Google Home FAQ

DrZeuss

BobbyT28 wrote: »

I have noticed recently though (last 3-4 days) that Google has had issues asking/telling harmony and Stringdy things. Get a various replies letting me know it's not possible.

GH has become a little hit and miss recently.

Same here.

I'll say "Hey Google TVTime" (Stringify) ..... I'm sorry I don't understand but I am learning

Then repeat instantly and it works.

This has been happening for me the last few days, a reboot of all devices changed nothing either.

micks_address

Hi folks,
Added a hue bridge and five white hue bulbs in living room chandelier. Also in living room added a tp link smart plug to control a lamp we use at night when chandelier is off.. So I can say hey Google turn on living room lights and hey Google turn off living room lights.. The problem is the tp link plug powers on with the living room lights and off.. I've tried adding it to a different room in Google home but doesn't seem to matter.. Whats interesting is I have a other tp link in av corner and it doesn't respond to turn off lights etc..
Amy suggestions?
Thanks,
Mick

ferrigan101

micks_address wrote: »

Hi folks,
Added a hue bridge and five white hue bulbs in living room chandelier. Also in living room added a tp link smart plug to control a lamp we use at night when chandelier is off.. So I can say hey Google turn on living room lights and hey Google turn off living room lights.. The problem is the tp link plug powers on with the living room lights and off.. I've tried adding it to a different room in Google home but doesn't seem to matter.. Whats interesting is I have a other tp link in av corner and it doesn't respond to turn off lights etc..
Amy suggestions?
Thanks,
Mick

Are you saying turn off living room or living room lights? If I say turn on/off living room lights, only the hue bulbs come on or off. If I just say living room, it will turn on or off the hue lights and the lamps that are attached to the tp link plugs. I have all the lights and the plugs grouped as "living room" in the home app.

matrim

Someone had found an undocumented api for the home that lets you do things like read alarm data, set volume

https://rithvikvibhu.github.io/GHLocalApi/

wingnut32

Is there a setting where I can integrate multiple GH's. For example if I set a timer on my GH in the kitchen when I go into the living room and ask the GH there how long is left on timer it doesn't recognize a timer has been statrted. I have to go back out to kitchen GH to perform any action with the timer.

bk

wingnut32 wrote: »

Is there a setting where I can integrate multiple GH's. For example if I set a timer on my GH in the kitchen when I go into the living room and ask the GH there how long is left on timer it doesn't recognize a timer has been statrted. I have to go back out to kitchen GH to perform any action with the timer.

No, not at the moment unfortunately. Many have requested this, so hopefully will eventually come.

matrim

wingnut32 wrote: »

Is there a setting where I can integrate multiple GH's. For example if I set a timer on my GH in the kitchen when I go into the living room and ask the GH there how long is left on timer it doesn't recognize a timer has been statrted. I have to go back out to kitchen GH to perform any action with the timer.

You could use reminders instead of timers.

I was reading something about this earlier and someone mentiioned that you can check timers on the app but I haven't tried it.

2011

thecivvie wrote: »

Add a short cut in the Google home app. I did that for a Russian radio station. I just say alpha and Google home tells Tunein "Listen to Радио Альфа Пермь"
Shortcuts are great

Sounds like a plan. How do I add a shortcut??

I said “hey google play Newstalk radio” but to no avail. I had to add “on tunein”.

OREGATO

2011 wrote: »

Sounds like a plan. How do I add a shortcut??

I said “hey google play Newstalk radio” but to no avail. I had to add “on tunein”.

Google Home App - Menu - More Settings - Shortcuts

Sheep Shagger

Anyone got one of the GH wifi devices, they seem to have good reviews (are they better than a TP link booster?)

Am flying through London tomorrow and Dixons Travel have them for £115 (normal retail in U.K. Is £130).

Some good specials at Maplans here (3 for 2'on minis for example) but all stores seem to be out of stock

bk

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Anyone got one of the GH wifi devices, they seem to have good reviews (are they better than a TP link booster?)

You mean Google Wifi, the wireless mesh network devices?

If yes, it depends. How many are you getting?

If your home has ethernet cable and you plan on connecting each one by ethernet back to your broadband modem, then yes they are pretty good.

If you plan on connecting them wirelessly, then they are only ok, but there are much better (faster) options available for similar money.

thecivvie

Anyone else having problems with GH and Netflix. Suddenly nothing plays again

flc37ie6ojwkh8

Have you had the chance to compare Siri vs google home?

bk

Joanna Melted Welfare wrote: »

Have you had the chance to compare Siri vs google home?

It is sort of hard to compare them as Apple hasn't released an equivalent to Google Home yet.

I've got Siri on my iPhone and it seems to work as well as GH, however you are holding the phone close to your face, so it doesn't really have to deal with the same fare field audio issues.

Also Siri's smart home integrations are more limited.

flc37ie6ojwkh8

bk wrote: »

It is sort of hard to compare them as Apple hasn't released an equivalent to Google Home yet.

I've got Siri on my iPhone and it seems to work as well as GH, however you are holding the phone close to your face, so it doesn't really have to deal with the same fare field audio issues.

Also Siri's smart home integrations are more limited.

Good to know, and how about Alexa?

bk

Joanna Melted Welfare wrote: »

Good to know, and how about Alexa?

I find it poor compared to GH/siri. GH/Siri seem relatively natural, while Alexa is more robotic and needs more specific commands.

I mean Alexa isn't terrible, but I found it quiet frustrating at times. GH is easier to use and gets it right more often.

ixoy

thecivvie wrote: »

Anyone else having problems with GH and Netflix. Suddenly nothing plays again

Ugh, they've pushed out an update today for this Chromecast WiFi bug so it's possible they've gone and knocked out the December fix.

thecivvie

ixoy wrote: »

Ugh, they've pushed out an update today for this Chromecast WiFi bug so it's possible they've gone and knocked out the December fix.

Yeah was wondering that. Oh well back to the Google products forum again

Sheep Shagger

bk wrote: »

You mean Google Wifi, the wireless mesh network devices?

If yes, it depends. How many are you getting?

If your home has ethernet cable and you plan on connecting each one by ethernet back to your broadband modem, then yes they are pretty good.

If you plan on connecting them wirelessly, then they are only ok, but there are much better (faster) options available for similar money.

Originally just the 1 but can't see how that would improve things on its own (our BB is with Sky).

Now leaning towards two, hook the first one up via Ethernet cable to the main Sky hub then put one in the bedroom (where wifi can be patchy) wirelessly - does that sound right?

bk

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

Originally just the 1 but can't see how that would improve things on its own (our BB is with Sky).

Now leaning towards two, hook the first one up via Ethernet cable to the main Sky hub then put one in the bedroom (where wifi can be patchy) wirelessly - does that sound right?

No point in getting just one, a high quality wifi router would be a better buy, like this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-C8-Wireless-Beamforming-Technology/dp/B00OZG8ZDO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516298211&sr=8-1&keywords=tp-link+router+c8

If you do want to go two or more and need to use wifi as backhaul, then I recommend this instead:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071D8SWGD/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?th=1

Netgear Orbi for £200, it is cheaper then two Google Wifi, while offering far faster speeds. The reason being it is a tri-band router with a dedicated wireless backhaul, while Google Wifi is dual band only, with shared backhaul.

Google Wifi will do the job, but not as fast and more expensive!

Only downside of Orbi is the the units as physically much larger, if aesthetics are important to you.

BTW Feck, that is a very good deal on the Orbi, now I want one!

ixoy

thecivvie wrote: »

Anyone else having problems with GH and Netflix. Suddenly nothing plays again

No issue here currently although I may not have got the update yet.

BionicRasher

Great news recently in the form of GH integration for Broadlink RM Pro.

So I have some (8 to be precise!) RF plugs around the house. They control lamps, small panel heaters, a few Chromecast Audios etc and are cheap as chips. I picked these up in Lidl some time ago and they work on 433mhz remote frequency.

Coupled with a Broadlink RM Pro I have been using it for a while now.

But recently it has gotten GH integration

Now I have a great cheap solution to control devices around the house with the added bonus that they work even when the WiFi might be down!

See video here

Next step is to start using it with my TV and various media boxes by fooling the RM Pro with the IR frequency

CGI_3

Can you have schedules on the broadlink app to control the RF sockets...? Or is it strictly a passive device...?

OREGATO

CGI_3 wrote: »

Can you have schedules on the broadlink app to control the RF sockets...? Or is it strictly a passive device...?

I believe you'd be able to set up schedules on ifttt to trigger a broadlink command?

Hopefully the broadlink will be able to do IR signals over Google home soon.

BionicRasher

CGI_3 wrote: »

Can you have schedules on the broadlink app to control the RF sockets...? Or is it strictly a passive device...?

Yes. I currently have RF sockets on various timers through the Broadlink IHC app.
Pretty straight forward.

Will be looking into IFTTT stuff to see if I can make it a bit smarter. Eg turn on panel heater if outside temp is below X degrees etc.

BionicRasher

OREGATO wrote: »

Hopefully the broadlink will be able to do IR signals over Google home soon.

I think you might be able to 'fool' it to do IR signals via Google Home. Will try and report back

DrZeuss

Anyone else having issues with reminders?

It says it can't set reminders yet, even though I have set many in the past.

Add this to the intermittent issues with Harmony, Stringify and some Tune In radio stations :mad:

thecivvie

ixoy wrote: »

No issue here currently although I may not have got the update yet.

Working again, although I seem to have the same firmware on all devices

thecivvie

Google Home and YouTube seem to be more intergrated. Suddenky, I can pause , play next, repeat YouTube videos cast from my android Phone.

Oh and you can skip the adverts as well

wexfordman2

thecivvie wrote: »

Google Home and YouTube seem to be more intergrated. Suddenky, I can pause , play next, repeat YouTube videos cast from my android Phone.

Oh and you can skip the adverts as well

I've always been able to pause netfix etc with my Google home?