pychromecast |Build Status|

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Library for Python 3.14+ 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
• Multi-room setups with Audio cast devices

Check out Home Assistant <https://home-assistant.io>_ for a ready-made solution using PyChromecast for controlling and automating your Chromecast or Cast-enabled device like Google Home.

Dependencies

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

How to use

.. code:: python

>> import time
>> import pychromecast
>> import zeroconf

>> # Create a browser which prints the friendly name of found chromecast devices
>> zconf = zeroconf.Zeroconf()
>> browser = pychromecast.CastBrowser(pychromecast.SimpleCastListener(lambda uuid, service: print(browser.devices[uuid].friendly_name)), zconf)
>> browser.start_discovery()
>> # Shut down discovery
>> pychromecast.discovery.stop_discovery(browser)

>> # Discover and connect to chromecasts named Living Room
>> chromecasts, browser = pychromecast.get_listed_chromecasts(friendly_names=["Living Room"])
>> [cc.cast_info.friendly_name for cc in chromecasts]
['Living Room']

>> # Discover and connect to more than one device
>> chromecasts, browser = pychromecast.get_listed_chromecasts(friendly_names=["Living Room","Bed Room","Kitchen"])
>> [cc.device.friendly_name for cc in chromecasts]
["Living Room","Bed Room","Kitchen"]

>> # If you are seeing less devices get discovered than expected add the below parameter. You can lessen or extend the timeout as needed.
>> chromecasts, browser = pychromecast.get_listed_chromecasts(friendly_names=["Living Room","Bed Room","Kitchen"],discovery_timeout=30)
>> [cc.device.friendly_name for cc in chromecasts]
["Living Room","Bed Room","Kitchen"]

>> cast = chromecasts[0]
>> # Start worker thread and wait for cast device to be ready
>> cast.wait()
>> print(cast.cast_info)
CastInfo(services={ServiceInfo(type='mdns', data='Chromecast-Audio-42feced1d94238232fba92623e2682f3._googlecast._tcp.local.')}, uuid=UUID('42feced1-d942-3823-2fba-92623e2682f3'), model_name='Chromecast Audio', friendly_name='Living room', host='192.168.0.189', port=8009, cast_type='audio', manufacturer='Google Inc.')

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

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

>> mc.pause()
>> time.sleep(5)
>> mc.play()

>> # Shut down discovery
>> pychromecast.discovery.stop_discovery(browser)

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:

.. code:: python

from pychromecast.controllers import BaseController

class MyController(BaseController):
    def __init__(self):
        super(MyController, 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.

.. _BaseController: https://github.com/balloob/pychromecast/blob/master/pychromecast/controllers/__init__.py .. _MediaController: https://github.com/balloob/pychromecast/blob/master/pychromecast/controllers/media.py

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_.

This is the beginning of the README. Read the rest at the original. Read the full README ↗