How to cast Skype audio to TV from Nexus 7 via Chromecast?

Question

I just unwrapped and plugged in my new Chromecast dongle. Owning a Samsung Smart TV with DLNA, it covers most of the Chromecast capabilities anyway, but I wanted wireless means to mirror my Nexus 7 tablet on the big screen, especially for handling video Skype calls.

Configuring the dongle using the Nexus was really easy. I am able to cast YouTube videos without any problem, and have audio and picture.

However, when I started a video Skype call, I can see the video on the TV, but the audio keeps coming out of the tablet's speakers.

How can I redirect the Skype audio to the TV?

Solution 1

Skype is not listed in the list of Google Cast Ready Apps, but that is not conclusive since there is no love lost between Microsoft and Google.

This question was also raised in the thread Amazon.com: Questions And Answers: Does chromecast work with Skype on January 1, 2014, where the answer was negative.

Nevertheless, I found on XDA this guide to stream Skype on TV with Chromecast from August 2014, which says :

The idea is to cast screen from Android to Chromecast / TV, then run Skype. Cast screen and mirroring is the same.

Required :

• TV + Chromecast
• Android 4.4
• Chromecast app
• Skype (official version or fixed version here)
• MirrorEnabler here need ROOT if your device is not officially supported to Cast Screen with Chromecast

If the last version of Skype don’t work on your device, then install this fixed version : here.

MirrorEnabler enable mirroring from any device. Mirroring (cast screen) is the third functionality of Chromecast, which allow to duplicate your Android screen in real time to TV.

• Install Skype (I recommend the fixed version above).
• Install Chromecast on TV.
• Install MirrorEnabler (only if your device is not officially supported to Cast Screen). Enable its functions, reboot.
• Cast screen to Chromecast / TV from Chromecast app.
• Run Skype.

Please note that the fixed version of Skype is not found on Google Play, which complicates a bit its installation.

Solution 2

Put simply, what is happening hear is that at the moment, screen casting your device to the chromecast, casts the media audio stream from the android device to the TV, but not the 'phone call' audio stream. Skype of course plays its call audio through android's phone call audio stream.

If you want to hear the phone call audio through something other than the device, either plugin a speaker to its headphone socket, or pair the device with a Bluetooth device that supports phone call audio - I.e. a Bluetooth headset or a Bluetooth speaker that has phone call support

Comments

[harrymc]

Are you using the included power supply or relying on USB power? Are you using the TV internal speakers?

[jjk_charles]

Are you receiving audio through TV when watching Youtube videos streamed through Chromecast?

[Flexo]

@jjk_charles yes - audio works fine for games when streamed using the same 'cast screen' feature.

[Flexo]

@harrymc TV has USB power and internal speakers. Audio works fine for other apps using the same 'cast screen' feature and YT/Netflix works fine too.

[ysap]

@harrymc - I am using the USB power from one of the TV's USB ports and the TV's speakers. However, I don't see how this is related to the problem of Skype audio.

[ysap]

@jjk_charles - As I mentioned in the question, audio works fine for other apps, like YouTube.

[ysap]

Thanks. As mentioned in the question, I am using Screen Mirroring to view the Nexus 7's screen on the TV. When casting YouTube, I get audio through the TV. With Skype, audio remains local on the tablet.

[harrymc]

I reproduced the entire article, including the part about using MirrorEnabler, although it doesn't apply to you. The remaining useful part of the answer is the "fixed" version of Skype, which I myself have no experience with.

[Admin]

You now longer need Mirror Enabler and root for all devices 4.4.2 or higher thanks to the newest Chromecast update (the one before material design BTW). And the Nexus 7 was on the list before that too (androidcentral.com/how-mirror-your-android-screen-chromecas‌​t) ;)

[ysap]

Thanks. This explanation does make sense. If true, then the casting of audio is done before the final mixer which mixes the various audio sources, and thus not include Skype audio. Skype audio gets to the mixer through the "call" API.