Chromecast allows owners to stream audio and video content on a TV via a Wi-Fi connection. However, developers have found a way to make the Chromecast work without a Wi-Fi connection.
A Chromecast user on the XDA Developers forum, called Rundgong, claims to have made a custom ROM called rCast mod, which is based on the Eureka mod version 44433.01. The rCast mod allows Chromecast users to play local media files with no Wi-Fi.
After flashing the Chromecast, it becomes an independent media player. Rundgong says that users can store media files locally on the internal flash or on an attached USB memory. Users will be able to control the playback via the button present on the device.
The XDA Developers forum user also details how to use Chromecast without Wi-Fi. Rundgong says that the first thing users should do is setup the Whitelist Provider to "Locally Stored" in the Eureka ROM Device settings.
"A custom whitelist is required so we can have a local idle screen and also for the media player to work," says Rundgong.
The next step is to flash the zip files and wait for the device to reboot. After rebooting, the device is all prepared and has the necessary rCast files. However, they are not activated. Users will have to login to the CC using telnet and run the below commands:
busybox cp /system/rcast/apps.conf.template /data/eureka/apps.conf
busybox cp /system/rcast/user_boot_script.sh.template /data/user_boot_script.sh
chmod 755 /data/user_boot_script.sh
The device should be rebooted after the above process and it will be ready to stream content without Wi-Fi.
Users can upload media files by finding the IP address of the device and then connecting to it with a FTP client.
The uploaded videos are located in /data/rcast/videos. After rebooting the device a playlist is created. Rundgong says that currently rCast mod supports only mp4 files.
Chromecast owners who want to stream content without Wi-Fi can download the ROM from XDA Developers forum.
Google released the first-generation Chromecast in July 2013 and the device gained a lot of popularity as it is one of the cheapest ways to get a browser window on a TV. In late May 2015, the company revealed that it has sold more than 17 million units of the thumb-sized media player.
In September 2015, Google released the second-generation Chromecast, which has a different round design but offers the same features as its predecessor.
One of the users on XDA Developers forum queried if the rCast mod will work with the second-gen Chromecast. However, another user responded that the new Chromecast is yet to be rooted.
Photo: EricaJoy | Flickr
