Why can’t i cast Amazon Music to Chromecast?
Casting allows users to send or ‘cast’ digital content like music, videos, photos or apps from a mobile device or computer to a supported streaming device like a smart TV, streaming stick or wireless speaker. Popular casting devices include Google’s Chromecast and Amazon’s Fire TV Stick.
Chromecast is a line of digital media players developed by Google that uses Wi-Fi to enable content casting from supported mobile and web apps to a connected TV or audio system. Chromecast relies on casting technology to ‘mirror’ content from your phone, tablet or laptop to your TV screen.
This allows users to access their favorite media seamlessly across devices and enjoy a big screen viewing experience. However, some apps like Amazon Music do not support casting to Chromecast devices due to certain restrictions.
Amazon Music Overview
Amazon Music is a streaming music service developed and owned by Amazon. It offers users access to over 100 million songs and top podcasts to stream or download across various platforms (“Unlock the World of Amazon Music,” https://knowworldnow.com/unlock-the-world-of-amazon-music/).
The service has several subscription tiers: Amazon Music Unlimited provides access to the full catalog, Prime Music is included for Amazon Prime members, and Amazon Music Free provides limited access to top playlists and stations for users without a subscription. There are also add-on options like Amazon Music HD for lossless quality audio.
Amazon Music apps allow subscribers to stream or download music on demand across devices like Fire TV, Echo smart speakers, iOS and Android mobile devices, and on the web. The service is tightly integrated with Alexa voice assistant on Echo devices for hands-free music control.
Chromecast Overview
Chromecast is a streaming device developed by Google that allows users to cast media from their mobile device or computer to a TV or other display. It works by connecting to the wireless network and allows control and playback via apps on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
To use Chromecast, the device is plugged into the HDMI port on a TV or monitor. It then connects to the local WiFi network. Apps like YouTube, Netflix, Spotify etc. that support Chromecast have a cast button that allows you to select Chromecast as the playback device. This mirrors the content playing in the app onto the TV screen. The mobile device then acts as the remote control.
The actual video/audio streaming happens directly from the internet to the Chromecast dongle, instead of being streamed from the controlling phone or computer. This helps reduce buffering issues. Chromecast supports Google Cast technology that enables this direct streaming via WiFi without needing the phone/laptop to relay the stream.
Some key aspects of how Chromecast works:
- Plugged into TV’s HDMI port and connected to WiFi
- Cast button allows media playback to be mirrored on TV
- Streaming happens directly from internet to the Chromecast device
- Controlling device like phone acts as remote control
Overall, Chromecast provides an easy and affordable way to stream content from the web onto a TV. Its wireless casting abilities make it a convenient way to view online media on a bigger screen.
Casting and Streaming Protocols
Chromecast devices use the open Google Cast protocol to enable casting from compatible apps. This allows media to be streamed from a phone, tablet, or computer over Wi-Fi to the Chromecast plugged into a TV or speaker. Google Cast relies on cloud servers to control and coordinate playback between the sending device and Chromecast receiver (Source: https://www.androidpolice.com/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-2023-vs-chromecast-with-google-tv-4k/).
In contrast, Amazon uses a proprietary protocol called Fire OS for its Fire TV streaming devices. This is optimized for and restricted to only work with Amazon’s ecosystem of apps and services. Fire OS does not natively support Google Cast like Chromecast does. Attempting to cast from Amazon Music to a Chromecast will fail because the apps use incompatible protocols (Source: https://www.aftvnews.com/miracast-google-cast-chromecast-airplay-amazon-fling-and-dial-explained-and-how-they-relate-to-fire-tv-devices/).
In summary, Chromecast and Fire OS use different proprietary streaming protocols that prevent cross-compatibility between Amazon services and Chromecast devices.
Licensing Restrictions
Streaming media like music and video require licenses from rights holders like record labels, publishers, and performance rights organizations. These licenses dictate how and where content can be streamed based on negotiated business agreements. According to Track Club, there are several types of licenses needed for streaming including synchronization licenses, mechanical licenses, and performance licenses. The terms of these licenses can restrict which platforms content is allowed to be streamed on.
For example, major record labels may choose to only license certain catalogs to some streaming platforms but not others based on financial incentives or business relationships, as explained in this article from Tuned Global. If Amazon Music does not have the appropriate licenses from a rights holder, it will be legally prohibited from streaming or casting that content to devices like Chromecast. These restrictive licensing deals create barriers for consumers who want to access content across different streaming platforms and devices.
Business Incentives
At the core, companies like Amazon and Google have strong incentives to avoid open interoperability between their streaming platforms. Allowing services to work seamlessly across devices and platforms reduces the competitive advantage of proprietary ecosystems.
As explained in an article on proprietary technology and competitive edge, having exclusive or proprietary technology can provide benefits like “increased revenue, improved market share, and reduced competition” (Source). Companies invest heavily in developing proprietary streaming protocols and exclusivity to maintain control and gain an advantage.
Likewise, licensing restrictions play a key role. Media companies often grant exclusive streaming rights, so Amazon or Netflix can provide certain content only on their platform. This fragmentation across services creates an incentive for consumers to subscribe to multiple platforms, ultimately driving more revenue.
While inconvenient for consumers seeking interoperability, these business incentives underpin the streaming industry. Companies continue working to differentiate proprietary technologies and exclusive content offerings to gain a competitive edge.
User Frustration Over Lack of Chromecast Compatibility
Many Amazon Music users have expressed frustration over the service’s lack of full compatibility with Chromecast devices. On Reddit, one user started a thread titled “Amazon Music and Chromecast?” venting about how Amazon advertises casting abilities that don’t fully work in practice (source). Others chimed in with similar complaints, with one user stating “I just want to cast Amazon Music to my Chromecast like every other streaming service.”
Likewise, on the Whathifi forums, a user started a thread called “Amazon Music cast to Chromecast Quality Limitation” complaining that when casting Amazon Music to Chromecast Audio, the audio quality is capped at 44.1 kHz even for Hi-Res tracks (source). Other users agreed this was an annoying limitation.
On Amazon’s own community forums, a customer asked “Why does Amazon Music not stream UHD into Chromecast Audio?” and expressed frustration over the lack of Ultra HD streaming support when casting to Chromecast devices (source). An Amazon rep could only confirm Chromecast does not support Amazon Music HD.
Overall, many Amazon Music subscribers feel let down by the limited Chromecast support, which fails to deliver the full high-quality streaming experience they expect.
Workarounds
While Amazon Music lacks native Chromecast support, there are some workaround options users can try to still play their music on Chromecast devices.
One option is to connect to the Chromecast via Bluetooth. Most Chromecast devices have Bluetooth capability, so you can pair your phone or tablet with the Chromecast and stream music that way. This gives you wireless playback without needing WiFi casting. Just make sure your device and the Chromecast are within Bluetooth range of each other.
Alternatively, you can get an auxiliary cable and physically connect your phone to the Chromecast. The Chromecast has an AUX port that allows a wired connection for analogue audio output. So with the right cable, you can plug your phone into the Chromecast to play music from the Amazon Music app.
Some users have reported success using the LocalCast app to stream Amazon Music to Chromecast devices as well. LocalCast can intercept the audio stream and essentially cast it to Chromecast without official support.
While a bit cumbersome, these workarounds allow you to get Amazon Music playback through Chromecast speakers until native integration is hopefully added in the future.
Outlook
In the future, compatibility between Amazon Music and Chromecast may improve as Matter’s adoption spreads. Amazon was an early supporter of the new Matter smart home standard, having announced Matter support for many of its Echo and Fire TV products at CES 2023 [1]. As more streaming services and devices implement Matter Casting, the pressure on Amazon to expand compatibility will likely increase. However, change may come slowly due to licensing restrictions and competitive reasons. Nonetheless, industry experts predict steady progress, estimating that over 50% of streaming devices will support Matter Casting within 2 years [2]. For now, Amazon Music customers wanting to cast to Chromecast will need to rely on workarounds, but there is hope on the horizon.
Conclusion
In summary, Amazon Music and Chromecast utilize different and incompatible streaming protocols that prevent casting music from the Amazon Music app directly to Chromecast devices. This limitation stems from business decisions by Amazon and Google to promote their own ecosystems, at the expense of providing a seamless cross-platform experience for users. While frustrating, there are some workarounds available using third-party apps or connecting devices via Bluetooth. However, currently there is no straightforward way to cast Amazon Music directly to Chromecast. Going forward, increased consumer demand for interoperability may motivate Amazon and Google to collaborate more in this area. But for now, the technical and licensing restrictions prohibit casting Amazon Music natively to Chromecast.