- Google Home Speaker supports wireless connectivity with Google TV Streamer
- This offers an easy way to select your own home theater setup.
- You can connect your Google Home Speaker through your Google TV device or through the Google Home app
Google’s new Home Speaker comes with a number of much-needed updates, but its support for wireless connectivity with Google TV Streamer is a tool users have been craving since the company started making smart hubs.
In addition to its Gemini-powered intelligence and 360-degree audio redesign, Google now lets you wirelessly pair the Home Speaker with your Google TV device, letting you ditch your TV’s built-in speakers and set up a home theater system. Pairing just one Google Home Speaker works, but you’ll get the most out of your setup if you have two.
The company announced its initial plans to develop the feature in 2020 when it introduced Nest Audio, its first smart speaker, but the functionality never arrived. “Google Home Speaker now works alongside your Google TV Streamer. You can pair up to two speakers with one Google TV Streamer to turn your living room into a mini home theater with spatial surround sound,” the company detailed in a blog post.
Surround sound systems are an integral part of most entertainment fans’ setups, but they don’t always have to include a multitude of different types of speakers; Some people simply rely on the best sound bars to improve their audio. While the Google Home Speaker isn’t necessarily suitable for seasoned audiophiles, it offers beginners an affordable and easy way to enhance their streaming experience.
However, it has not been impossible to connect wireless speakers to the Google TV Streamer, as the option to use the best Bluetooth speakers has always been there. However, because the Google Home Speaker function is based on Wi-Fi, the bandwidth is much higher. This means it also supports Dolby Atmos, which, for a cost-effective home theater setup, is a pretty fair plus.
Audio champions like Sonos and Bose have offered wireless connectivity with third-party streaming devices for years, so the Google Home Speaker functionality is far from new. That said, it’s only recently that TV manufacturers have decided to jump on the bandwagon and sell their own speakers.
Over the past 18 months, brands such as Amazon, LG and Samsung have launched their own speakers to enable wireless connectivity with their range of TVs, so Google is playing catch-up here.
How to pair your Google Home Speaker with your Google TV Streamer
Once you’ve set up your Google Home Speaker for regular use, you can pair it with your Google TV device right from the home screen.
Using the Google TV Streamer remote, click the home button and head to “Quick Settings” at the top of the screen. From there, select “Audio Output” from the options, click “Connect another device,” then select “Google Speakers” and click “Start.”
After this stage, you should see a list of Google Home Speakers connected to your account in a separate window and you will need to select the ones you want to pair with your Google TV Streamer. Once you’ve done this, tap ‘Next’ and it should complete your setup.
You can also do it from the Google Home application, as Google details on its support page.
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