Google Chromecast TV issue I hadn’t thought about.

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Eva888

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#306972 8-Sep-2023 18:32

Let no good deed go unpunished.

Friend's mother has been put in a home and quite fretful and lonely. The room has a TV. English is her second language so I suggested we get her a Google TV dongle and I would set it up with her native language tv apps that she would enjoy plus some content from You Tube. Have set up Android boxes before at home and simply taken it to the new recipient and changed WiFi, plug and played.

Friend brought over the Google dongle and I proceeded to begin but soon realised it needs a Google home account which I do have on my own devices but, the old lady doesn’t have a phone for me to use hers to download the Google Home App and set up the dongle. Also wanted to avoid doing it at the home with her questioning me the entire time.

Sure I can do it on my own TV using my Google Home account but, if I take the dongle to her TV it will need a WiFi password change which I understand resets everything and presumably needs the home app to set up again.

Am I missing something? Unless someone can give me another option am stuck with keeping this myself and get her the new smartvu dongle that I can set up easily at home and is not tied to a phone and specific WiFi.

gzt

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#3125131 8-Sep-2023 18:44

I think you need to create a google account and use a cheap phone for setup or use incognito? It's been a long time since I set one up sorry. Good luck! 🍀

mattwnz

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#3125137 8-Sep-2023 19:24

Can't you set it up, take it over, then changed the wifi password on the google tv to connect it, and then delete your account from it? Or does it need at least one google account to be active on it?

Eva888

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#3125145 8-Sep-2023 19:58

mattwnz:
Can't you set it up, take it over, then changed the wifi password on the google tv to connect it, and then delete your account from it? Or does it need at least one google account to be active on it?

Found a You Tube video that shows you can change the Wi-Fi in settings. It’s the setting up that’s a problem if it needs the home app. I don’t want it attached to my account.

Eva888

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#3125165 8-Sep-2023 21:27

Decided to just go ahead and set it up. Will take it to the Home tomorrow and see if it works out. From what I’m seeing it may be possible but may need to remain on my Google Home account. As long as it works for her that’s all that matters.

gzt

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#3125166 8-Sep-2023 21:45

There are settings somewhere in YouTube account and similar something like provide a password before purchase. That might be important if you have credit cards saved in Neon or things like that.

Plex app think I've got that right is good lots of free semi-interesting content if you're bored in bed. I might have seen language channels on there maybe someone knows. It's all legal and ad supported, in a small way.

Eva888

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#3125169 8-Sep-2023 22:09

Thanks. I’ve added a few Apps including Plex, but don’t want to crowd it and confuse her too much, she’s 94 and was very smart. Not sure how she will manage it now though. Volume button is on th side and a bit tricky for old hands. I will leave some written instructions with diagrams and hope for the best.

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gzt

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#3125244 9-Sep-2023 09:06

Google TV remote has an assistant button. Press to talk and release to action. Mic is on the remote. Eg; press > say "Funny cat videos on YouTube" > release. Similar for content on other apps like Netflix etc. In app behaviour may or may not be different. Without release it usually works too.

Works well in my usual remote holding positions on the couch. Sometimes I hold it closer if it's noisy around. Child yells really loud at it. ; )

Languages other than English probably ok too if available try it although English can work ok with some accents you probably don't want that.

Eva888

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#3125266 9-Sep-2023 11:06

I don’t know if she’s going to be capable of figuring it out. Most annoying is you can’t change the home page to just show your downloaded Apps and so the first suggestions are irrelevant for her as most point to subscription services like Disney+, an app which I removed but still get top suggestions for.

The worst is Zee5 which is Indian almost the entire Home page has rows of suggestions for Indian movies and shows in all genres. I’ve switched Zee off in the manage apps section but it’s still populated with Zee content which is totally irrelevant. She’s not Indian. Very frustrating and I can’t see any other way to rid the home page of these suggestions. Power cycled off and on, no change.

I checked in my You Tube on another device and am not accidentally subscribed to Zee for it to show up. Am stumped.

Rikkitic

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#3125272 9-Sep-2023 11:19

I try to avoid Google in every way I can. Their security crap is a nightmare. The profit-driven 'suggestions' are rage-inducing. Everything Google is a horrible one-way experience.

This doesn't help you at all but it makes me feel better!

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

gzt

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#3125282 9-Sep-2023 11:48

There's a switch to turn off suggestions somewhere in the dongle. I'll take a look later if I'm near the tv but don't count on it. Busy day sorry. It's either in account settings in the dongle or something else in the dongle settings..

gzt

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#3125283 9-Sep-2023 11:50

I have to say - tablets can be very easy to manage for this exact scenario. Then charging.. batteries.. etc.. etc..

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K8Toledo

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#3153846 31-Oct-2023 03:02

Eva888: I don’t know if she’s going to be capable of figuring it out. Most annoying is you can’t change the home page to just show your downloaded Apps and so the first suggestions are irrelevant for her as most point to subscription services like Disney+, an app which I removed but still get top suggestions for.

The worst is Zee5 which is Indian almost the entire Home page has rows of suggestions for Indian movies and shows in all genres. I’ve switched Zee off in the manage apps section but it’s still populated with Zee content which is totally irrelevant. She’s not Indian. Very frustrating and I can’t see any other way to rid the home page of these suggestions. Power cycled off and on, no change.

I checked in my You Tube on another device and am not accidentally subscribed to Zee for it to show up. Am stumped.

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