Chromecast unusable (showing as screen)

[michal.kormanik]

Hey,
Does someone use chromecast feature like "Airplay"? So for casting audio only. It is recognized on my android phone as sound + screen so it is really weird to cast "entire" screen or app when just audio is needed. In Google Home app I can see as "Cast audio" but after clicking on it it asks for screen or app.

Did someone find a solution to this. I wanted to have it similar to Airplay where you can see it as "speaker".

It is Wiim Pro Plus so no HDMI or any screen that would be suitable for screen casting.

Solution:
Chromecast does not work like AirPlay (it cannot stream just audio from phone to speakers via network, only supported apps). For workaround use Bluetooth.


Thank you!

 

[hgo58]

Hey,
Does someone use chromecast feature like "Airplay"? So for casting audio only. It is recognized on my android phone as sound + screen so it is really weird to cast "entire" screen or app when just audio is needed. In Google Home app I can see as "Cast audio" but after clicking on it it asks for screen or app.

Did someone find a solution to this. I wanted to have it similar to Airplay where you can see it as "speaker".

It is Wiim Pro Plus so no HDMI or any screen that would be suitable for screen casting.


Thank you!

Could you please provide some screen shots to help us better understand your question?

 

[michal.kormanik]

Here are screenshots of user flow that is happening. At first it is "Cast my audio" then mixed up with screen and in the end app or screen, no audio only option. I don't have option to try another Chromecast device if it is phone or Wiim issue unfortunately :/.

 

[hgo58]

Here are screenshots of user flow that is happening. At first it is "Cast my audio" then mixed up with screen and in the end app or screen, no audio only option. I don't have option to try another Chromecast device if it is phone or Wiim issue unfortunately :/.
View attachment 26867View attachment 26868View attachment 26869

Thanks. I still don't understand the issue.
How is this related to the WiiM?

Are you trying to send the sound from your phone to the WiiM using Chromecast?

To send the phone sound to the WiiM, you can use Bluetooth.

 

[michal.kormanik]

Yes, sorry. It is Wiim as device. Yes I'm trying to send just audio to Wiim using Chromecast which seems not to work as expected.

 

[michal.kormanik]

I'm browsing Chromecast "tutorials" and specs and it seems I did get it wrong. I thought it is similar to AirPlay that you can cast only audio from phone, without it needed to be specific compatible app. Seems like the opposite. Really a shame.
Sorry for confusion, I will update above message with "solution".

 

[hgo58]

I'm browsing Chromecast "tutorials" and specs and it seems I did get it wrong. I thought it is similar to AirPlay that you can cast only audio from phone, without it needed to be specific compatible app. Seems like the opposite. Really a shame.
Sorry for confusion, I will update above message with "solution".

Just did some tests on a Android phone and when the WiiM device is added to the Google home app, then I can cast the sound only.

 

[michal.kormanik]

Hmm that is weird. I will try to delete and add it again to home app, if it helps.

Thanks for trying!

 

[Burnside]

A bit confused here too - what exactly are you trying to do? What app’s audio are you trying to send to your WiiM and where does the Beolab 6000 fit in?

Your can only use Chromecast from your phone to send audio to a WiiM device, you can’t use a WiiM device to send audio to the Beolab 6000 speakers(?) if that’s what you’re trying to do as WiiM devices are Chromecast receivers not transmitters.

 

[michal.kormanik]

I'm sorry, it is a bit confusing becuase of naming. "Beolab 6000" Is just a name of Wiim Pro Plus.

And yes, I'm trying to send audio from Android phone to Wiim (Beolab 6000) via Chromecast but for some unknown reason, Chromecast is trying to cast screen to Wiim instead of audio only. Which does not makes sense.

`hgo58` tried on his devices and seems to have it working correctly.

@hgo58 Did it asks you to choose between app or casting entire screen OR just switched to audio straight away and screen has nothing to do with that cast session?

 

[Burnside]

I'm sorry, it is a bit confusing becuase of naming. "Beolab 6000" Is just a name of Wiim Pro Plus.

And yes, I'm trying to send audio from Android phone to Wiim (Beolab 6000) via Chromecast but for some unknown reason, Chromecast is trying to cast screen to Wiim instead of audio only. Which does not makes sense.

`hgo58` tried on his devices and seems to have it working correctly.

@hgo58 Did it asks you to choose between app or casting entire screen OR just switched to audio straight away and screen has nothing to do with that cast session?

Which app’s audio are you trying to send?

 

[hgo58]

@hgo58 Did it asks you to choose between app or casting entire screen OR just switched to audio straight away and screen has nothing to do with that cast session?

The Google home app doesn't ask about screen cast.

I do however now think that what the app ask for is if you want to cast the sound from the phone (screen) or a specific app.

 

[michal.kormanik]

Which app’s audio are you trying to send?

The screeshots are from Google Home app (so whole phone audio) and originally I tied to cast audio from "Snipd", it is a podcast app.

 

[michal.kormanik]

The Google home app doesn't ask about screen cast.

I do however now think that what the app ask for is if you want to cast the sound from the phone (screen) or a specific app.

If I get it right, then you did not get modal that I got with "Cast your screen?" message right?

 

[hgo58]

If I get it right, then you did not get modal that I got with "Cast your screen?" message right?

No. I don't get that.

What device features do Google home defines for you device?

 

[Burnside]

I installed that app on my android phone and could cast audio no problem to my Pro Plus using the cast audio option in the Google home app.

 

[Wiimer]

If I get it right, then you did not get modal that I got with "Cast your screen?" message right?

In the WiiM app, go to the Pro plus device settings and make sure that 'Google Cast Service' is turned on in the Google Cast section.

 

[Wiimer]

Here are screenshots of user flow that is happening. At first it is "Cast my audio" then mixed up with screen and in the end app or screen, no audio only option. I don't have option to try another Chromecast device if it is phone or Wiim issue unfortunately :/.
View attachment 26867View attachment 26868View attachment 26869

On the last screen, tap 'Cast one app' and then tap the Youtube icon.






The Youtube app will open, play the video and you will hear sound from the Pro plus.
(Similarly, tap on the app you want to use.)

 

[Wiimer]

@michal.kormanik,
There may be a bug in the latest version of the Google Home app. Numerous bugs have been reported in reviews.

My Android Google home app is erratic.

 

[harkpabst]

I thought it is similar to AirPlay that you can cast only audio from phone, without it needed to be specific compatible app.

Just to be perfectly clear here (and because I haven't seen it mentioned in this thread so far):

There is a very big difference between Chromecast and AirPlay indeed and it may partially explain your confusion. Chromecast is not intended to send audio from your smartphone to your Chromecast enabled device. With Chromecast your smartphone acts as a remote control that tells your Chromecast enabled device (e.g. any WiiM streamer except for the Mini) where to find a streaming URL and how to play the contents behind it. The data is not streamed through your phone.

This is very much different from AirPlay and the reason why every app must explicitly support Chromecast. Once the music (or, depending on the target device, the video) is playing you could switch off your phone and playback will continue.

In addition to that you can also mirror content from your phone through the Google Home app but this is rather a secondary function. When I select my WiiM Amp Pro or my WiiM Amp Ultra in Google Home I can mirror e.g. the YouTube app and it will mirror the sound only to my WiiM.