Requirements to Cast video?

mc510 · 30 Sep 2016

Anyone know what are the hardware/protocol requirements to use the Windows 10 "cast to device" feature, from within the Edge browser and/or the context menu? I've got an older Roku and older laptop, and the Windows 10 DLNA server works just fine with Roku Media Player as as the playback-initiating client. But attempting to initiate video playback from the laptop, using "cast to device" in Edge, does nothing. Acts like it's looking for a device to connect to, but then times out.

This laptop does NOT support WiDi or Miracast, but I've read unofficial commentary that Windows 10 casting can use simple DLNA. I've not, however, been able to find any official statement on what is required for casting to work. Anyone have this information?

bro67 · 30 Sep 2016

Plex works great. There is also VLC.. Microsoft's crippled version of Casting has not really worked out for anyone at this point.

Bree · 30 Sep 2016

bro67 said:

Microsoft's crippled version of Casting has not really worked out for anyone at this point.

Not for anyone? I must be the exception that proves the rule.

Windows 10 'Cast to...' has worked flawlessly for me to both a Panasonic and Samsung SmartTV - casting video, audio, photos or (my favourite) YouTube from Edge.

mc510 · 30 Sep 2016

What I'm really wondering is, according to Microsoft, what are supposed to be the requirements for casting to be supported? I just haven't been able to find this anywhere.

bro67 · 30 Sep 2016

mc510 said:

What I'm really wondering is, according to Microsoft, what are supposed to be the requirements for casting to be supported? I just haven't been able to find this anywhere.

That is because it was a failure from the beginning. Low adoption rate by manufacturers and only Sony was the main one who tried it with their systems, which in turn would have cost the consumer way too much.

Intel developed the tech in conjunction with Microsoft and the Wireless Alliance for Miracast, but it has been abandoned as of 2015.

bro67 · 30 Sep 2016

Bree said:

Not for anyone? I must be the exception that proves the rule.

Windows 10 'Cast to...' has worked flawlessly for me to both a Panasonic and Samsung SmartTV - casting video, audio, photos or (my favourite) YouTube from Edge.

You have to remember that each manufacturer has applied their own form of Miracast for their devices, which Wireless Alliance will still allow.

What I am talking about is Intel's Widi, which Microsoft did not completely remove that code out of ten, since there are still users who have the Intel chipset with Widi built into it. Miracast is not going away anytime soon. But you will not see Microsoft pushing too hard for it with Windows, because they continue to not look at the fact that almost every home and user today stream online media to their tv's and home theaters.

I have gone from 1st Gen Roku to the NVidia Shield. In between was two other Generations of Roku's, two different Blu-Ray players, 1st Gen Amazon Fire box, the worst being the Matricom G Box Q2. Out of all of them, the Shield TV works seamless when using Chrome Cast and casting from Youtube and Netflix to the device.

mc510 · 30 Sep 2016

Yeah, I get that Intel WiDi didn't catch on, and Miracast seems maybe to be a mess. But Windows 10 Casting, supposedly, doesn't need WiDi or Miracast, can do its thing with DLNA. At least, so says the internet. Maybe so, but it's not working for me, and, dammit, why can't I find anyplace where Microsoft says what hardware/protocols are needed to get casting to work?

Bree · 30 Sep 2016

mc510 said:

why can't I find anyplace where Microsoft says what hardware/protocols are needed to get casting to work?

Casting from Edge was introduce with Insider Preview Build 10576. On it's release, Microsoft said:

Here’s what’s new in this build:

Media Casting in Microsoft Edge: You can now use Microsoft Edge to cast video, picture, and audio content from your browser to any Miracast and DLNA enabled device on your network.

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexp...w-build-10576/

Does "any Miracast and DLNA enabled device" answer your question?

Bree · 30 Sep 2016

mc510 said:

But Windows 10 Casting, supposedly, doesn't need WiDi or Miracast, can do its thing with DLNA ... Maybe so, but it's not working for me...

It may not be the Microsoft end that isn't working. My SmartTV has, under its Network options, a setting to turn 'DLNA remote control' on or off. It could be your TV you need to reconfigure, not Windows.

mc510 · 30 Sep 2016

Bree said:

Does "any Miracast and DLNA enabled device" answer your question?

Maybe! Just read it a little bit differently; does it mean "any device that is enabled with both Miracast and DLNA"? I've been thinking that it meant "to any Miracast enabled device and to any DLNA enabled device."