Google Nest/Home Hub in NZ - advice, and what are the limitations?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Google Nest/Home Hub in NZ - advice, and what are the limitations?

jonathan18

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#252884 15-Jul-2019 13:46

I’m very keen on picking up a Nest Hub (previously Home Hub) for our kitchen, but have read on other threads there are issues associated with using them in NZ, given they’re not officially supported here.

What are these particular limitations or issues, and are there any workarounds?

For example, I read on Google’s own website the step-by-step recipe instructions aren’t available here, however the NL webpage specifically mentions recipes (this will be a good selling point for my wife!)

I’m not too worried if I need to put some time into sorting things out, but if there are certain features that simply don’t work that may be more of an issue.

Also, does anyone have a Hub they want to sell, or can recommend any particular places that have these at a great price? Cheapest I’ve seen is about $170 at the moment. Could save maybe $30 from Best Buy via YouShop but no CGA etc means those savings aren’t probably worth it.

Thanks in advance.

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#2276974 15-Jul-2019 13:52

last time I tried, there's nothing wrong with step-by-step cooking instructions.

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peejayw

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#2276987 15-Jul-2019 14:08

Step by step works fine.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

jonathan18

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#2277048 15-Jul-2019 15:05

Thanks for confirming that - will certainly help me plead my case, which I will now need to do this evening:

I popped out to NL's, who have the Hub on 'special' for $180, a big saving of $10, to see if I'd get work discount. No luck on that, but thought I'd try my luck with a price match - and after a decent amount of umming and erring they matched the cheapest price I could find - $163.99 from Expert Infotech.

I may have saved a few dollars parallel-importing it myself, but worth paying that bit extra for the assurance if something goes wrong - and also gives me the ability to return it if I can't convince my wife it's a worthy purchase!

Any particularly useful tips and tricks (or sources of these) that current users can point me towards?

kobiak

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#2277055 15-Jul-2019 15:15

jonathan18:

Any particularly useful tips and tricks (or sources of these) that current users can point me towards?

google: google home cheat sheet - gives plenty useful tips :)

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jonathan18

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#2277120 15-Jul-2019 16:17

Thanks - that's indeed really useful stuff.

One thing I'm struggling with is the limitations around allowing my children personalised access to the Home Hub, as opposed to standard guest access. It appears to be an issue with the kids' accounts being managed by Google Link (as they're restricted kids' accounts) and the ability to add such accounts to Google Home currently being restricted to only a handful of countries (not NZ, of course!).

Has anyone here managed to add their kids to a Google Home speaker of any kind, without simply setting them up with unrestricted 'adult' Google accounts?

freitasm

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#2277124 15-Jul-2019 16:18

Pinging @gabesmith... He might have some experience on this.

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jonathan18

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#2277971 16-Jul-2019 23:18

Still haven’t worked out how to add the kids - while they can still use most functions, it would be good if they could add reminders etc.

I’m now trying to work out how to mount the Hub on the wall to free up the bench space and also stop it getting splashed, and would appreciate any ideas.

A surprising absence of specific mounts - some are designed for corners, others for under cupboards. This is the closest I’ve found:

https://www.amazon.com/KIWI-design-Space-Saving-Accessories-Management/dp/B07SFFFBFJ/ref=sr_1_4?

TBH, I’d be happy with a very basic shelf of the right size (c 100Dx180W), and think one affixed with 3M Command tape would be fine for this job (it weighs 480g, and is going onto tiles), but I’ve has no luck finding anything like this. Guess I could make something but would prefer not to have to do this! Any ideas gratefully received.

lchiu7

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#2279970 20-Jul-2019 09:39

Looks okay. Buy it from Aliexpress for a lower price and free shipping to NZ

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33048116233.html?spm=2114.search0104.8.4.276d1570uSdxKs&transAbTest=ae803_3

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jonathan18

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#2281781 22-Jul-2019 20:11

A request - can someone with a Google device (ideally a Hub) please ask their device to "play Radio New Zealand National" and let me know if it works for them?

Or perhaps, someone may know as to why as of a couple of days ago, we're unable to get the Hub to play RNZ National on the Hub (via Iheartradio)?

It tries to play it, but simply hangs and then says it's not able to complete the request; this is at the same time requests to play other stations works ok (though Concert FM does sometimes take a long time to play). The problem is pretty much replicated on the Iheartradio app on my phone, where other stations play but Nat Rad either takes ages or doesn't play at all.

Weirdly, I can now ask it to play RNZ National on TuneIn (whereas previously it's said TuneIn isn't supported), but the audio quality is really rubbish compared to the iHeart stream (the classic 'under-water' sound of a low bitrate), so I'm keen to the latter working.

Thanks for any ideas.

Jase2985

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#2281795 22-Jul-2019 20:20

the Iheartradio stream doesnt work on my google home, does the same thing.

jonathan18

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#2281800 22-Jul-2019 20:23

Jase2985:
the Iheartradio stream doesnt work on my google home, does the same thing.

Thanks so much for checking that out, @Jase2985 - good to know it's not just me or my system!

I'll let RNZ know of the problem, though I assume the reason for it may not lie with them.

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lchiu7

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#2281927 23-Jul-2019 08:22

It didn't work for me either on the Lenovo smart display but I did find on TuneIn radio the sound quality was just fine.

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jonathan18

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#2281931 23-Jul-2019 08:44

Thanks for checking - clearly something affecting the stream overall. I've emailed a couple of people in RNZ to let them know/ask if they're aware of the issue (but both are away).

Interesting that TuneIn sounds ok for you - I wonder why mine's rubbish quality? (I think I use TuneIn to listen to Nat Rad on our bedside radio - a Squeezebox Radio - and it's also generally ok on that.)

Hve you others always been able to use TuneIn as an alternative, or have you also had the same message I previously had about it not being available in your country?

Thanks, also, Ichiu7, for the link to the bracket - yeah, a high proportion of those types of products on Amazon are more cheaply sourced from Ali or eBay. In the end, a kind Geekzone soul took pity and offered to 3d print me a bracket, which I imagine will be turning up today. It's minimalist and result in little overhang, which is ideal - the other would have done the job, but was over-engineered for what I needed.

Jase2985

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#2282097 23-Jul-2019 11:08

i cant hear any issues with the stream via tunein when testing it now.

jonathan18

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#2535450 5-Aug-2020 19:37

Just thought I’d add this to an existing thread rather than start a new one...

I discovered today by accident that the Google Home Hubs (standard and Max) now support Netflix. Better late than never...

The Hubs show up as devices I can Chromecast to (in both Android and iOS), but I’m unable to start playing Netflix shows via voice commands (lots of people report this problem). The standard Hub is probably too small to watch stuff on, but the Max Aim our kitchen is ok.

https://blog.google/products/google-nest/netflix-arrives-nest-hub-and-hub-max/

https://www.reddit.com/r/googlehome/comments/hv80ov/netflix_comes_to_googles_nest_hub_devices/

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