nichromecast (Linux TUI)

Cast media from the terminal to Chromecast, DLNA renderers, and smart TVs — without Google's proprietary SDK.

../BACKENDS.md is the source of truth for how casting works; this package implements it.

Install

pip install -e .          # from this directory

Requires Python 3.10+. Depends only on rich and zeroconf.

Use

nichromecast                       # interactive TUI
nichromecast scan                  # list receivers and exit
nichromecast cast video.mp4        # cast a local file
nichromecast cast https://example.com/clip.mp4 --device "living room"
nichromecast cast 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=…'

Local files are served over HTTP from your machine, because receivers always pull and never accept a push — so the process stays alive until you stop it.

TUI keys

Backends

The right backend is chosen from what the device advertises plus the kind of thing you asked to play. Casting YouTube via the lounge backend drives the TV's own YouTube app, so its ads are unavoidable.

Known gaps

• Automatic fallback is not yet gated on the playback-confirmation latch in BACKENDS.md.
• The lounge backend reports the video ID as the title; fetching real titles would need another YouTube request.
• No AirPlay support, so most Apple TVs and some recent LG/Samsung sets are out of reach.