Feature Request: Cast to Echo Device

[seanders]

This would be a very useful feature and make the Plex a more desirable media server solution. At the moment I find myself struggling with the lack of features available to for Echo and Plex.

[nedthegrace_gmail_com]

It’s been 2 years now. Any update from the Plex team? I believe the protocol is now Public…

[geoffv]

I just bought an echo dot and concerned that plex support for smart speakers is far behind the competition. I like having control of my media on my own server but it’s getting easier and easier to stream everything. Plex needs to do more to keep up with these new technologies.

[Hallucyn8]

Another request here for this feature. Plex seems the ideal way for me to be able to listen my personal music collection (that is not available on streaming providers) on my Amazon speakers but like others have said it’s not always easy to have to use voice control. Being able to manage what is playing from a web interface or app would be perfect

[kenpm]

Please count me in also, really want this feature.

[blossohm]

There is Chromecast integrated in Plex but not AlexaCast. Please add AlexaCast so Plex cast covers 100% of its users and use cases. Thanx

[Silverloz]

Just another voice to add to the request for this feature; thanks.

[vanstinator]

Unfortunately this is still impossible from an API and technical perspective. If that changes we’ll evaluate.

[Remyj123]

I’d also like to be able to cast my Plex music library and playlists to Amazon Echos. This feature works great on my Google Home Speakers but I’d much rather be using the Echos for casting.

Given this topic has been live for 2 years and given how often people add their votes to it, maybe Plex could lean a little harder on Amazon to open this API up. I have a feeling Amazon is probably loath to do this as they would rather you use their Amazon Music or Spotify pay services but it never hurts to keep asking. Squeeky wheel gets the grease and all. Maybe argue that opening this up might increase subscriptions to Amazon Prime and increase Echo sales. If they see more $$$ in their future, maybe they’d be more open to this idea and feature. My 2 cents

[jfoxwoosh]

Adding another vote here and to keep this thread visible. It would be awesome to have this feature.

[gaurangpatkar_gmail_com]

Still here to see why we can’t implement this. You already allow casting via Plex to Echo devices / Alexa cast via Voice. It seems inherently more complex to do this via Voice than a simple remote control app with more accuracy on song selection as mentioned by the OP.

[emren]

Would love this.

[7April]

I’d love this too, but I think what we’re not hearing from Plex is why this is technically impossible. You won’t hurt us with details, I promise.

I suspect that with Amazon disabling Alexa control from browsers, the parent company is shuttering non-app access to Alexa. This would make it very hard for Plex to cast from desktop/server to Alexa because they’d need to emulate that API on Windows, etc.

–#

[drdogbot7]

@7April

I’d love this too, but I think what we’re not hearing from Plex is why this is technically impossible. You won’t hurt us with details, I promise.

Vanstinator from Plex explained this a couple years ago:

@vanstinator

Unfortunately this isn’t currently possible as the Alexa Cast protocol isn’t yet widely available. If the API is opened up we’ll re-evaluate.

SO it’s not that it’s “technically impossible”. The issue is that “Alexa Cast” just doesn’t have an open API like “Google Cast” does.

Yes, big players like Spotify are able to integrate with Alexa devices, and presumably that’s because they’ve made special arrangements with Amazon, but smaller third parties are out of luck.

[drdogbot7]

@gaurangpatkar_gmail_com

Still here to see why we can’t implement this. You already allow casting via Plex to Echo devices / Alexa cast via Voice. It seems inherently more complex to do this via Voice than a simple remote control app with more accuracy on song selection as mentioned by the OP.

There is an SDK for building Alexa “Skills”, and that’s why we have a Plex Skill. BUT “Skills” are necessarily voice controlled, and pretty limited in terms of what they can do.

My impression is that it’s not really an issue of “inherent complexity”; it’s an issue of what Amazon allows.

[stigpepper]

Yes please

[rickMau]

Echo device is not able to play the requested music verbally so the cast option is a must. Really frustrated not seeing this feature in Plex. On top of that is not able to play gapless. Double frustration.

[Ajandurah]

I’ve just started using Plex for music (after Google shut down Play Music) and I have to say I’m somewhat underwhelmed with it, especially in with Echo devices and Alexa support. I expected to be able to manually cast from within the Plex app to the Echo or from a web browser and was disappointed to find you couldn’t.

Coupled with the sub-par voice control options for music when compared with video and it makes this often seemingly easy task into an effort in futility. Even improving the voice control would help significantly, being able to request Plex to play “disc [#], track [#] from album [#]” etc as you can with tv shows with seasons would be beneficial. At least this would allow playback of specific tracks from multi-disc compilations without Alexa getting her knickers in a twist.

[rickMau]

The casting is really a very nice workaround to play something when the voice control is not working.
If casting can not be implemented, why the voice control is not fixed?

[noisyloner]

This feature is must have. Lots of music are not english friendly