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Hi Folks,
I am new to WP8 and I have the following question that I have not found an answer for:
There is one thing really missing in WP8 - it is ability to play mp3 streams in the background.
You can open mp3 stream in internet explorer and it will play. But you can not switch to any other screen - music stops playing.
I have not found any applications that allow you to play mp3 streams in the background also. Usually players allow you only to play music from library or from hardcoded stream. So is there any way hidden way to do it?
There are definitely APIs to do it; even Windows Phone 7 could do this. For a random example of an app that uses background streaming, see Pandora.
It's also possible to stream music from a web page while the browser is not in the foreground, using HTML5. For example, both Pandora.com and m.SoundCloud.com work fine. Typically web-based streaming only allows play/pause controls on the global media control, though you can of course switch back to the web browser tab for more control.
If you're looking for an app that will play music from an arbitrary stream that you pass it, I'm not aware of such an app but I haven't been looking. It's possible in the APIs, and there's probably an app that does it...
Hi,
I am making a Foobar2000 control app by using the foo_httpcontrol add-on. I figured out how I can run certain commands, but I am completely blank on how to get information back from the server like playlists or current playing song. Does anyone have exprience with this on Android or knows how to do it on wp8?
Also: currently I am using a hidden browser for executing the commands, would it be better/possible to use webrequests or something for that?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Tweekzor said:
Hi,
I am making a Foobar2000 control app by using the foo_httpcontrol add-on. I figured out how I can run certain commands, but I am completely blank on how to get information back from the server like playlists or current playing song. Does anyone have exprience with this on Android or knows how to do it on wp8?
Also: currently I am using a hidden browser for executing the commands, would it be better/possible to use webrequests or something for that?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't say I could help you with foo_httpcontrol. I haven't used it that much.
I'd recommend using the DLNA plugin instead. Using the DLNA app made either by Nokia or HTC (it was that way with wp7, not sure on wp8) would be a similar experience to playing music that's in the music+video tab. Most DLNA apps have the capability to play music from the phone to another device, play music from another device and share it to a third device, e.g. Phone Music -> foobar, foobar -> WP8 -> Bluray player.
Also the album art will display if its in the same folder as the music (the dlna plugin on foobar looks for the folder.jpg first.)
thals1992 said:
I can't say I could help you with foo_httpcontrol. I haven't used it that much.
I'd recommend using the DLNA plugin instead. Using the DLNA app made either by Nokia or HTC (it was that way with wp7, not sure on wp8) would be a similar experience to playing music that's in the music+video tab. Most DLNA apps have the capability to play music from the phone to another device, play music from another device and share it to a third device, e.g. Phone Music -> foobar, foobar -> WP8 -> Bluray player.
Also the album art will display if its in the same folder as the music (the dlna plugin on foobar looks for the folder.jpg first.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your answer, but I don't think that is what I am looking for. My desktop has a music collection that is far greater then the 32gb of my device, and the sound quality is a lot better as well. So I don't want to be streaming from or to my device. Also since my library has about 50.000+ songs I'd prefer to use my well known and set-up music player over searching through my windows folders.
I have seen a couple of android apps that control Foobar2000 by using the plugin I use as well, and they are able to get the song info etc. So it is possible, I just can't figure out how.
(I did download the Nokia Play To app, because streaming like that is also useful at other times )
Tweekzor said:
Thank you for your answer, but I don't think that is what I am looking for. My desktop has a music collection that is far greater then the 32gb of my device, and the sound quality is a lot better as well. So I don't want to be streaming from or to my device. Also since my library has about 50.000+ songs I'd prefer to use my well known and set-up music player over searching through my windows folders.
I have seen a couple of android apps that control Foobar2000 by using the plugin I use as well, and they are able to get the song info etc. So it is possible, I just can't figure out how.
(I did download the Nokia Play To app, because streaming like that is also useful at other times )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well most of my foobar collection are chiptunes, (vgm/sid/gbs) modules (mod, xm, it) and album in a single flac with cue files (flac doesn't always play, but mostly works) so I need it to stream WAV 48khz (its the highest I've tried) over wireless N using that dlna plugin. I have seen some foobar apps thats in the marketplace, but nothing that I'd seen work. Also somthing else that works, is the foo_touchremote plugin. It uses the boujour service (also in Apple's iTunes, but used in other things as well) and works simply with entering a pairing code.
If you still would like to use foo_httpcontrol, I'd ask over at http://www.hydrogenaudio.org.
thals1992 said:
Well most of my foobar collection are chiptunes, (vgm/sid/gbs) modules (mod, xm, it) and album in a single flac with cue files (flac doesn't always play, but mostly works) so I need it to stream WAV 48khz (its the highest I've tried) over wireless N using that dlna plugin. I have seen some foobar apps thats in the marketplace, but nothing that I'd seen work. Also somthing else that works, is the foo_touchremote plugin. It uses the boujour service (also in Apple's iTunes, but used in other things as well) and works simply with entering a pairing code.
If you still would like to use foo_httpcontrol, I'd ask over at .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That touchremote plugin sounds like it could be what I need, I will look into that when I have a bit more time. Thank you for the answers.:good:
*I couldn't commit my post because I quoted your hydrogenaudio link *
I created this thread for people to suggest features they like to see the chromecast do. Whether it be the chromecast device itself, the chrome browser extension, chromecast app on the phone, or even just to give ideas to developers to create an app for or integrate into apps they already have.
Suggestions:
1) Cast embeded videos like youtube videos in google+ straight to chromecast? I'm currently watching a video on google+ and went to cast it but there is no button in the video. I'd have to start playing it first, click to watch it in youtube, then cast it from there.
2) Be able to use chromecast with Picture-In-Picture. I haven't tried thus yet so it might already work.
3) An app that integrates chromecasting into the android share menu so you can cast any app straight to your T.V. I know Koush is working on sharing the gallery but being able to cast almost any app would be huge! Cast pdfs, facebook pictures, instagram, etc.
Control Control Control
1) When controlling the chromecast from my phone, if a call comes in, it would be great if the Chromecast would record the time the call started and when I hang up, ask me if I want to rewind to that point or optionally pause what's playing when I pickup the phone.
2) I would like a generic app in the notification bar to control ffw/rwd/pause of any media playing on the Chromecast. The idea being it would be a standardized interface for all media apps (instead of the per app notifications like netflix uses) and any device on the wifi network could control any chromecast (rather than having to start up netflix or whatever app the chromecast is servicing on another device.
3) Queuing/queue control either in apps or in the generic app in #2. Watching Mad Men on netflix is a PITA because as a episode ends, I have to open up the phone and then open the series, then scroll to the next episode and hit play. Would be nice if it was easier to just skip to the next episode, song, whatever.
4) Android Netflix App - it's obvious that Netflix app on android is not (yet) optimized to be a remote control. As mentioned in #3 managing the queue is a PITA. Also the lack of FFWD/RWD buttons and the accuracy of the slider in portrait mode only leaves something to be desired. Landscape orientation when controlling chromecast, FFWD/RWD/NEXT/BACK, a better timeline (maybe a gesture to scrub fwd/back?) and most importantly a queue/automatic play of the next episode (like the browser app, PS3, most TVs already do) would all go to making the user experience greater. (While the lock screen overlay controls were a pleasant surprise, why it doesn't have more control buttons is beyond me).
kernelhappy said:
2) I would like a generic app in the notification bar to control ffw/rwd/pause of any media playing on the Chromecast. The idea being it would be a standardized interface for all media apps (instead of the per app notifications like netflix uses) and any device on the wifi network could control any chromecast (rather than having to start up netflix or whatever app the chromecast is servicing on another device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe RemoteCast does this already. I know it does within the app but I can't remember if it adds any controls to the notification bar.
Two more suggestions:
1) Add an option for auto power off of the device after a specified amount of inactivity. (saw this in another thread)
2) Add caller ID so we can see who is calling when casting from the phone. Pause the cast when the call is answered.
supernova_00 said:
I believe RemoteCast does this already. I know it does within the app but I can't remember if it adds any controls to the notification bar.
Two more suggestions:
1) Add an option for auto power off of the device after a specified amount of inactivity. (saw this in another thread)
2) Add caller ID so we can see who is calling when casting from the phone. Pause the cast when the call is answered.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I learned about remotecast about 20 minutes after posting here, gonna check it out in a little bit.
I do like the Caller ID though.
kernelhappy said:
Yes, I learned about remotecast about 20 minutes after posting here, gonna check it out in a little bit.
I do like the Caller ID though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This would be soooo easy to do with Google Voice since the Hangouts app already supports it on the chrome PC extension
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
Suggestions:
1) Cast the clock app to your TV to display the current time, alarm notification, and/or display the countdown timer.
2) Cast daydream to the TV (I'm not sure the usefulness of this as I have never used the feature on the phone)
3) Cast google earth to the TV. That would be beautiful to have that on a huge screen!
4) Cast specific google now cards to the TV
Soundcloud
Amazon Cloud Player
Tab casting from Android devices.
How about having it work with a wifi webcam or something for a video hangout (similar to kinect)? May not be feasible but I like the idea.
Native chrome tabs
I would like to be able to cast a tab, but instead of it mirroring my screen over the local network, run it locally on the Chromecast. A remote control interface would similate a trackpad and buttons, and only send the pointer coordinates (oh, and keyboard entries) and button clicks over the local network.
I would think that this would give us a higher quality experience, especially when viewing a streaming site that is not "Chromecast optimized".
Another suggestion:
Please for the love of god make chromecast switch the input back to what was on before I casted. This is by far my single biggest gripe.
1) Split audio and video into two separate synchronized casts. That would allow you to send the video only to your TV and then listen to the audio on your PC/phone/tablet using headphones (i.e. similar to the roku 3). Also, it would allow you to send video to your TV but cast to a second device connected to a receiver.
2) Add the option to restrict casting from certain devices. That way you could put the chromecast on a semi-public network (i.e. hotel) and others on the network would not be able to hijack your chromecast.
3) If a cast is in progress, display a warning if you attempt to start a new cast. This would prevent you from accidentally terminating someone elses cast. I could easily see people getting a chromecast for every TV, and without this, you could accidentally cast to the wrong TV which already has a cast in progress.
4) It has been mentioned before, but add a sleep mode option.
5) User defined URL for chromecast backgrounds. This would allow the chromecast to display a sideshow of your pictures when not casting.
6) Cast to remote device. This would allow you to cast if on a network with access point isolation enabled. It would also enable casting to a different subnet. Lastly it would also allow you to start a cast for someone else if you were not at home.
Casting content from SMB shares
I'd like the Chromecast to be able to pull directly from an SMB share, rather than just HTTP.
I'd then also like a companion app on my phone that can browse SMB shares and allows me to select a file to be casted so that the Chromecast fetches and streams the file directly from the SMB share. An existing app that already supports browsing of SMB shares (such as ES File Explorer or XBMC) with the added casting ability would do the trick.
netflix should go to the next tv episode automatically. this is my number one request
UPNP and DLNA
The UPNP and DLNA support would simply be a killer feature for the chromecast. The bigest problem wold be the codec support
uncola said:
netflix should go to the next tv episode automatically. this is my number one request
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought I wanted it too but I'm not sure if I trust that to work properly. What if it skips an episode by mistake?
Chromecast Playlist Bridge
I mentioned this in my review at ChromeCastCentral.Com, but one of the big drawbacks for the Chromecast is that while it is cross-platform, it still has a single-user mindset. All my friends can send stuff to it, but only if THEY take control over it. There is no good way to have multiple people/apps add things to a playlist. So what we need is an app (on the PC preferably) that is both a RECEIVER and a TRANSMITTER. It could be called something like Chromecast Playlist. Multiple people/apps could cast to IT and it could build up a playlist queue that it casts to the actual Chromecast on the TV.
Casting content from SMB shares
boffo123 said:
I'd like the Chromecast to be able to pull directly from an SMB share, rather than just HTTP.
I'd then also like a companion app on my phone that can browse SMB shares and allows me to select a file to be casted so that the Chromecast fetches and streams the file directly from the SMB share. An existing app that already supports browsing of SMB shares (such as ES File Explorer or XBMC) with the added casting ability would do the trick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It occurs to me that perhaps the Chromecast is already able to pull directly from an SMB share. Apparently Chrome browser itself (in Win7) can play mkv files directly from a share using URL formatted as file://host/share/file.mkv, so perhaps the Chromecast can too? If so, then I'd just need a companion app to support casting a file from an SMB share.
Btw, I don't actually have a Chromecast yet
Turn off TV/AMP after idle, or device disconnect.
Mine turns on and switches inputs automatically using HDMI-CEC, which is fantastic for putting music on in the house, but it would be nice if it would all turn off again when I'm done.
Ensure all app 'home screens' use burn in prevention techniques. The YouTube one is a ***** on our plasma.
Netflix app improvements as mentioned.
Google music on CC to store a playlist so source can disconnect from WiFi without stopping the music.
Various Options for visual stimulation whilst playing music, yet still indicate what's playing. Or even show screenshare /web stuff whilst playing music. Hogging a large screen just for music isn't super efficient, may as well use the Bluetooth method we have used till now and free up the tv.. here using the TVs optical out, can't change input or turn screen off.. Must be quite common.
Google photos /g plus incorporation. photos as screensaver etc..
Uh..
Sent from my Nexus 7
Hi all,
I really like the plex app. Nicely detects and presents all my media collection. I do find it irritating that music casting is still unsupported, although they demand me to pay to cast. If you ask me to pay for casting - allow me to cast my media. If you cant support full media casting - dont ask for my money. That's how I see it.
Anyway, Does anyone knows when will casting music be supported?
edoson said:
Hi all,
I really like the plex app. Nicely detects and presents all my media collection. I do find it irritating that music casting is still unsupported, although they demand me to pay to cast. If you ask me to pay for casting - allow me to cast my media. If you cant support full media casting - dont ask for my money. That's how I see it.
Anyway, Does anyone knows when will casting music be supported?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No one knows when but yes it will support music and pictures eventually.
It actually requires a more sophisticated player app than required for just movies. A Movie is play one file and done.
Music and pictures to be done correctly requires playlist functionality which means there needs to be a way to put a playlist on the CCast and update it during playback since it is the CCast that makes the request for media. not the other way around.
So they either have to add a Queue to the control protocol that the CCast can use to request the next file or do some trickery on the Server side to build a playlist that the CCast checks at the end of each file to see if there is more to play.
Hi,
I've only recently found out about Chromecast, reviews were very praising so yesterday I went out and bought one. Unfortunately, my initial enthousiasm has almost disappeared because I can't successfully do the 2 most important things I was planning to do with such a device: 1) Stream my desktop for 720p/1080p video playback and 2) Stream/Cast my Nexus 6 screen (I get a green screen when I connect it, separate apps do work though).
Focusing on the pc casting, the video playback is lagging a lot even if I switch to 480p which is of course unacceptable for watching HD movies. I am not talking about the 0.5 - 1 second input delay, I don't care about that as I don't want to play games with it but rather for the constant speed dropping/pausing/catching up. I have a 50/10 mbps connection which I would think is enough for this but to its defense, I have only tried it through a 2014 Macbook Pro i7/16gb ram running Windows through bootcamp. Could that be the cause of slow performance? Bootcamp may be adequate for basic stuff but the computer does not feel at all like an i7 / 16gb ram unit should.
If the pc is not the issue, are there alternatives to cast your desktop at an acceptable level through other apps? I saw vnc2cast in another thread. Also, is it an option for Chromecast to work if i connect my pc through Ethernet instead of wi-fi for better performance?
Thanks
Why do you need PC video playback on CC? Its smth like record a video of playing movie by phone and then watch it, instead of copy the file to phone and then open it... You could find some FAQ first...
1.Google Cast extention for Chrome Browser will let play compatible formats of video to CC. Just drag&drop the file to a tab and hit the Cast button. It also has "Cast Entire Screen" option.
2.Videostream extention will transcode and play most of the unsupporded files, including .avi, besides the regular ones
3. Share the folder to local net, use ES File Explorer + ES File Explorer Chromecast plugin. Find the shared folder in LAN section then play with plugin.
4.KMP Player for android+KMP Connect on PC.
5.BubbleUPnP android app+BubbleUPnP server on PC for transcoding any file.
6.Plex Media Server + Plex android app
7.ANY Media server on PC (Twonky, Plex, Serviio, BubbleUPnP etc) + Any program that see DLNA (Avia for example). If an app has "open with" option, one can use VEGA Cast, AllCast, Avia, ES Cast Plugin etc...
For Screen Mirror try Koush's "Mirror" app. First join ClockWorkMod beta testers Google+ group, then it will be available in Google Play.
playahate said:
Why do you need PC video playback on CC? Its smth like record a video of playing movie by phone and then watch it, instead of copy the file to phone and then open it... You could find some FAQ first...
1.Google Cast extention for Chrome Browser will let play compatible formats of video to CC. Just drag&drop the file to a tab and hit the Cast button. It also has "Cast Entire Screen" option.
2.Videostream extention will transcode and play most of the unsupporded files, including .avi, besides the regular ones
3. Share the folder to local net, use ES File Explorer + ES File Explorer Chromecast plugin. Find the shared folder in LAN section then play with plugin.
4.KMP Player for android+KMP Connect on PC.
5.BubbleUPnP android app+BubbleUPnP server on PC for transcoding any file.
6.Plex Media Server + Plex android app
7.ANY Media server on PC (Twonky, Plex, Serviio, BubbleUPnP etc) + Any program that see DLNA (Avia for example). If an app has "open with" option, one can use VEGA Cast, AllCast, Avia, ES Cast Plugin etc...
For Screen Mirror try Koush's "Mirror" app. First join ClockWorkMod beta testers Google+ group, then it will be available in Google Play.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reason for pc video playback is I'd like to see movies from my local drives without having to set up a media server/NAS thing. I guess the extensions you mention in 1) and 2) can do that? I'll try them out.
Now if I understand correctly 3-7 regards sharing files from pc to phone and then streaming them to CC? I'd like to avoid that if possible as it requires the phone to act as an intermediate between pc and CC If I am not mistaken.
mclisme said:
Reason for pc video playback is I'd like to see movies from my local drives without having to set up a media server/NAS thing. I guess the extensions you mention in 1) and 2) can do that? I'll try them out.
Now if I understand correctly 3-7 regards sharing files from pc to phone and then streaming them to CC? I'd like to avoid that if possible as it requires the phone to act as an intermediate between pc and CC If I am not mistaken.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone is basically a remote to initiate and control the cast from the remote device/storage for all / most of these options (definitely for Plex and the BubbleUPnP options). It's not doing any heavy lifting.
Plex is probably the most adaptable option.
Also beware that casting local high bandwidth media from a wifi networked device/storage via router to chromecast may never produce consistent results as performance is often impacted by network conditions. Tweaking various arcane settings on your router can help but it's a pain.
For me there were huge differences in performance depending on whether the host device was is the same room as the router (very good) or in it's normal location a floor up and 20-30 yards away (pretty poor) or wired (excellent). I ended up resurrecting an old laptop heading for recycle with a fresh linux install to be permanently wired to my router to host a Plex server and media. Never looked back.
playahate said:
2.Videostream extention will transcode and play most of the unsupporded files, including .avi, besides the regular ones
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I tried Videostream and I find it amazing. Even its interface is so simple and smooth and with the remote control app for the phone I think it's great. So watching my movies is solved.
Now, another reason I was looking for "cast your entire screen" alternatives is that I can't seem to get a specific video streaming service that I often use to work properly. If I cast the tab, for some reason the video does not show up in CC even though the rest of the page like pictures and video controls show up fine. I guess it has to do with the fact that this specific service is encrypted and does not allow HDMI connections, if it detects one it just stops. So maybe it similarly blocks Chromecast plugin from capturing the video off it and sending it to CC?
The only way to fool it is to cast my entire screen. Then the video works fine but at a rate below 24 fps which makes it almost unusable. I even switched to 480p but still the video is slow for live sports. I guess when screen-casting, the load is too much for CC to handle?
So If there aren't other ways to improve screen-casting to a watchable level (24fps) either by 3rd-party apps or CC hacks/mods, I can only hope something is developed in the future I guess...