Turning on debug, I can see the initialization work. It comes back and says connected.
Still, none of the commands work. Mute, Unmute, Volume Change, etc. They will only work AFTER a message has been sent. I can send a blank message (single space) and they will all then work.
When I send a message, a log message is generated that says Master Bedroom speaker media source is Hubitat
From all my testing, none of the volume controls are going to work until that media source message occurs.
In my experience, the volume change command fails if there is another media being cast by another device.
If the device is idle, my volume changes work.
I was able to get around it by sending the blank message followed by a 1 second delay. The level adjustment works immediately afterward.
This is what I do too. It was the only way I could consistently set the volume correctly.
@bptworld I'm not so sure your app is no longer needed. I switched to the built in polling when it was released but started seeing non-responsive Chromecasts every couple of days or so (sorry, not very scientific I know). After switching back to using your app I haven't had a single issue.
I noticed the same thing trying to use the internal Chromecast polling. I have also had good luck just sending an initialize from RM to each of my Chromecast devices on a regular schedule. My assumption was that the native integration is doing something different to try and keep the devices alive, and it really isn't working as well.
I also have issues when not using the helper. Not with the speakers losing connection, but with them stuttering. For example, I have a rule that tells me “Garage doors are closed.” If I don’t initialize once in awhile, the response starts saying “Gar…Garage door are closed”, after a few days.
All this to say, I’m having some trouble with Chromecast helper stopping after a few days. The initialize works great every four minutes for a few days, then simply stops until I go into the app and re-save. Anyone else experience this or know what I can do to keep Chromecast helper running continuously?
Are you on the latest 2.2.9 release, there was some fixes with the Chromecast integration in that release?
I’m not positive when I upgraded (but i am on that version now). I’m keeping an eye on it again and will report back.
Tangential question, is there a way to prevent debug mode from turning off automatically (for either the helper or the speaker itself)? That would make it easier to know exactly when/why it dies if it fact it does.
Chromecast helper hasn’t disconnected for a few days now, since my last post. Perhaps the new version did resolve things.
Are there any disadvantages to having Chromecast Helper and Chromecast Beta native polling both active? Additionally can anyone refer me to a good method or topic on how to successfully control Volume, Change Track, Okay/Pause music playing on a Chromecast device(s) using a LUTRON Pico?
experience similar loss of communication with Chromecast Integration and a Google-Mini. Was led here from my post to try this out. Giving it a shot, will see if it behaves better ..
Yes, I found this work around as well. I had noticed in my Home Assistant dashboard there was a power button for my Google Nest. I don't think a power button exist in a Hubitat speech device
I noticed if you play an MP3 through Hubitat and at this time the player in Home Assistant was OFF the status of the player become ON but the MP3 file did not play. Only the second time it did, when the player was on ON.
The only way to make it work was adding an empty "playTrack" to turn the player ON
Chromecast Helper does not keep the player "ON".
Maybe Hubitat should add an ON command to a speech device
@BrunoVoeten Ive moved to your way of playing an silent track before attempting to do anything with the Google
It’s not a Nestcam but an other doorstation, some Russian stuff:-), and yes, If nobody's home and someone is pushing the doorbell a dog is barking:-).
I know this has the tag code freeze, but just wondering if anyone else has this issue:
After rebooting the hub, I have to go on the app and press done for the subscription to refresh the Chromecasts to work.
@bptworld if you have time to check this? Thank you!
Sounds like you're just not waiting long enough. It will start back up on it's own. This is how HE works and has nothing to do with Chromecast Helper.
Please see post #22, #23 and #24 above.
Thanks
Thank you, I saw that, but in my case it doesn't subscribe unless I click done, even after waiting hours.
The initializeSpeaker job just isn't there.
I don't know what to tell you.
That's it.
From this point on, it'll initialize the devices every XX minutes. Even after a reboot.
Download the Hubitat app
