Is it possible to totally integrate Google Home and a Samsung Smart TV?
November 29, 2023 6:22 AM Subscribe
Can I be completely remote free, either with or without a Chromecast, which I don't have, but am perfectly willing to buy if it's possible?
Right now I can tell Google Home to turn the tv off and on, I can raise or lower the volume, and I can tell it to open streaming services, but that's it. For example, it will open Hulu, but won't play a specific show even if it's right there on the home screen, it says it doesn't know how to do that. So I can walk into my living room and tell the tv to turn on, but after that I still have to pick up the remote to do things. Do I need Chromecast to be remote-free? It seems silly to be able to say turn on the tv, and then go to netflix or whatever, and then have to pick up the remote to choose a show.
This is all I've done so far - have put the Samsung SmartThings app on my phone, and have synched it with the Google Home app, also on my phone: https://www.asurion.com/connect/tech-tips/how-to-set-up-google-home-on-samsung-tv/ Any tips or advice much appreciated!
Right now I can tell Google Home to turn the tv off and on, I can raise or lower the volume, and I can tell it to open streaming services, but that's it. For example, it will open Hulu, but won't play a specific show even if it's right there on the home screen, it says it doesn't know how to do that. So I can walk into my living room and tell the tv to turn on, but after that I still have to pick up the remote to do things. Do I need Chromecast to be remote-free? It seems silly to be able to say turn on the tv, and then go to netflix or whatever, and then have to pick up the remote to choose a show.
This is all I've done so far - have put the Samsung SmartThings app on my phone, and have synched it with the Google Home app, also on my phone: https://www.asurion.com/connect/tech-tips/how-to-set-up-google-home-on-samsung-tv/ Any tips or advice much appreciated!
Response by poster: Baethan, thank you for testing Chromecast for me! This is very entertaining, and priceless info ;) I think you just saved me the annoyance of buying a Chromecast. Hoping the next gen of smart tvs is remote-free and just does voice commands. Now I'm wondering if I can get Alexa (yeah I have Google Home AND Alexa haha) can help with this..... !
posted by the webmistress at 7:33 AM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by the webmistress at 7:33 AM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: With Google Home on a Pixel 7a phone + Chromecast (purchased in early 2022 I think?) + a Samsung smart TV purchased in 2017, I technically do not need a remote because there's a duplicate Chromecast remote available on my phone. I am able to click into Max and play a show, or Hulu, or Netflix, using just my phone to control the TV. (I don't have Amazon Prime so I can't test that.)
Every time I lose my white Chromecast remote in the sofa cushions, I end up having to use it - it sucks, though, a complete pain in the ass, is not intuitive at all, like even the fucking volume wasn't intuitive to me. But it does work. To be fair it may just be that I am a clod with technology. My son seems to think it's perfectly great - though even he seems to prefer the remote, I will note.
posted by MiraK at 9:51 AM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
Every time I lose my white Chromecast remote in the sofa cushions, I end up having to use it - it sucks, though, a complete pain in the ass, is not intuitive at all, like even the fucking volume wasn't intuitive to me. But it does work. To be fair it may just be that I am a clod with technology. My son seems to think it's perfectly great - though even he seems to prefer the remote, I will note.
posted by MiraK at 9:51 AM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: MiraK, so you basically use a phone instead of a remote? :) Thank you for the explanation, this is all pretty enlightening.
posted by the webmistress at 10:04 AM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by the webmistress at 10:04 AM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yes. The Google Home app, when paired with a Chromecast device stuck into your TV, has a virtual Chromecast remote in it. So all you need is your phone.
posted by MiraK at 1:28 PM on November 29, 2023
posted by MiraK at 1:28 PM on November 29, 2023
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YouTube: works perfectly, perhaps unsurprisingly
Prime video: doesn't work. Google doesn't think my test show (Psych) is available on prime even though it is. Just keeps showing me it's on peacock. Even "watch the show Good Omens on the Amazon prime TV app on the TV" just results in "there's a few ways you can watch" message (it's an Amazon exclusive, so, no, no there is not Google stop lying)
Disney+: opens up the show but doesn't play automatically
Peacock: .......it's telling me Psych isnt available, then gives me a button to press on the TV to watch it. On peacock. I think peacock doesn't work.
Hulu: Google can't understand when I ask it to open House on Hulu ("there are a few ways to watch, use your remote") no matter how loudly and clearly I say Hulu. It can play Elf on Hulu though. So it kinda works! Maybe only if Google decides for itself that Hulu is the only option
Plutotv: no
Tubi: works! Don't even have an account. Google can't even pronounce the name right and it works anyways.
Twitch: no
For reference, I have the "Chromecast with Google tv" & bought it in early 2021. I wouldn't recommend this particular model because it doesn't have enough internal storage for the modern era of a bajillion different streaming services all needing their own apps and sometimes it has a little overwhelmed freakout. Otherwise, I like it. I actually use it on a Samsung smart tv but don't have Samsung connected to the Internet or Google so can't speak on that
posted by Baethan at 7:17 AM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]