Application to cast streams to chromecast

Note: Designed to work with Rpi 4. Any installation process works for the Rpi4.

Production installation

Using pip (Windows/Linux/osX)

This requires to have python3 installed and pip installed. Optionally also venv.

1. (Optional) Create virtual environment to avoid dependency issues.
   • Example using venv:
     • Create: python3 -m venv <DIR>
     • Start: linux - source <DIR>/bin/activate - windows - <DIR>/Scripts/activate
     • Stop: deactivate
     • To clear delete the directory and create again rm -r <DIR>
2. Install package from pip:
   • Linux/osX: python3 -m pip install audio_cast
   • Windows: py -m pip install audio_cast
3. Install required applications:
   1. Install vlc:
      • Linux/osX has 2 alternatives:
        • Install required libraries:
          • sudo apt install vlc-bin
          • sudo apt install vlc-plugin-base
        • Install VLC sudo apt install vlc
      • Windows: Install vlc from their website.
   2. (Only Linux/osX) Install libportaudio2: sudo apt install libportaudio2
4. Install a WSGI server.
   • Waitress: pip install waitress
5. Run WSGI server.
   • Example: waitress-serve --call --host=localhost --port=5000 'audio_cast:create_app'

Using apt (Linux)

Dev Usage

• When using VS Code, just run the debugger.
• Optional: Use a virtual environment.
• When starting from termimal.
  1. Set environment variable for FLASK_APP to audio_cast.
     • Linux/osX: export set FLASK_APP=audio_cast
     • Windows cmd: set FLASK_APP=audio_cast
     • Windows powershell: $Env:FLASK_APP = "audio_cast"
  2. Launch the server with python -m flask run.

Cheatsheet

• To upload to pypi:
  • Build: py -m build
  • Deploy: py -m twine upload dist/*
• To run locally:
  • Set environment variable FLASK_APP=audio_cast
• To run after installation from package:
  • Install waitress python3 -m pip install waitress
  • Run waitress waitress-serve --call --host=localhost --port=5000 'audio_cast:create_app'
• Virtual environment:
  • Create: python3 -m venv <DIR>
  • Start: linux - source <DIR>/bin/activate - windows - <DIR>/Scripts/activate
  • Stop: deactivate
  • To clear delete the directory and create again rm -r <DIR>
• Install packages from requirements.txt pip install -r requirements.txt.

Rpi steps

1. Install pip using apt sudo apt install python3-pip
2. Install venv using apt sudo apt install python3-venv.
3. Create virtual environment and activate it.
4. Install waitress.
5. Run waitress, run it without host so it is exposed.
6. Install vlc sudo apt install vlc
   • Hopefully this can be changed to either incorporating the libvlc libraries or installing a part of vlc. Right now it's around 1 gb, which seems too much for the use needed.
   • Or install vlc-bin and vlc-plugin-base. sudo apt install vlc-bin and sudo apt install vlc-plugin-base. It's smaller but still big. Aroung 700MB.
   • Still there might be a better way.
7. Install PortAudio using apt sudo apt install libportaudio2.