Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[wiak]

NEW VERSION requires gtkwialog version 0.8.5 or above

Cast2Chrome

Cast2Chrome is a bash/gtkwialog full-featured GUI frontend to Stream2Chromecast (see screenshots at foot of this post) which allows you to stream local files or url files, or online youtube-type videos to a chromecast dongle plugged into the hdmi port of your television.

Dependencies. Required: bash, gtkwialog, stream2chromecast

The underlying utility, Stream2Chromecast, is a python2.7 Chromecast media streamer for Linux by Pat Carter. It can stream local files or, if supplied with the url, streamable online stored files (such as mp4; and via http, https, rtsp:).

Dependencies. Required: python2.7; Optional: ffmpeg or avconv (for transcoding), youtube-dl (+ffmpeg or avconv) for streaming media from youtube or similar.

In addition, if ffmpeg is available, stream2chromecast can transcode any unsupported files in real time and play them on the Chromecast. The wiak-mod to the supplied stream2chrometest.py allows the program to also support piping to stdin via ffmpeg using youtube-dl for streaming youtube or similar media.

Developed and tested on XenialDog64. http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=109476 Works fine there and also work on Bionic and probably others.

I've also tested as working on XenialPup32. XenialPup includes a suitable python2.7. (However, didn't work on Slacko 6.3.2 32bit version I tried; seemed like the python2.7 I installed from slackware 14.1 repo wasn't complete enough).

If you want to cast youtube media on XenialPup32 DO NOT use the old version from its Puppy Package Manager. Instead install the newest version as follows:

[wiak]

I'm planning a sibling of this program that will keep a copy of any youtube video played, at least temporarily in RAM. However, If using RAM temp for that, I'll keep the one above too because on low-powered machines with little RAM I'd probably want two (they are tiny anyway) one that 'saves' the youtube video and one just for playing on-the-fly.

wiak

[spiritwild]

Holy hell it works !! At least the youtube part. I'm streaming right out of the box on LxPupXenial 16.08. I'll shake down the other formats later and see how that goes.

I'm excited, much thanks for this.

[wiak]

[spiritwild]

Is FFMPEG used as default? per ....export FFMPEG="ffmpeg" ?

Also, excuse my ignorance on gtk, is there a default configuration file
If I wished to keep certain transcoder options by default in the GUI ?

Or should I try to edit the cast2chrome script lines in... # Default config:

Thanks.

[wiak]

Add the following line, just before the final 'exit 0' line at the end of the script and config saving will work (I accidentally missed it out in the 0.0.1 release version):

[wiak]

Sorry, though I do have a partially complete new version that does simultaneouly save youtube videos whilst playing them (if checkbox activated) I haven't added the last few bits required. Alas I started reading and responding to another thread and have run out of time tonight. I'll be back home on Saturday evening and will certainly complete the next version within a couple of days of that. So if you are interested in the program just check back in then.

wiak

[spiritwild]

Thanks Again, will do!

[wiak]

.

[mikeslr]

[wiak]

[fredx181]

Sounds serious. Take it easy and all the best, wiak !

Fred

[backi]

Sorry to hear wiak
Serious indeed ......... I hope you're doing better.

[wiak]

cast2chrome version 0.0.2 released.

Can play local media from your Puppy to TV that has cheap chromecast dongle plugged in to its HDMI port - no cables required, nor is chrome browser or vlc required at all - cast2chrome is a very low resource solution. And your Puppy laptop can be an old one that has no HDMI output ports itself, or any display ports at all actually... Can also play internet streaming media including youtube (if youtube-dl also installed per first post instructions), which it can also save whilst playing.

Changes:
# 0.0.2 dated 2018/5/23: Fixed save config; added optional save youtube whilst playing; fixed removal of youtube-related processes on quit. Made config file handling more robust.

Main GUI changes are:

The save checkbox (which is only applicable for youtube streams). The savefile location is selected under "Optional" tag (default is $HOME/youtubeDATESTAMP). The screenshot in first thread post are for 0.0.1 version, but just hover your mouse over GUI elements for descriptive help (and/or press HELP button).

Bugs: None known of.

The start/pause/stop buttons sometimes take a few seconds to activate. There is alot going on underneath in the stream2chromecast utility, so you just have to be patient. Basically wait till the button greys out or loses its grey (depending on what you are doing).

Download is currently from first post of this thread:

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=991012#991012

As before you need to install both cast2chrome and stream2chromecast pets and need a fullish python2.7 installation (and optional ffmpeg for automatic transcoding of chromecast unknown video formats and youtube-dl for streaming Internet youtube media to the dongle via cast2chrome system).

Tested on:

XenialPup32 (and also on one of the dogs: XenialDog64, for which debs are provided) but should definitely also work on Bionic and maybe on earlier systems (but untested there).

Future:

I'm not sure I'll be adding much (if any) additional functionality in the nearish future. Only thing I might do, because I'd like it, is add a commandline API to cast2chrome such that it could easy be programmably called up from the likes of Pmusic or DogRadio or similar. Much like 01micko's PupRadio was able to call up Precord for recording, but cast2chrome would be called up for streaming the 'other-app's' selected media to the chromecast dongle in this case.

Let me know if any bugs discovered or any functionality lacking and I'll certainly consider your ideas.

wiak

[wiak]

cast2chrome version 0.0.3 released.

Streams local and internet media to a chromecast device plugged into HDMI port of television.

Changes:

Depends on gtkwialog (drop in replacement for legacy gtkdialog but with extra functionality that allows cast2chrome to be used on dash systems (such as Ubuntu or Debian), ash systems (such as Slitaz) and bash systems (such as Puppy Linux).

Fixed a major bug in previous version, which wouldn't work correctly with local files.

Changed volume UP/DOWN behaviour since previous method was unstable.

Like version 0.0.2 the user can optionally save youtube videos as they are being downloaded.

See first post of this thread for more details, additional requirement, and downloads.

wiak