Google’s recent update to Chromecast brings along a lot of features. Not only this, but you also get access to a revamped UI and rich-feature set in the form of Google TV with the new Chromecast. . Not to be confused with the Google TV app, this new UI helps consolidate all content from your subscriptions on a single home screen.
This means that you can access all the shows that you are currently watching on different streaming services right from your Google TV home screen. While this is a great feature, many people are wondering about Live TV support on the new Google TV. Let’s take a quick look at it.
Related: How To Add to Watchlist on Chromecast with Google TV
What is Google TV?
Google TV is a new skin for Android TV that is specific to the latest Chromecast hardware. It uses updated knowledge graphs and analytics to track your media consumption habits and help suggest you relevant content.
Google TV also helps accumulate content from various streaming subscriptions directly to your home screen. This makes it much easier to access all of your content on one single screen.
Combined with the improved analytics that Google has added, Google TV will be able to suggest new shows and movies based on what you have watched previously across all your streaming subscriptions. Google intends that this will translate into a better viewing and discovering experience.
Related: Can’t Cast to Google TV Chromecast? Here’s How to Fix It
Does Google TV offer Live TV channels?
Google does not offer you the ability to subscribe to specific Live TV channels but you do get the ability to subscribe to YouTube TV which has a huge library of live TV channels.
This service is currently only available to users residing in the United States. YouTube TV also comes at the pricey cost of $65/month which might not be suitable for everyone.
Google however has indicated that it plans to add support for other third-party Live TV channel providers as well but the update shouldn’t be expected anytime soon.
Related: What is Google TV Stick?
Google TV Channels List
As Google TV doesn’t have channels of its own, you need to have a YouTube TV subscription to watch Live TV channels on it. You can find the list of channels on YouTube TV here.
When will Google TV get Live TV Channels
The wait shouldn’t be long as Google has indicated that they are using a generic API that uses slight modifications to stream Live TV channels on the new Chromecast. The company suspects that other providers should be able to get their apps compatible with the new API easily.
This is one of the reasons why Google has partnered with Sling TV who already seem to be working on the app. If reports are to be believed, then we could see live TV support for Sling TV users in the coming few weeks. There has however been no indication of a concrete date for this release from Google’s side.
What do you get with Google TV?
With the Chromecast purchase of the new device, you get access to tons of features. Let’s take a quick look at them.
- Dedicated Remote Control
- Voice Assistant Support
- Ambient Mode
- Photo Frame Mode
- New Google TV UI
- Ability to connect with all your streaming subscriptions
- Casting ability from iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows
- 4K output
- Dolby Vision/ Atmos
- Remote Control compatible with IR and HDMI-CEC
- App-only mode (Disable Google TV aggregation and Voice Assistant for a cleaner UI)
We hope this guide helped you learn everything you needed to know about Live TV on the new Chromecast with Google TV. If you have any more questions or queries, feel free to reach out to us using the comments section below.
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Image Credits: TheVerge |Â Google
I have Youtube TV and TCL Android and want to get past episodes of a channels shows. Recorded, but want to watch a show lets say Monday at 8 PM on Saturday of the following weekend. I am totally sightless, thus must use voice assistant. So, how do you get 1 program at 1 time to be played? For the voice only LISTS the programs, does not say them, nor allow you to voice select them.