs is high, more the order in which you will hear its is changing, because the probability of finding the song "m" on a sample "M" diminishes when you increase "M" ( "M " can be a playlist or 1.5 GB of songs)
when i use bluetooth headset HSH-DS220 with music play, it will always displayed error when switch to another song in playlist. either windows media player or Flo 3D music play error.
i have try Swift and Dutty cookies, but the same.
i don't know what cause it happened, any one know?
I'm not sure about the HSH-DS220 but I've been using the HBH-DS970 for way over 1 year - first with the PPC-6700 and now with the HTC Touch Diamond (Sprint version). I love it! However there are various Bluetooth problems like the Bluetooth connection dropping mysteriously or a sudden loss of the Handset control but continued connection through the Wireless. This means I can still hear the music, but pause stops working. Other times I'll start playing and it'll skip to the next song for no particular reason.
Let alone the absolute crappy implementation of the TF3D "Sprint Music" player! Oh I can go on and on about it's stupid implementation including the foolish fact that you have to select Menu: Shuffle [off] only to be presented with yet another menu to select whether I wanted "Shuffle [off]" or "Shuffle [on]"! Ah duh, if it's off then just toggle it!
Nor that the Voice Command allows you to ask "What song is this?" but will respond with "No media playing" if you're using TF3D "Sprint Music".
Nor that there's no capability to save where you're at in a song, of if you flip forward to see what's next it starts playing what's next, nor that you cannot edit any playlist synced from Windows Media Player, nor delete playlists you create, nor the fact that it's just plain horrid to be able to find a song flicking your finger through hundreds of tracks?!? Where's the A-Z strip! Etc. Ad Nausem!
But the HBH-DS970, as a device, is a good device and does Bluetooth well.
These are not showstopper issues but things I want to fix, if I can.
1) Whenever a song begins to play it "skips" a bit. Like it replays the first note/sound/whatever a few times then starts over for "real" and plays the song.
2) Sometimes the next song does not start up or show in the now playing area in the widget after the current song has finished playing. Click on the "skip" button makes the next song play.
3) Different from #2. Song does not start or change the currently playing song info in the widget. Cannot skip the song because an ad is playing. Now, I get that pandora is ad supported and I am fine with that. But, this is the kookiness, no audio is playing and there is no image at all in the full app window. But I cannot skip the non-ad, so I have dead air. That is not cool.
Now some debugging I have done. These things happen over 3G, Wi-Fi, and Edge. No difference among the connections. I have tried different stations as well.
Any ideas?
I know that in my experience with it so far, I was getting "skip" like symptoms as well. I went into the settings and changed it from "Normal" quality to "High" and this seemed to fix it for me.
I haven't seen the other bugs you've mentioned.
Another thing I see is sometimes I will pause Pandora and use the back button to back out of it. After doing so, the Android Music app will start and start playing music. It doesn't show up in the Notifications bar up top. I end up just using Advanced Task Manager to kill it.
I've noticed a LOT of the music apps seem to start when you don't want them too. I've noticed Last.fm will start itself when I play music from the Android Music app. I know this because a force close message will come up for it randomly. Mixzing used to start itself as well when I would start Music, so I uninstalled it. About to uninstall Last.fm too. Quite annoying...
Yea, I already tried the normal/high quality change. No effect.
It is odd stuff.
For the first time, ever, on my G1 I had the headphone icon show up when I plugged in my car stereo cable to the HTC 3n1 adapter.
I had just started up pandora but no music was playing yet, plugged in the cable, and then stared in amazement as the headphone icon came up in the notification area.
Then, to my further amazement, the default music app launched and I was presented with a musical selection of my ringtones. Wow.
Pandora is still far and away the best pick-a-kind-of-band-station out there.
if you are getting these issues, email the developer so they know the issues exist
andonnguyen said:
if you are getting these issues, email the developer so they know the issues exist
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Yep going to do that. Just wanted to make sure I was not the only one. So far it seems that I am. I may email them anyway. You never know...
confirm #2. i have the same. stopped using pandora. waiting for updates with fixes.
So far Pandora has worked great for me, no skipping issues, but I have had my music app start once and play at the same time as Pandora. I think it's an issue related to the newer CM Rom's....not Pandora.
My problem is, when I go to look at my stations, I have 5 or 6 duplicates of each station. I double checked on my PC and the duplicates aren't there, so it's specific to my phone.
This is an opinion post. Only opinion, and open to debate.
Last.fm is slow compared to iMeem and I am exclusively on Edge- I have to use At&t for now. I heard such good things about Pandora and was SO amped to hear it was released, and gave it every chance in the world to wow me.
Imeem is better. For one reason- Favorite artists playlists and favorite songs playlists. Now I tried looking all over pandora for this, so that I can #1 listen so just artists I like, no "new suggestions" for artists, just tracks I maybe never heard before. Sometimes I don't want to "explore". And #2 when I show off my android to friends, I have group-friendly tracks exclusively favorited, and I can switch on the Favorite Songs playlist and not worry. Ever.
Please tell me I am missing something in Pandora.
So the Nexus Q had the ability to allow multiple users to control the current music playlist, which I believed was a great feature. Has anyone got something like this working with the Chromecast dongle? Seems when I try to hook up another device (by hitting the cast button in Play Music), it stops the first from playing correctly and boots it off the dongle. Little bit of a let down. Maybe it will be something Google will add with updates.
Edit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=WT0o1truK9w&t=237 This is the original presentation for the Nexus Q that shows off the functionality I am talking about.
hinataoccu said:
So the Nexus Q had the ability to allow multiple users to control the current music playlist, which I believed was a great feature. Has anyone got something like this working with the Chromecast dongle? Seems when I try to hook up another device, it stops the first from playing correctly. Little bit of a let down. Maybe it will be something Google will add with updates.
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Which music app are you casting from?
Youtube lets you add to queue.
I don't think there is a true Music casting app yet.
Echodawg said:
Which music app are you casting from?
Youtube lets you add to queue.
I don't think there is a true Music casting app yet.
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Casting from the Play Music app. You wouldn't consider that a true music casting app?
hinataoccu said:
Casting from the Play Music app. You wouldn't consider that a true music casting app?
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My bad, Google play didn't have the cast button show up a few minutes ago so I thought it wasn't baked in yet.
I'll have to set up another music account to see because I don't believe I can't have more than 1 instance of G Music playing at once so just trying from another device won't cut it.
hinataoccu said:
Casting from the Play Music app. You wouldn't consider that a true music casting app?
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I think what he is saying is kind of what they demoed with the Netflix app, where multiple phone/tablets can control the music, and music queue, not just one device. Or in my case, control the music on two different phones with two different google accounts, but I don't even think that will be possible.
This is from the original Nexus Q presentation http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=WT0o1truK9w&t=237. If you watch the next min or so you will see exactly what I am talking about. With the Nexus Q multiple people could access the queue in real time and play their own music from their Google Play Music cloud.
During the presentation he mentions multiple people being able to que things so it should work, haven't had a need to specifically test it though.
I own a Q and I can confirm that Chromecast does not work like the Q did when it comes to group queuing. When a second device is set to cast, the music will just stop.
One can then start playing from the second device and they will both be "connected" but in my experience if one tries to then play a song from the initial device it will give a "cannot play music requested" error.
Also, when both devices are connected the queue isn't in sync between devices like on the Nexus Q
However, if one is using the google cast chrome extension it will display the track playing and play/pause controls.
Hopefully this is just an early limitation and full sync will be enabled in the future.
I'm sure this will be added to function like the YouTube app with a shared queue that multiple devices can add songs to.
Hi, this might be a silly question as I am not entirley sure how the ChromeCast works. I understand it is basically just the phone sending a link and token/authentication to the chromecast so it can go and play whatever you are requesting, but once it is playing music using say Google Music is it aware of the whole playlist and what is next?
I guess what I am asking is once music is initiated to the Chromecast and it's playing music is there anyway to send a next song command to the Chromecast itself so it can skip to the next song in teh playlist without the command having to come from the phone? The reason I ask is I am doing a very cutomized home automation setup for my buddy and this would be great if we could send a next song etc to the chromecast itself from Eventghost or just commandline or something.
Thanks in advance!
Keenana said:
Hi, this might be a silly question as I am not entirley sure how the ChromeCast works. I understand it is basically just the phone sending a link and token/authentication to the chromecast so it can go and play whatever you are requesting, but once it is playing music using say Google Music is it aware of the whole playlist and what is next?
I guess what I am asking is once music is initiated to the Chromecast and it's playing music is there anyway to send a next song command to the Chromecast itself so it can skip to the next song in teh playlist without the command having to come from the phone? The reason I ask is I am doing a very cutomized home automation setup for my buddy and this would be great if we could send a next song etc to the chromecast itself from Eventghost or just commandline or something.
Thanks in advance!
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It is possible but to answer the question more directly, NO the CCast really has no idea what is next (in most cases) because it is not playing a playlist it is playing the song itself.
The CCast has no playlist functions of it's own so it is up to the App to work this out and it appears to be more difficult to do that I thought it would be.
Keenana said:
I guess what I am asking is once music is initiated to the Chromecast and it's playing music is there anyway to send a next song command to the Chromecast itself so it can skip to the next song in teh playlist without the command having to come from the phone?
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I'm not 100% sure, but I think the playlist remains on the casting device in most cases. That's why playlists can fail if the casting device goes to deep sleep or otherwise becomes unreachable by Chromecast when the song ends. Some of the apps may have worked around this by buffering part of the playlist on Chromecast.
Since you mentioned EventGhost, I assume your automation system has a controller of some sorts. In that case I would look toward "driving" Chromecast from the controller, and letting the phone/tablet/computer send requests to the controller, rather than to Chromecast itself.
But the general availability of Chromecast on the network opens it to a lot of unknowns. If you go with centralized control of Chromecast, I would definitely put it on a different network from the general clients to avoid confusion or accidental control hijacking.
bhiga said:
I'm not 100% sure, but I think the playlist remains on the casting device in most cases. That's why playlists can fail if the casting device goes to deep sleep or otherwise becomes unreachable by Chromecast when the song ends. Some of the apps may have worked around this by buffering part of the playlist on Chromecast.
Since you mentioned EventGhost, I assume your automation system has a controller of some sorts. In that case I would look toward "driving" Chromecast from the controller, and letting the phone/tablet/computer send requests to the controller, rather than to Chromecast itself.
But the general availability of Chromecast on the network opens it to a lot of unknowns. If you go with centralized control of Chromecast, I would definitely put it on a different network from the general clients to avoid confusion or accidental control hijacking.
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Thanks for prompt replies guys, this makes sense. I didn't think it would be possible, but figured if anyone knew it would be on here.
I'll look more into managing everything centrally as suggested, that was my other plan I just thought if it was possible I could get some pretty cool stuff going but this will work.
Thanks!
i think in the end the playlist functionality has to be done on the server side of things where CCast is concerned...
So the Playlist is built on the server side and the CCast Receiver merely notifies the server it is done playing a file and the server then sends the next file in the list.