Feature: Chromecast Support

[decepulis]

Google Cast remote playback — device detection, source compatibility, session management, and swapping playback to/from the remote device. Cast SDK lazy loading. Button auto-shows when a Chromecast is detected (Chromium browsers).

Open questions

• Unified remote playback abstraction with AirPlay, or separate features?
• Session state management and storage
• Exclusive with PiP / fullscreen?
• Text track passthrough to receiver
• How to load the Cast SDK (lazy, script tag, etc.)
• Custom receiver app ID support
• disableRemotePlayback now or later?

DRM over Cast is out of scope for now.

Prior art

• Media Chrome: <media-cast-button>
• Vidstack: Google Cast provider, Google Cast button, remote playback API
• Mux Player: core functionality, Cast DRM

Sub-issues

• Feature: Remote Playback Polyfill via Cast Application Framework #1355 — Remote Playback polyfill via Cast Application Framework
• Feature: Cast Store Feature and Selectors #1356 — Cast store feature and selectors
• Feature: CastButton Component Across Core, HTML, and React #1357 — CastButton component across core, HTML, and React
• Feature: Cast Enter and Exit Icons With Skin Preset Integration #1358 — Cast enter/exit icons with skin preset integration
• Feature: Keep Controls Visible During Cast Session #1359 — Keep controls visible during cast session
• Feature: Playback Rate Support Over Google Cast #1360 — Playback rate support over Google Cast

[github-actions]

Triage Notes

Labels added: `browser:chrome`, `pkg:html`, `media`, `planning`, `needs discussion` — aligning with the label set on the sibling #1042 (AirPlay).

Planning recommendations

Relationship to #1042 (AirPlay): Both issues share the same open question — unified remote playback abstraction vs. separate features? That decision is load-bearing: it affects API surface, state shape, and whether a shared UI button component is feasible. Resolving it before implementation begins on either issue would reduce rework. An RFC may be appropriate given the public API implications.

Suggested planning order:

1. Resolve the unified remote playback abstraction question (joint RFC covering Feature: AirPlay Support #1042 + Feature: Chromecast Support #1043).
2. Implement shared remote playback plumbing (if unified).
3. Implement Chromecast-specific layer on top.

Recommended milestone: GA (already targeted) — this is a V8 feature parity gap.

Related issues to plan alongside:

• Feature: AirPlay Support #1042 — AirPlay support (shared abstraction question; scope both together)
• Design: Strategy for Native Text Track Loading to Prevent Blocking Playback #988 — Native text track loading strategy (text track passthrough to receiver is an open question here)
• Feature: Autoplay with Muted Fallback #1039 — Autoplay with muted fallback (session handoff / playback state continuity may interact)