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Version: 11.7.0

Connecting from custom Sender applications on iOS

In general, the following flow should be followed:

  1. Set up Google Cast context with correct receiver application ID.
  2. Connect to Chromecast device.
  3. Set up Google Cast MediaInfo object with correct contentID and contentType.
  4. Send Google Cast LoadRequest with a serialized THEOplayer SourceDescription object as a key in the customData of the LoadRequest. So something like {sourceDescription: ${SourceDescription you want to cast}}.

Usage​

When launching your application, start your Google Cast context using the following snippet:

let options = GCKCastOptions(receiverApplicationID: "8E80B9CE")
GCKCastContext.setSharedInstanceWith(options)

Once this is done, it’s necessary to start a session. This is usually done by creating a cast button somewhere in your UI using GCKUICastButton, which when pressed opens up a dialog allowing you to select a device and start a session.

Once a session is started, you can start playing back content. The THEOplayer Chromecast receiver is capable of playing back content easily using the default Google Cast APIs (with GCKMediaInformationBuilder and LoadRequest). However, to use the more advanced functionality, you will need to pass in custom data in the GCKMediaLoadOptions object.

This custom data follows the structure of SourceDescription as used in the web version of THEOplayer, except we have to use NSDictionary notation.

let metadata = GCKMediaMetadata()
metadata.setString("Title", forKey: kGCKMetadataKeyTitle)
metadata.setString("Subtitle", forKey: kGCKMetadataKeySubtitle)

let contentURL = "https://amssamples.streaming.mediaservices.windows.net/622b189f-ec39-43f2-93a2-201ac4e31ce1/BigBuckBunny.ism/manifest(format=mpd-time-csf)"
let contentID = "622b189f-ec39-43f2-93a2-201ac4e31ce1"

let informationBuilder = GCKMediaInformationBuilder(contentURL: contentURL)
informationBuilder.contentID = contentID
informationBuilder.streamType = .unknown
informationBuilder.contentType = "application/dash+xml"
informationBuilder.streamDuration = 0.0
informationBuilder.mediaTracks = nil
informationBuilder.metadata = metadata
let information = informationBuilder.build()

let sourceDescription = [
    "sources": [
        [
            "src": "https://amssamples.streaming.mediaservices.windows.net/622b189f-ec39-43f2-93a2-201ac4e31ce1/BigBuckBunny.ism/manifest(format=mpd-time-csf)",
            "type": "application/dash+xml",
            "contentProtection": [
                "widevine": [
                    "licenseAcquisitionURL": "https://amssamples.keydelivery.mediaservices.windows.net/Widevine/?KID=1ab45440-532c-4399-94dc-5c5ad9584bac"
                ]
            ]
        ]
    ]
]

let loadOptions = GCKMediaLoadOptions()
loadOptions.autoplay = true
loadOptions.playPosition = 0.0
loadOptions.customData = ["sourceDescription": sourceDescription]

castSession!.remoteMediaClient?.loadMedia(mediaInfo, with: loadOptions)

Note that you should also adapt the contentID and contentType in the arguments for the GCKMediaInformation initializer.

You have to use the Chromecast API to implement additional logic such as pausing the Chromecast Receiver application, fetching the video's progress, ...