Chromecast Driver

[Mike_S101]

Hi all

Is there a chromecast driver we can use to integrate into a c4 system

[msgreenf]

12 minutes ago, Mike_S101 said:

Hi all

Is there a chromecast driver we can use to integrate into a c4 system

the only chromecast driver is a no control driver. UI button

[Mike_S101]

3 minutes ago, msgreenf said:

the only chromecast driver is a no control driver. UI button

have not had the pleasure of installing one or using one

how would one then control it once the button is pressed, via the given remote or app?

[Matt Lowe]

there is no control you simply add it to the watch list after making the connections. this allows the end user to select it as a watch or listen option. then you use the mobile device to cast content to it after c4 turns on the devices or before does not matter the order.

 

[Mike_S101]

1 minute ago, Matt Lowe said:

there is no control you simply add it to the watch list after making the connections. this allows the end user to select it as a watch or listen option. then you use the mobile device to cast content to it after c4 turns on the devices or before does not matter the order.

 

thank you both

appreciate your time

 

[Don Cohen]

I'm wanting to set this up to use my Sony 900E Series TV, with its build-in Chromecast capability.  As it is now, when I cast from another device, it turns the TV on and displays what is being cast, but since the TV's sound is ported to my AVR, I have to turn the AVR on manually.  It would be nice to set things up so the AVR gets turned on whenever the TV is receiving a cast.

I added the Chromecast UI Button, but the available Connections for it are the TV's HDMI connections, which aren't used, since this function is built-in.

Is it possible to do this with built-in Chromecast, as opposed to using an external device?

[c4toys]

1 hour ago, Don Cohen said:

I'm wanting to set this up to use my Sony 900E Series TV, with its build-in Chromecast capability.  As it is now, when I cast from another device, it turns the TV on and displays what is being cast, but since the TV's sound is ported to my AVR, I have to turn the AVR on manually.  It would be nice to set things up so the AVR gets turned on whenever the TV is receiving a cast.

I added the Chromecast UI Button, but the available Connections for it are the TV's HDMI connections, which aren't used, since this function is built-in.

Is it possible to do this with built-in Chromecast, as opposed to using an external device?

I just tested this a bit.. c4 does see the input change to mini-apps... I connected the youtube app to the sony ip driver and when I change input manually, c4 see that the tv changed to mini-app1. I did get to much further as I don't see an option to program a IF statement against the mini-app selection..

[Cyknight]

There's a Chrome cast (built in) universal mini driver, but Sony uses it's own setup so that can't be used here.

That'll allow you to select the 'source' to turn everythign on (and give volume control etc)

There is a 'generic' bravia app option, that may work for at least the above purpose. Note that I'm not sure all models/drivers support this option!

 

I can's speak for how well C4's sensing will work on your TV but you would use the TV's device variable, when current input changes, then select the appropriate channel under conditionals in the TV driver on the right (depends on where the channels is bound to) - then program to select the 'chromecast' driver as a source.

 

[Don Cohen]

6 minutes ago, Cyknight said:

There's a Chrome cast (built in) universal mini driver, but Sony uses it's own setup so that can't be used here.

That'll allow you to select the 'source' to turn everythign on (and give volume control etc)

There is a 'generic' bravia app option, that may work for at least the above purpose. Note that I'm not sure all models/drivers support this option!

 

I can's speak for how well C4's sensing will work on your TV but you would use the TV's device variable, when current input changes, then select the appropriate channel under conditionals in the TV driver on the right (depends on where the channels is bound to) - then program to select the 'chromecast' driver as a source.

 

Thanks.  In fact, I was just playing around with this.

I used the TV's Variable POWER_STATE such that when it changes, and if the TV is then On, then it would turn on the AVR.  This worked as desired.  But then the problem is getting things turned off again.  Room Control (Turning the Family Room 'off') won't work, since C4 doesn't "know" the Room is on to begin with.  And just Disconnecting the source of the Cast leaves the TV on, as well as the AVR.

The internal Chromecast function doesn't correspond to any physical Input, nor does it correspond to any of the Channels that are used with the Bravia App Selector minidriver (which I've used for a wide variety of Apps installed on the TV).  So it seems to be undetectable or unreachable by C4.

It seems like there might be some way to work around this, but I haven't (yet) figured it out.  Any out-of-the-box suggestions appreciated!

[c4toys]

2 hours ago, Don Cohen said:

Thanks.  In fact, I was just playing around with this.

I used the TV's Variable POWER_STATE such that when it changes, and if the TV is then On, then it would turn on the AVR.  This worked as desired.  But then the problem is getting things turned off again.  Room Control (Turning the Family Room 'off') won't work, since C4 doesn't "know" the Room is on to begin with.  And just Disconnecting the source of the Cast leaves the TV on, as well as the AVR.

should be able to make a power off macro and fire it from room off button press... I do this for lighting on sr260 using page up/down, room does not need to be "on".

[Don Cohen]

50 minutes ago, c4toys said:

should be able to make a power off macro and fire it from room off button press... I do this for lighting on sr260 using page up/down, room does not need to be "on".

Clever - will play with this next.  I guess it shouldn't create any problems for normal function, when the Room is on.  Thanks!

[videostorm]

Our IRUSB driver has an "AV started" and "AV stopped" event on it which can be used for chromecast.  You can have programming to select this driver as the source on AV started, then also programming to turn room off:

     AV stopped

          pause 45 seconds

          if av status variable still false, turn room off                 (eliminate spurious off for periods of no audio)

 

Note that your AV started programming would need to be a bit more complicated if you are also using NetPlay, since a NetPlay source will also trigger that event on the IRUSB driver.

[Don Cohen]

39 minutes ago, videostorm said:

Our IRUSB driver has an "AV started" and "AV stopped" event on it which can be used for chromecast.  You can have programming to select this driver as the source on AV started, then also programming to turn room off:

     AV stopped

          pause 45 seconds

          if av status variable still false, turn room off                 (eliminate spurious off for periods of no audio)

 

Note that your AV started programming would need to be a bit more complicated if you are also using NetPlay, since a NetPlay source will also trigger that event on the IRUSB driver.

Appreciate this, and will keep it in mind as I work through this.

My initial, brief testing is encouraging that I can get the performance I'm wanting:

When the TV's POWER_STATE *changes*, IF the TV is On, then turn on the AVR.

I added just 2 lines of programming to 'Room Off' for that room: Turn off the TV, turn off the AVR.

I started casting YouTube to the TV, and the TV came on (which it always does, not via C4), and a few seconds later, the AVR kicked on.  Waited a little while, then Room Off turned both off. So far, so good, and I appreciate the posts and suggestions here.