If you’ve heard anything about the Raspberry Pi and you have decided to do some research on your own, then you already know how incredibly practical this little plate is.
While the main initiative by Raspberry Foundation when creating this plate I was focused on education, The Raspberry Pi has proven to be so versatile that, coupled with the creativity of its community, it can do just about anything.
The device It has so many ways to use it that it is even possible to turn it into a kind of Chromecast and use it to play your multimedia files such as movies and videos from your mobile or laptop.
Which Raspberry Pi should I use to create my homemade Chromecast?
As with other applications, from time to time certain processing details crop up on older versions of the Raspberry PiTherefore, it is a good idea to use the new versions whenever possible. This, of course, It also applies to the apps that we must use to convert our Raspberry Pi into a Chromecast, so that the best versions with which to carry out this particular project are the Raspberry Pi 3, 3B + and 4.
These two models They are among the latest versions from the manufacturer and allow for greater processability and fluency when starting the necessary programs.
Learn step by step how to turn your Raspberry Pi into a Chromecast with RaspberryCast 3.0
This program can be obtained by entering a command in the Raspberry PI OS terminal, and it will allow you to turn your Raspberry Pi into something very close to a Chromecast device. The extension RaspberryCast requires internet connection to be able play content from all supported websites with “youtube-dl” What YouTube, Dailymotion, SoundCloud and Vimeo, among others.
Also, mp3, mp4, avi and mkv files are played:
Install Raspberry PI OS
The first step in this process is to install the official operating system of the computer. This process can be done very easily by flashing a MicroSD card using NOOBS.
Let’s see the steps to follow:
- Download “Raspberry PI Imager”.
Download Raspberry PI Imager for Windows
Download Raspberry PI Imager for MacOS
Download Raspberry PI Imager for Linux
- Install this program on your PC.
- Select the best version operating system.
- Select Micro SD card destiny.
- Press “Write”.
Once the operating system is installed and ready to go, You must open the command console to start the configuration.
Update repositories (Recommended)
Once you have the command console open, you must enter the following lines of code:
-
Starts with
sudo apt-get update. -
Then write
sudo apt-get upgrade.
Both orders they will update your Pi repositories to avoid installation errors or processing problems. This process can take between 30 seconds and five minutes to complete.
Download RaspberryCast 3.0
This application of the Pi it is achieved by executing a command that performs the processes automatically .
When you finish updating and optimizing your Raspberry Pi, you will type the following command in the terminal:
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vincelwt/RaspberryCast/master/setup.sh && sudo sh setup.sh
The code performs the rest of the actions automatically.
On your own, you will download RaspberryCast and all the necessary files, restart your computer, and start RaspberryCast once it starts up:
- Finally, you just have to authorize the download by pressing “AND” in the terminal and pressing “Enter “.
Install the RaspberryCast extension in your browser
The RaspberryCast browser extension It will allow you to control the playlists of your Raspberry Pi from your PC. All you have to do is enter your browser’s store and install the extension.
Once this is done, you must configure the extension. There are only three configuration options:
- Enter the IP from your Raspberry Pi.
- Activate or not mode for slow connections.
- Add or not videos to the queue.
It should be noted that, if your Raspberry Pi and your computer are connected to the same network (which is most likely), then the default configuration of the IP in the extension will be used to control it.
Connect your Raspberry Pi to a TV and start playing
With this ends the technical part, all that’s left to do is connect the Raspberry Pi to a TV with connection HDMI and the audio aids.
After this, you just have to enter one of the supported pages and select the file you want to play:
- Right click and select the option Send to Rpi.
- Now alone sit back and enjoy of your content.
As an additional note, if you want to use your mobile as a playback control instead of your computer, you must enter this address:
http://raspberrypi.local:2022/remote
In this portal you must enter the web address of the content you want to play. You can interrupt the current playback with a new file, add them to the playback queue, pause and start. Yes indeed, For the website to function as a remote control, the phone must be connected to the same network as your Raspberry Pi.
Other ways to create a TV box device to turn your TV into a Smart TV with a Raspberry Pi
Of course, considering the versatility of the Raspberry Pi and the number of ways in which things can be done with it, it is logical to assume that there is more than one method to turn your Pi into a TV box and use it to watch your favorite videos, shows, series and movies.
Here are a few more ways to make your Raspberry Pi an entertainment center:
With LibreELEC
LibreELEC is an open source operating system, dedicated to playing multimedia files, available for a variety of devices, among which is the Raspberry Pi.
We will explain the steps to install and use it:
- Download the NOOBS file from the Raspberry Pi official page: This installation wizard will allow you to start your Raspberry Pi with a variety of operating systems, among which is LibreELEC.
- Format your MicroSD card to FAT32 format: Unzip the NOOBS ZIP and transfer all files to the MicroSD.
- Insert the memory card into your Raspberry Pi and start it: the start-up wizard will jump to choose the operating system you want to install, and you are going to select LibreELEC, and click install. The same installation wizard will give you the option to connect a Wi-Fi network if necessary.
- The LibreELEC system basically works to run Kodi, which is the multimedia playback interface. Once started, a setup wizard appears to enter the latest data.
- Follow the instructions in the wizard to configure the operating system data: select a name that you can recognize and make sure your Raspberry Pi is connected to the internet, and that the SSH and Samba protocols are active. This to enable file transfer with Windows.
- The operating system is ready to go: now you just have to fill it with your files, and this can be done by transferring files with a USB stick connected to your Raspberry Pi. You can transfer all your audio and video files to have your movies, series and playlists on your mini computer.
- Install extensions: this to watch videos and TV shows through Kodi repositories. These stores are quite extensive and have a large number of useful extensions such as YouTube, CNN and Netflix among others. New repositories can also be installed by file transfer.
With OpenELEC
OpenELEC is another of the operating systems with Kodi software that are available in the installation wizard NOOBS.
It is a more viable way than LibreELEC and in order to download it, you just have to follow the following steps:
- On the official page of Raspberry Pi, you will find the file NOOBS. This installation wizard includes OpenELEC among the variety of operating systems for your computer.
- Using an external formatting tool, or simply through Windows itself, format your MicroSD card. You must make sure that it is in FAT32 format, since it is the format in which the OS of the Pi install without problems.
- Once NOOBS is installed on your Micro SD card, insert it in your Raspberry Pi, start it and when the installation wizard appears, select the OpenELEC OS
- When installed, it will immediately open the Kodi interface. Then a settings window will appear in which you will give the last settings. Select a name to identify the device on the network, select the region and language to start using it.
- Make sure your Raspberry Pi is connected to the internet, and that the SSH and Samba protocols are active. This to enable the transfer of files with Windows, be it remote or by USB pendrive.
- Once everything is configured and operating system out of the box, transfer files by Windows remote transfer or via USB. With this method you can fill your TV box with your songs, videos, movies and series to enjoy.
- There is the possibility to download the extensions that are included in the operating system repositories, and these extensions will give you the option of accessing streaming services, radio, online TV and movies.
With OSMC
It is a very complete multimedia center functional for both Raspberry Pi and Apple TV. Includes and runs the software Kodi and allows access to a large number of entertainment media.
Below you will see step by step how to install it:
- OSMC is one of the operating systems included in NOOBS, the official OS installation wizard for Raspberry Pi. To obtain it, you just have to access the download section on the official Raspberry Pi website and download the NOOBS file.
- Do a total format of your MicroSD card, making sure it is in FAT 32 format. You can use the native Windows tool, or download an external formatting tool.
- Start your Raspberry Pi with the MicroSD configured. Immediately the wizard will appear with all applicable operating systems, and among all of them, select OSMC.
- Kodi is the software on which the OSMC is based. Once the operating system has started, the Kodi interface will show us a final settings window, in which you must select a name, language and location.
- Your Raspberry Pi terminal must be connected to the internet, either through Wifi or ethernet connection. You must also confirm that the SSH and Samba protocols are active to enable file transfers.
- Transfer your multimedia files to your Pi. This is possible via remote file transfer or via USB.
- Enter the stores accessible through Kodi to download the required extensions to get more out of it. In the extensive list of Kodi repositories, you will have access to extensions for all kinds of entertainment, from radio and TV, to YouTube and Netflix.
All that’s left for you to do is look for popcorn and enjoy your movies and series.