Table of Content
This was a tough call, but ultimately, we’re all about the up-and-comer. Yes, Google isn’t exactly new to the streaming landscape with Android TV being around for quite some time, but as a revamped TV streaming platform, Google TV is pretty incredible. Compared with Google TV’s personalized For Youlaunch, Roku TV opts for a slightly more plain welcoming. Starting on the Home tab, you’ll see all of your pre-downloaded apps arranged in rows and columns that you can navigate through. Several tabs, ranging fromFeatured FreeandMovie StoretoTV StoreandStreaming Channels, act as filters for Roku’s expansive library of content.
Currently, Google TV supports both Dolby Vision and Atmos, along with UHD viewing at up to 60Hz. That said, not every app in the Google TV lineup is compatible with today’s premium codecs. Overall user experience may be slightly different depending on the type of TV or streaming hardware used. Kevin is a dynamic and self-motivated information technology professional, with a Thorough knowledge of all facets pertaining to network infrastructure design, implementation and administration. Superior record of delivering simultaneous large-scale mission critical projects on time and under budget. Installing the Google Home app from the App StoreAlso, you need to ensure that you have a stable internet connection and both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network.
Requirements for connecting Roku to Google Home
From bare-bones streaming adapters to soundbars to gaming-friendly set-tops, there is a smart TV device out there for you. Type “YouTube” into the search box until you see it listed on the right-hand side. There are lots of Google services available, but availability is limited on Roku. However, you can watch Google Play Movies & TV content through the YouTube app on Roku — which we’ll get into later. The Google Play Movies & TV app wasn’t only removed from Roku, it was also removed from other devices such as LG, Samsung and Vizio smart TVs.
You can only install apps — or channels — that are made specifically for Roku. You can still mirror your screen, but the only benefit of that is having the content displayed on a larger TV screen. Cameron Summerson is ex-Editor-in-Chief of Review Geek and served as an Editorial Advisor for How-To Geek and LifeSavvy. He covered technology for a decade and wrote over 4,000 articles and hundreds of product reviews in that time. He’s been published in print magazines and quoted as a smartphone expert in the New York Times. Cameron Summerson is ex-Editor-in-Chief ofReview Geekand served as an Editorial Advisor for How-To Geek and LifeSavvy.
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Instead of a stagnant launch panel with all of your downloaded apps listed, Google TV kicks things off with a pre-selected tab called For You. Right out of the gate, both Google and Roku TV platforms promise a user experience that is packed to the brim with personalization options. This is prevalent even from the moment you first log in to your new TV or begin connecting to your streaming device. Let’s look a bit closer at both systems, starting with Google TV. The short answer is yes, you will need internet in order to make a TV smart, and possibly wireless internet at that. Though some streaming devices featuring Ethernet connections do exist, the main way most streamers connect is via Wi-Fi.
Renting or buying a movie, TV episode, or full season stores the purchase in aMy MoviesandMy TV Showsbasket that you can access from any Roku device using the same Roku account. Similar to Google TV’s mobile setup, Roku TV automatically imports apps you’ve used on other devices to your new Roku hardware. If you’re a first-time user, you’ll need to manually choose which apps you want added during setup or add them later using your device remote. One of our favorite features of Google TV is the way that Google intelligently groups all of your go-to subscriptions, movies, shows, and general watch history into one amalgamated home screen experience.
Getting Google Play on Roku
Strangely enough, Roku was initially created in collaboration with Netflix back in 2008. When looking at the total number of hours streamed, Roku is by far the number one TV streaming platform in the world. That’s quite a large amount of growth over the past 15 years or so. Do you think the consolidation of Google Play Movies and TV into the YouTube app was a good idea? Have you had any issues using Google Play through YouTube on Roku?
What codec versions your TV or device will support will depend upon the model year and running firmware. You can adjust picture/sound settings for your Google TV product by navigating to theSettingstab and selecting Display & Sound. Your device will display to you that “All software is up to date” if you are already on the latest version or it can go ahead and download the updates if you are not updated.
Using Quick Remote to Control Your Roku
A “successful” message will be displayed on both devices. You’ll be given an on-screen code so you can link your Roku device to your Google account. Type “PhotoView” into the search box until you see it listed on the right-hand side. There wasn’t a dedicated Google Play Music channel anyway, so you would have had to use screen mirroring to use it through any Roku devices. Press the “home” button on your Roku remote to ensure you’re on the home screen.
Finally, if you get tired of saying “Hey Google, let me talk to Quick Remote” or “Hey Google, tell Quick Remote to…” every time you want to send a command, you can set up shortcuts in the Google Home app. These are simplified commands that are translated into something longer—kind of like the “text replacement” feature on software keyboards. You can tell it to launch specific apps, and it should do it without issues.
For instance, the Roku Voice Remote Pro add-on not only offers a neat, voice-activated remote finder, but it can act as a wireless headphone adapter for use at night. At its essence, all a TV needs to be "smart" is an ability to connect to the internet, and this transforms it into a "streaming television". Even the most basic smart TV can offer video services such as Netflix, YouTube and Hulu as well as music streaming from the likes of Spotify and Pandora.
This pair even has the Alexa assistant built-in for instant voice search and hands-free navigation. The Roku Express 4K Express offers hundreds of apps and is easy to install on a spare HDMI port on your television. Roku is our favorite smart TV interface, and it's easy to set up with your own apps. You can link more than one Google Account by selecting the “settings” icon and then “link an additional Google account.” Then, follow the steps listed above to link your other account. You can easily remove your Google account here by selecting “remove account link from device.” You can also change your display settings here if you need to. Since Roku doesn’t have a dedicated Google Play Movies & TV channel, you need to use the YouTube Roku app to access Google content.
Select “streaming channels” and press “OK” on the remote. Select “streaming channels” from the menu and press “OK” on the remote. There are a couple of third-party apps available that can help you use other Google services on Roku, too. For instance, you can use the PhotoView app for Google photos, but for any other Google service, you’ll need to mirror your screen to Roku. Like I mentioned earlier, you can also navigate your Roku’s main interface with Quick Remote. It’s not the most intuitive thing, and honestly it may just be easier to use the Quick Remote app interface for stuff like that.
You should see a window displaying the Google accounts you registered on your Android device. When you open Quick Remote, it automatically discovers Roku devices on your wireless network. Tap the Select a Roku text at the bottom to view the search results. It even comes with an Alexa Voice Remote for hands-free navigation and voice search. And as a bonus, you can start this promo with a 30-day free trial. Just think of it as getting seven months ofShowtimefor $3/mo.
Google TV vs Roku: Which is Better?
Don’t get us wrong, now — we haveplentyof love for Roku TV. In fact, when it comes to available apps and overall voice assistant integration, Roku edges a little ahead of Google. That being said, Roku has been around a while, and, in some ways, we’re still asking them to surprise and delight us in the many ways Google TV does — with the latter having been around for significantly less time. The bread and butter of both streaming platforms, Google TV and Roku TV users have access to massive libraries of popular apps, as well as some third-party gems that may dodge the spotlight . Both Google TV and Roku TV offer a quick and easy setup process that you can walk through in multiple ways, intelligent and customizable features, and robust voice assistant integration.
The Google interface is better than Roku's in one respect, because it surfaces individual shows rather than making you choose an app first. The removal of the Google Play Movies & TV app in June 2021 made an already limited Google Play on Roku experience all the more frustrating. Roku has tons of streaming services and other content available on its channel store, such as Netflix, HBO Max and even some free Roku channels. However, there are some services that have been left out when it comes to dedicated Roku apps.
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