A Node-Red node that provides basic Google Cast functionality based on the node-castv2-client package.
Install directly from your NodeRED's Setting Pallete
or
This assumes you have node-red already installed and working, if you need to install node-red see here
$ cd ~/.node-red
$ npm install node-red-contrib-castv2This package provides a single node, castv2-sender, which will be under the "castv2" group in the pallete. The node requires a configured connection, and allows for setting additional settings like authentication for supported cast applications. The node will output the current google cast device platform state or cast application state on published state changes.
At a minimum, a msg.payload must be defined, and must conform to the format below. Be careful when sending results of other nodes in that it doesn't conflict in some way or unexpected results may occur. General msg format expected on input is as follows:
{
payload: {
app: "DefaultMediaReceiver", // optional, allows for controlling other supported apps
type: "TYPE",
...
}
}Connection nodes can be set up to use either a static IP / port (default 8009), or mDNS discovery be advertised device name. The node-red instance must be running on the same subnet as the target cast device to use the mDNS discovery mechanism. If specified, the mDNS target will take precedence over any specified IP / port settings.
mDNS usage enabled the ability to maintain a stable connection to Cast Groups.
To use mDNS in Docker containers, the node-red instance must either be started with --net=host, or the multicast packets must be reflected into the Docker network by an image that has access to both networks. The below command will start an image that can do this without exposing the node-red instance to the host network, though any suitable reflector should do.
docker run --restart=always --name mdns-bridge -dit --net=host wquist/mdns-bridge:latest <HOSTINTERFACE>
This node supported a couple of applications with room to grow. This allows it to launch, join active sessions, and control these cast applications in addition to the DefaultMediaReceiver. To control application specific commands (see platform / media commands below for other types), and "app" must be specified on the command to ensure the right application is either joined or launched first. The following applications are supported, and examples can be found below for the message structures sepcific to them:
- DefaultMediaReceiver
- GooglePlayMusic - media control only
- GogolePlayMovies - media control only
- Netflix - media control only
- Spotify - media control only
- YouTube
Platform commands refer to the global commands that the cast target supports regardless of what app is running. Typicall that is these:
| Command | Example |
|---|---|
| CLOSE | Closes the current running application / cast session |
| GET_CAST_STATUS | Gets status from cast device |
| GET_VOLUME | Triggers a query to get current volume information (not used) |
| MUTE | Mute cast device |
| VOLUME | Set volume of cast device |
| UNMUTE | Unmute cast device |
{
payload: {
type: "MUTE"
}
}{
payload: {
type: "VOLUME",
volume: 100 // 0 to 100
}
}Media commands are listed below. These tend to be global to most media apps. For any app supported by this module, these should be supported. You do not need to include an app with these as the node will attempt to join any active sessions for supported apps automatically.
| Command | Example |
|---|---|
| PAUSE | Pause current media |
| PLAY | Play current media |
| SEEK | Seek to time in current media |
| STOP | Stop playing current media without exiting application |
| QUEUE_NEXT | Play next media item |
| QUEUE_PREV | Play previous media item |
{
payload: {
type: "STOP"
}
}{
port: 8009,
payload: {
type: "SEEK",
time: 100 // Time to seek to in seconds
}
}These are the commands exposed by the DefaultMediaReceiver for playing generic media URLs. Because the "app" defaults to this, app CAN be omitted from the command. It is provided below for completeness.
| Command | Example |
|---|---|
| MEDIA | Load a single media file or queue multiple to play |
| TTS | Create a text-to-speech MP3 and cast to device |
Loads media for DefaultMediaReceiver.
{
payload: {
app: "DefaultMediaReceiver",
type: "MEDIA",
media: {
url: "http://test.com/media.mp3",
contentType: "audio/mp3", // optional if type can be infered from url file type
streamType: "BUFFERED", // optional unless you want to send LIVE instead
metadata: { ... } // optional for extending default metadata such as title, images, etc.
}
}
}Alternatively, you can send an array for msg.payload.media with a collection of objects of the same format to trigger loading a media queue to the cast device instead.
{
payload: {
app: "DefaultMediaReceiver",
type: "MEDIA",
media: [
{ url: "http://test.com/media.mp3", ... },
{ url: "http://test.com/someOtherMedia.mp3", ... },
...
]
}
}The metadata object is optional, and is a straight pass through of Google's metadata object structure. Common overridable properties are metadata.title, metadata.subtitle, metadata.images[]. etc. See Google's documentation for other options. By default, the metadata.metadataType is 0, meaning GenericMediaMetadata, but a different value can be passed in to allow support of extended metadata properties if needed.
{
payload: {
app: "DefaultMediaReceiver",
type: "TTS",
text: "Something to say",
speed: 1, // optional to adjust TTS speed, defaults to 1
language: "en", // optional to set TTS language, default to en
metadata: { // optional unless desired, follows normal metadata rules noted above
title: "Media title"
}
}
}These are the commands exposed by YouTube receiver. The "app" is required on these commands.
| Command | Example |
|---|---|
| MEDIA | Load a single media file |
Loads media for YouTube.
{
payload: {
app: "YouTube",
type: "MEDIA",
videoId: "VideoIdFromYouTube"
}
}