There There are few products in our lives that we want to use all the time but don’t need to worry about. A faucet comes to mind. You just want it to turn on and off, not leak. That’s it. Our new Google TV Streamer is a leak-free Android-powered faucet for your TV. Log in to your various accounts and start streaming, and you’ll have easy access to your favorite shows and movies without even realizing it’s there. You can also use the remote to control connected devices in your home, like lights, speakers, plugs, and more.
Casting from your smartphone is simple and easy, and this new $100 streaming device doesn’t have the sometimes jerky performance we’ve seen on previous generation devices like the Google Chromecast and some current-generation TVs that run Google’s TV operating system. If you don’t like your current TV interface or want to be sure you’re streaming from a well-managed app on a device that supports Dolby Vision and a wired Internet connection, this is a great option.
Easy setup
The flat, cylindrical streaming device and pill-shaped remote control are the height of plug-and-play, but it’s worth noting that the design is a big departure from the old Chromecast. No longer will you find a Google TV dongle dangling off the side of your TV; the Streamer is designed to display proudly on your media console.
Photo: Parker Hall
There is one HDMI 2.1 port, one USB C port for power, and one Ethernet port for wired internet. On the back, next to the ports, there is a small button that can make the remote beep and show its location. My forgetful brain thanks the Google engineers for this feature. I wish the Streamer came with an HDMI cable, because I would have had to grab one from the closet. This was not an issue with previous models that had a built-in HDMI cable.
The remote is large, so you need to place it on a flat surface the size of a cell phone. It’s not exactly the most convenient, but it’s not the most annoying either. The buttons aren’t backlit, but the grey lettering on a white background makes them easy to see in low light. It’s a simple layout with the volume buttons on the right side of the remote for easy access, and just above them is a grey home button so you won’t accidentally press one in the middle of a movie.
Once you turn on Google TV Streamer, log into your Google account (and any other streaming accounts you may have these days) and you’re ready to go. If you don’t want to use the on-screen TV keyboard to enter your password, you can do it all through the Google Home app. I was watching Netflix in under five minutes (it also supports all the major apps like Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime, and Pluto TV).
Smart Home Controller
When connected via Google Home, Google TV Streamer acts as a smart home display that lets you easily control lights, security cameras, thermostats, and more. A screen called the Home Panel will appear on the right side of your TV screen, where you can see and control what you’ve connected. This experience is similar to the lock screen on the Google Pixel tablet and the Home Panel on many Android phones.
I’m not a smart home person. I use a couple of Alexa speakers to set alarms and play Spotify, but the rest of my house is sadly not connected. I asked fellow WIRED reviewer and connected home guru Nena Farrell to test the smart home features, and she reported that they work very well. Voice commands to Google Assistant are responsive, and she likes being able to control her smart home using the TV screen. She managed to turn off the lights using the remote even when the TV was off. You can also use it to monitor smart doorbells and cameras. WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu says it’s very useful for checking motion alerts while watching a movie without having to fumble for your phone in the dark.
