Download music from YouTube/YouTube Music and stream to Chromecast via Home Assistant. Complete CLI toolset with web server integration, configuration wizard, and playback controls.
Download music from YouTube/YouTube Music and stream to Chromecast via Home Assistant. Complete CLI toolset with web server integration, configuration wizard, and playback controls.
YouTube music → your Chromecast. Simple, free, works.
Download audio from YouTube or YouTube Music and stream it through Home Assistant to any Cast-enabled device. No subscriptions, no cloud services, just your local network.
Features
✅ Free forever — No subscriptions, no premium accounts needed
✅ High quality — 320K MP3, crystal clear audio
✅ Video mode — Create MP4 videos with album art and text overlays
✅ Radio mode — Auto-discover and play related songs
✅ Local storage — Your music stays on your machine, no cloud
✅ Multi-room — Cast to any Chromecast device in your home
That's it. Your music is playing through your Chromecast.
What This Does
Three simple steps, one command each:
1. Download
yt-dlp grabs audio from YouTube or YouTube Music, extracts it as MP3 (320K quality).
2. Host
A lightweight Python HTTP server makes your downloaded files accessible over your local network. No setup required — just Python 3.
3. Cast
Home Assistant's media_player.play_media service sends the HTTP URL to your Chromecast, which streams the audio.
Why a Web Server?
Home Assistant's play_media service requires a URL, not a file path. The web server bridges that gap.
# ✅ This works — HA can fetch via HTTPmedia_content_id:"http://192.168.1.81:8735/song.mp3"# ❌ This fails — HA can't read file pathsmedia_content_id:"/tmp/youtube-music/song.mp3"
Architecture:
YouTube URL → yt-dlp → MP3 file → Python HTTP server → Home Assistant API → Chromecast
Installation
What You Need
Home Assistant with Google Cast integration
Chromecast or Cast-enabled device (Nest speakers, Google Home, TV)
System tools:yt-dlp, Python 3, curl, jq
Step 1: Install Scripts
# Clone or download the skillcd youtube-music-cast
# Make all scripts executablechmod +x scripts/*
# Install globally (recommended)
./install.sh --global
# Or install locally
./install.sh
Step 2: Run Setup Wizard
cast-setup
The wizard will ask for:
Home Assistant URL — e.g., http://homeassistant.local:8123
Long-Lived Access Token — Generate in HA → Profile → Long-Lived Access Tokens
Server IP — The machine running these scripts
Default media player — e.g., media_player.bedroom_display
Step 3: Test Your Setup
# Download a test song
cast-download https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
# Start the server
cast-server start
# Cast it
cast-play song.mp3
# Download from YouTube
cast-download https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
# Rename for cleaner URL (recommended)mv"/tmp/youtube-music/Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up.mp3" \
"/tmp/youtube-music/never-gonna-give-you-up.mp3"# Start the web server
cast-server start
# Cast to your default device
cast-play never-gonna-give-you-up.mp3
Cast to Different Rooms
# Living room TV
cast-play song.mp3 media_player.living_room
# Kitchen speaker
cast-play song.mp3 media_player.kitchen_speaker
# Bedroom Chromecast
cast-play song.mp3 media_player.bedroom_display
# Multiple rooms at once (run multiple commands)
cast-play song.mp3 media_player.living_room & \
cast-play song.mp3 media_player.bedroom_display
Check What's Playing
# Default device
cast-status
# Specific device
cast-status media_player.bedroom_display
Output:
📺 media_player.bedroom_display
State: playing
Friendly Name: Bedroom display
Volume: 22%
Now Playing:
Title: Never Gonna Give You Up
Artist: Rick Astley
Duration: 3:32
App: Default Media Receiver
📺 Available Media Players
media_player.bedroom_display
Name: Bedroom display
State: idle
Supported: play_media, volume_set, volume_mute, ...
media_player.living_room
Name: Living room TV
State: off
Supported: play_media, volume_set, ...
Default device: media_player.bedroom_display
New Features: Radio Mode & Video Mode
📻 Radio Mode
Radio mode automatically discovers and downloads related songs based on YouTube recommendations. After downloading a seed song, it searches for similar tracks and adds them to your queue.
Start radio mode:
# Basic radio (downloads seed + 3 related songs)
cast-radio https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
# Custom number of related songs
cast-radio https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ --count 10
# Radio mode with video files
cast-radio https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ --video --count 5
Or use cast-download with --radio flag:
# Download with radio mode
cast-download https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ --radio
# Download with custom count
cast-download https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ --radio --radio-count 5
# Radio + video mode combined
cast-download https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ --radio --video
How it works:
Downloads the seed song you specify
Extracts artist/title from metadata
Searches YouTube for similar videos
Downloads related songs (prefixed with radio_)
Related songs are ready to cast in sequence
Play your radio queue:
# Start server
cast-server start
# Play the first song
cast-play $(ls -t /tmp/youtube-music/*.mp3 | head -n 1 | xargs basename)
# Or play related songs sequentially
cast-play radio_some-song.mp3
cast-play radio_another-song.mp3
# ... etc
Tips:
Related songs are prefixed with radio_ for easy identification
The radio mode searches based on the artist name from the seed song
Use --count to control how many related songs to download
Combine with --video flag for visual radio mode
🎬 Video Mode with Visuals
Video mode creates MP4 videos instead of plain MP3 files. Each video includes:
The original audio track
Album art thumbnail from YouTube
Text overlay showing song title and artist
Smooth, high-quality encoding
Download a video:
# Download as MP4 with album art and text
cast-download https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ --video
# Cast the MP4 file
cast-server start
cast-play "Never Gonna Give You Up.mp4"
Radio mode with videos:
# Download seed + related songs as videos
cast-radio https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ --video --count 5
# Cast videos
cast-play "Never Gonna Give You Up.mp4"
cast-play "radio_Together Forever.mp4"# ... etc
How it works:
Downloads the audio track (320K MP3 quality)
Downloads the album art thumbnail from YouTube
Uses ffmpeg to create an MP4 video with:
Looping album art background
Audio track encoded as AAC
Text overlay (song title and artist name) at bottom
Cast the MP4 to your Chromecast (TVs with video support)
Video output:
Codec: H.264 (libx264)
Audio: AAC (192K)
Resolution: Same as thumbnail (usually 480p or 720p)
Text: White text with semi-transparent black box
Compatible with all Chromecast devices with video support
Notes:
Videos take more space than MP3s (~2-3x larger)
Requires ffmpeg to be installed on your system
Text overlay uses DejaVu Sans Bold font (included on most Linux systems)
Chromecast audio devices (like Google Home Mini) will play audio only
Chromecast with displays (TVs, Google Nest Hub) will show the full video
# Download some as MP3
cast-download https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID_1
# Download some as MP4
cast-download https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID_2 --video
# Play both - cast-play handles the difference
cast-play song.mp3
cast-play video.mp4
Configuration
Config file: ~/.youtube-music-cast/config.sh
# Home Assistant
HA_URL="http://homeassistant.local:8123"
HA_TOKEN="your-long-lived-access-token-here"# Web Server
SERVER_IP="192.168.1.81"
SERVER_PORT="8735"# Default Device (override per command)
DEFAULT_DEVICE="media_player.bedroom_display"# Directories
DOWNLOAD_DIR="/tmp/youtube-music"
CAST_DIR="$HOME/.youtube-music-cast"
Edit the file directly or re-run cast-setup to update.
File Naming Best Practices
Keep URLs clean. Simple filenames save you from headaches later.
# After download, rename immediatelymv"Oasis - Bonehead's Bank Holiday (Remastered 1995).mp3" \
"oasis-boneheads-bank-holiday.mp3"# Use lowercase, hyphens onlymv"My Awesome Song.mp3""my-awesome-song.mp3"# No special charactersmv"song@remix#.mp3""song-remix.mp3"
Rule of thumb:
Lowercase
Hyphens instead of spaces
No special characters (@, #, ?, etc.)
Keep it short
Troubleshooting
Chromecast Not in Home Assistant
Problem:cast-devices shows no Chromecast devices.
Solution: Add Google Cast integration
Home Assistant → Settings → Devices & Services
Click "+ Add Integration"
Search "Google Cast" → Select it
Follow the discovery wizard
If discovery fails:
Ensure Chromecast and Home Assistant are on the same network
Try adding manually with Chromecast IP address
Server Won't Start
Problem:cast-server start fails or says "port in use".
Solution:
# Check if port 8735 is in use
netstat -tlnp | grep 8735
# or
ss -tlnp | grep 8735
# Stop any existing server
cast-server stop
# Try starting manually to see errorcd /tmp/youtube-music
python3 -m http.server 8735
If port is in use by another process:
Edit ~/.youtube-music-cast/config.sh:
SERVER_PORT="8736"# Change to something else
"File Not Found" Error
Problem:cast-play song.mp3 says file not found.
Solution:
# List what's actually there
cast-list
# Check exact spelling (case-sensitive!)
cast-play "Exact-Filename.mp3"# Not "exact-filename.mp3"# Verify server is running
cast-server status
Common mistakes:
Wrong case: Song.mp3 vs song.mp3
Wrong extension: song.MP3 vs song.mp3
File in wrong directory: Check DOWNLOAD_DIR in config
Download Fails
Problem:cast-download errors or hangs.
Solution:
# Update yt-dlp (YouTube changes often)
pip install --upgrade yt-dlp
# Check version
yt-dlp --version
# Try verbose output to see what's wrong
yt-dlp --verbose "URL"# Try different URL format# YouTube: https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID# YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID
If it's a geo-blocked video:
Use a VPN or find an alternative upload of the same track.
Home Assistant Connection Error
Problem:curl errors when contacting HA.
Solution:
# Test your HA token manually
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
"http://homeassistant.local:8123/api/states"# If you see JSON → token is good# If 401 Unauthorized → token is wrong or expired# If connection refused → URL is wrong or HA is down
Regenerate token if needed:
HA → Profile → Scroll down → Long-Lived Access Tokens → Generate new
Video Mode Issues
Problem:cast-download --video fails with "ffmpeg not found" or similar error.
Solution:
# Check if ffmpeg is installed
ffmpeg -version
# If not found, install it# Debian/Ubuntusudo apt install ffmpeg
# macOS
brew install ffmpeg
Problem: Video creation is slow or takes too long.
Solution:
Video encoding is CPU-intensive. First-time creation may take 10-30 seconds per song.
Use MP3 mode (cast-download without --video) for faster downloads.
Consider lowering video quality in the script (edit cast-download and change -preset ultrafast to -preset fast for better quality but slower encoding).
Problem: Text overlay doesn't appear or looks wrong.
Solution:
The script uses DejaVu Sans Bold font. If it's not installed, text won't appear.
Problem: Chromecast audio device plays video without visuals.
Solution:
This is expected behavior. Audio-only Chromecast devices (Google Home Mini, Chromecast Audio) will play the audio track from MP4 files but cannot display video.
Use MP3 mode for audio-only devices to save bandwidth and storage.
Problem: MP4 files are too large.
Solution:
Videos are larger than MP3s (typically 2-3x the size).
Reduce video bitrate by editing cast-download and changing -b:a 192k to -b:a 128k for audio, or adjust video codec settings.
Use MP3 mode if storage is a concern.
Radio Mode Issues
Problem: Radio mode downloads unrelated songs.
Solution:
Radio mode searches YouTube using the artist name from the seed song.
Sometimes the search may return mixed results due to ambiguous artist names.
Try using a different seed song with a clearer artist name.
The radio_ prefix makes it easy to identify and remove unwanted downloads.
Problem: Radio mode doesn't find any related songs.
Solution:
Ensure you have a stable internet connection.
Check that the seed song has proper metadata (title/uploader).
Try a different seed song — some videos have limited search results.
Increase the count with --radio-count 10 to get more results.
Problem: Related songs don't play in sequence automatically.
Solution:
Radio mode downloads the songs but doesn't auto-play them in sequence.
You need to manually play each related song, or create a simple playlist script:
# Play all radio songs in sequencefor file in /tmp/youtube-music/radio_*.mp3; do
cast-play "$(basename "$file")"sleep 5 # Wait between songsdone
Cast Commands Hang
Problem:cast-play doesn't return or music never starts.
Common causes:
Media player is offline — Check cast-devices for state
Server isn't accessible from HA — Verify SERVER_IP in config matches current IP
Chromecast network issue — Restart Chromecast
Wrong device ID — Copy exact ID from cast-devices output
Quick fix:
# Restart everything
cast-server stop
cast-server start
cast-play song.mp3
# Check device is online
cast-devices
# Try casting from HA UI to isolate issue
Project Structure
youtube-music-cast/
├── scripts/
│ ├── cast-setup # Configuration wizard (interactive)
│ ├── cast-download # Download from YouTube (uses yt-dlp)
│ ├── cast-server # HTTP server manager (start/stop/status)
│ ├── cast-play # Cast to device (HA API)
│ ├── cast-stop # Stop playback
│ ├── cast-status # Player status query
│ ├── cast-devices # List all HA media players
│ ├── cast-list # List downloaded files
│ └── cast-help # Help documentation
├── install.sh # Installation script (--global, --help)
├── SKILL.md # This file (ClawdHub skill definition)
├── README.md # User-facing documentation
├── CHANGELOG.md # Version history
├── LICENSE # MIT license
├── .gitignore # Protects secrets and state
└── .clawdhub/
└── origin.json # ClawdHub metadata
~/.youtube-music-cast/
└── config.sh # Your configuration (don't commit to Git)
/tmp/youtube-music/
└── *.mp3 # Downloaded music files
Requirements
yt-dlp (YouTube downloader)
pip install yt-dlp
Update regularly:pip install --upgrade yt-dlp
Python 3 (HTTP server)
# Check version (usually pre-installed)
python3 --version
curl (HTTP client for HA API)
# Check version (usually pre-installed)
curl --version
Note: Video mode is optional. If you only download MP3s, you don't need ffmpeg.
Performance Tips
1. Batch Downloads
Download multiple tracks or entire playlists at once:
# Download playlist
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 320K \
-o "/tmp/youtube-music/%(playlist_index)s-%(title)s.%(ext)s" \
"https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAYLIST_ID"# Then cast them without waiting
cast-play 01-song.mp3
cast-play 02-song.mp3
cast-play 03-song.mp3
2. Keep Server Running
The HTTP server is lightweight (~5MB RAM). No need to stop/start between casts:
# Start once
cast-server start
# Cast as many songs as you want
cast-play song1.mp3
cast-play song2.mp3
# ... etc
3. Use Default Device
Set DEFAULT_DEVICE in config to avoid typing it every time:
# In ~/.youtube-music-cast/config.sh
DEFAULT_DEVICE="media_player.bedroom_display"# Now just cast
cast-play song.mp3 # Automatically uses bedroom_display
4. Clean Up Occasionally
Files in /tmp/ are cleared on reboot by design, but you can manually clean:
# List all files with sizes
cast-list
# Remove old filesrm /tmp/youtube-music/*.mp3
5. WiFi Matters
If streaming glitches:
Move Chromecast to 5GHz WiFi
Reduce distance between Chromecast and server
Check for WiFi interference
6. Alias Commands
Add shell aliases for faster access:
# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrcalias cs='cast-server'aliascd='cast-download'aliascp='cast-play'alias cl='cast-list'alias cst='cast-status'# Now just type
cs # Start servercd URL # Downloadcp song # Cast
cl # List
Notes
Files are stored in /tmp/youtube-music/ — cleared on reboot (by design)
Web server runs in background, persists across sessions
Keep filenames simple: lowercase, hyphens, no spaces/special chars
Server and Chromecast must be on same network
HA token is stored locally in config.sh — don't commit to Git
Quality is 320K MP3 — good balance of quality and file size
No cloud services, no subscriptions, no tracking
Comparison: This vs Alternatives
Feature
YouTube Music Cast
Spotify Free
YouTube Premium
Cost
Free
Free (with ads)
$13.99/month
Ads
None
Yes, every few songs
None
Offline
Yes, forever
No (premium only)
Yes, with limit
Quality
320K MP3
160K (variable)
Up to 1080p video
Privacy
Local only
Cloud-based
Cloud-based
Platform
Any Chromecast
Spotify Connect
YouTube apps
Queue management
Manual
Built-in
Built-in
Multi-room
Manual
Premium feature
No
Bottom line: If you value privacy, want to own your music, and don't need cloud features, this is for you.
