August 12, 2022

Fixing Google Home and its Confusion with TV and Chromecast device when asking "Turn on the TV"

TLDR;

Seems like each Google Home Speaker has options for its own Defaults, Audio and TV. Lesson Learned, Google Home makes the "TV" a Chromecast when introduced to a room. Meaning you can't override "Turn on the TV".

Situation

Set up things so that when I walk into my Home Office I say "Hey Google, Turn on Office TV" … ideally this is done via Harmony Hub that turns on a Samsung TV via IR.

When a Chromecast HDMI stick is introduced to "Home Office" room, it becomes the TV to Google Home. (This 2nd stick is hanging off a small 19" monitor displaying Google Photos on loop)

Now when I say "Hey Google, Turn on Office TV", it says Chromecast isn't setup, EVEN WHEN I NAME THE CHROMECAST SOMETHING ELSE that has nothing to do with TV or Chromecast.

Frustrating, cause it seems if Google sees a Chromecast in a room, it makes that the TV, regardless of what I want it to be via my voice commands.

Solution

Kind of a hack but if you remove the Chromecast from the "Home Office" via (Device) Setings > General >Device Information and change placement from current room (ie Home Office) to anywhere else, everything works as it did before.

Also for custom voice commands, I now need to say "Turn on the Office TV", note that you must add "the".

FILED UNDER:  Home Automation
RELATED POST TO READ

Home Assistant - Turning On My Sonos When An Orioles Baseball Game is Starting

Learn more in-depth coding and automation with Home Assistant. Take data from the MLB API and use the game start time to turn on a Sonos at first pitch.