Chromecast Integration: Random volume change / lost communication

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#1

Ive had on/off success with using a Google-Mini via the Chromecast Integration for TTS / audio notifications.

The odd issue is, that the volume (seemingly randomly) changes to 45, as noted in this thread. I've tried a rule. to watch for the change, play 1s clip of silence, and bump to 80 volume. This has had limited results because of the next issue.

It seems like Hubitat loses communication with the Google-Mini. If I go to the device page and try to adjust volume/speak/etc nothing happens. Ive turned on logging, and I also dont even see a log mesage. When it works, I get the 'google chime' and it does the command, but otherwise, its like its dead. I thought I solved it by giving the mini a static IP, but it still disappears from the Hubitat.

Any other thoughts on either of these issues? Im fairly certain if I can figure out it losing comms, I can limp on changing the volume when it mysteriously lowers

Also -- I have tried adjiusting the health/wellness options via the Google Home app, none of that seems to work either.

Appreciate any ideas!

Catch Notification Speak Event Text
#2

From this thread I re-ran a discovery and the device came back online. Wonder if I have to poll that discovery endpoint or something

Google Home text to speech issues
[RELEASE] Chromecast Helper - Simple way to help keep your Google/Nest devices alive
#3

Try using the Chromecast helper below. I use it for my minis and my original Google home devices. It definitely helps "keeping them alive." The beta Chromecast integration has polling built in but it hasn't worked for these two device types in my setup.

#4

Thanks .. least its not just me ... !!

#5

It's not just you. I think it happens to most everyone.

What I have found is that my 4-minis and 2-original homes need something to keep them alive. Since the upgrade to fuscia on my 4-nest hubs, they don't need the helper app to keep them alive. I've also found that I can change the volume at any time on the nest hubs. On the other devices, I have to first speak something then I can change the volume. I usually just send a few blank spaces.

Good luck.

#6

I found a 1 s silent mp3 that I send before the volume .. Installed the other helper, will see if it gets better. Thanks again

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#7

Do you get the "bong" sound when you send the 1 sec . Mp3?

#8

sometimes .. its weird. But then again, these tings have always been a little tricky

#9

Yes they are. I spent 45 minutes this morning trying to unpair a set of minis. Yell, if I can help with anything else.

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#10

Chromecast Helper doesnt appear to be helping. Google still goes to sleep and sets the volume to 45. My rule to watch for volume change doesnt seem to work in this case. Ive moved to the play a silent track and then set the volume.

Easy to test it raising the volume, harder to test waking the Googs up :frowning:

Will see how this goes

#11

The helper won't help the 45 volume issue. I have to run a volume reset rule too. I'm surprised that your minis still to to sleep. Very rarely do mine need to be woken up. I have found that the nest hubs don't seem to go to sleep at all since the fuscia update. Though they have a different issue with clipping notifications that requires another workaround.

#12

Yeah -- I was still running the volume RULE, but because they were going to sleep it wasnt triggering the RULE before I needed it to run ..

#13

I am having the same issue - Chromecast mini losses connection and volume is being reset to 45 randomly.
All my notifications that announced via the Chromecast mini are no longer working.
Anyone has a solution or work around to this?

#14

yep --- the 45 volume is a feature it seems of the Google (lots on non-HE posts around about this).

What I needed to do was, before each notification,

  • play a 1 sec silent mp3
  • raise the volume
  • wait 2 seconds
  • play my announcement

Because this sucks, I broke out the announcement into a Node-Red function, I call the function with what I want it to say/play and it does all the above. This way I dont have so much extra baggage in each rule I want to use it

Its worked flawlessly since i implemented it. I had the other Google Chome Alive App (cant remember what it was called, probably in this thread) that didnt help.

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Google mini TTS hung then spoke out all the stuck TTS in 1 go
#15

Thanks mate. Do you mind sharing the MP3 track and the rule that plays it and set the volume?

#16

I create a node-red flow, for a RM rule, Id just play one of these tracks, set the volume, and then play the actual notification.

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#17

Understood, thanks!

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