Can't control volume when chromecasting

[mchowning]

Multiple users have reported that it is not possible to control the volume of a device that Pocket Casts is casting to.

This was disabled by Google at one point due to legal issues, but then it was re-enabled and I confirmed that this works on both the Youtube Music and the Spotify apps.

[reginabally]

Chromecast volume is not working. Pixel 6pro

From a 4-star Android app review.

Date of review: July 27, 2022 Device: Google Pixel 6 Pro Device language: English App version code: 7566 App version name: 7.19.2 Android version: Android 12L (SDK 32)

[mchowning]

Did a bit more digging on this, but haven't made any progress yet.

Noticed that when I test this using Youtube Music, it appears to be using dispatchMediaKeyEventToSessionAsSystemService based on the logs:

2022-09-12 13:06:46.213  1884-4296  MediaSessionService     system_server                        D  dispatchVolumeKeyEventToSessionAsSystemService, pkg=com.google.android.apps.youtube.music, opPkg=com.google.android.apps.youtube.music, pid=22295, uid=10161, sessionToken=android.media.session.MediaSession$Token@fcdb5b1, event=KeyEvent { action=ACTION_DOWN, keyCode=KEYCODE_VOLUME_UP, scanCode=115, metaState=0, flags=0x8, repeatCount=0, eventTime=924614707241000, downTime=924614707241000, deviceId=2, source=0x101, displayId=-1 }, session=com.google.android.apps.youtube.music/YouTube playerlib (userId=0)

PocketCasts displays a different log message:

2022-09-12 13:09:02.797  1836-2701  MediaSessionService     system_server                        D  dispatchVolumeKeyEvent, pkg=au.com.shiftyjelly.pocketcasts.debug, opPkg=au.com.shiftyjelly.pocketcasts.debug, pid=5665, uid=10336, asSystem=true, event=KeyEvent { action=ACTION_UP, keyCode=KEYCODE_VOLUME_UP, scanCode=115, metaState=0, flags=0x8, repeatCount=0, eventTime=12067068, downTime=12066880, deviceId=2, source=0x101, displayId=-1 }, stream=-2147483648, musicOnly=false

2022-09-12 13:09:02.797  1836-2701  MediaSessionService     system_server                        D  Adjusting au.com.shiftyjelly.pocketcasts.debug/PocketCastsMediaSession (userId=0) by 0. flags=4116, suggestedStream=-2147483648, preferSuggestedStream=false

• This seems like the relevant issue: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/201546605
• Some helpful discussion in this article: https://blog.esper.io/android-12-cast-volume-changes-explained/

Clearing my assignment since I haven't made much progress.

[mchowning]

Just started testing something different using my PIxel 6 Pro running Android 13, and the chromecast volume controls are working. Made a release build for my Pixel 3 running Android 12, and that one still isn't working (I.e., adjusting the volume using the volume keys while chromecasting does not update the chromecast volume).

Not working (Pixel 3 running Android 12)

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/4656348/189726000-1697e3f0-d159-40e8-ba3f-f651b2b220dc.mp4

Working (Pixel 6 running Android 13)

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/4656348/189726383-0c4c6215-f316-4225-861c-ccbe6982344d.mp4

This issue only relates to using the physical volume control buttons, adjusting the volume using the chromecast pop-up on the phone's screen works on both of my phones.

[mchowning]

As I've continued to use my chromecast, I've noticed that sometimes the volume buttons control the chromecast and sometimes they just control my phone's notification volume. It's not obvious to me why it works some of the time and not others.

[joashrajin]

@mchowning are you also able to replicate the screen glitch when adjusting the volume while casting using Android 13?

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/16253818/198582907-bfd9cdd8-8097-4434-a8df-cb2a527ff66e.mp4

I am unable to replicate it on Android 12 since my device doesn't let me control the volume, but this user is having it happen when casting to a Google Home device.

App version : 7.23 (9031)
Phone: Google - Panther - Pixel 7 - panther
Kernel: 5.10.107-android13-4-00004-g6522bf85d262-ab8935228 - abfarm-release-rbe-64-00018
Android version: 13 SDK 33

Let me know if a separate report should be made for this :)

5641095-zd-woothemes

[mchowning]

Thanks @joashrajin . This screen flicker issue feels like something different to me, so I raised a new issue for it. Thanks for bringing this up! 🙇

[joashrajin]

While casting to a speaker group, the controls for individual speaker volumes within the group (see attached image) no longer function. The ability to control the overall speaker group volume is unaffected.

5838997-zd-woothemes | Ref: p1673255030445469-slack-C02A333D8LQ

[igotdes]

I tried to use the Chromecast feature today and Pocket Casts doesn’t seem to allow control of volume with the physical volume buttons. Youtube Music and Google Podcasts do allow this, you just control the casting volume with the phone screen off or on another app.

Google disabled the option for a while on an OS level on Pixels due to some litigation, but it’s been a while now that they’ve reenabled it, only that it appears that apps need to implement it. Is Pocket Casts able to do this, is it on the roadmap?

• https://forums.pocketcasts.com/forums/topic/chromecast-volume-control-on-pixels/