Hello everyone, I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share my recent experiences with the Chromecast integration in Home Assistant, as I believe others might be facing similar challenges or have valuable insights to offer.
As some of you may know, in recent updates, the Chromecast integration moved away from YAML configuration to a purely UI-based setup. While this change simplifies the process for many, it has introduced some hurdles for those of us running Home Assistant in a Docker environment without the --net=host flag. I’m currently running HA on Kubernetes, which adds another layer of complexity, though I’m not entirely convinced that’s the root of the issue.
The primary concern is the reliance on mDNS for device discovery. For those in a dedicated environment or on a physical device, this works seamlessly. However, in my setup, mDNS discovery isn’t as straightforward. As a workaround, I developed a Python script that faked mDNS entries, pointing to the correct Chromecast device. It wasn’t the most elegant solution, but it got the job done—for a while.
Unfortunately, with the latest updates, even this hack no longer works. This has left me questioning whether there’s a change in the Chromecast protocol or if the integration now requires additional data from mDNS broadcasts beyond just the IP address. If that’s the case, I’d love to understand why manual IP configuration isn’t an option anymore. After all, in a controlled environment, knowing the IP should be sufficient.
I’m considering developing a more robust solution, such as a service that listens outside the Docker network or VLAN and broadcasts mDNS data via MQTT. However, this feels like a significant detour from the original goal of simply specifying the Chromecast’s IP manually. I’m hopeful that there’s a simpler, more direct approach that I’m missing.
I’d greatly appreciate any insights or experiences others might have encountered with similar setups. Whether it’s Chromecast-specific or relates to other services using mDNS, your input could be invaluable. Let’s collaborate to find a solution that works for everyone!
Thank you in advance for your time and assistance. I look forward to hearing from you all.