Enable casting to Chromecast devices (Android)

The Google Cast framework enables a viewer to stream video and audio content to a compatible TV or sound system. By including the Google Cast framework in your app, a viewer can use a cast button to stream your content to a Chromecast-enabled device on a shared network connection.

🚧

Be mindful of the following points:

• The JWP SDK supports casting to the Default Media Receiver and to Styled Media Receivers.
• To specify a receiver, specify a media receiver app ID when initializing the CastManager.

The following sections explain how to enable the Google Cast framework for your Android app:

• Add SDK dependencies for Google Cast
• Configure your app for Google Cast

After completing the steps in each section, a viewer will be able to begin a casting session from your app.

Add SDK dependency for Google Cast

To use the Google Cast framework, you must add a dependency to your app. You can use Maven or manually add the dependency.

Use Maven

1. In Android Studio, open the build.gradle file for your app.

2. Add the com.jwplayer:jwplayer-chromecast:4.x.x dependency.

   Be sure the version number of the module (x.x.x) matches the version number you use for the jwplayer-core and jwplayer-common dependencies.

   Groovy

   dependencies {
       ...
       implementation 'com.jwplayer:jwplayer-chromecast:4.x.x'
   }
   

3. Sync Gradle.

Manually add the .aar dependency

1. In Android Studio, open your app.
2. Click File > New > New Module... > Import .JAR / .AAR Package.
3. Click Next.
4. Select jwplayer-chromecast:4.x.x.aar from your computer.
5. Click Finish.
6. Click File > Project Structure... > Modules > App > Dependencies.
7. Click the plus sign in the main panel.
8. Select Module dependency.
9. Select jwplayer-chromecast:4.x.x.
10. Click OK.
11. Include the Google Cast SDK in your app's build.gradle file.
    Groovy

    dependencies {
    ...
    implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-cast-framework:19.0.0'
    }
    

Configure your app for Google Cast

Now that you have added the Google Cast dependency, you must configure your app:

1. Implement the OptionsProvider interface. This interface supplies options needed to initialize CastContext. CastContext is a global singleton object that coordinates all interactions of the framework.

   This interface creates an instance of LaunchOptions that defines how the receiver application is launched. For example, setLanguage() allows you to set the language to be used by the receiver application.

   This interface also creates an instance of CastOptions that defines the behavior of the framework. For example, setReceiverApplicationId() allows you to filter discovery results and to launch the receiver app when a cast session starts.

   Java

   public class CastOptionsProvider implements OptionsProvider {
   
       @Override
       public CastOptions getCastOptions(Context context) {
           LaunchOptions launchOptions = new LaunchOptions.Builder()
               .setLocale(Locale.US)
              .build();
               
           CastOptions castOptions = new CastOptions.Builder()
               .setReceiverApplicationId(context.getString(R.string.app_id))
               .setLaunchOptions(launchOptions);
               .build();
   
           return castOptions;
       }
   
       @Override
       public List<SessionProvider> getAdditionalSessionProviders(Context context) {
           return null;
       }
   }
   

2. In the AndroidManifest.xml of the sender app, use a <meta-data/> element to declare the fully-qualified name of the implemented OptionsProvider.

   XML

   <application>
       ...
       <meta-data
           android:name="OPTIONS_PROVIDER_CLASS_NAME"
           android:value="com.foo.CastOptionsProvider" />
   
   </application>
   

Now that you have enabled the Google Cast framework for your Android app, a viewer can now begin casting from your app.

Send custom data to a custom receiver

Custom data can be sent to your custom receiver alongside the media item. For example, you can play DRM-protected content by sending the Widevine license URL or add a call to action by sending the user’s account info.

You can send custom data through the userInfo property of the playlist item.

❗️

Do not use the reserved key sources in the JSON. The Delivery API uses this key to pass the sources of DRM media items protected by Studio DRM.

PlaylistItem.Builder playlistItemBuilder = new PlaylistItem.Builder();

playlistItemBuilder
  .file(videoURL)
  .title(title)
  .description(description)
  .userInfo(new JSONObject().put("licenseUrl", "https://drm-license-url"));

FAQs

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!--
  Copyright 2015 Google Inc. All rights reserved.

  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
  You may obtain a copy of the License at

       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  limitations under the License.
  -->
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
				android:layout_width="wrap_content"
				android:layout_height="wrap_content"
				android:paddingLeft="24dp"
				android:paddingRight="24dp">

	<RelativeLayout
		android:id="@+id/iconContainer"
		android:layout_width="68dp"
		android:layout_height="68dp"
		android:layout_alignParentLeft="true">

		<ImageView
			android:id="@+id/iconView"
			android:layout_width="wrap_content"
			android:layout_height="wrap_content"
			android:adjustViewBounds="false"
			android:cropToPadding="false"
			android:scaleType="centerCrop"
			android:src="@drawable/album_art_placeholder"/>

	</RelativeLayout>

	<ImageView
		android:id="@+id/playPauseView"
		android:layout_width="wrap_content"
		android:layout_height="wrap_content"
		android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
		android:layout_centerVertical="true"
		android:src="@drawable/ic_av_pause_sm_dark"/>

	<ProgressBar
		android:id="@+id/loadingView"
		android:layout_width="wrap_content"
		android:layout_height="wrap_content"
		android:layout_alignBottom="@+id/playPauseView"
		android:layout_alignLeft="@+id/playPauseView"
		android:layout_alignRight="@+id/playPauseView"
		android:layout_alignTop="@+id/playPauseView"
		android:layout_centerVertical="true"
		android:visibility="gone"/>

	<LinearLayout
		android:id="@+id/textContainer"
		android:layout_width="wrap_content"
		android:layout_height="wrap_content"
		android:layout_centerVertical="true"
		android:layout_marginLeft="5dp"
		android:layout_marginRight="10dp"
		android:layout_toLeftOf="@+id/playPauseView"
		android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/iconContainer"
		android:orientation="vertical" >

		<TextView
			android:id="@+id/titleView"
			android:layout_width="fill_parent"
			android:layout_height="wrap_content"
			android:layout_alignTop="@+id/iconContainer"
			android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
			android:layout_marginRight="5dp"
			android:layout_marginTop="6dp"
			android:layout_toLeftOf="@+id/playPauseView"
			android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/iconContainer"
			android:ellipsize="end"
			android:maxLines="1"
			android:textColor="@color/ccl_mr_custom_line_1"
			android:textSize="15sp"/>

		<TextView
			android:id="@+id/subTitleView"
			android:layout_width="fill_parent"
			android:layout_height="wrap_content"
			android:layout_alignBottom="@+id/iconContainer"
			android:layout_marginBottom="7dp"
			android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
			android:layout_marginRight="5dp"
			android:layout_toLeftOf="@+id/playPauseView"
			android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/iconContainer"
			android:ellipsize="end"
			android:maxLines="1"
			android:textColor="@color/ccl_mr_custom_line_2"
			android:textSize="13sp"/>
	</LinearLayout>

	<TextView
		android:id="@+id/emptyView"
		android:layout_width="fill_parent"
		android:layout_height="wrap_content"
		android:ellipsize="end"
		android:gravity="center"
		android:maxLines="1"
		android:paddingBottom="10dp"
		android:paddingTop="10dp"
		android:text="@string/ccl_no_media_info"
		android:textAlignment="center"
		android:textColor="@color/ccl_mr_custom_line_1"
		android:textSize="15sp"
		android:visibility="gone"/>

</RelativeLayout>