View Full Version : Chromecast Audio
Bourneendboy
11-02-2016, 11:53
I'm currently using a R-pi for Spotify and accessing FLAC files on an external hard drive. While the FLAC files are great, Spotify integration isn't, unable to search.
I am aware the CCA can be used with Spotify, but am I able to access the hard drive to listen to the FLAC files?
Cheers,
Bill
Probably the best way around this is to use Google Play Music with the Chromecast. Google will of course want to sell you a monthly subscription but you can actually store up to 50,000 songs for free and Google Play Music supports FLAC and indeed most other formats. I've got a load of music stored there in AAC format which works wonderfully for me as a back up of my collection and gives me access to my music on my phone when I'm on the move.
Bourneendboy
11-02-2016, 16:19
Probably the best way around this is to use Google Play Music with the Chromecast. Google will of course want to sell you a monthly subscription but you can actually store up to 50,000 songs for free and Google Play Music supports FLAC and indeed most other formats. I've got a load of music stored there in AAC format which works wonderfully for me as a back up of my collection and gives me access to my music on my phone when I'm on the move.
Now that sounds interesting! I'd be happy to use Google Play Music, as have used successfully in the past. I'll have to read up or even try getting my Flac files on.
Probably the best way around this is to use Google Play Music with the Chromecast. Google will of course want to sell you a monthly subscription but you can actually store up to 50,000 songs for free and Google Play Music supports FLAC and indeed most other formats. I've got a load of music stored there in AAC format which works wonderfully for me as a back up of my collection and gives me access to my music on my phone when I'm on the move.
That's interesting as I thought they converted the uploaded files to 320 mp3's. Mind you it's a while since I uploaded anything to my account.
They still convert the files :(
https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1100462?hl=en-GB
Ah I hadn't realised that. Good to know. I tend to keep a FLAC library on my phone for when I'm travelling on a 64GB micro SD card. I often use Google Play music to play those files but because they're actually stored on the phone I'm not using the cloud storage part. If I find I'm without something from my main library which I want to listen to, I'll then go and stream it via the cloud account. Can't say I'm too worried about the conversion and compression with music on the move. Might become a bit more of an issue if you want to use that as your main system, but I suspect that you wouldn't be using a Chromecast as a main source...
Bourneendboy
11-02-2016, 17:28
They still convert the files :(
https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1100462?hl=en-GB
That's a shame!
That's a shame!
Remember that conversion is only for files uploaded to Play Music, not sure if the CA can play the full res files from your NAS or other storage.
Bourneendboy
15-02-2016, 22:52
After a lot of reading on this, I've realised it doesn't offer anything the Pi can't already do and possibly not as much.
loonytunes
16-02-2016, 07:40
The CCA will never do as much as any computer, which of course a R-pi is.
I use the CCA purely as a convenient streaming source for Spotify and Qobuz (both apps can 'cast' from the CCA) - in this regard the CCA is perfect.
At the price of a CCA you can find out for yourself - you will probably use the CCA to cast Spotify and the R-pi for the rest; running the two together would compliment one another quite well.
Bourneendboy
16-02-2016, 08:06
The CCA will never do as much as any computer, which of course a R-pi is.
I use the CCA purely as a convenient streaming source for Spotify and Qobuz (both apps can 'cast' from the CCA) - in this regard the CCA is perfect.
At the price of a CCA you can find out for yourself - you will probably use the CCA to cast Spotify and the R-pi for the rest; running the two together would compliment one another quite well.
OK, you have me thinking again. When you cast Spotify, are you using the Spotify App?
Mark Grant
16-02-2016, 15:06
In the Spotify app on your phone or tablet or laptop you choose the Chromecast audio as the device to listen on and then use the app as normal to search for tracks or listen to playlists and the track list is sent to the chromecast and it fetches and plays the tracks, simple and it works perfectly.
Chromecast Audio plugged into a DAC sounds very good.
Screen grab from my HTC phone just now.
http://i759.photobucket.com/albums/xx234/server9/forum-pictures/Screenshot_2016-02-16-14-53-33_zpsykf4izkv.png
Buy one as they are cheap and work :)
Bourneendboy
16-02-2016, 19:32
In the Spotify app on your phone or tablet or laptop you choose the Chromecast audio as the device to listen on and then use the app as normal to search for tracks or listen to playlists and the track list is sent to the chromecast and it fetches and plays the tracks, simple and it works perfectly.
Chromecast Audio plugged into a DAC sounds very good.
Screen grab from my HTC phone just now.
http://i759.photobucket.com/albums/xx234/server9/forum-pictures/Screenshot_2016-02-16-14-53-33_zpsykf4izkv.png
Buy one as they are cheap and work :)
Cheers Mark, very helpful!
Bourneendboy
16-02-2016, 19:35
Just picked one up on the way home from work.
What a nifty looking thing and in great packaging, hope it performs as good as it looks!
I've ordered a mini toslink to toslink cable to be able to plug into my Rega DAC-R, so will have to wait a couple of days before I can give it a try.
Bourneendboy
16-02-2016, 19:41
Another thing, when Spotify is 'cast' from my phone/tablet, is it streaming from my phone or is it streaming from the internet and my phone is a remote control?
Cheers,
Bill.
Mark Grant
16-02-2016, 20:09
The phone or tablet is just the control, once you start playing an album or playlist the list of tracks is sent to the chromecast and it fetches the tracks from the internet, you can even turn your phone off and it still keeps playing the album.
On your spotify app screen the output devices name will show at the bottom as below, track name, artist name and Output device name.
http://i759.photobucket.com/albums/xx234/server9/forum-pictures/Screenshot_2016-02-16-19-55-29_zpsh2whzxoe.png
-
You cant beat a bit of Boogie Lights and I think Delta is Work Drugs best album so far.:)
Also available to buy on yellow coloured Vinyl for those that don't stream.
http://workdrugs.com/barter/
Bourneendboy
16-02-2016, 20:13
The phone or tablet is just the control, once you start playing an album or playlist the list of tracks is sent to the chromecast and it fetches the tracks from the internet, you can even turn your phone off and it still keeps playing the album.
On your spotify app screen the output devices name will show at the bottom as below, track name, artist name and Output device name.
http://i759.photobucket.com/albums/xx234/server9/forum-pictures/Screenshot_2016-02-16-19-55-29_zpsh2whzxoe.png
-
You cant beat a bit of Boogie Lights and I think Delta is Work Drugs best album so far.:)
Also available to buy on yellow coloured Vinyl for those that don't stream.
http://workdrugs.com/barter/
Thanks for clearing that one up!
If only it could play music from a hard drive.......................looks like this is possible with Bubbleupnp, maybe this will replace the Pi after all.
robtweed
17-02-2016, 10:58
Another thing, when Spotify is 'cast' from my phone/tablet, is it streaming from my phone or is it streaming from the internet and my phone is a remote control?
Cheers,
Bill.
It basically works identically to the standard video-based Chromecast, but focuses on audio streaming services instead of video ones. I've posted a link to this article that I wrote about the original Chromecast before, but if you missed it and want to know the full technical details, see:
https://robtweed.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/chromecast-understanding-its-potential/
Bourneendboy
17-02-2016, 19:25
It basically works identically to the standard video-based Chromecast, but focuses on audio streaming services instead of video ones. I've posted a link to this article that I wrote about the original Chromecast before, but if you missed it and want to know the full technical details, see:
https://robtweed.wordpress.com/2014/04/05/chromecast-understanding-its-potential/
Many thanks for posting this Rob, very interesting!
Bourneendboy
19-02-2016, 10:40
Morning Fellas!
I'm up and running with Spotify, but am struggling to access my music files on a HD plugged into my PC.
I'm trying to use Plex, after having no luck whatsoever with Bubbleupnp. I've downloaded the media server on to my PC and the app on to my Android phone and can see and play all my music files.
The problem is connecting to the CCA. I can see it on the PC and Android, but when I cast to it, nothing plays.
Any ideas?
loonytunes
21-02-2016, 16:46
I don't know about using the CCA to access files from a HD - I personally would not bother. At the price the convenience of casting Spotify (but in my case CD quality Qobuz which can also be 'cast') is worth the beer money investment alone - and it's very reliable too. You can also cast radio stations in the same way by using the Tunein radio app.
I would have used the CCA to compliment the R-pi as mentioned earlier. In my system I use the same DAC for both a Squeezebox Touch and CCA; the CCA plugs into the optical input of the DAC while the SBT plugs into the coax of the DAC - they run side by side nicely. The SBT is king at streaming files from a Computer whereas the CCA is a more up-to-date source for streaming services such as Spotify and Qobuz.
Oh and if you're concerned about the low cost power supply with with the CCA - you can easily run battery powered from a portable mobile phone charger - it lasts hours and hours.
Bourneendboy
21-02-2016, 17:18
The CCA is such a neat answer to my streaming, especially now that I have signed up for Tidal:) No worries about connecting to the external HD.
loonytunes
21-02-2016, 17:33
The CCA is such a neat answer to my streaming, especially now that I have signed up for Tidal:) No worries about connecting to the external HD.
Tidal does not 'natively' cast to the CCA - only Qobuz does this for CD quality and above - but as you may have found out you can get round this using BubbleUPnP on an Android phone. With an Apple phone you can't use BubbleUPnP so, for me at least, I am pleased that Qobuz has an app that casts natively.
See here for a list of supported apps: https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/chromecast/apps/?utm_source=chromecast.com
Bourneendboy
21-02-2016, 17:36
Tidal does not 'natively' cast to the CCA - only Qobuz does this for CD quality and above - but as you may have found out you can get round this using BubbleUPnP on an Android phone. With an Apple phone you can't use BubbleUPnP so, for me at least, I am pleased that Qobuz has an app that casts natively.
See here for a list of supported apps: https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/chromecast/apps/?utm_source=chromecast.com
Just looking at Qobuz now.........
Bourneendboy
21-02-2016, 17:41
and great, looks like I have gone for the French version!
loonytunes
21-02-2016, 17:48
Good - they are excellent - and right now they need all the support they can get (I wish I could get a referral discount :))
Bourneendboy
21-02-2016, 17:50
Can the app be changed to 'English'?
loonytunes
21-02-2016, 17:56
Can the app be changed to 'English'?
Mine seems to be English by default (on an Apple iPhone) - if you have any issues their support is nice and responsive - email them any queries at support@qobuz.com
Currently £15 for one at Curry's/PC World if you want to try it.
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-home-entertainment/digital-and-smart-tv/smart-tv/google-chromecast-audio-10137628-pdt.html
Currently £15 for one at Curry's/PC World if you want to try it.
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/tv-and-home-entertainment/digital-and-smart-tv/smart-tv/google-chromecast-audio-10137628-pdt.html
No brainer at that price. I've just grabbed 2.
Simple multiroom streaming.
loonytunes
25-02-2016, 19:50
Absolute freaking bargain - I bought another one even though I own one already (they do mulitroom)!
Well found !!!!!
Bourneendboy
25-02-2016, 20:07
Up and running with Qobuz (in English, ha ha!), sounding great!
Bourneendboy
25-02-2016, 20:09
what are they anyways?
£15 from Currys, an optical cable and a subscription to Spotify or Qobuz and that's it - simple as it could possibly get!
what are they anyways?
Don't worry Grant, not as good sound as the Pi, tidy little gadget but limited use if you don't subscribe to a streaming service.
I've bought a couple to put onto the grandkids tv sets but we all have Apple Music here and that won't appear on the CCA.
I'm thinking they'll just use tuneinradio and at £15 I thought it was worth a look.
Handy for streaming straight to my headphones rather than using the iPad or phone.
Cheers ... dont think its for likes of me.... I dont do subscriptions ....too poor
Cheers ... dont think its for likes of me.... I dont do subscriptions ....too poor
Mind you it can stream the BBC Radio app, tuneinradio too, and no doubt many other radio apps.
I'm using it direct to my headphones sitting in living room while family watches TV.
loonytunes
25-02-2016, 22:19
Don't worry Grant, not as good sound as the Pi, tidy little gadget but limited use if you don't subscribe to a streaming service.
Well I haven't heard a Pi, but I have in the past used laptops and netbooks, and currently have a Squeezebox Touch - and the CCA is certainly not pushed into the corner by any of these other computer based devices - so it certainly does sound good enough for an audiophile if I can use such a word. No doubt in my mind. And it's one of the easiest things to use to stream music.
The CCA is currenly playing in my main system comprising (at present) Croft amplification and Ruark Loudspeakers. The CCA must use an outboard DAC to sound this good of course (in my case a Gold Note DAC-7) - but as a source feeding into a good DAC it's plenty good enough to compete with any other transport.
mr sneff
25-02-2016, 23:06
Now £15 from Currys, just ordered one :)
Cheers ... dont think its for likes of me.... I dont do subscriptions ....too poor
No need for a subscription Grant. Install Google music manager on your pc, let it scan your library of music files then play them via the Chromecast from the Web using phone/tablet to control. Very straightforward and costs SFA.
I'm using it direct to my headphones sitting in living room while family watches TV.
I think these little steamers are great, cheap and can give new life to old powered speakers and such, but this has me baffled.
If you are controlling it remotely via a phone/tablet app, why not plug your headphones straight into those and listen direct?
Bourneendboy
26-02-2016, 07:24
No need for a subscription Grant. Install Google music manager on your pc, let it scan your library of music files then play them via the Chromecast from the Web using phone/tablet to control. Very straightforward and costs SFA.
Ah, this is what I was trying to do with Bubbleupnp but couldn't get it to work, will try later.
I think these little steamers are great, cheap and can give new life to old powered speakers and such, but this has me baffled.
If you are controlling it remotely via a phone/tablet app, why not plug your headphones straight into those and listen direct?
https://youtu.be/aV0d_5GES0A [emoji3]
Well for one, running direct from my phone drains the battery quicker than casting, two - the sound quality direct from the CCA is better ( than my phone ), three - it is less bulky and four - I was just mucking about with it [emoji14]
It won't replace my Pi setup but at £15 I just wanted a play [emoji6]
If anyone wants to use Google Play Music and upload their files remember that GPM re-encodes them to 320 mp3 for storage on the cloud ( original files untouched of course ).
https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1100462?hl=en-GB
Bourneendboy
26-02-2016, 16:55
I'd say it's as good as the Pi. I've run both into a Rega DAC-R and can't hear any difference.
serendipitydawg
28-02-2016, 20:07
For those, such as I, who glaze over at the mere mention of UPNP I have found some free software that enable whatever sound is passing through a PC's soundcard to be "cast" to your CCA.
It's idiot proof, as tested on myself:)
https://github.com/acidhax/chromecast-audio-stream
Hope this is of interest.
So my two Chromecast audios have arrived. Since I already a 1st gen Chromecast running into the TV and then my DAC, I've put one on the kitchen mini system and one on the bedside table where it drives a pair of ATH50mx rather well.
I'm playing music from my uploaded Google library. At 15 quid each you can't really argue.
You've been done they are only £14 now:D
You've been done they are only £14 now:D
What a rip off!
I nearly went back to Currys to get my £3 back but couldn't be arsed as its a ten minute drive lol
Appears the latest firmware has broken the CCA. Link here:
https://productforums.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/chromecast/BVZCMt-J0-I;context-place=forum/chromecast
Appears the latest firmware has broken the CCA. Link here:
https://productforums.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/chromecast/BVZCMt-J0-I;context-place=forum/chromecast
A Spotify balls up I understand...
Appears the latest firmware has broken the CCA. Link here:
https://productforums.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/chromecast/BVZCMt-J0-I;context-place=forum/chromecast
I thought this was referring to the CCV rather than the audio version or do they share the same firmware?
Mike sent me a chromecast which came today..^^^^^^THANKS MIKE ^^^^^^
Now the only app on my android that comes up is google music on which i have music. Its not a paid account though.. Is this why it doesnt cast?
Lol, no worries Grant, I see I've kept you busy with it already ;)
Not sure about Google music, I next tried my one with it, I only used tuneinradio and my own files via a programme on my iPad to try it.
What program on ipad Mike?
Currently got my amazon library on the amazon stick downstairs running through the stereo. Sounds ok but not standout. Handy though as iveca huge library in there. Not going to rival the rpi for audio but graphics on tv are decent.
Ive not played much with this side of amazon yet. Would be nice if amazon and ccast were to be able to be used together
Did you go into the app settings and pair the device with your app?
Not as such...it ran Through a set up i think automatically.. It sent a test tone though the speaker it was connected to. Maybe i cocked up somewhere... But i was not getti!g the cast butto! With the google app so i take it they are now insisting on you taking the all access 30 trial. Thats a sign of desparation in my view and maybe shows folk dont want it... Will have another play with ipad this time i think
Google Music might be tied to paid version right enough. I think the iPad programme was called music streamer but is doesn't do Flac unless encoded to compression setting 5 I think, I couldn't be bothered doing that to 9000 files so stopped using the CCA it's handy for plugging my headphones into though.
Still have two in the drawer and keeping them just in case the kids or grandkids ever need one.
I use Apple Music as I get myself plus 5 other family members on it for £14.99 a month, and that won't work with the CCA cos Apple aren't interested in supporting Google.
Looks a great device for any Deezer, Spotify users, Tidal is due sometime too.
Actually just had a thought Grant, I'm sure the CCA ( Chromecast Audio) shows up in Bubble uPnP (Android) so that might be a way to cast lossless files.
cos Apple aren't interested in supporting Google.
I think you'll find it's the other way round ;)
Sent from my XT1580 using Tapatalk
Hi Grant,
If you go into your Google Music (Play Music as its called) app on for phone/tablet you can cast direct from there, so it would appear that you don't need a paid subscription to enjoy your own music.
In fact Google music can cast direct to a Sonos system too ;)
Mike.
i will give it another try tomorrow Mike ..cheers
Hi Mike..ive got it chroming ...using the ipad and both google music and tunilin radio both free so cheers. Plugged into stereo sound is ok. Another string to bow and will play with it for a while now. :eyebrows:
Couldnt get it to cast on my android tablet
Hi Mike..ive got it chroming ...using the ipad and both google music and tunilin radio both free so cheers. Plugged into stereo sound is ok. Another string to bow and will play with it for a while now. :eyebrows:
Couldnt get it to cast on my android tablet
Glad you got it working, decent little gadget but I still rate my Pi over it ;)
Nice pocket warmer though :)
Does get hot don,t it lol... Listening to kate bush at mo and its very decent indeedy. Just not at the pi level imo......but very good all the same and with the radio its probably up there.... Trying to avoid the spotify draw.
Ive also lost my samba connection from rpi to the pc since connecting the chromecast...dunno why thats happened
loonytunes
19-04-2016, 15:01
Hi Grant,
If you go into your Google Music (Play Music as its called) app on for phone/tablet you can cast direct from there, so it would appear that you don't need a paid subscription to enjoy your own music.
In fact Google music can cast direct to a Sonos system too ;)
Mike.
Just checking, if Play Music is free can you create a playlist from it similar to Spotify, without uploading or buying your own music from Google Music? I know someone that would like to use the CCA without a paid subscription but, having installed 'Play Music' on the iPad for myself - I don't see an option to create any playlist - only the ability to play the music I have purchased in the past.
On the free section you wont bar one of your own music... Been quite enjoying the radio casts like paradise though. Think you can record up to 12 hrs for off line play too, or something like that.
martian sunrise
28-04-2016, 10:41
Probably old news, but they are back to £15 at Currys, if anyone is interested...
Connected my Chromecast Audio to my m2tech Young DAC via a optical cable, and the results are excellent. It's not as good as my other sources, but it is still very good and a great way to listen to things like youtube clips. It's definitely the best way to use the Chromecast in my opinion.
bbbiker800
10-05-2016, 19:45
I've noticed something of interest. I got a CCA a while back and like everyone else can only say that it's great value - it's plugged into a M-DAC. However, brought another to plug into the kitchen DAB stereo. When casting to both simultaneously, the kitchen CCA operated fine but the MDAC one didn't - suffered a gappy playback occuring roughly every 10secs. If I stop casting to the kitchen then normal service is returned. So it's unlikely we'll use it much in that way but worth mentioning to see if others have seen this.
MarginWalker
21-10-2016, 14:36
I have one of these running spotify, but it goes straight into the amp. Am i missing out by not having it going through a DAC, would the sound quality be improved or would i just be adding a new box for the sake of it?
thanks,
P
I have one of these running spotify, but it goes straight into the amp. Am i missing out by not having it going through a DAC, would the sound quality be improved or would i just be adding a new box for the sake of it?
thanks,
P
If you had a receiver or DAC already then yes, I'd say connection via toslink is a massive improvement over its standard 'headphone' style output. Whether it is worth an extra investment in a DAC all depends on how much you'd be prepared to spend and if you might get other use out of it in your system (such as connecting TV, laptop, CD player or other digital sources).
HiFimediy has some very good and reasonably priced DACs for good results and cheapness, for a few dollars more maybe a Beresford might fit the bill. As with all things in this hobby skys the limit really.
MarginWalker
21-10-2016, 15:37
If you had a receiver or DAC already then yes, I'd say connection via toslink is a massive improvement over its standard 'headphone' style output. Whether it is worth an extra investment in a DAC all depends on how much you'd be prepared to spend and if you might get other use out of it in your system (such as connecting TV, laptop, CD player or other digital sources).
HiFimediy has some very good and reasonably priced DACs for good results and cheapness, for a few dollars more maybe a Beresford might fit the bill. As with all things in this hobby skys the limit really.
Thanks for this, Rich. I would be happy to spend around £100 on a DAC if i could expect to realise a big improvement in sound qualty (i'v no idea if that sort of money will secure a good DAC though). The Beresford DACs seen very well regarded on here, can anyone advise what price they start at?
You,d get a good second hand beresford for that, yes. Not sure what they are new, but more than that. Plenty decent enough new dacs on eay.or ask here in PE for something. Bettya plenty lying on shelves
MarginWalker
21-10-2016, 15:55
Cheers, Grant. I'll have a look around and see what is available second hand. As you say, it might be a good idea to post a wanted ad on here too.
Got another chromecast delivered today. was a black friday buy at last minute from Curry at £15 delivered. They had ran out of stock but fair play to Currys, they ordered more in and sent it to me asap;
Set it up upstairs for now and worked in minutes. Good little things, and ive now got 2.
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