The Best Settings for Your Chromecast From Google TV
Roku, Amazon, and Apple may dominate the streaming market, but don’t forget Google for now. Last year, the company released its first Chromecast device with the new $ 50 Google TV software, and it’s a viable alternative for your living room with tons of useful features worth knowing about.
Chromecast with Google TV connects to the back of the TV just like the original the difference is that it is a complete set-top box in the shape of a key – visually similar to the Android TV that still exists, but with more emphasis on offering personalized content. There is even a watch list that you can create using your TV or smartphone.
Whether you’re using a new Chromecast or waiting for new software, there are many ways to customize your Google TV experience.
Choose your subscriptions wisely
When setting up, Google TV will ask you to select streaming services. This will not only allow you to quickly access applications from the home page, but will also receive suggestions based on your activity in those applications. According to the Google support page , there are about 30 streaming platforms that are capable of this kind of integration. Google TV itself is compatible with over 6,500 apps in the Play Store.
If you subscribe to streaming services such as YouTube TV or Sling TV, Google TV will immediately integrate the app into the Live tab on the home page. You don’t have to jump through apps to see what’s playing. From there, you can select content from a schedule that will be familiar to anyone associated with the Guide button made famous by cable and satellite TV.
If you need to add new subscriptions or they have changed over time, go to your Google TV settings and go to the Accounts & Sign- in page. Select your account email address and you will see all your existing services (if you need to make changes). If any streaming services are missing, you will have to link them to your account by downloading the corresponding app through the Google TV or Play Store interface in your browser.
If you prefer an app – you might be more inclined to browse your locally stored Plex library – you can change the order of the apps displayed on the home page. Press and hold any app on your Chromecast remote, then select Move . You can use the navbar to shuffle the app wherever you like and press the select button to place it.
Calibrate your remote
Chromecast with Google TV comes with a Bluetooth and infrared remote, so you can control your TV and streaming device with a single controller. During setup, Google will help you program the power button to turn your TV on and off. You can then go to the Google TV settings under Remotes & Accessories to program the volume, mute and enter buttons.
Google also lets you set up the remote to control other devices in your AV system using HDMI-CEC , although you’ll need to dig through the owner’s manual archives associated with your kit to set it up.
If you feel like an outcast, or maybe need a little more functionality compared to your Chromecast remote, download an app like Button Remapper from the Play Store. This will allow you to program each button, including what happens when you double or long press it.
Set up different user accounts
Using Google TV with different accounts adds an extra step that can sometimes seem tedious when all you want to do is flop on the couch, but the trade-off is a recommendation algorithm that knows what you prefer to watch.
To set up a new account, use your remote to navigate to the Settings icon and select Accounts & Sign In . The person who gains access to this user profile will need to log in and follow the steps required to complete the setup. After confirmation, you can switch between user accounts by selecting your profile photo on the Google TV homepage in the upper right corner.
Calling the Google Assistant
Google TV comes with Google Assistant built-in and works the same way as it does on compatible smart speakers and smart displays. Specifically, with Chromecast for Google TV, you can hold down the Assistant button to start a TV show, play a movie, or even play some tunes through an app like Spotify or YouTube Music. If the room is too noisy or you are using a different controller, go to the Assistant icon at the top of the home page to manually enter your request.
If you have other smart home devices such as light bulbs and sockets, you can also control them with the Assistant if they are linked through the Google Home app. Or create a homegroup with other Speakers compatible with the Assistant to create a surround sound experience for music and podcasts.
Build your Google TV Watchlist
One of the main features of the new Google TV is a watchlist linked to your Google account. This concept existed in the original Google Play Movies & TV Android app, but has since expanded to work across Google platforms and streaming services.
If you’re on a Google search or the Google TV app and see a TV show or movie that you think you’d like to watch, add it to your Watchlist so Google can track it for you. Then, when you’re looking for something to watch, navigate to your listing to see where your saved titles are available for rent, purchase, or streaming. Whenever you need to link to it, the watchlist is available on the last tab on the Google TV homepage. You can also access your watchlist by typing “my watchlist” in a Google search on Android or the web.
Remove recommendations you are not interested in
Google TV offers what it calls an “app-only” mode. It removes the personalized recommendation carousel at the very top of the home screen, including genre suggestions that follow as you scroll through the interface. It doesn’t remove the highlights line or any content that’s specifically promoted by Google, but it does reduce the clutter.
To enable this mode, go to your account settings, then tap ” Application-only mode” . Google TV will let you know at the bottom of the homepage when it is turned on.
Customize screensaver
When you’re not watching something, your TV can show your latest photos or interesting public art in Ambient mode . Or, you can add statistics to the screen, including the latest weather forecast and time.
Set up and customize this mode in the Accounts menu in the Settings panel, or customize it through the Google Home app for Android and iOS . Tap your Google TV device name, tap the Settings icon and select Ambient Mode.
From there, you can also choose which Google Photos albums or art galleries to display. If you’d like to showcase your latest photos, create a Live Album in the Google Photos app on your phone or in your computer browser. Then select people’s faces to show in the slideshow. Live Albums use facial recognition to extract photos for a coil. When you’re ready to preview your new mode as it appears when Google TV goes to sleep, press and hold the Home button to manually enable it.
Connect other Bluetooth controllers
If you have another remote that you’d rather use with Google TV, including a gamepad like the Xbox One controller, you can pair it via Bluetooth via the settings menu. The option is available where you calibrated the remote control, in the Remote and Accessories section . Select the “Pair an Accessory” option and follow the instructions.
Add another dongle to your Chromecast
Android TV has always been available with expandable storage, and many set-top boxes that run this software have come with USB ports. Google TV continues this tradition. The first few people to get their hands on a Chromecast from Google TV found that they could plug in a USB-C hub to the device to add USB-connected flash drives or an Ethernet port for a permanent Internet connection. When all of this is put together on the Chromecast, it looks silly, but it works. You can do the same if you want to add storage to Google TV, just make sure you are using the USB-C to power cable pass-through.
Add additional authentication to prevent unwanted purchases
Let’s say you live with a family with kids or roommates who like to use your credit card for digital purchases – you can configure purchase authentication in the settings panel to prevent this from happening, which will result in a PIN or password requirement being enabled. You can manage certain payment methods through your Google account online.
And if you live with people who like to tinker with general TV settings, you can set a special “lock settings” so that before making changes to the settings, you need the same PIN or password that you set for payment authentication. panel.
Remember, you can really tinker with Android
Whether you’re a first-time Google TV user or a veteran of the Android world, remember that you too can have a little fun with the software. Use your favorite VPN from the Play Store to send a connection across your home country and access local news and shows.
You can also try downloading Android apps from reputable sources like APK Mirror if you want to try running something that the Play Store doesn’t have. In the Settings panel, under Security & Restrictions, select Unknown Sources to enable the ability to install apps from sources other than the Play Store. When you’re ready to go, try the method of wirelessly downloading unpublished files using a file viewer app like FX Explorer to move files between Google Drive and local storage on your Chromecast using Google TV.
Please note that in extreme cases, downloading apps from unknown sources can harm your Google TV experience and possibly cause the device to malfunction. And in minor cases, some apps won’t work due to Google TV’s controller dependency.