Streaming Into The Smart Home

Google’s replacement for the long-established Chromecast is the Google TV Streamer. The innovative name sits on top of a device offering 4K HDR, more app storage and integration with Google’s smart home partners.

If you’re already comfortable with Google’s Chromecast, the switch to the TV Streamer will be a smooth experience as the Google TV The interface remains the same between the two devices. It’s also going to feel a lot snappier and responsive.

Compared to the last Chromecast model, the TV Streamer has doubled the available memory, quadrupled the on-device storage, upgraded the processor, and added an ethernet port for a hardwire connection to your network.

There’s also a new design. Away goes the dongle that hangs out the back of the TV; In comes a more set-top-like experience, all curves and slopes to sit close to your TV. Although there’s a USB power supply in the box, there’s no HDMI cable. With the previous dongle style, this wasn’t needed. Now, it’s an extra purchase (or a look around your parents’ cupboard of indeterminate cables).

The TV Streamer is controlled through the supplied remote. Accessing all the features is possible using the direction pad, button, home, back and action buttons. You have the option to use voice, and in many cases, this feels the option that the UI prefers you to use. As well as offering commands directly into the UI, it’s far easier to use your transcribed voice in a search box than using the D-pad for text entry.

For most people, the UI and the hardware will be secondary. As long as the TV Streamer allows users to get to the films, series, and shows they want, it will be seen as a success. And here’s where it gets awkward, at least during the launch and first few weeks of availability.

While some big streaming channels are available (such as Twitch, Prime Video, and Disney Plus), others are not present at launch. The two biggest, at least in the UK, are the BBC’s iPlayer app and Channel 4’s on-demand app. These should be available in the near future, but at the moment, two essential apps that are part of my personal choice are not available, and that’s a stumbling block.

From a hardware point of view, the Google TV Streamer builds on the Chromecast platform and brings it up to date, offering more features and capabilities. The integration with Google Home turns your TV into a smarthome hub—no doubt Google will hope that those who buy the TV Streamer will also buy into the smarthome features if they have not done so already.

The software still needs work. The Google Home integration is limited to individual device control; Your routines and more detailed functionality on your phone apps are not in place. While the core UI will be recognisable, it is missing several notable apps here in UK. It’s likely that these are tied up in a mix of licencing, coding and right and will arrive on the platform given time.

Until then, the Google TV Streamer is a promising platform that needs more work to bring in all the partners the public will expect.

Disclaimer: Google UK supplied a Google TV Streamer for review purposes.