Casting MusicBee from PC to Chromecast - UPDATE

[Caulkhead]

Hi Everyone

I've just discovered MB and love it already. I'd like to know if there is a way to cast music from my PC to a chromecast which is plugged into my amp. I use Plex to do this at the moment. I have the upnp plugin installed but unsure what to do next.

Thanks

I thought that I had solved my issue - I downloaded chromecast audio stream from here:

https://github.com/acidhax/chromecast-audio-stream/releases

and I cast my desktop to my chromecast and successfully played 3 or 4 songs on MB through my amp. However, I have been unable to repeat that initial success.

[zigzag10]

Have you tried using BubbleUPnP Server (https://www.bubblesoftapps.com/bubbleupnpserver )? This software enhances UPnP/DLNA services and can apparently enable a Chromecast device to function as a UPnP/DLNA renderer.  I personally haven't got a Chromecast but I suspect that it will be easy to configure BubbleUPnP Server to support Chromecast, and once done your Chromecast should be listed as an output source in MBs UPnP plugin.

[euzie]

Can confirm. Just set up my Chromecast Audio as a DNLA renderer in bubble upnp.

Then selected "Play More>Output To>" and it plays perfectly

[rchurchill]

Almost flawless, MusicBee does need this plugin to work with DNLA servers: https://www.getmusicbee.com/addons/plugins/11/upnp-dlna-device-support/

[Penn]

Anyone got it to work with speaker groups?

I'm running a new Google Home speaker with several Chromecasts. For anyone who is interested in it for audio it's pretty good for multi-room as you can group Chromecasts together. I have Chromecast audio and Chromecast video. Can't group the video ones though afaics

I can, for example say

"Ok Google play Radio X on bedroom speaker" or

"Ok Google play Radio X on kitchen speaker" or

"Ok Google play Radio X on office speaker" or

"Ok Google play Radio X on Google Home speaker" or

"Ok Google play Radio X on Home Group" or

"Ok Google play Radio X on Music Group" etc

I have to get MusicBee involved, even if Google Home will play playlists curated and auto created by MusicBee I will be very happy

[supersonic]

Just a thought but now that VLC has Chromecast support is it possible to have VLC capture the audio from MusicBee and have VLC push it to the Chromecast/Chromecast Audio? However from my own testing/research it seems VLC can sadly only capture audio from a microphone and not an application.

[Mikesin]

Very New User

I too wish to cast to my chromecast audio dongle - I have tried downloading the bubble upnp s/w but Norton threw it out as unsafe due low usage - anyone had problems with this download?

thanks

mike

[Mauser69]

Bubble upnp worked fine for me when I tested it, but I really did not like dealing with multiple devices, a different interface, and a DLNA server just to play music from my PC to my stereo. 

It would be GREAT if we could Chromecast from the PC, but google wants to play the proprietary game, so it is not really an option - the solutions I found that said they could do that were all garbage (and I REFUSE to be bullied into using the nasty Chrome browser).

My wife uses Chromecast with her phone and tablet to the bedroom stereo, but for the main house system I went to a wireless receiver that supports both Bluetooth (which I never use) and Airplay - lots of options available that use the same chipset, but I have one from IDER that costs under $40.  These wireless receivers basically support just about every wireless protocol EXCEPT the proprietary Chromecast, and they have DLNA support too if you really want to use that.  To connect my PC wirelessly to the receiver, I use free TuneBlade software.

I do not use apple-related products for anything, so I originally avoided Airplay like the plague.  But for this solution, I have to admit it just works.  And at least I did not have to spend money with apple!

Now I stream directly from my PC to my stereo, and I use either the desktop MB interface, or the MB Remote app on my phone.  Very happy with this solution.

[coppinsuk]

Hello,

I have found that if you use "Electron"("Audio-cast") from Git Hub (?) to cast to Audio Chromecast - it will work with a bit of persuasion. Need to some "googling". Recently been extremely stable - great sound.

I am definitely not 'PC Geek' but eventually got it to work.

Also purchased "Airfoil" app - this works, but doesn't have clear sound - well not for me.

Dearly like MusicBee but now it doesn't recognise any of my music file and, after giving a donation.

Cheers,

Douglas (UK)

[Penn]

I have now found the best solution for me, better for me than Bubble etc, more reliable, transparent.


Install audio-cast (https://github.com/acidhax/chromecast-audio-stream/releases)

Have used it before but had not realised that I can select as many or as few devices as I want. It doesn't see groups but that's no problem. Just tick any or all of your devices including TVs

Best of all it it automatically casts all the Windows audio,  it's invisible to MusicBee (computer standard audio still works at same time as cast), Musicbee's crossfade and dsp all work

[ANARCHY]

So,  installed this, have the latest MB version, have the casticon in my taskbar, ticked my Chrome Audiocast, nothing ?
No sound whatsoever is transferred to my audiocast ?
Did confirm other devices can stream audio just to be safe.

Also installed the other thing, but not sure what it is or what it does.
I probably have to set something somewhere ?

----------------------------------------------------

Okay, so with an older version of something i can indeed in the preferences in the player choose to cast to my Chrome Audiocast directly.
Doesn't sound too great for some reason, but works i guess.
But this is rather an annoying way of doing it.
I do also have the plugin for Windows that adds an audiocast icon, in which i can select my Google Home Mini and Chrome Audiocast.
Neither of which do anything, when i tick them, i do hear a confirming sound coming from the system i tick, and also when i untick them, but no sound comes from them, ever.
I have no idea why ?
Streaming just desktop sound is easier, easier and faster to turn on and off.
If there was a audiocast button in the player that would be even better. This is the long and annoying way around which i will not be using.

[phred]

Also installed the other thing, but not sure what it is or what it does.
I probably have to set something somewhere ?

----------------------------------------------------

Okay, so with an older version of something i can indeed in the preferences in the player choose to cast to my Chrome Audiocast directly.

If you're looking for help, you've got to be a lot more specific about what you've installed. And the fact that you've installed something not knowing what it is or what it does is not very smart.

[ANARCHY]

Also installed the other thing, but not sure what it is or what it does.
I probably have to set something somewhere ?

----------------------------------------------------

Okay, so with an older version of something i can indeed in the preferences in the player choose to cast to my Chrome Audiocast directly.

If you're looking for help, you've got to be a lot more specific about what you've installed. And the fact that you've installed something not knowing what it is or what it does is not very smart.

I thought it wasn't that hard to follow, but here goes.

Installed:
https://github.com/acidhax/chromecast-audio-stream/releases aka audio-cast-win32-ia32.zip

https://www.getmusicbee.com/addons/plugins/11/upnp-dlna-device-support/

BubbleUPnP Server
This "Then selected "Play More>Output To>" and it plays perfectly"i could not find.
Not that it matters, since now when i launch it it for some reason cannot even start the server.

So all in all, this has been rather useless. Since now nothnig works.
Also, could you be anymore condescending ?
I know what the things are supposed to do. I just do not know exactly how,like almost everyone doesn't know with just about every piece of software they use.
But, 2 ways to go, now nothing works. Joy.

[ANARCHY]

Also installed the other thing, but not sure what it is or what it does.
I probably have to set something somewhere ?

----------------------------------------------------

Okay, so with an older version of something i can indeed in the preferences in the player choose to cast to my Chrome Audiocast directly.

If you're looking for help, you've got to be a lot more specific about what you've installed. And the fact that you've installed something not knowing what it is or what it does is not very smart.

Also, if you know it's not good, and you've clearly readup in here, and have not removed such posts, well, that doesn't exactly sound like smart to me either.
Or do you rather like supporting stuff of which you know it's bad shit around here ?

[ANARCHY]

Also installed the other thing, but not sure what it is or what it does.
I probably have to set something somewhere ?

----------------------------------------------------

Okay, so with an older version of something i can indeed in the preferences in the player choose to cast to my Chrome Audiocast directly.

If you're looking for help, you've got to be a lot more specific about what you've installed. And the fact that you've installed something not knowing what it is or what it does is not very smart.

So i deleted and uninstalled it all.
Reinstalled only BubbleUPnP Server and the MusicBee DNLA server plugin to get it to work, and that works again.
It's just the hard way.

I'd really love to basically just be able to stream all desktop sound. Kind of like the other thing is supposed to do, bu i have no idea how. It shows my devices and gives connection sound, but does nothing else.

Also, for some reason when you seek in the song, the song restarts completely, even though the seeking bar shows it's halfway or whatever you did, so something is not right there.
If you Pause, then Resume Play again, no sound at all, if you restart the song it will play.