pychromecast

Python 3 support is currently broken. Use version 0.5.1.1 on PyPy for Python 3 support.

Library for Python 2 and 3 to communicate with the Google Chromecast. It currently supports:

• Auto discovering connected Chromecasts on the network
• Start the default media receiver and play any online media
• Control playback of current playing media
• Implement Google Chromecast api v2
• Communicate with apps via channels
• Easily extendable to add support for unsupported namespaces

PyChromecast 0.6 introduces some backward incompatible changes due to the migration from DIAL to socket for retrieving the app status.

Dependencies

PyChromecast depends on the Python packages requests and protobuf. Make sure you have these dependencies installed using pip install -r requirements.txt

How to use

>> from __future__ import print_function
>> import time
>> import pychromecast

>> pychromecast.get_chromecasts_as_dict().keys()
['Dev', 'Living Room', 'Den', 'Bedroom']

>> cast = pychromecast.get_chromecast(friendly_name="Living Room")
>> print(cast.device)
DeviceStatus(friendly_name='Living Room', model_name='Eureka Dongle', manufacturer='Google Inc.', api_version=(1, 0))

>> print(cast.status)
CastStatus(is_active_input=True, is_stand_by=False, volume_level=1.0, volume_muted=False, app_id=u'CC1AD845', display_name=u'Default Media Receiver', namespaces=[u'urn:x-cast:com.google.cast.player.message', u'urn:x-cast:com.google.cast.media'], session_id=u'CCA39713-9A4F-34A6-A8BF-5D97BE7ECA5C', transport_id=u'web-9', status_text='')

>> mc = cast.media_controller
>> print(mc.status)
MediaStatus(current_time=42.458322, content_id=u'http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/gtv-videos-bucket/sample/BigBuckBunny.mp4', content_type=u'video/mp4', duration=596.474195, stream_type=u'BUFFERED', idle_reason=None, media_session_id=1, playback_rate=1, player_state=u'PLAYING', supported_media_commands=15, volume_level=1, volume_muted=False)

>> mc.pause()
>> time.sleep(5)
>> mc.play()
>> from pychromecast.controllers.youtube import YouTubeController
>> yt = YouTubeController()
>> cast.register_handler(yt)
>> yt.play_video("L0MK7qz13bU")

Adding support for extra namespaces

Each app that runs on the Chromecast supports namespaces. They specify a JSON-based mini-protocol. This is used to communicate between the Chromecast and your phone/browser and now Python.

Support for extra namespaces is added by using controllers. To add your own namespace to a current chromecast instance you will first have to define your controller. Example of a minimal controller:

from pychromecast.controllers import BaseController

class MyController(BaseController):
    def __init__(self):
        super(MediaController, self).__init__(
            "urn:x-cast:my.super.awesome.namespace")

    def receive_message(self, message, data):
        print("Wow, I received this message: {}".format(data))

        return True # indicate you handled this message

    def request_beer(self):
        self.send_message({'request': 'beer'})

After you have defined your controller you will have to add an instance to a Chromecast object: cast.register_handler(MyController()). When a message is received with your namespace it will be routed to your controller.

For more options see the BaseController. For an example of a fully implemented controller see the MediaController.

Exploring existing namespaces

So you've got PyChromecast running and decided it is time to add support to your favorite app. No worries, the following instructions will have you covered in exploring the possibilities.

The following instructions require the use of the Google Chrome browser and the Google Cast plugin.

• In Chrome, go to chrome://net-internals/#capture
• Enable the checkbox 'Include the actual bytes sent/received.'
• Open a new tab, browse to your favorite application on the web that has Chromecast support and start casting.
• Go back to the tab that is capturing events and click on stop.
• From the dropdown click on events. This will show you a table with events that happened while you were recording.
• In the filter box enter the text Tr@n$p0rt. This should give one SOCKET connection as result: the connection with your Chromecast.
• Go through the results and collect the JSON that is exchanged.
• Now write a controller that is able to mimic this behavior :-)

Thanks

I would like to thank Fred Clift for laying the socket client ground work. Without him it would not have been possible!