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Casting icon disappered

M

Mabel64

Newbie
I have a problem with casting to ChromeCast Audio from my Android devices (phone and tablet). Since a few weeks the casting icon is not visible anymore in Chrome, Youtube etc.
It's an odd problem because:
- The 'Home' app shows the chromecast as 'Ready to cast' (I can even reset it);
- The apps I use to play music from my in-house media server (BubbleUpnP, VLC) have no trouble finding the device and casting to it; the problem seems to only occurr with (video-)files from the internet.
- On my Windows (desktop) computer none of the apps have a problem; Chrome, Youtube etc. all cast fine as do the apps I use for my in-house server.
By the way: the Android version on both phone and tablet is 4.2.2.
Are there other with this problem? Can anyone give me a hint? I'd be grateful because now I lost 2/3rd of the functionality.
Mabel
 
It may be the Android device is outdated and chrome cast doesn't supports any version below 4.4
 
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You can use the Google Home app oncompatible mobile devices to set upChromecast (both versions),Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast Audio, and TVs and speakers withChromecast built-in. The Google Home app is compatible with mobile devices running: Android 4.4 and higher. iOS 9.1 and higher.
 
I was just conveying information Google cast support provided and maybe that had some implications on why you're icon didn't show up because you was running 4.2.2 and that's below the 4.4 + which it does support.
 
Let me give you an example on what support means in OS. Just say Windows XP for example, Microsoft doesn't support that OS any more by you can still operate Windows XP on your computer but it gets no more updates, upgrades, patches or Hotkey fixes because it's no longer supported by Microsoft. Just like chromecast is letting you cast with it but anything goes wrong with the functionality on a non supported OS version, it's your problem from that point because Google no longer have fixes for that OS version.
 
@Dannydet: I wonder if you really read my posting. Casting was suported from 4.2.2 onwarts and I had no troubles casting till a few weeks ago and several of my apps still have no trouble casting; moreover Google's Home app shows the device as 'Ready for casting'.
@KBU2: Could you please point me to this information Google cast support provided you mention?
Your explanation of 'what support means' seems to me misguided a) because Andoid, a.f.a.i.k, does not deliver ANY support in this way (updates etc) and b) because I am not asking for any support of this kind. Your comparison to Windows XP seems escpecially inappropriate as Windows XP functions now as it always did - and I'm asking just that.
When you say "but anything goes wrong with the functionality on a non supported OS version, it's your problem from that point" I don't really know what you mean. When something suddenly 'goes wrong' it has ALWAYS been 'my problem' anyway. In so far as 'support'for the OS is concerned I'd say the situation is exacly opposite to what you say: some of these problems may occurr precisely because of updates, but are absolutely never, never caused by a lack of updates.
I'd say the cause/solution of my problem is necessarily one of these:
- The OS has been damaged by some app (Is this even possible? I don't know; please tell me) and a re-install is necessary;
- Many apps, like Chrome, YouTube etc, which are regularly updated, decided to make their Chromecast abilities only compatible with Android 4.4. (stopping support for 4.2). If that is the case I'd like to hear it from others and I'll be sure to be more careful in switching off 'automatic updates' in the future since, apparently, these updates may lead to valuable functions being switched off while, as far as I noticed, providing hardly any additional benefits.
- My Chromecast Audio may be malfunctioning (responding to some commands but not to others);
Mabel
 
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Mabel64 said:
- Many apps, like Chrome, YouTube etc, which are regularly updated, decided to make their Chromecast abilities only compatible with Android 4.4. (stopping support for 4.2). If that is the case I'd like to hear it from others and I'll be sure to be more careful in switching off 'automatic updates' in the future since, apparently, these updates may lead to valuable functions being switched off while, as far as I noticed, providing hardly any additional benefits.
Click to expand...

This is most likely the case. Unfortunately many of the big players like Google, Microsoft and Apple will push updates to their OS that are not compatible with older hardware or operating systems.

Updates come in four general flavors. First is bug fixes. These are parts of the code that should work but don't. Next is security patches. While the app/service runs and performs what it's supposed to do, there can be vulnerabilities that less than honorable people will try to use to their advantage. Third is feature enhancements. This is adding functionality to the device. Finally is compatibility. Generally you see a lot of this after a new OS version is released, but it could be to expand the spectrum of compatible devices.

I don't think Google deliberately disabled Chromecast on < 4.4 devices but I don't think they were too concerned with ensuring that it will work. After all, Android 4.2 was released in 2012 and is 5 versions behind the current OS.

What phone and tablet have you got? It might be possible to update them to something that will let you cast again.
 
Mabel64 said:
@Dannydet: I wonder if you really read my posting. Casting was suported from 4.2.2 onwarts and I had no troubles casting till a few weeks ago and several of my apps still have no trouble casting; moreover Google's Home app shows the device as 'Ready for casting'.
@KBU2: Could you please point me to this information Google cast support provided you mention?
Your explanation of 'what support means' seems to me misguided a) because Andoid, a.f.a.i.k, does not deliver ANY support in this way (updates etc) and b) because I am not asking for any support of this kind. Your comparison to Windows XP seems escpecially inappropriate as Windows XP functions now as it always did - and I'm asking just that.
When you say "but anything goes wrong with the functionality on a non supported OS version, it's your problem from that point" I don't really know what you mean. When something suddenly 'goes wrong' it has ALWAYS been 'my problem' anyway. In so far as 'support'for the OS is concerned I'd say the situation is exacly opposite to what you say: some of these problems may occurr precisely because of updates, but are absolutely never, never caused by a lack of updates.
I'd say the cause/solution of my problem is necessarily one of these:
- The OS has been damaged by some app (Is this even possible? I don't know; please tell me) and a re-install is necessary;
- Many apps, like Chrome, YouTube etc, which are regularly updated, decided to make their Chromecast abilities only compatible with Android 4.4. (stopping support for 4.2). If that is the case I'd like to hear it from others and I'll be sure to be more careful in switching off 'automatic updates' in the future since, apparently, these updates may lead to valuable functions being switched off while, as far as I noticed, providing hardly any additional benefits.
- My Chromecast Audio may be malfunctioning (responding to some commands but not to others);
Mabel
Click to expand...

https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/6059461?hl=en
 
Like I said it may still work with your operating system but it may not be supported and the reason why something is not working like it should because you're running under the specified operating system. I was giving you an example with Windows XP which people still use but it's not supported so when anything malfunctions like icons disappearing Etc, It's because people don't want to listen to reason when someone shares information on how software works when it's not compatible with a particular operating system.
 
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