Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google TV Streamer’s home panel is now widely available on older Chromecast and Google TV devices.
- The home panel gives you access to smart home controls from your TV’s quick settings panels.
- It lets you control lights, thermostats, cameras, locks, plugs, other TVs, and speakers and even supports notifications from Nest doorbells.
Google is gradually rolling out all the new features it debuted with the Google TV Streamer to older Chromecast and Google TV devices. The AI-generated screensaver feature reached users earlier this month, and now, the Google Home panel is rolling out widely.
The new Google Home panel on Google TV gives you access to smart home device controls, allowing you to dim the lights, adjust the thermostat, or check your security cameras without reaching for your phone. The panel also offers notifications for your smart doorbell and lets you control locks, plugs, other TVs, and speakers.
Google initially released the home panel to Chromecast users enrolled in the Google Home Public Preview program earlier this month. It is now widely available on Google TV devices from TCL, Hisense, Xiaomi, and more (via 9to5Google). The Home panel offers all the smart home device controls you get on the Google TV Streamer, but you can’t map the feature to a dedicated button.
You can access the home panel on your Google TV device through the quick settings dashboard by long-pressing the home button or navigating to the Settings menu. If you don’t see it on your device, you can try checking for updates.