Native Windows support for audio casting / streaming to WiFi Speakers

Question

Is there a standard discovery / casting protocol for audio (and possibly video) via WiFi / LAN that Windows supports natively? Natively in the sense as AirPlay is natively supported for audio output on Apple Macs, Tablets and Phones or as bluetooth speakers are discovered and provisioned as audio output devices natively under windows.

If so what protocols are supported / used?

Solution

For casting video or audio, Windows 10 supports casting to DLNA compatible devices from the Cast To menu.

There are purportedly hundreds of devices that allow streaming via DLNA compatibility, such as Playstation 4, and some Sonos audio devices.

You can follow steps to do that from this website, as an example.

edit removed Bluetooth option as it is not a WiFi standard.

Comments

[Xaser]

This doesn't answer the actual question. Please read the question again and clarify your answer.

[Ari]

Your comment does not address the answer. Please rephrase the question and I might clarify my answer.

[Xaser]

Shortly: You talk about bluetooth, but I explicitily asked for Wi-Fi. I even wrote that I was aware of the bluetooth option and that I look for an equivalent using Wi-Fi technology. DLNA video casting is a feature of the app, not windows, thus not "native"

[Ari]

Thanks for clarifying. DLNA casting is native to Windows, and uses WiFi. If you Google DLNA streaming, you will find many video and audio devices that support the standard within a private network. I won't bore you by sending you a link to a long winded article, but if you click this link on a Microsoft forum, you can see with a right click you can 'Cast To' devices on the network!

[Xaser]

Thanks for the edit. While I won't argue about it, I would still say that DLNA is not native to windows as the "cast to" option merely opens up windows media player but that's just details. I have removed the downvote.

[Matt Whitfield]

@Xaser - and I've added an upvote. Someone took the time to answer your question, which if you search for DLNA streaming appears quite near the top of search results.