605 private links
This is something I'm still collecting more information on. If you have any tips, please do bother me.
Google's strangehold on casting is seriously annoying. Alternatives?
RaspiCast
- https://github.com/HaarigerHarald/omxiv - archived repo since 2023-05
- https://github.com/HaarigerHarald/raspicast - source code for Android app, last commit 2 yrs ago
- https://www.instructables.com/Raspberry-Pi-As-Chromecast-Alternative-Raspicast
PiCast
Has to be considered no longer maintained. May or may not actually work at this point.
- https://github.com/lanceseidman/PiCAST - last commit 8 yrs ago
- https://pypi.org/project/picast
PyCaster
Built on PiCast and youtube-dl using NodeJS.
You connect to the Pi, the server-side JavaScripts delivers a simple webpage. The communication is done in real time thanks to the socket.io library. Your browser connects to the Pi, you send the URL you want to stream, and the Pi streams it for you through omxplayer and youtube-dl.
- https://github.com/DevonLian/PYCASTER - last commit 8 yrs ago
Pipecast
- https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/PipeCast - archived repo since 2022-11. By the NewPipe team.
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23873892
NymphCast
Alpha stage. But interesting, worth testing it. They already offer Android APK and server software which could run on a Raspberry Pi, for example.
- https://github.com/MayaPosch/NymphCast - 2.5k stars, 80 forks, last commit 3 months ago
- http://nyanko.ws/nymphcast.php
So it seems that around 2020 there was a flurry of posts about this project, describing it as "alpha". So the fact that the project is still alpha five years later is perhaps not very encouraging. But it is still actively developed, which is more than you can say about most other projects in this field. The Google stranglehold on casting continues to be heavily felt, unfortunately.
- https://features.jellyfin.org/posts/1706/nymphcast-the-gentlepersons-google-cast
- https://old.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/fhdnav/nymphcast_an_opensource_alternative_to_chromecast
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27482699
- https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/58714-nymphcast-network-audio-chromecast-replacement
- https://www.opensourceforu.com/2020/03/open-source-nymphcast-lets-you-use-raspberry-pi-like-a-chromecast
- https://www.tomshardware.com/news/using-raspberry-pi-like-a-chromecast-open-source-nymphcast-project-makes-it-happen
- https://old.reddit.com/r/selfhosted/comments/ter8fx/nymphcast_an_opensource_chromecast_alternative
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22457351
- https://old.reddit.com/r/raspberry_pi/comments/flgzu1/nymphcast_an_opensource_alternative_to_chromecast
MPV Cast for Jellyfin
Strictly Jellyfin only, but works nicely by casting from the Jellyfin Android app to the computer (by playing the video using mpv). Does not yet support IP-TV though (see issues 237 and 303).
- https://github.com/jellyfin/jellyfin-mpv-shim
- https://github.com/jellyfin/jellyfin-mpv-shim/issues/303
- https://github.com/jellyfin/jellyfin-mpv-shim/issues/237
Mirrorcast
- https://github.com/ASHS-School/mirrorcast - last commit 7 yrs ago, 49 stars, 7 forks
AirTame
Proprietary dongle with a proprietary app. Pricing really only meant for businesses.
Supports AirPlay, Miracast and Google Cast.
TeeWe 2
Proprietary dongle. It was sold in India around 2015. Very likely long since dead.
- https://www.crazyengineers.com/threads/teewe-2-review-this-hdmi-dongle-packs-a-punch-for-the-price.81277
- https://www.purevpn.com/blog/best-chromecast-alternatives
iPazzPort Cast
It's just a Miracast dongle. Out of stock and probably long dead. Chinese no-name webstore.
- https://www.ipazzport.com/product-category/ipazzport-cast/miracast-dongle
- https://www.purevpn.com/blog/best-chromecast-alternatives
TV Buddy Caster
Looks like vaporware.
- https://old.reddit.com/r/TVDetails/comments/g175t4/tv_buddy_is_it_legit_or_is_it_a_scam
- https://www.amazon.ca/Streaming-Smartphone-Widescreen-AirMirror-Cross-System/dp/B081SYDYXJ
- https://www.purevpn.com/blog/best-chromecast-alternatives
Google Cast reimplementations
- https://github.com/vishen/go-chromecast - 900 stars, 86 forks, last commit a month ago
- https://github.com/tristanpenman/go-cast - 8 stars, 1 fork, last commit 3 weeks ago
Notes
- https://github.com/enen92/script.tubecast - learnt about it while researching Youtube on Kodi
- https://helpdeskgeek.com/the-best-4-alternatives-to-google-chromecast
- https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/11ygmqx/chromecast_alternative
- https://old.reddit.com/r/fossdroid/comments/8vavp2/chromecast_netflix_w_microg
... and good alternatives, where available. To the best of my knowledge, and no guarantees obviously. All the apps listed here are distributed with libre licences (except where otherwise stated), but some may rely on non-libre backends.
Productivity
- DAVx5 - the easiest way to synchronize your Nextcloud contacts/calendar/tasks with corresponding Android apps. GPLv3. Available on F-Droid.
- K-9 Mail, or these days it is perhaps just as well to use Thunderbird for Android.
- Nextcloud
- Nextcloud Notes
- Tasks.org - a great tasks app that synchronizes with your Nextcloud tasks.
Chat, messaging
- Signal messenger. The app is FOSS, but relies on a proprietary and centralized service.
- Nextcloud Talk
- Beeper
Keyboard
- Unexpected Keyboard, F-Droid - keyboard with a smart swipe-inside-each-key UX that exposes a massive amount of special characters in a smart way.
- HeliBoard, F-Droid
- https://github.com/futo-org/android-keyboard
- Thumb-Key - cool keyboard meant for thumb typing and swiping inside each key.
Audio & video
- Audio Recorder, F-Droid. Easy to integrate with Nextcloud's "Auto Uploads" functionality, in my experience. But the default quality settings (bitrate, etc.) are quite low and I suggest raising them.
- Jellyfin, F-Droid - mobile client for Jellyfin media server.
- NewPipe, F-Droid - I recommend you install it on F-Droid using their repo to get updates faster (but note that this means you trust their repo to push updates to your phone).
- Tempo - music client for Subsonic-compatible servers.
- VLC
Misc
- Binary Eye, F-Droid - a competent QR code scanner.
- FreeOTP+, F-Droid - 2FA authenticator.
- Kvaesitso launcher - it looks great by default and can be customized in lots of useful ways.
- Librera Reader, F-Droid.
- OpenKeychain - in combination with Password Store to sync
passto Android. - OsmAnd - OpenStreetmap for Android.
- Tailscale - app is FOSS, but the underlying service is proprietary, but can replaced with Headscale (but unfortunately I cannot recommend it - tried it once and never figured it out).
- Transdroid - Bittorrent client that lets your monitor and control your server.
- Transportr - public transport timetables. Works well in Stockholm.
- Tusky - Mastodon client that works well with multiple accounts across different instances.
- Wallabag
Thanks mnalis for posting the fix on the Github issue thread. I had spent time fruitlessly trying the Nextcloud app settings, permissions settings, and other stuff, but nothing had any effect - auto upload would not trigger.
Under Android Settings / User & accounts / Nextcloud / Sync the options File sync was OFF! I toggled it ON and the thing started uploading photos immediately.
Let's say you have a tablet or reserve phone without a phone number (i.e., SIM-card) that you would nonetheless like to have Signal installed on. Turns out it's possible.
BUT NOTE THAT SIGNAL WILL DE-REGISTER YOUR ORIGINAL DEVICE ONCE YOU REGISTER THE NEW ONE!
There is still no way to have Signal on more than one device, and you can't link Signal on one device to another device. Too bad, would have been nice, especially with database encrypted at rest (which Molly allows).
- Connect your secondary device to the Internet
- Install Molly-FOSS or Molly or Signal on the secondary device, and initiate Signal's registration process (enter your phone number)
- You will get a code via sms on your primary Signal device
- Enter the code on the secondary device using the numeric keyboard (this worked just fine in my case)
- Enter your Signal PIN
- With that, Molly-FOSS/Molly/Signal should start and show you your groups
While we're at it, why not install Molly or even Molly-FOSS instead of the official Signal app? The benefit of using Molly-FOSS is that we can install it on a device not using Google (the drawback is that push notifications will consume a little more battery).
- What originally sent me exploring Signal app forks was this issue
- https://github.com/mollyim/mollyim-android
- https://molly.im/fdroid/
- https://reddit.com/r/CalyxOS/comments/ptll4t/molly/
- Another Signal fork
When considering automation apps for Android, Tasker immediately comes to mind. And although it has name recognition, it's source code is proprietary and the app requires the Google Play store on the device (beyond a 7-day trial version).
So, what FOSS automation apps are there out there?
- Easer by Rui Zhao. Source on Github (449 stars, 1295 commits), F-Droid. Note that there is also a beta version of this app.
- Automation by Jens Schröder. Source on developer's Gitea instance (88 commits), F-Droid.
Other non-free automation apps for Android (not recommended)
- Tasker
- Automate by LlamaLab
- AutomateIt
- MacroDroid
- RuleBot by KF Software House (Hong Kong)
Shelter is a Free and Open-Source (FOSS) app that leverages the "Work Profile" feature of Android to provide an isolated space that you can install or clone apps into.
Independent app stores (with their own repository of apps)
- F-Droid. The gold standard of FOSS app stores.
- UpToDown, mostly Google Play's apps it seems, but also accepts submissions from developers. Run by Spanish company, not FOSS, but can be used without user registration.