Media3 Cast Integration

Prerequisites

• Jetpack Media3 version must be >= 1.9.0. Cast isn't available in lower versions.

Glossary

• CastPlayer : Media3 Player that controls playback on both local and remote Cast devices.
• RemoteCastPlayer : Media3 Player that communicates with a Cast receiver, only used for remote playback.
• Google Cast SDK: Legacy casting SDK in maintenance mode, superseded by Jetpack Media3.
• OptionsProvider : Interface providing configuration options to initialize GMS CastContext.

Common guidelines

• Legacy Google Cast SDK is in maintenance mode.
• For new Cast setups:
  • You must use Jetpack Media3 Cast.
  • You mustn't use legacy Cast SDK unless explicitly requested.

Step 1: Set up dependencies

To complete this step, you MUST ensure the following:

• In the app-level build file, declare the media3-cast dependency version 1.9.0 or higher.

  implementation("androidx.media3:media3-cast:1.11.1")
  

• Ensure required Media3 dependencies are present:

  • androidx.media3:media3-exoplayer
  • androidx.media3:media3-session
  • androidx.media3:media3-ui-compose

• If the application uses legacy Views, add media3-ui.

• Enforce the same versions across all Media3 dependencies.

• Use configurations in "Add build dependencies" section of Getting started with CastPlayer as the source of truth.

• For apps without an existing Cast integration:

  • Verify legacy Cast SDK (libs.play.services.cast.framework) is absent.

• If Migrating from Legacy Cast SDK:

  • Add Media3 Cast dependencies first.
  • Keep existing legacy dependencies untouched at this stage to prevent compilation errors.

Step 2: Update the manifest

To complete this step, you MUST ensure the following: