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Chromecast: Unable to cast to Google Home Devices

aidane33
Local Performer

I recently changed my subscription to a family plan. Immediately after doing so, I am unable to play music from my Google Home with Pandora as my default player. I am also unable to cast from my iPhone XR to the Home device. When attempting to cast I get an error saying, “Oops, we are unable to cast at this time.” I tried unlinking and re-linking my Pandora account in the Google Home app but this did not make a difference. Help! This is the only way I listen to Pandora at home. 

Moderator Edit: Changing title for clarity

Labels (1)
90 Replies

Jeff8109
Underground
I know! Don't look for a solution soon though. No one is answering the
forum and no one is providing any solutions. Pandora doesn't seem to
care they have an issue.

livelite
Local Performer

I'm in the same boat. I just upgraded to Premium Family, and suddenly I can't cast successfully from phone to google home speakers.

Once I start a station by voice, the phone seems to pick up the station as well, but some controls like pause does not work on the phone.

BGauley
Local Performer

As of last Saturday, all music (Pandora, Spotify, radio, casting from other devices) stopped playing on all my Google devices.  They all now default to playing music from Youtube.  I contacted customer support and went through all the troubleshooting steps, but the problem remains unresolved.  I currently can only use my Google devices for non-music activities.  The inability to fix the issue is extremely frustrating.

0 Kudos

Pit107
Opening Act

@TannerPandora @AdamPandora Bugs happen, but it's unacceptable how long the casting issues have been occurring.  I work in software engineering and the only way we'd leave a known bug around for anywhere near this long is if we just didn't actually care about it and weren't bothering to fix it.  Pandora should be ashamed.  If I ever find a viable replacement for Pandora, I'm canceling and never coming back, even if the bug's fixed.

Xcurly130x
Underground

Spotify has an app called Spotify Station. And it’s slowly getting me to stop using Pandora which I really like but have been having these same problems for over 3 years now. And keep getting told it could be my Wifi network and or devices. But yet iHeart radio, Spotify, Amazon music all work flawlessly. Hmmmm!

livelite
Local Performer

I wanted to add this: When I installed Pandora on another phone, this issue did not exist. So what I did to fix it on my phone, was uninstall the Pandora app, and install it again. The casting to google home issue is no longer there.
Edit:
I'm still having casting issues on some devices.

rusegarden
Local Performer

I can cast pandora stations via the Sirius xm app to my JBL Link 300 Google speaker but cannot cast pandora stations via pandora app to this speaker. This is a Pandora app fail. All other apps cast just fine to this above noted speaker (from my Android Galaxy S8+ fyi). If this crucial and basic function isn't fixed soon I will not become a paid subscriber when my trial runs out. I want to pay. So pls fix!! ‌🙂‌ thnx in advance. Good luck...

Moderator Edit: Format

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trospa10
Local Performer

This issue has been ongoing since at least last summer for me.  It may be a bit different in my case. Here is what happens to me.  

I used to start Pandora on my Samsung Galaxy s10 (Android) and then use the cast feature built into the Pandora app to cast to a group of speakers I setup in the Google Home app. This worked great and allowed me to control Pandora from any speaker throughout the house, including Nest displays and my phone itself. I could control volume across the all speakers with just the volume on my phone. Now, the speakers and displays all make the "connect" sound" and the displays flash the Pandora primary hello screen (where it simply loads to say "Pandora" across the empty screen with the blue background) but it never finishes the process to actually play anything on these devices. After a few minutes, my phone will disconnect from everything with an error of "Unable to connect"  or "your session with XX speakers has ended". This is beyond frustrating as it makes it difficult to play shuffle or to switch stations throughout the house. A fix I found by accident that worked until recently was this process: Ask any device to play a specific station on Pandora to only that device. Once it does (because it always works when speaking directly to a Google Speaker or  Nest display), then open the Pandora app on my phone and click the cast button. Once that page loads and shows all connected speakers/devices, I then select the device I spoke to. At that point, it would connect to my phone and I once again had full control of all the devices and Pandora and could control it all from my phone. That workaround stopped being effective a few of weeks ago. Please fix this or provide a workaround. Thank you.

Flopkarp
Local Performer

It's still not working. All I get is a Pandora blue screen. No music plays at all. I have uninstalled and reset both devices completely. Still nothing.

Moderator Edit: Changing title for clarity

LJMedeiros
Local Performer

You should be able to designate other services within the GOOGLE HOME APP from your Smart Phone.  If you don't have a Smart Phone and want to use a PC, it can be more difficult.  Currently you would have to download an Android Emulator and information is online for how to do that so you can then get the APP and control your settings.  Default can be set to your choice but make sure you also LINK your accounts with the APP you want to use such as PANDORA or SPOTIFY or SIRIUS...whatever.  My issue is still unresolved as my default is set to PANDORA and you may have the same issue even after setting your default buy my boyfriend in TX has no issues with his devices on PANDORA.  I believe there may be issues with the LOCAL PANDORA network here in Orange/LA County.  Even though I have Pandora as the default, my devices just stop mid song all the time.  See above POST.  I will not buy another single GOOGLE HOME device until they fix the issue.  I do not like their YOU TUBE MUSIC except for videos I may want to watch.  Their algorithms do not work and I hear music from different genres.

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Mjholt94
Local Performer

I am no longer able to cast Pandora to my Google Chromecast devices. I have tried with both apple and android devices, I do not have this issue with any other music streaming app.

The icon is there to cast, and I am able to select a device to cast to, the speaker even makes the noise indicating it connected to cast, then pandora just sits there with a greyed out play button and will not play.

Any suggestions on what may be going on? I've reset the chromecast, but like I said, it will not play for any of my castable devices, not just a specific chromecast.

Tia

kappadappa
Underground

So my paid Pandora subscription finally ran out and now that I'm back to the free version - casting to Chromecast works for me again. How crazy is that?! So basically, if you pay for Pandora, it's broken. But if you use Pandora for free, it works fine. Ridiculous. 

Jeff8109
Underground
This as been labeled as a solution?!

Further proof Pandora isn't paying attention.

A solution was posted by 2 other people:
1) Cancel and move to Spotify, Apple Music, or anything else.

2) Stop paying Pandora and use the free version. Apparently that works
fine. We are paying for poor service.

Pit107
Opening Act

Unfortunately, downgrading to the free version didn't work for me - have the same issue as before.  Guess I'll just never chromecast again, since Pandora clearly has no intention to fix the issue.

Xcurly130x
Underground

I downgraded as well and still having the buffering problem and trying to  chromecast is horrible. 

kappadappa
Underground

When I cancelled my subscription I had to wait a while until my subscription date actually ended before the casting worked again. But the free version does work for me now. Still ridiculous. 

SurroMama2
Local Performer

I have been able to link pandora to Google home and set it as my default music app however it keeps saying it cannot connect. I have the pandora app installed on my TV and can play music however Google home nor the pandora app will cast so that I can be in another room to control the tv/music playing

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llandry
Local Performer

I'm here for all the same reasons above upgraded my Pandora account today to a paid subscription and all of a sudden I can't cast to any of my google home devices. Shame on Pandora for not fixing these bugs to long time customers 🤬

 

Xcurly130x
Underground

It’s just really sad that I heart radio free works way better. 

Mookpsu
Opening Act

Add me to the ever growing list of frustrated Pandora customers who can no longer cast Pandora. After reading this thread it probably did start when I upgraded to the commercial free plan. Cast button is still on the app but when I click connect I get this on my TV and it just freezes and then eventually disconnects. Reaching out to tech support is a joke, all you get is the same round of questions but never any answers. 

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