What TV's Work With Google Home?
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Televisions are getting smarter and larger everyday. But the top of the line smart TV’s have Google Home and Google Assistant built in so that you can control them with your voice. With Google Home voice control of your smart TV you no longer even need a remote control to control your TV, you can control your TV with just your voice. Just tell Google Home what you would like your TV to do and the TV will do it for you. With Google Home voice control you can turn on or off the TV, search for your favorite program or control the volume.
What is Google Home and Google Assistant?
Google Home is Google designed hardware like the Google Home Hub and Google Mini that are connected to the internet and have Google Assistant built in which is Google’s smart AI voice software assistant that helps you with daily tasks and automating your home.
With Google Home and Google Assistant you can ask Google Home the weather, play music get a news brief of even control your smart home using voice commands to turn on and off your smart lights or set the temperature on your smart thermostat.
Google Home is a great way to automate your home to allow you to keep your hands free for other tasks while allowing you full control of your home with voice.
How Do TV’s Work with Google Home?
There are two primary ways that smart TV’s can work with Google Home for full voice control. You can get a TV with Google assistant built in, or connect a Google Chromecast device to your existing TV to enable voice control with Google Home.
1. TV’s With Google Home Capability Built In
TV’s with Google Home capability built in will work with any compatible Google Home device like the Google Home Hub or Google Home Mini. The smart TV does not have built in microphone but it connects to your Google Home device via wifi and uses the Google Home device as a microphone to listen to your commands to turn on/off the TV, change the channel or turn up the volume. Most new Sony TV’s and LG TV’s have Google Home capability built in. Google Home is always waiting for your commands so there are no buttons you need to push to control your TV. Just say “Ok Google, turn on TV” and it will respond to your commands.
2. Connect an existing TV to Google Home
You can connect a Google Chromecast device to an existing TV with an HDMI port and it will enable hands free control of your TV with Google Home voice commands, as Google Home works directly with Google Chromecast devices. Google Chromecast will allow TV voice control functionality when paired with a Google Home Device on most new TV’s that allow CEC communication through the HDMI port.
With a Chromecast device your TV will work just like a TV that has Google Home capability built in. Depending on the TV model you can turn on or off the TV, change channels, browse Netflix movies, or turn up the volume all with your voice commands. Google Chromecast devices that are Google Home compatible work by connecting directly to your TV HDMI port. If you bought a Samsung Smart TV that does not have Google Home built in you can add a Google Chromecast device and it will work with Google Home just like it was built in. The Google Chromecast does not come with a remote control so most people just use voice commands to control their TV with Google Home. With the Chromecast Ultra, Google Home is always waiting for your commands and all you need to do is say “Ok Google, go to channel 5” and Google Home will respond to your commands.
Both the Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra 4K devices will work with Google Home to control your TV but we highly recommending using the Chromecast Ultra 4K because it’s worth the extra cost to get 4K resolution if you have a large 4K TV.
How To Control Your Existing TV With Google Home
If you want to control your existing TV with Google Home we recommend you get a Google Home device and then pair it with a Google Chromecast as it has the most features and easiest way to setup and control your TV with Google Home voice commands and it works with TV’s with an HDMI port.
If you like the quality or value of the Sony or LG Brand TV’s that have Google Home compatibility built in and your looking to upgrade your TV you can’t go wrong with either Sony or LG smart TV’s as they are reliable, well known TV brands, but you will still need to have a compatible Google Home device like the Google Home Mini or Google Home Hub nearby to control your TV.
Top TV’s That Work With Google Home
The top two TV brands that currently have built in Google Home compatibility are Sony & LG. However select TV’s made by Hisense, TCL, Sony and LG are all compatible with Google Home and Google Assistant. Sony and LG have a long track record of producing great TV’s and have typically been on the cutting edge of TV design and features for a long time.
Hisense is a new player to the game but also has 4K smart TV’s that work with Google Home. Hisense also currently makes the only 100” TV with built in Google Home TV that we know of. TCL is also a new player in the TV space and makes quality TV’s but they don’t typically make the largest TV’s as some of the other brands but offer a great value if you are looking for a TV 55” or under.
Sony is known for it’s top quality displays and has been in the TV game for decades. LG is also long time provider of both home appliances and TV’s. The Sony TV’s tend to be more focused on providing the absolute best picture and display while the LG TV’s are focused on providing the best value with outstanding picture quality. You can’t go wrong with either of these TV brands but we will let you know our top picks for each size and brand. With Sony and LG you get the best technology and the typically the best displays backed by the customer service of large companies with longer tenure.
What Sony TV’s work with Google Home?
Below we’ve compiled our best of recommendations for the Sony TV’s that work with Google Home in the 85”, 75” and 65” TV sizes. All of these TV’s have rich features that will make it easier to use your TV with Google Home voice commands and create an engaging TV experience. If you want a great balance of picture and value the 65” TV is one of the most popular options for TV’s that works with Google Home at a very reasonable price. If you a person that believes bigger is always better than the hulking 85” Sony TV that works with Google Home is for you.
85” TV That Works With Google Home
Sony XBR85X900F 85-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV
This is one of the biggest baddest TV’s in the Sony line up and really on the consumer market. At 85” inches this is monster that delivers with amazing picture quality and works with Google Home for full voice control of your TV. If you get this TV make sure that you get a mount capable of holding it. For this size TV you want a TV mount that allows for at least 4”-6” of outward movement otherwise it makes it near impossible to complete your connections to the TV because they are so far behind the edges of the screen. We recommend the Sanus TV mount for TV’s over 65” as it has a low profile but still allows you to pull the TV forward for connections and allows you adjust the levelness of the TV with two easy to reach screws.
75” TV That Works With Google Home
Sony XBR75X850E 75-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2017 Model), Works with Alexa
If you're looking for a big screen that offers an exceptional value the 2017 Sony 75” TV works with both Google Home or Alexa for full voice control and is at a significant discount because it is last year’s model. There are no major feature differences between the 2017 & 2018 models so you can get a great deal on the large 75” TV’s.
65” TV That Works With Google Home
Sony XBR65X850F 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV (2018 Model) - Works with Google Home.
The 65” TV lineup offers arguably the best balance of size and value for sony TV’s typically hovering around the mid tier price range these TV’s work with Google Home, offer great picture quality and all of the other smart features the the larger size TV’s have included. The only real difference is that the 65” TV is smaller than the other Sony TV options that work with Google Home .
If you end up choosing a Sony TV' we’ve provided the commands you can use to control your TV and so you can get an idea of how voice commands with a TV that works with Google Home are spoken.
Sony TV Google Home Commands:
“Ok Google, turn off TV”
“Ok Google, turn on living room TV”
“Ok Google, change the channel to 200 on living room TV”
“Ok Google, next channel on living room TV”
“Ok Google, change channel to NBC.”
“Ok Google, change channel to Fox.”
“Ok Google, tune to channel 200 on living room TV”
“Ok Google, set volume to 20 on living room TV”
“Ok Google, turn down the volume on living room TV”
“Ok Google, mute living room TV”
“Ok Google, unmute living room TV”
“Ok Google, play on living room TV”
“Ok Google, pause on living room TV”
“Ok Google, fast forward on living room TV”
“Ok Google, rewind on living room TV”
What LG TV’s Work With Google Home?
LG also offers an entire lineup of Google Home compatible TV’s right out of the box. With LG TV’s you get great value and a high quality picture. You’re typically going to get more screen for your money with the LG TV’s vs a similar priced Sony TV.
86” TV That Works With Google Home
86” LG TV That Works With Google Home
This LG TV is designed to match the size and features of the 85” Sony TV but it will save you a significant amount of money for a larger TV. LG went for the win with this TV and it’s 1” larger than the comparable Sony TV that works with Google Home. If you want to go big on a budget the 86” LG TV is a giant TV that will make a statement in any room. This TV has built in Google Home capability and can be controlled with voice using a Google Home device like the Google Home Mini.
For any TV of this size make sure that you get a mount capable of holding it, you need a TV mount that allows for at least 4”-6” of outward movement otherwise it makes it near impossible to complete your connections to the TV because they are so far behind the edges of the screen. We have found with TV’s this large you want a mount that not only holds the TV but allows you adjust the level of the TV even after it’s mounted on the wall.
Because the TV’s are so large and have such a long straight line getting them level is critically important and if the bracket on the wall is not level it can throw off the whole installation of the TV. However we recommend the Sanus TV Mount for large TV’s because even if the wall bracket is not perfectly level it allows you to adjust the level of the TV with two adjustable screws after the TV is installed for perfect adjustment. I’ve personally installed several of the Sanus TV mounts and love them for their simplicity, adjustment and reliability. If you are mounting a TV over 65” they are the ideal mount.
75” TV That Works With Google Home
75” LG 4K TV-Works With Google Home
The 75” LG TV probably offers the best screen size to price ratio of any of the smart TV’s we’ve listed that have built in Google Home capability. You pay a significant price penalty for TV’s over 80” but you can get a TV that is almost the same size in the 75” range and oftentimes is only half the price as a TV that is only 10” larger. This TV provides exceptional features, and size at an incredible value. For typically less than $1500 you get a lot of TV with the 75” LG TV that works with Google Home
75” LG TV that works with Google Home. This smart 4K will work with compatible Google Home devices like the Google Home Hub and Google Home Mini to allow for full voice control of your TV.
65” TV That Works With Google Home - LG 65” TV - Works With Google Home
A few years ago 65” TV’s were the standard size for large TV’s, now they are a common place. If you don’t feel like you need a huge TV. 65” TV’s provide the best value of larger smart TV’s on the market. Typically you can get a 65” smart TV that works with Google Home for less than $1,000.
The LG 65” TV is very reasonable TV that has all of the features of it’s larger cousins and works work Google Home.
We have a list of the Google Home Voice Commands that work with LG TV’s below if you end up choosing a LG Smart TV that works with Google Home or you want to know how you can control a TV that works with Google Assistant using your voice.
LG TV Google Home Voice Commands:
“Ok Google, turn off TV”
“Ok Google, turn on living room TV”
“Ok Google, change the channel to 200 on living room TV”
“Ok Google, next channel on living room TV”
“Ok Google, change channel to NBC.”
“Ok Google, change channel to Fox.”
“Ok Google, tune to channel 200 on living room TV”
“Ok Google, set volume to 20 on living room TV”
“Ok Google, turn down the volume on living room TV”
“Ok Google, mute living room TV”
“Ok Google, unmute living room TV”
“Ok Google, play on living room TV”
“Ok Google, pause on living room TV”
“Ok Google, fast forward on living room TV”
“Ok Google, rewind on living room TV”
Do Samsung TV’s Work With Google Home?
No, as of December 2018 Samsung TV’s don’t have built in Google Home support. However if you want to add Google Home functionality to your Samsung TV you can do so by purchasing a Google Chromecast device and connecting it to your TV. This will give you full Google Home and Google Assistant control of your TV just like it was built in. There are a lot of new Samsung TV’s that offer a great balance of value and size, the 65” range seems to have the best value or if you purchase the prior model year TV with Samsung you can typically find a good deal.
What Google Home Device Do I Need for My TV to Work With Google Assistant?
If your TV has built-in Google Home capability any Google Home device will work. However we recommend using a device without a screen for the voice control of your TV. The reason being is that if you have a device like the Google Home Hub. When you request Google Home too play the show “The Office” Google Home can miss interpret the command and play “The Office” on your Google Home Hub device because it has a screen and is capable of playing prime videos.
If you have a Google Home capable TV we recommend the Google Home Mini because of it’s inconspicuous size.
