Google Home FAQ

Steve F · 10-09-2019 10:21am

mx5ire wrote: »

Is anyone else noticing that Google Home "Hey Google" requests are not being heard / recognised the first time that you say it ? I am noticing this on a Home Mini, and on my piece of junk Lenovo smart display. After you repeat the "Hey Google" its seems to be fine.

I'm noticing this on my car on Android Auto...not sure if this compares but I just thought I would throw that into the discussion

digitaldr · 10-09-2019 4:27pm

Ok google seems to work a bit better.

McMurphy · 10-09-2019 8:29pm

What have they done to "hey Google flip a coin" they seem to have replaced it with some robot sounding junk.

AngelaRI · 11-09-2019 9:40am

mx5ire wrote: »

Is anyone else noticing that Google Home "Hey Google" requests are not being heard / recognised the first time that you say it ? I am noticing this on a Home Mini, and on my piece of junk Lenovo smart display. After you repeat the "Hey Google" its seems to be fine.

Yes! It will light up showing that it has recognized the prompt, sometimes even flash the lights like it's processing the command, then nothing. Sometimes I have to ask 2, 3, 4 times to get it to respond: 2 different Minis and my Google Home Hub (on the hub I can see the command appear at the top - sometimes it will show up, stay a few seconds, then disappear, sometimes won't show up at all (I'd blame spotty wifi only my wifi speaker RIGHT NEXT TO IT (and like 30cm further from the hotspot) is playing just fine... Been like this a few weeks, I've been sending constant feedback and calling poor lady Google rude and deaf out of frustration...

jones · 11-09-2019 1:41pm

I have to say as a big "google guy" i think the home's efficiency has gone backwards lately. Everything seems very half a$$ed and buggy and simple requests now go unanswered.

I know about the dust in the mic issue (which in itself seems like a design flaw) but just in general my home mini's (I've three of them) do not seem as good as when i first bought them a few years ago.

jogdish · 11-09-2019 1:47pm

jones wrote: »

I have to say as a big "google guy" i think the home's efficiency has gone backwards lately. Everything seems very half a$$ed and buggy and simple requests now go unanswered.

I know about the dust in the mic issue (which in itself seems like a design flaw) but just in general my home mini's (I've three of them) do not seem as good as when i first bought them a few years ago.

+1, also weird random features that don't existin certain regions. My home mini can get a radio alarm yet the Home hub cannot.

Also BBC sounds not being available is a downer for me. Currently my four devices are all gloried radios (albeit excellent quality, minus having to listen to ads and unable to stream directly from rte source)

jones · 11-09-2019 1:51pm

The region thing is a nightmare - i recently bought an LG C9 (cracking tv) but part of the decision process was that it had goggle assistant on board and my house is basically all google/nest/Philips hue...cue setting the tv up and i realise there is some issue with LG and the assistant so it doesn't work in Ireland yet. I've yet to find out exactly why but some licencing reason that only effects here apparently. Very odd.

postsnthing · 12-09-2019 10:12am

jones wrote: »

The region thing is a nightmare - i recently bought an LG C9 (cracking tv) but part of the decision process was that it had goggle assistant on board and my house is basically all google/nest/Philips hue...cue setting the tv up and i realise there is some issue with LG and the assistant so it doesn't work in Ireland yet. I've yet to find out exactly why but some licencing reason that only effects here apparently. Very odd.

Yeah this is crazy change your address to a UK one and it works but that is obviously not practical for your Google account. I think I also got it to work with UK settings on the tv

opus · 12-09-2019 11:09am

mx5ire wrote: »

Is anyone else noticing that Google Home "Hey Google" requests are not being heard / recognised the first time that you say it ? I am noticing this on a Home Mini, and on my piece of junk Lenovo smart display. After you repeat the "Hey Google" its seems to be fine.

Yup it's been happening a while, it's funny how I occasionally have to stop myself getting annoyed with it & shouting! Obviously I'm starting to humaise it

jones · 12-09-2019 10:16pm

postsnthing wrote: »

jones wrote: »

The region thing is a nightmare - i recently bought an LG C9 (cracking tv) but part of the decision process was that it had goggle assistant on board and my house is basically all google/nest/Philips hue...cue setting the tv up and i realise there is some issue with LG and the assistant so it doesn't work in Ireland yet. I've yet to find out exactly why but some licencing reason that only effects here apparently. Very odd.

Yeah this is crazy change your address to a UK one and it works but that is obviously not practical for your Google account. I think I also got it to work with UK settings on the tv

Wow I changed the country but not the content region worked straight away once I changed both to UK Wtf. Thanks for the heads up

24-09-2019 11:54pm

I'm after ordering a Lenovo Smart Display on eBay from AO. So dumb question: What happens if I have the regular Google Home and Lenovo in the same room and I say "Hey Google"? How do I direct my commands to a particular device?

ilovesmybrick · 25-09-2019 10:43am

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm after ordering a Lenovo Smart Display on eBay from AO. So dumb question: What happens if I have the regular Google Home and Lenovo in the same room and I say "Hey Google"? How do I direct my commands to a particular device?

Well some of my mini's overlap in their pickup, with my Nvidia shield so if I say "play x on living room speaker" or "play y on shield", it works fine.

Kintarō Hattori · 25-09-2019 12:40pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm after ordering a Lenovo Smart Display on eBay from AO. So dumb question: What happens if I have the regular Google Home and Lenovo in the same room and I say "Hey Google"? How do I direct my commands to a particular device?

I have a Home speaker and a Home hub in the living room and it's usually the one that you're closest to that picks up your request. In the app you can also specify a default speaker for media.

25-09-2019 7:02pm

postsnthing wrote: »

Yeah this is crazy change your address to a UK one and it works but that is obviously not practical for your Google account. I think I also got it to work with UK settings on the tv

I’ve changed the location and content to the UK but can’t get it to work. Any ideas what else I need to change?

sweetie · 26-09-2019 3:00pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I'm after ordering a Lenovo Smart Display on eBay from AO. So dumb question: What happens if I have the regular Google Home and Lenovo in the same room and I say "Hey Google"? How do I direct my commands to a particular device?

Did you use address pal for this?

26-09-2019 3:09pm

I did yes. Delivered this morning.

AngelaRI · 27-09-2019 10:14am

21% discount at Google store today: https://store.google.com/gb/collection/offers?utm_source=promo&utm_content=&utm_campaign=GS103357&utm_medium=email_crm&utm_term=

68 lost souls · 27-09-2019 12:11pm

AngelaRI wrote: »

21% discount at Google store today: https://store.google.com/gb/collection/offers?utm_source=promo&utm_content=&utm_campaign=GS103357&utm_medium=email_crm&utm_term=

Can I use parcel motel/ parcel wizard with the UK store? £180 vs €220 for the nest hello, with the €4 surhcarge its about €15 further savings

AngelaRI · 01-10-2019 9:03am

68 lost souls wrote: »

Can I use parcel motel/ parcel wizard with the UK store? £180 vs €220 for the nest hello, with the €4 surhcarge its about €15 further savings

I always use ParcelMotel for UK Google Store, as they don't deliver to Ireland, never had an issue using Parcel Motel and I've bought a number of times off Google Store UK

Sheep Shagger · 02-10-2019 5:03pm

Am trying to rack my brain, both me and the kids used to be able to ask Google to read a bedtime story (have some bought from the Google book store) and they also have some in Google home itself but its stopped working?

Can't get it to read any book now

eusap · 03-10-2019 8:43am

Has anybody elses google mini started not responding and just shows 4 solid white lights? Mine started on Saturday and i contacted Google just got back "we are aware of the issue and working on a solution"

I have tried resetting etc,... and no response

fletch · 03-10-2019 8:51am

eusap wrote: »

Has anybody elses google mini started not responding and just shows 4 solid white lights? Mine started on Saturday and i contacted Google just got back "we are aware of the issue and working on a solution"

I have tried resetting etc,... and no response

My radio alarm clock didn't work this morning but yeh the 4 lights were lit

Sheep Shagger · 04-10-2019 6:35pm

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Am trying to rack my brain, both me and the kids used to be able to ask Google to read a bedtime story (have some bought from the Google book store) and they also have some in Google home itself but its stopped working?

Can't get it to read any book now

Sorry lads, can someone please ask Google to read a bed time story and let me know if it works for you.

Is working on the two hubs we have but bit the homes or minks....used to always work. Nest support on twitter has said to try rebooting the devices not working, that has not made a difference.

Mantis Toboggan · 04-10-2019 7:31pm

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Sorry lads, can someone please ask Google to read a bed time story and let me know if it works for you.

Is working on the two hubs we have but bit the homes or minks....used to always work. Nest support on twitter has said to try rebooting the devices not working, that has not made a difference.

Just asked it there and it's working away!

04-10-2019 7:34pm

Working on my Lenovo smart clock, Lenovo Smart Display and Onkyo G3 speaker.

killbillvol2 · 04-10-2019 7:48pm

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Sorry lads, can someone please ask Google to read a bed time story and let me know if it works for you.

Is working on the two hubs we have but bit the homes or minks....used to always work. Nest support on twitter has said to try rebooting the devices not working, that has not made a difference.

Just tried it there too and it worked.

I'm wondering how Google's algorithms are dealing with a middle aged man asking for a bedtime story at 7 on a Friday night though? Probably fewer ads for beer!

Sheep Shagger · 04-10-2019 8:12pm

Thanks lads, v frustrating it works on some devices in the house (just not the one in the kids room!) plus in other houses (yours)....will keep talking to their help people on Twitter,

Would normally be at the Leinster game but needed the kids calm in bed so I can watch the game in peace on the tv!

Sheep Shagger · 04-10-2019 10:53pm

As per their twitter support, all works ok when you switch back to US English....

Kintarō Hattori · 09-10-2019 8:37am

We can move music and videos currently playing to another device now:

https://www.engadget.com/2019/10/08/google-stream-transfer-home-nest-chromecast/

opus · 21-10-2019 11:52am

My morning routine was to ask my Google home hub 'what's the news' while making breakfast & it used to play me the headlines from RTE, BCC & NPR. Last week it looks to have changed to showing me headlines instead from English tabloids which is of zero use to me. Is it working ok for anyone else?

davegilly · 21-10-2019 2:25pm

opus wrote: »

My morning routine was to ask my Google home hub 'what's the news' while making breakfast & it used to play me the headlines from RTE, BCC & NPR. Last week it looks to have changed to showing me headlines instead from English tabloids which is of zero use to me. Is it working ok for anyone else?

Mine is doing the same. I asked for RTE news and she replied that she can't play news from RTE! Not sure when it changed.

Just checked the news sources from the home app and RTE is no longer there. Newstalk is though so I've added that now instead.

opus · 22-10-2019 11:03am

davegilly wrote: »

Mine is doing the same. I asked for RTE news and she replied that she can't play news from RTE! Not sure when it changed.

Just checked the news sources from the home app and RTE is no longer there. Newstalk is though so I've added that now instead.

I've still got the same news sources in the app but doesn't work of course. Can get them to play individually so not the end of the work but it was neat having it play them in sequence in response to a 'what's the new' statement.

Mantis Toboggan · 07-11-2019 2:13pm

Are there any good quizzes on this?

I used to always play lucky trivia but it seems to have disappeared?

Kintarō Hattori · 13-11-2019 1:32pm

Anyone having an issue where the volume drops when a mini is playing a playlist from Spotify or where it just stops the music altogether? At the moment my toddler wants to sleep on the big bed and fall asleep listening to Enya. It breaks the peace and quiet having to ask to raise the volume or resume music.

The Nal · 13-11-2019 1:39pm

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Anyone having an issue where the volume drops when a mini is playing a playlist from Spotify or where it just stops the music altogether? At the moment my toddler wants to sleep on the big bed and fall asleep listening to Enya. It breaks the peace and quiet having to ask to raise the volume or resume music.

Spotify drops a lot with it yeah. Drops the connection to the Chromcast and plays on my phone instead or keeps playing on the Chomecast and the phone.

opus · 18-11-2019 12:02pm

davegilly wrote: »

Mine is doing the same. I asked for RTE news and she replied that she can't play news from RTE! Not sure when it changed.

Just checked the news sources from the home app and RTE is no longer there. Newstalk is though so I've added that now instead.

And it's back working again, no changes on my side.

Sheep Shagger · 20-11-2019 8:30pm

Google mini (1st gen) in spare room isnt working, tried a hard reset but all I get is a single green light, does this mean its bricked?

Strangely (but thankfully) no others in the house are affected.

McMurphy · 21-11-2019 11:40am

I've 4 X Google's in total 2 in bedrooms and one in the garage (all minis) and they'll play music from yt music or Google music (depending on the linked Google account)

I also have a Google home in the dining room.

The home however will only play music for me, it is fairly temperamental to others about turning on the lights, setting the temperature, and as for playing music? Forget it, when the wife or kids ask it to play something, it just says something about Spotify premium not being active, but here's a playlist related to (enter artist name here)

It's mad, because up until a few months ago it would perform all tasks asked of it regardless of who was asking it.

We have a YouTube premium family account, everyone has individual accounts signed in, linked and voice match etc.

Doesn't bother me too much, as she does what I ask, but the wife and kids are ready to throw it up the back field.

Anyone any idea?

viclemronny · 22-11-2019 4:30pm

Can I ask how you manage to actress routines in Ireland? Mine disappeared and the only solution have Google an American accent.

opus wrote: »

I've still got the same news sources in the app but doesn't work of course. Can get them to play individually so not the end of the work but it was neat having it play them in sequence in response to a 'what's the new' statement.

Sheep Shagger · 25-11-2019 8:42pm

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Google mini (1st gen) in spare room isnt working, tried a hard reset but all I get is a single green light, does this mean its bricked?

Strangely (but thankfully) no others in the house are affected.

Got on to Nest support via twitter and after done questions and emails they are sending me a replacement mini. Have to return the faulty one using a free post label.

Doge · 27-11-2019 6:01pm

I pulled the trigger on the Google Nest Hub smart display for £59 (£60 off) from Google's UK store and used Parcel Wizard as my address. It shipped today.

If anything it will be handy in the kitchen for speaking out recipies step by step and I might also use it next to my bed side locker for the mornings.

https://store.google.com/gb/product/google_nest_hub

Edit: just spotted the Google home mega thread in bargain alerts haven't been on that subforum recently!

Mickeroo · 03-12-2019 10:04am

Sorry i'm a total noob with these things so bear with me if the below doesn't make sense.

Tried to set up a custom routine last night in the assistant app which will tell me which bin is supposed to go out. The command should be "Hey google, which bin is it this week?" and it's supposed to check the corresponding calendar event. If I do it manually through the assistant app on my phone it works perfectly but none of the speakers in the house are recognising the command.

If I tell it to just check my calendar for Monday it reads back what I want to hear but where's the fun in that?

Any ideas? Do I need to sync the speakers after setting something like this up on the app or something?

Thanks.

Edit: got this worknig with a bit more tinkering. deleted te one I made and recreated it through the sttings menu rather than using the routines option in the GH app. worked this time even thoguh it seemed identical.

cintec · 03-12-2019 7:40pm

my google home mini has started to respond with a female english voice to some commands has anyone else experienced this? I didn't make any changes to the settings

RunDMC · 03-12-2019 8:06pm

cintec wrote: »

my google home mini has started to respond with a female english voice to some commands has anyone else experienced this? I didn't make any changes to the settings

Yes, from about 6:30pm this evening. As far as I can tell, with the language set to "English (Ireland)" it used to use the same voice as "English (UK)". This has now changed. With "English (UK)" you get to chose the old female voice, or a new male one. With "English (Ireland)", you don't get a choice, just the new female voice.

R

Rooster86 · 05-12-2019 11:02pm

jones wrote: »

Wow I changed the country but not the content region worked straight away once I changed both to UK Wtf. Thanks for the heads up

Hey Jones I'm having same issue. I changed TV region to UK but Google mini still won't connect, says LG not supported in this region ??

McMurphy · 07-12-2019 11:36am

I'm going to splash out on colour changing bulbs to go with my Google set up, just wanted to ask real quick, is Philips hue the way to go (there's a starter kit with 2 X white and 1 X coloured bulb for 95£ or so online) or would I be just as well buying generic smart coloured bulbs off Amazon such as these ?

WiFi Smart Bulb Alexa Light Bulbs B22 Bayonet Colour Dimmable, No Hub Required, Works with Alexa, Google Home and IFTTT, 7W Equivalent 60W, 2700K, AISIRER Smart Light Bulb 2 Pack https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07S79FBB2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Mc46DbSVYWHNT

digitaldr · 07-12-2019 12:28pm

I'd say go with Hue as it's very flexible and has a good well supported app. I'd imagine those hubless systems would need good Wi-Fi coverage which isn't an issue with Hue l. I only actually have a few Hue bulbs - mainly use Ikea Tradfri ones. Much cheaper but I had to pair them via touchlink - not too much hassle and only had to do it once. The new range of Tradfri bulbs are great - I picked up one of these last week - colour temperature adjustable and can set it to a really cosy warm white - perfect for lamps. They even do a hipster filament type bulb. I'm not actually sure what the Tradfri hub & app is like but can't imagine it's as polished as Hue.

ForestFire · 07-12-2019 4:11pm

Kasa Smart Bulb by TP-link

I have a few of these and their smart plugs and no issues with them using with kasa schedules and Google home. There are also dining a 15 euro/pound simply dimmable bulb now to.

There are a regonised brand in WiFi extenders etc. No hub and not had any issues with WiFi connections etc.

Also, I keep them in my wish list on amazon and wait till there on special offer, check price history to get an idea of when to buy.

McMurphy · 08-12-2019 1:21pm

Thanks guys, just bought these ones:

Alexa Smart WiFi Light Bulbs B22 Bayonet 2 Pack by LUMIMAN RGBCW Colour 7.5w, Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, 60W Remote Control by Smart Phone iOS & Android, No Hub Required https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NWCZPJG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lVo7DbV40H8PD

@ £11 including postage to Ireland to dip my toes in the water, I'll let you know how I get on.

McMurphy · 10-12-2019 5:00pm

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Thanks guys, just bought these ones:

Alexa Smart WiFi Light Bulbs B22 Bayonet 2 Pack by LUMIMAN RGBCW Colour 7.5w, Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, 60W Remote Control by Smart Phone iOS & Android, No Hub Required https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NWCZPJG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lVo7DbV40H8PD

@ £11 including postage to Ireland to dip my toes in the water, I'll let you know how I get on.

So these arrived, and I've them connected up easily enough, however anyone know what procedures I need to follow so two different kids in two different bedrooms can control them with voice only?

I'm not at home right now, but would like a heads up for when I get there.

Sorted

Google Home FAQ

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