Android TV Receivers use the Cast Connect library to allow existing sender applications to communicate with Android TV applications via the Cast protocol.
Cast Connect builds on top of the Cast infrastructure, with your Android TV app acting as a receiver. The Cast Connect library allows your Android TV app to receive messages and broadcast media status, as if it were a Chromecast.
The primary scenarios enabled by the Cast Connect library are:
- Initiating media playback on an Android TV application from a Cast sender app.
- Sending media status from Android TV Applications to sender applications.
- Allowing senders to join and control Android TV applications as if they were Web Receivers.
- Using hardware remotes to control playback.
Since Cast Connect allows you to support the core features of a Web Receiver, it can be used with your existing sender applications. In addition to starting your Android TV app, loading media, and playback control, Cast Connect includes the following features:
- Sender Join/Leave Events
- Media Metadata
- Supported Media Commands
- Custom Messages
- Tracks
- Queueing
- Repeat/Shuffle
- Ads