Warning. Long post incoming.
Hello again. I would like to thank all the folks that have replied to me in this thread already. (Link to post here http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=…pid2575781 ) It has given me some things to think about and maybe better come up with an idea of how things could happen. Please note I said could and “NOT” should.
So due to Kodi using GPL licence (and that is wonderful). It can’t really make and then distribute a closed source bit of software as a core feature. IE: The “ChromeCast Receiver protocol” (don’t know its real name)
Now with that said. As long as there was Dev/Coders willing and wanting to take the time to make it and that it was legal. Could it be possible in theory for a “ChromeCast Receiver protocol” addon? This way it can be separated but still available from Kodi Dev/Coder team and repository.
To better understand why I am leaning for this type of solution. I better tell you how I use Kodi and my ChromeCast device.
Here at my home I have just one computer. It is homemade (that sounds so ghetto lol) and is best described as a mid priced gaming PC. It is the center of my home entertainment life. I play all my games on it. (Eve Online most of the time with some Elite Dangerous). Do all my emails. Internet browsing and so on. It also has 4 TBs of data storage that is mostly Movies and TV show backups with some music and audiobooks. It has just one 1080p monitor that sits in the center of the square room wall. I just recently got a 5.2.2 AV receiver that is “Dolby Atmos” and “DTS:X” capable and good speakers in a 5.2.2 layout. Yes I did put speakers on my ceiling (best movie to watch to hear that sort of sound so far is “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”). Best way to say it is “Man Cave”. Then a few weeks ago. I decided I would get a “Google ChromeCast dongle 2nd Gen” because I wanted to watch Netflix with the “Dolby Digital +” sound now that I have a AV receiver that can deal with that.
When I decide it’s time to watch a movie or whatever. I just start up the Kodi software on the computer and push my chair back and register into sub human known as a couch potato.
Now for a very long time I have been using the Kodi remote control android app called “Yatse” to control my Kodi. It’s just like the official “Kodi remote control” app but with a few tweaks and perks. Highly recommend it. So my experience of using Kodi is 99% of the time tapping buttons on my Android phone and watching whatever. Now as I have had some time with the “Google ChromeCast dongle 2nd Gen” I have come to like how it works with “Netflix” and the “BBC iPlayer” apps (I Live in the UK). I have it pluged into the back of my AV receiver. So when I wish to watch a show on “Netflix”. I just open my AV receiver app on my phone. Tell it to select the “Google ChromeCast dongle 2nd Gen” HDMI port as the source. Then tab over to “Netflix” app and press play on what I want to watch. Once the movie or whatever I am watching has started on the Chromecast. I can switch my phone off. You don’t need the app to be running or anything like that (was an eye opener when I realised that, I always thought that is streamed from the phone and would kill the battery. How wrong was I). Then when I want to go back to watch something that is in my Kodi library. I do the same thing. And use “Yaste” to select and watch what I want there. It sound like a lot of tapping and messing about on the phone. But in fact it really is not. But the point is 99% of the time I am using my phone to control almost all of my viewing a listening needs. Now in the future. I may get a “nVidia Shield” due to wanting to watch “Netflix” with 4K picture with HDR. The “nVidia Shield” has a 4K “ChromeCast Receiver protocol” built in and can handle 4K Netflix with HDR. And it also can have Kodi. This will also mean a flew less tapping things on the phone. But I am in no rush as I have to get a 4K monitor that does all the versions of HDR first. And I am not made of money (yet).
So that is my Kodi experience. The end result is that I could just get an “nVidia Shield” and not worry about Kodi and DRM. But if Kodi was to somehow have the “ChromeCast Receiver protocol” in a legal capacity. I would then not need a “nVidia Shield” (and save myself £200+). Because Kodi can already do 4K with HDR (I think it can do HDR, I don’t really know as I don’t have any HRD content and I don’t have a 4K HDR display).
This is how I think that the “ChromeCast Receiver protocol” as an addon is a good idea if it was possible. I use “Netflix” in my story above. But it can be the same for almost all the big legal streaming subscriber services. They all seem to support “ChromeCast Receiver protocol”.
For folks that have read all the above. Thank you.
For the rest.
TL : DR Oddsodz still likes ChromeCast but has a phone to control it