Chromecast with Google TV Search and Voice commands

Chromecast with Google TV Search and Voice commands

The power of Google search within the Chromecast is pretty evident once you start hunting for specific genres, directors or actors.

The Google Assistant button adds voice commands. So you can easily see what movies starring Brad Pitt are available on your streaming subscriptions and whether his latest movie, “Bullet Train” is available to rent. (It is.) 

Among all the streaming hardware that I currently own, I have been using Google TV the most since purchasing a Sony Bravia OLED TV last year. 

Roku may win the day with its easy-to-understand grid of apps. But I think Google TV is closer to what most consumers new to the streaming world actually want. A homepage that pulls together recommendations from multiple services onto one screen is the future of streaming. 

But Google TV wisely reserves the option to peruse a queue of streaming apps on the homepage. And the live TV tab lets you see what is available to watch on YouTube TV or Sling TV without having to launch their respective apps.

How to Connect Google Chromecast HD to an HDTV

During the setup process for Chromecast, I chose to use the Google Home app on my smartphone because it’s a faster setup process with fewer steps. (You don’t need to enter any passwords using your remote control.) 

The Google Home app nimbly paired the remote control to my old TV without having to go through a battery of audio and visual tests.

If you don’t have, or want to use the Google Home app, you have the option of just using the remote control. You will be required to undergo some extra steps, but I found it to be pretty straightforward.

The television I used to review the Google Chromecast HD is a 2007 Samsung capable of 1080p picture resolution. It still delivers a crisp picture, but its last software update was ages ago. The TV was designed for an era when hooking up a Blu Ray player gave you the optimal movie experience. Just about any HD-capable TV should work with Chromecast as long as you have an HDMI port on the TV and a nearby electrical outlet.

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