How to cast YouTube or Netflix to a smart TV or Chromecast

How to do things, solutions, recipes, tutorials
Message
Author
User avatar
ETP
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue 19 Oct 2010, 19:55
Location: UK

How to cast YouTube or Netflix to a smart TV or Chromecast

#1 Post by ETP »

How to cast YouTube or Netflix to a smart TV or Chromecast dongle.

Having recently issued a couple of DLNA Pups for casting locally held media I noted that this
topic has not been covered on the forum. It is less than obvious in the case of YouTube where
it works very well hence this post.

Prerequisites:

1. Any OS or Pup running Chrome with the Google Cast Extension installed.

2. A switched on smart TV that supports the dial protocol. (Most recent ones do so)

The screenshot below shows a Google playlist that has been loaded and then immediately paused.

Step 1: Select the cog in the bottom right hand corner of the window & set the quality to HD 1080p

Step 2: Next but one to it is the Google cast icon. Click on that so that the drop down menu appears.

Step 3: Any smart TVs or Chromecast dongles that are powered on will appear on that menu.

Step 4: Click on the one you want to cast to.

As a practical example here is a link to one of my 1080p playlists named "Litter"... Click on "Play all" then pause the playback.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... L_5PuF6HBM
Attachments
dial.png
YouTube Window
(179.75 KiB) Downloaded 1745 times
Regards ETP
[url=http://tinyurl.com/pxzq8o9][img]https://s17.postimg.cc/tl19y14y7/You_Tube_signature80px.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://tinyurl.com/kennels2/]Kennels[/url]

gcmartin

#2 Post by gcmartin »

Thanks for the links. Have missed the DIAL protocol and the use of it via Chrome browser's Cast extension.

I turned on my LG smartTV, navigated to its peripheral connections. I see all HDMIs, USBs and DLNA hosts seen (This TV does not allow SAMBA client extensions). But, the TV does not show DIAL in any of its settings screens.

In any event, I still have your DLNAPUP-V2 running, so I used it to prove it works on my Home network's LAN with my TVs.

I did, using your latest DLNAPUP;
  • Add latest Chrome browser via your PET
  • Add Cast extension which added a icon on the Chrome browser's bar
  • Open a Youtube video in the browser and started it playing
  • Click the Cast icon on browser's bar
    Image
  • Clicked the TV showing as "cast-able"
My TV is now playing the Youtube video which was in my browser.

This works!

Now from this PUP, I can use SAMBA with some of my TVs and DLNA for playing local multimedia that I posses, and now DIAL to project online video to my TVs. This PUP is truly a useful home system for media projecting.

Thanks for this disclosure in using PUPPY as a multimedia deliverable to DIAL enabled devices.

User avatar
ETP
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue 19 Oct 2010, 19:55
Location: UK

DIAL/DLNA

#3 Post by ETP »

Hi gc,

Thanks for your post. More info on "DIAL" (Discovery And Launch) can be found in the link below.
It was created by NETFLIX & YOUTUBE and used originally by Google for the Chromecast dongle.

http://www.lifehacker.com/cast-youtube- ... 1702824048

Smart TVs that have inbuilt support for Netflix & YT are most likely to support it. If they do, in contrast to DLNA, there is nothing to select or configure on the smart TV. It either works or it does not.

On the subject of DLNA another Chrome extension worth trying is vGet Cast (DLNA Controller)
(Not to be confused with vGet Video Downloader extension which I would avoid)

Details of that which I use with ChromeCast Pup V3 together with a link to it can be found on this page:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 1&start=15

On the Google Chrome Extensions page for casting local media you need to tick the box to "Allow access to file URLs."
In a similar fashion to DIAL there is nothing to setup or configure on the smart TV.

I have just added it to DLNA Quirky Werewolf64 Pup V2. The shot below shows a file playing that has been dragged over from an
NTFS partition - sda5.
Attachments
image-3.jpg
vGet cast Chrome extension in action
(211.85 KiB) Downloaded 1653 times
Last edited by ETP on Sun 31 Jan 2016, 11:31, edited 1 time in total.
Regards ETP
[url=http://tinyurl.com/pxzq8o9][img]https://s17.postimg.cc/tl19y14y7/You_Tube_signature80px.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://tinyurl.com/kennels2/]Kennels[/url]

gcmartin

How can a movie DVD be saved as a electronic mp4/mov?

#4 Post by gcmartin »

Advice requested:
  • For my "Armchair ChromePUP/DLNAPUP", is there a way to take my movie DVD and create a "XXX.mov" for casting to the TV?
I am in the processes of looking at creating a strict Multimedia library of my VCR and DVD collections.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

User avatar
ETP
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue 19 Oct 2010, 19:55
Location: UK

How can a movie DVD be saved as a electronic mp4/mov?

#5 Post by ETP »

Hi gc,

I have never actually ripped a DVD in either Windows or Linux so if someone can jump in with a proper
validated solution for Puppy so much the better.

If not, you will need to experiment. I would start by:

1. Ripping the DVD to a .vob file with the included "Pdvdrsab" at the bottom of the Multimedia menu.

A link to a video showing that - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoWrGjbC9p4

2. Use the vlc "Convert" option on its "media menu" to load and then convert the vob file using
the profile "Video for MPEG4 1080p TV/device"

EDIT:
It seems possible to do both of the above steps at once just using vlc but the 2 step approach
means that you have got the vob & can then also try other means of transcoding if need be.
Attachments
image-1.jpg
Possible one step approach just using vlc - not validated with Puppy
(34.74 KiB) Downloaded 1599 times
Regards ETP
[url=http://tinyurl.com/pxzq8o9][img]https://s17.postimg.cc/tl19y14y7/You_Tube_signature80px.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://tinyurl.com/kennels2/]Kennels[/url]

User avatar
smokey01
Posts: 2813
Joined: Sat 30 Dec 2006, 23:15
Location: South Australia :-(
Contact:

#6 Post by smokey01 »

I don't have a smart TV but I do have a Google Chromecast device.

Is it possible to stream video from a computer to a TV with a Chromecast? Both the computer and the TV are connected to the same WIFI network.

Thanks

gcmartin

#7 Post by gcmartin »

smokey01 wrote:I don't have a smart TV but I do have a Google Chromecast device.

Is it possible to stream video from a computer to a TV with a Chromecast? Both the computer and the TV are connected to the same WIFI network.

What is Chromecast connect to
Thanks
I take it you mean you have a TV which allows you to change its input feeds from say Antenna to HDMI1 or HDMI2 or USB; correct?

Using PC's Chrome Browser
If so, you merely need to add the Casting extension to your Chrome browser. If your wireless LAN AND your PC are on the same subnet, your PC will find your Chromecast by clicking the browser icon on the URL line. Too easy. Also, instructions are here.

Using SAMBA which is built into all modern PUPs
SAMBA to Chromecast Instructions

Hope this helps.

Sylvander
Posts: 4416
Joined: Mon 15 Dec 2008, 11:06
Location: West Lothian, Scotland, UK

#8 Post by Sylvander »

@smokey01

1. "I don't have a smart TV but I do have a Google Chromecast device."
I do have a smart TV, and my son has the same Sony Bravia model that isn't "smart" but he doesn't have a Chromecast dongle, so I don't have personal experience of your situation, but...
I believe a Chromecast dongle can kind of make your TV+dongle "smart".
The TV would need to have the necessary connections for the dongle.
i.e. HDMI [and USB for power if you want to avoid using the dongles' power adapter].
My TV's remote allows me to choose which input [e.g. HDMI and others] to look at.

2. "Is it possible to stream video from a computer to a TV with a Chromecast?"
If you want to stream video content that is held local to the PC [rather than content that is out on the web]...
I believe you need to install the "Google Chrome" "Videostream" extension.
See my mention in this post, of using it successfully.

3. "Both the computer and the TV are connected to the same WIFI network."
I now connect my TV to the PC's router using "Powerline Adapters", which are reliable and stream fast.
I formerly used a wireless dongle to connect the TV to the router, but that wasn't so good.
The PC is connected to the router by wire.

User avatar
smokey01
Posts: 2813
Joined: Sat 30 Dec 2006, 23:15
Location: South Australia :-(
Contact:

#9 Post by smokey01 »

Thanks gcmartin and sylvander.

I currently use my chromecast device to watch Netflix so I already have it connected properly to my dumb TV. Actually I have a second chromecast on the TV in the main bedroom, nice to have options.

I found a few nice android apps that look promising that should work fine on my Galaxy S4. This is similar to the way Netflix is controlled.

The apps are Videostream, Localcast and Allcast.

I do like the method as described here: https://www.linux.com/learn/tutorials/8 ... chromecast as provided by gcmartin. I think I will try this method first. I like the idea of using a file manager to select files across a samba share. It seems very versatile to me.

I will report back in a day or so and let you know my progress.

stemsee

#10 Post by stemsee »

Something to note is that your device (laptop/desktop/tablet/phone) must have dual band capability for chromecast, not dlna;
Determining Factor:

If the network adapter supports network modes 802.11g and 802.11n:

The computer has 2.4 GHz network capability ONLY & IS NOT Dual-Band Capable.
If the network adapter supports network modes 802.11a and 802.11g and 802.11ac and 802.11n:

The computer has 2.4 GHz and 5GHz network capability IS Dual-Band Compable.
The network adapter supports network modes 802.11n and 802.11g and 802.11b:

The computer has 2.4GHz network capability ONLY & IS NOT Dual-Band Capable.

User avatar
ETP
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue 19 Oct 2010, 19:55
Location: UK

Chromecast requirements.

#11 Post by ETP »

Hi stemsee,

Sorry to take you to task but I believe that your post is not correct and could well confuse.

The actual specs for the original Chromecast stick (1st gen) and the recently released
(2nd gen) circular device can be found here:

https://support.google.com/chromecast/a ... ic=3058948
To summarise that info:

1st gen
Only supported 2.4GHz including wireless n.

2nd gen
Supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz.
Adds support for wireless standard ac

Dual band capability is therfore not a "must have".
The new model is backward compatible.
Regards ETP
[url=http://tinyurl.com/pxzq8o9][img]https://s17.postimg.cc/tl19y14y7/You_Tube_signature80px.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://tinyurl.com/kennels2/]Kennels[/url]

stemsee

#12 Post by stemsee »

@ETP

you are right!

I didn't check thoroughly enough. The reason for that is that I own a chinese brand miracast dongle which switches from dlna to miracast. An asus tablet I use casts screen directly to it in miracast mode. My laptop casts to it in dlna mode but not miracast (it doesn't see it). I checked my pcie wlan card and found it supported only b/g/n. So I swapped it for an intel vPro which had 'N' was the precursor to 'n' and a/b, supposedly 2.4 and 5 ghz. However that still doesn't see it! So my assumption that this dongle used the same spec/protocol as chromecast must be wrong! I have actually never tried a google chromecast dongle.

I stand corrected.

regards
stemsee

User avatar
ETP
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue 19 Oct 2010, 19:55
Location: UK

To cast or not to cast - that is the question.

#13 Post by ETP »

Hi stemsee,
No worries, it is like an ever changing minefield out there.

It is funny that you should mention Miracast as I did battle with it a couple of months back
and came away with a bloody nose. I had not been expecting a problem projecting from Win 8.1
to a compliant TV on a modern i5.
It transpired that the PC graphics must also be Miracast compliant and that my Nvidia GeForce GT 610
just missed the cut!
Sometimes you just cannot win. :roll: :lol:
Regards ETP
[url=http://tinyurl.com/pxzq8o9][img]https://s17.postimg.cc/tl19y14y7/You_Tube_signature80px.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://tinyurl.com/kennels2/]Kennels[/url]

User avatar
smokey01
Posts: 2813
Joined: Sat 30 Dec 2006, 23:15
Location: South Australia :-(
Contact:

#14 Post by smokey01 »

I had some success but not as much as I would like.

What seem to be consistent with all video files, the permissions must not be executable.

1. By installing Google Cast extension to Google-Chrome allowed me to play .mp4 files but that was about it.

2. Videostream looked good but wouldn't allow me to select a file. It kept saying my firewall rules needed to be modified but still didn't work when making the changes as suggested.

3. I found a command line utility called castnow that worked with .mp4 and .m4v only. Node needs to be installed then castnow has to be installed using node. I made a SFS file of Node to do this.
https://nodejs.org/en/

4. I would really like to get VLC working with Chromecast. Many articles I read on the internet said it could be done by casting the full screen but it didn't work here.

BTW I'm trying to cast local videos from my HDD not from the web.

gcmartin

#15 Post by gcmartin »

smokey01 wrote:I'm trying to cast local videos from my HDD not from the web.
Not knowing your complete setup, I cant be precise. If you have a smartphone, that is one option for sourcing and delivering media thru Chromecast.

Here is a site of ideas that might be useful.

Hope this is helpful.

Update:
Not knowing which smartPhone you have, I use "ES" on my phone to view/listen to my local media when at home. BUT, here is something I have never tried. It supposedly works with ES casting thru Chromecast. Might be worth a look. I am not a home to test for you.

User avatar
smokey01
Posts: 2813
Joined: Sat 30 Dec 2006, 23:15
Location: South Australia :-(
Contact:

#16 Post by smokey01 »

Gcmartin, es worked great along with a samba network. The problem is chromecast. It only allows a couple of video formats.
Ideally what I would like is a chromecast plugin for VLC so I can cast anything that VLC can play but I don't think that will be possible unless chromecast is modified to accept more codecs.

I will check out your links.

Ta
Last edited by smokey01 on Thu 04 Feb 2016, 10:58, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
ETP
Posts: 1193
Joined: Tue 19 Oct 2010, 19:55
Location: UK

#17 Post by ETP »

Hi smokey01,

The formats supported by a Chromecast dongle & it's required Google Cast
extension can be found here:

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

It is rather limited but the good news is that vlc 3.0 is scheduled to include Chromecast support & will probably convert on the fly.
In the meantime its a matter of converting the video to a supported format.

smokey01 previously wrote:
I had some success but not as much as I would like.

What seem to be consistent with all video files, the permissions must not be executable.

1. By installing Google Cast extension to Google-Chrome allowed me to play .mp4 files but that was about it.

2. Videostream looked good but wouldn't allow me to select a file. It kept saying my firewall rules needed to be modified but still didn't work when making the changes as suggested.

3. I found a command line utility called castnow that worked with .mp4 and .m4v only. Node needs to be installed then castnow has to be installed using node. I made a SFS file of Node to do this.
https://nodejs.org/en/

4. I would really like to get VLC working with Chromecast. Many articles I read on the internet said it could be done by casting the full screen but it didn't work here.

BTW I'm trying to cast local videos from my HDD not from the web.
I have never had a problem with Videostream/permissions. You just need to turn off the Puppy firewall.

Last August I made a pet of the CLI castnow utility intending to integrate it with voice control at some
future time. I now have the voice control side of things sorted and just need to combine the two.
Regards ETP
[url=http://tinyurl.com/pxzq8o9][img]https://s17.postimg.cc/tl19y14y7/You_Tube_signature80px.png[/img][/url]
[url=http://tinyurl.com/kennels2/]Kennels[/url]

User avatar
smokey01
Posts: 2813
Joined: Sat 30 Dec 2006, 23:15
Location: South Australia :-(
Contact:

#18 Post by smokey01 »

ETP wrote:Hi smokey01,

The formats supported by a Chromecast dongle & it's required Google Cast
extension can be found here:

https://developers.google.com/cast/docs ... op_of_page
Yes I had seen that previously. Almost a waste of time as there is no AVI, WMV OGG.
ETP wrote: It is rather limited but the good news is that vlc 3.0 is scheduled to include Chromecast support & will probably convert on the fly.
In the meantime its a matter of converting the video to a supported format.
Apparently but it's not working yet in their testing.
ETP wrote: I have never had a problem with Videostream/permissions. You just need to turn off the Puppy firewall.
Never use a software firewall. I rely on the router firewall. It's all on the LAN anyway so why would a firewall come into play?
ETP wrote: Last August I made a pet of the CLI castnow utility intending to integrate it with voice control at some
future time. I now have the voice control side of things sorted and just need to combine the two.
Sounds interesting. Bring on VLC 3.0

User avatar
smokey01
Posts: 2813
Joined: Sat 30 Dec 2006, 23:15
Location: South Australia :-(
Contact:

#19 Post by smokey01 »

After lots of frustration trying to stream to chromecast from a local drive using Fatdog-701 & 702rc2 I decided to try something else.

For the next test I tried slacko-5.7 but there were a few missing dependencies for chrome so I tried tahrpup-6.0 instead. First I downloaded the latest google-chrome from the official site and installed it. Then I installed the google cast and Videostream extensions. I then clicked on the Apps icon and selected Videostream, selected a video file and made sure I was casting to the TV and away she went.

Having read only two or three video formats works I thought bugger that, lets try and few more. I was quite surprised to find that MP4, AVI, MKV, FLV, M4V, MOV, MPG, WMV, MPEG (bit jerky), and OGG all played.

Casting the entire screen worked as well except there was no sound.

Happy me.
Last edited by smokey01 on Fri 05 Feb 2016, 05:10, edited 1 time in total.

gcmartin

A solution to stream media to the Chromecast TV setup

#20 Post by gcmartin »

Glad all is working. You now have a model which you know works. Others will benefit from your efforts in finding what works.

BTW: I'm sure you are aware that @ETP has a distro built which is TahrPUP based which has almost all you need OOTB. And, he has 2 others 32 and 64bit distros which does these as well, OOTB. As I remember, only one of them may be one which can boot from ISO/DVD. Others are dedicated USB stick implementations.

The idea of PUPPY doing all these great things in the home for our enjoyment, comfort and use continues to expand. Our phones, our tablets, our TVs, our camera, our kids, our visitors, etc.

I see VLC has its 15th Birthday, yesterday. I was hoping they would have announced or released a "Birthday" version to one, some or all of the platforms it runs on.

Question
  • Are your media files on local peripherals or mounted from a SAMBA server to your Chrome streaming browser?
Thanks for the update.

Post Reply