Linux¶

With an EZCast Pro II device, you can cast your screen directly from Linux using the built-in Google Cast feature in Google Chrome. No additional Chrome extension is required.

This guide explains how to install Google Chrome on Debian-based Linux distributions and then cast your screen. Google Chrome is available for Debian and Linux Mint, among others.

Enable Google Cast on EZCast Pro¶

Google Cast is enabled by default on EZCast Pro II devices. If you need to re-enable it, you can find the [Google Cast] option under Settings:

Install Google Chrome¶

• Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open a terminal window.

• Update the package lists:

sudo apt update

• Then run the following two commands:

wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo apt install ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb

Screen casting with Google Chrome¶

• Find and launch Google Chrome:

• Open the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner and select Cast...:

• Select the desired casting source:

• Cast tab - Casts only the active tab by default

• Cast screen - Casts the entire computer screen

• To start casting, simply select the desired receiver.

• To stop casting, click Stop:

You can right-click the Cast icon to pin it to the toolbar:

Known issues and solutions when casting with Google Chrome¶

YouTube: Connection drops when casting a tab¶

When casting a Chrome tab via Google Cast, the connection to the EZCast Pro II may drop as soon as YouTube is opened or a YouTube video is played. This behavior has been observed on Windows 11 and Linux Mint. Other websites can generally be cast successfully using tab casting.

Workaround: In Google Chrome, under Sources, select Cast screen instead of Cast tab, then start the YouTube video. During testing, the connection did not drop when casting the entire screen.

Note: The exact cause has not yet been conclusively determined.

Linux Mint: Black screen when casting the desktop¶

When casting the entire desktop (Cast screen) under Linux Mint, certain EZCast Pro II firmware versions may display only a black screen. The connection may then be interrupted. Casting individual Chrome tabs may still work.

Affected firmware versions: The issue was identified starting with version 1.17478.183 and reproduced with 1.17478.195 and 1.17478.205, among others.

Solution: Install firmware 1.17478.206 or a later version, if available for your device model. Beta firmware 1.17478.206 was successfully tested under Linux Mint and resolves the issue described.

Instructions and available firmware files can be found under Reinstall firmware. Make sure to use the correct file for your device model (e.g. D10 or D15).

Debian 13 with KDE Plasma and Wayland: Connection drops when the Chrome window is minimized¶

Under Debian 13 with KDE Plasma and Wayland, the Google Cast connection may drop when the Google Chrome window is minimized. In one practical test, the connection dropped after approximately 30 seconds.

Cause: On the tested system, KDE Plasma Activity Manager was identified as the trigger. The issue was not caused by the EZCast/Google Cast protocol.

Solution: On the affected system, the connection drops were resolved by applying the Chrome policy ForceForegroundPolicyForAllTabs. This policy should be configured by the responsible IT administrator.

With beta firmware 1.17478.206, two devices were subsequently able to cast simultaneously to an EZCast Pro II via Google Cast. Both connections remained stable for over an hour.

Note: These results are based on a specific customer environment. The Chrome policy is not a general requirement for Google Cast under Debian 13.