Google Cast target (formerly Chromecast Audio reciever) as Music Provider inside Music Assistant?

[Hedda]

Any chance future roadmap is to make it possible to have Music Assistant act and present as Google Cast reciever / Chromecast Audio target?

What I would like to achieve is to use Music Assistant as a virtual "Chromecast Audio" device to make it be seen as Google Cast speaker(s). As it will then be able to act as a middleware to present any other player/speaker as a Google Cast / Chromecast Audio compatible receiver.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromecast#Chromecast_Audio

That is, have a Music Provider for MA that is presenting virtual Google Nest speakers / Google Home speakers / Chromecast Audio recievers?

If so then could stream audio from all cast apps and devices that support sending Google Audio Casting protocol to Music Assistant, including the official Google Home app.

Is such a Google Cast reciever even techically possible? Is there any Google Cast for Audio / Chromecast Audio receiver open-source code?

Have recieving/target end of Google Cast for Audio (GC4A) protocol been reverse engineered so possible to make DIY Google Cast recievers?

I only read that the original Chromecast Audio receiver devices operate on DIAL protocol

[sandymac]

i think DRM is the real hurdle.

[dunxd]

This would be great for enabling playing of podcasts from a podcast player app such as Podcast Addict.

Also, in the UK the BBC Sounds player only supports casting to Chromecast from its Android app (presumably it supports Airplay from iOS).

Being able to stream to Music Assistant via Chromecast and Airplay would add lots of flexibility such as being able to stream to speaker groups, control volume centrally, playing from sources that Music Assistant doesn't yet support as Music Providers.

[debackerl]

Today, I use my Chromecast compatible amp as default audio sink for Google Assistant. Problem is that ant announcement from Home Assistant is breaking to playback. If Music Assistant could be a Chromecast receiver, it could sit in the middle, and allow the usage of announcements, pausing the Chromecast playback, and resuming it after the announcement.

But I don't know if the protocol is reversed engineered. I'm just exposing a use case.