BY VIEWCAST    UPDATED June 12, 2025
Raspicast is a fantastic tool that allows users to cast media content from their mobile devices directly to a Raspberry Pi. This app shines in its ability to stream videos effortlessly, providing a smooth and clear viewing experience on larger screens. In this article, we'll explore the functionalities, benefits, and some areas where Raspicast could improve, making it an indispensable tool for media streaming enthusiasts.
Raspicast offers an intuitive interface, making it quite easy to set up. Users can quickly get started by simply installing the app on their mobile device and connecting it to their Raspberry Pi. The straightforward design ensures that even those with limited technical knowledge can enjoy the app's features without a steep learning curve.
One of the standout features of Raspicast is its robust ability to cast media, particularly YouTube videos, to a Raspberry Pi. The app is known for delivering high-quality videos with no buffering issues or screen freezes, ensuring an uninterrupted viewing experience.
Another benefit is the app's compatibility with various devices. Whether you have a Raspberry Pi Zero or a more advanced model, Raspicast works well in enabling seamless media sharing from your phone to your TV.
While Raspicast is a great tool, it does have some limitations. Some users have noticed that casting YouTube videos with non-Latin characters can cause the app to break. This issue can disrupt the user experience, though it's something that can be addressed with future updates.
Volume control within the app also comes up short compared to other casting solutions like Chromecast. Currently, users can only adjust the volume when the app is open, which is a feature that could be improved to allow adjustments even during a screensaver.
Many users have expressed a desire for additional features such as screen mirroring and support for more streaming platforms beyond YouTube. Adding these functionalities would significantly enhance the app's utility, making it more versatile for a range of media-sharing needs.
Moreover, increasing compatibility with other media players like VLC, especially on newer Raspberry Pi models, would be a welcome update. Since omxplayer is outdated and causes issues with newer Raspbian updates, switching to a more current player could resolve many existing problems.
In summary, Raspicast is an excellent app for anyone looking to stream videos from their phone to a larger screen via Raspberry Pi. Despite some minor issues and areas for improvement, the app excels in delivering fast, high-quality video streaming. With future updates, Raspicast has the potential to become an even more powerful tool for casting various forms of media.
Currently, Raspicast mainly supports YouTube, though there are hopes for it to support other streaming platforms in future updates.
Yes, but the volume can only be controlled when the Raspicast app is open. Volume adjustment during screensaver mode is something that could be improved in future versions.
Screen mirroring is not currently a feature of Raspicast, but many users have requested it, and it may be included in future updates.
Casting videos with non-Latin characters may cause the app to break. This issue is known and may be fixed in future updates.
Raspicast is primarily a mobile app designed for smartphones. However, you can run Raspicast on your computer using an Android emulator. An Android emulator allows you to run Android apps on your PC. Here's how to install Raspicast on your PC using Android emuator:
Visit any Android emulator website. Download the latest version of Android emulator compatible with your operating system (Windows or macOS). Install Android emulator by following the on-screen instructions.
Launch Android emulator and complete the initial setup, including signing in with your Google account.
Inside Android emulator, open the Google Play Store (it's like the Android Play Store) and search for "Raspicast."Click on the Raspicast app, and then click the "Install" button to download and install Raspicast.
You can also download the APK from this page and install Raspicast without Google Play Store.
You can now use Raspicast on your PC within the Anroid emulator. Keep in mind that it will look and feel like the mobile app, so you'll navigate using a mouse and keyboard.