Castmate
Cast a video from any website to your TV
The site has no Cast button. Here's what you can do, and when it won't work.
A website's video can reach your TV in three ways. They differ a lot in quality.
1. The player's own Cast button
If the player shows the Cast icon, use it. The site has already done the work, and it's the only way that works for DRM-protected services.
2. Send the video itself
Most players load an HLS playlist (.m3u8), a DASH manifest (.mpd) or an MP4 file. A Chromecast or Google TV can fetch those on its own, in the original quality, once it's given the address. You can find the address in Chrome's DevTools (Network tab, filter by m3u8, mpd or mp4) and hand it to a casting app. Castmate for Chrome does this in one click: it lists the videos on the page with their title and quality, and casts the one you pick.
3. Mirror the tab
Chrome's "Cast tab" works on nearly anything, because it sends your screen rather than the video. The cost is quality and lag; see why tab casting looks bad. Keep it as the fallback.
When sending the video won't work
- DRM: only the service's own app or Cast button can play it.
- Sites that serve video only to their own pages refuse the TV. See video doesn't play.
- Formats your TV can't decode, such as VP9 or AV1 on older models.