Chromecast from Windows without using browser.

[Geek-9pm]

I have a recent version of Windows 10.
Yes, inside of a browser you can Chrome cast to a TV set that accepts the HDMI interface of the Google Chromoplast stick.

But know how to do that.
I want to do it without the browser. I have at least one application that does  video and I can not find the URL for the video.
The workaround is to download the video and play it in a browser. But I would like to just do it without needed to download it.
Any ideas? I have read the articles from Google and I must be missing some kind of detail. They say you can cast the whole screen to the TV. I am stuck. I don't get it.
Thanks.

[DaveLembke]

This is one of the many reasons why my chromecast was tossed into a box with other junk.  Chromecast wants to run through Chrome or no cigar. To get full screen does F11 work or does that only work for PC screens. I gave up on my chromecast years ago very shortly after wasting money on it.

I was going to sell my chromecast to try to get $20 of my $35 back and its associated with my gmail account and permanently bonded to my e-mail. In order to sell it i would also be required to give them my e-mail account, so its a piece of junk to me. Maybe someday it will be worth something 30 years from now to a collector as its in the box with other junk, doesnt take up much space, and I might get something of that $35 back. 

For some people the chromecast might work out perfect for them, but not for my home and our needs. I have a Roku model 1 as well as my BluRay player has ability to attach a up to 32GB external drive to it to play movies in FAT32 so i found a purpose for an old 40GB IDE Laptop drive formatted with a 32GB partition with a USB/IDE adapter, as well as I can Plex to these devices if I wanted to using a system as a media server.

[Geek-9pm]

Thanks for sharing.
The TV set in our dining room has HDMI and the AV type connectors.
I am able to use the chrome cast to send the browser content from my desktop to the dining room. So far I have not been able to do it without the  using Chrome browser.

However, I can push the browser over to my second monitor and the TV still shows only the browser content. In that case somebody can see a video in the dining room while I do something on my computer with the main monitor.

Like you said, Roku does not have this limitation. I use a Roku in the bedroom. So far I have not found out how to use Roku with a local media server. I was hoping the Chromecast would do the job.   

[DaveLembke]

Roku supports Plex Tv .... https://www.plex.tv/

https://www.plex.tv/how-it-works/

I have been using my Sony BluRay player that has ability to play local movie files through a FAT32 (40GB laptop hard drive formatted to 32GB) through its rear USB port. But I did play with Plex and while the free version works the premium has more features.

[camerongray]

The Chromecast chrome extension already allows you to cast your entire screen, when it opens, click "Cast To" at the top which will open a menu that lets you select "Cast Tab" or "Cast Desktop" - Simply select "Cast Desktop" and it will share your entire screen.