Google Home FAQ

caution

Just received a Google home mini. I have deezer and cannot add this as default music option. I can see online that deezer does support Google home. But if I try to launch it from the assistant it prompts that deezer is not available in your country. I can play it via Bluetooth but it's not the same. Google play music and Spotify are the only 2 options listed. Has anyone used deezer in this way on the home? Any help appreciated, I may cancel deezer and use Spotify.

moonboy52

Someone mentioned that a few days ago.

From a quick Google then, Deezer and GH is only supported in France & Germany, but not sure.

EagererBeaver

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

CGI_3 wrote: »

As in intercom. Is this feature available here? Don't have a second GH, so can't try.

Yep, I tried it the other day.

Intercom? How?

Broadcast isn't an intercom feature.

bk

EagererBeaver wrote: »

Intercom? How?

Broadcast isn't an intercom feature.

I've this working. You say something like:

"Hey Google, Broadcast, Food is ready"

and the other GH's in the house pop up and say, "Food is ready".

bk

So I've gotten shortcuts to working and they are great, but it is a pain to get working.

Shortcuts allow you to create shortcuts to certain commands, for instance, rather then having to say:
"Hey Google, ask Harmony to turn up the TV", I've a shortcut that is just:
"Hey Google, TV up" and it triggers the above command, nice

However it was a pain to get this feature working in the first place. "Shortcuts simply weren't listed in the menu of Google Home.

It turns out you need the Google Assistant app for this option to appear in Google Home. But Google Assistant isn't available in the Irish Apple App Store! So I had to use the trick of changing the app store to the UK in order to install the app. Just FYI for anyone else struggling with this.

bk

Also I've found what is a pretty bug and annoying flaw with Multiuser.

When you set up a second user, you have to set everything up for them again. You have to link the Hue lights, create rooms, assign devices to rooms, link the thermostat, etc.

But worse of all you have to redo all the shortcuts you created previously. Painful.

It can be hours of extra work for each user you add.

They should really have an option to allow you copy all the settings over to new user accounts or mark one account as master and have any changes in that reflected by default in user accounts.

Mutliuser is a great feature, but clearly they haven't thought it all the way through.

BattlingCheese

bk wrote: »

I've this working. You say something like:

"Hey Google, Broadcast, Food is ready"

and the other GH's in the house pop up and say, "Food is ready".

Some confusion with Broadcast and Intercom i think.

Broadcast works as you described BK.
There is no intercom function currently on GH's. i.e you cannot talk and listen and then talk back from one GH to another like a baby monitor.
It will just broadcast a message to all GH's.

Now you could Broadcast back

adox

bk wrote: »

So I've gotten shortcuts to working and they are great, but it is a pain to get working.

Shortcuts allow you to create shortcuts to certain commands, for instance, rather then having to say:
"Hey Google, ask Harmony to turn up the TV", I've a shortcut that is just:
"Hey Google, TV up" and it triggers the above command, nice

However it was a pain to get this feature working in the first place. "Shortcuts simply weren't listed in the menu of Google Home.

It turns out you need the Google Assistant app for this option to appear in Google Home. But Google Assistant isn't available in the Irish Apple App Store! So I had to use the trick of changing the app store to the UK in order to install the app. Just FYI for anyone else struggling with this.

Thats weird. I started of with Shortcuts in my menu. Set some up then it disappeared. It re-appeared the next day and has been there since. Didnt download any other apps.

I find it great for the Hue Lights. I say "Hey Google, Goodnight" and it switches off all the lights in the house.
"Hey Google, good morning" or "Hey Google, good evening" turns on two lights in the front room and the light strip in the kitchen.

I have set it up for harmony as well but i am having some issues with irregular delays from when i give the command. was the same with the Echo Dot so its obviously something to do with the Harmony hub or my connections.

What would bring Shortcuts to the next level would be if you could set multiple commands for a Shortcut. cant see it happening anytime soon but its a great feature as it is.

bk

adox wrote: »

What would bring Shortcuts to the next level would be if you could set multiple commands for a Shortcut. cant see it happening anytime soon but its a great feature as it is.

I already had something like this running with, Google Home -> IFTTT -> Yonomi

A bit convoluted, but actually worked well:

"Hey google, nigthtime"
- All Hue lights start to fade to off over 1 minute.
- Bedside Hue lamps turn on
- TV turns off if on
- Thermostat set to night mode

I must update it to use Stringify, which has native Googel Home support, allow you to eliminate IFTTT from the steps. And with shortcuts, you could execute all of the above using just "Hey Google, goodnight" or similar.

Nice

EagererBeaver

bk wrote: »

EagererBeaver wrote: »

Intercom? How?

Broadcast isn't an intercom feature.

I've this working. You say something like:

"Hey Google, Broadcast, Food is ready"

and the other GH's in the house pop up and say, "Food is ready".

Yes, I know what it is and how it works. I'm saying that's not intercom functionally.

jogdish

bk wrote: »

I already had something like this running with, Google Home -> IFTTT -> Yonomi

A bit convoluted, but actually worked well:

"Hey google, nigthtime"
- All Hue lights start to fade to off over 1 minute.
- Bedside Hue lamps turn on
- TV turns off if on
- Thermostat set to night mode

I must update it to use Stringify, which has native Googel Home support, allow you to eliminate IFTTT from the steps. And with shortcuts, you could execute all of the above using just "Hey Google, goodnight" or similar.

Nice

Do you mind me asking, is having the house with HUE lights very expensive? How did you go about buying them, one at a time or some multi starter pack?

mik_da_man

Two Things:

1. Google Home is awesome
2. I'll be broke as I'm buying more

Ludo

Collected my new mini this morning. Having awful trouble setting it up though. Can't get it to connect to wifi during the setup wizard. Moved it right next to the router an all just in case. Anyone else have an issue with this? My main GH didn't have this trouble from what I remember of setting that up.

*update* finally worked on about the tenth attempt...all working fine now.

Mantis Toboggan

On the mini when I ask it to play oasis on Spotify it just finds a station featuring oasis? Am I doing something wrong?

The Black Oil

adox wrote: »

It usually includes how long the commute to work will take. If it doesn’t I ask and it tells me.

This morning it told me about delays on the M1 and told me it was a 20 minute delay, which junction it was delayed from and suggested another route, named the two main roads to take and eta by going that route.

When I set it up 8 set my phone(iPhone) to English US for language and my location as U.S. as per set up instructions on here. Maybe that makes the difference?

I added a shopping centre near my office as my work address. That seems to have helped a little. This morning it told me I'd arrive there at 7:52 which I wouldn't have a hope of doing, only if schools where off. Typically the earliest I'd arrive is around 8:20. Grain of salt for the estimates, but you can't blame the system. The M50 obeys no logic. I haven't gotten any feedback on delays from the Mini, though. If I ask 'how's my commute?' it says the 'best way to get to ____ is via M1 which will take 41 minutes in light traffic' (asking tonight) Same spiel if I ask about delays.

Re the last point, this is what bk flagged earlier.

bk wrote: »

My new Mini is set to:
Language: English (United States)
Country Code: IE

My GH that I bought in the US is:
Language: English (United States)
Country Code: US

By language, do you mean the assistant's voice and where is Country Code in settings, btw?

wexfordman2

Tyson Fury wrote: »

On the mini when I ask it to play oasis on Spotify it just finds a station featuring oasis? Am I doing something wrong?

No, that sound about right, if you want yo play a specific song or album you wouln need to be more specific

DIEGOCON

My google home arrived today. I'm seriously impressed.

The speaker is very good (if a bit bassy). Does anyone know how to change the speaker bass settings??.

Two other questions, (A) does anyone know if GH eats a lot of data and how do I find that out myself?? (B) is there a way of setting up voice recognition so when my daughter asks GH a question it knows its her and not me?

wexfordman2

DIEGOCON wrote: »

My google home arrived today. I'm seriously impressed.

The speaker is very good (if a bit bassy). Does anyone know how to change the speaker bass settings??.

Two other questions, (A) does anyone know if GH eats a lot of data and how do I find that out myself?? (B) is there a way of setting up voice recognition so when my daughter asks GH a question it knows its her and not me?

You can adjust the bass settings via the device on the google home app.

Multi account is what you are looking for to have identify users by their voice...works very well

DIEGOCON

wexfordman2 wrote: »

You can adjust the bass settings via the device on the google home app.

Multi account is what you are looking for to have identify users by their voice...works very well

Multi User accounts?? I'm sure this has been discussed on the boards somewhere. can someone point me in the right direction. I wouldn't know where to start in setting that up.

wexfordman2

wexfordman2 wrote: »

You can adjust the bass settings via the device on the google home app.

Multi account is what you are looking for to have identify users by their voice...works very well

Your daughter needs to have the home app installed inner phone, and then add the devices, is your google home, when she does this it will ask her to train her voice, the same way you had to do it

jogdish

DIEGOCON wrote: »

Multi User accounts?? I'm sure this has been discussed on the boards somewhere. can someone point me in the right direction. I wouldn't know where to start in setting that up.

Google home app, on that page I see set up voice match.

wexfordman2

https://support.google.com/googlehome/answer/7323910?hl=en

Mantis Toboggan

wexfordman2 wrote: »

No, that sound about right, if you want yo play a specific song or album you wouln need to be more specific

When I say hey Google play wonderwall from oasis she tells me that selecting songs is only available for Spotify premium users? I have Spotify premium!

conor-mr2

Multi user account isnt available in Ireland.
I've had no success in setting it up thus far.

I should quantify this with the fact I've tried on both my Android and Iphone to changing the regions to Us/UK and also setting a US address on the Ghome (so it now talks to me with an American Accent).

I still have Country Code of IE for the GHome.

The only thing I havent tried yet is a factory reset of the Home and setting it up with my Iphone when having a Uk/US region.

The closest I've seen to the multi user account was a blue button that appeared and then disappeared very fast under the Devices in my Ghome app on Iphone so its interesting in that I feel its saying "Oh you're in US" coz it see my Iphone region and then reading the country code of the Ghome and seeing that's IE and going "Oh no you dont".

jogdish

I see UK, GH has phone call support, is there some way to use that here in Ireland but telling the Home its in the UK?

niallb

Tyson Fury wrote: »

I have Spotify premium!

Have you linked your Spotify account with your Google account t in the Home app?

EagererBeaver

Tyson Fury wrote: »

wexfordman2 wrote: »

No, that sound about right, if you want yo play a specific song or album you wouln need to be more specific

When I say hey Google play wonderwall from oasis she tells me that selecting songs is only available for Spotify premium users? I have Spotify premium!

You haven't linked your Spotify account in the Home app.

Mantis Toboggan

niallb wrote: »

Have you linked your Spotify account with your Google account t in the Home app?

I'm only getting the option of Spotify free active from the settings tab in the home app?

Edit: Sorted!

DrZeuss

conor-mr2 wrote: »

Multi user account isnt available in Ireland.
I've had no success in setting it up thus far.

I should quantify this with the fact I've tried on both my Android and Iphone to changing the regions to Us/UK and also setting a US address on the Ghome (so it now talks to me with an American Accent).

I still have Country Code of IE for the GHome.

The only thing I havent tried yet is a factory reset of the Home and setting it up with my Iphone when having a Uk/US region.

The closest I've seen to the multi user account was a blue button that appeared and then disappeared very fast under the Devices in my Ghome app on Iphone so its interesting in that I feel its saying "Oh you're in US" coz it see my Iphone region and then reading the country code of the Ghome and seeing that's IE and going "Oh no you dont".

I had some success setting mine up, it may or may not help you as I seen a few different ways online.

On the first phone I set country to US English and linked it to GH
Then on the phone I said "OK Google" to get Google Assistant to appear, it then asked me to train my voice to my account

Then repeated the same on each other phone after installing GH on each other phone.

Outkast_IRE

Will google deliver to Parcel Motel UK address ? seriously considering pulling the trigger on a home