topic Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group in Speakers and Displays

Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

rhammond84 — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 08:28:58 GMT

Nest Hub Max is no longer playing music on the speaker group it is in when asked. All other speakers in the speaker group play, and I can manually add the Hub Max back into the group whilst playing audio through the display interface.

Am presuming this is an issue with latest preview version firmware/cast firmware?

System firmware version: 12.20230611.1.59

Cast firmware: 1.70.375332

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

Alex_S — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:46:11 GMT

Hi rhammond84,

I know how it feels when something isn’t working the way it should. Let’s further look into it. Just to ask, is Google Nest Hub Max playing music on its own? Try to create a new speaker group with only 2 Google Nest devices in it: Google Nest Hub Max and another speaker or display, and then try to play music to that group.

Let me know how it goes.

Regards,
Alex

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

Archibald — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 17:46:22 GMT

Hi,

I have the same issue, running the same firmware. This started for me on August 26.

I have a group of four speakers named “All speakers”. This group is default speaker for the Nest Hub Max and a Nest Hub.

Speaker 1: Nest Hub Max
Speaker 2: Nest Hub
Speaker 3: Nest Mini
Speaker 4: Chromecast Audio

When I use voice command on Nest Hub Max to play music, or cast from my phone to the group, there is only audio on two of the speakers – speaker 3 and 4.

Well, at least that was the case until I removed all speakers from the group except speaker 3 and used this “one speaker group” as default. I then added the others one by one and as the last one the Nest Hub Max. Then it suddenly worked again on all speakers – for a while. I was able to start and stop music with voice commands from all units a few times, until it suddenly stopped working again. Now I’m back to zero – only speaker 3 and 4 playing.

So - when creating a group with the Nest Hub Max and one other speaker there is audio on both units.

If I set the Nest Hub Max as default speaker, I can manually add the other units one by one through the display, but when pressing the “All speakers” group icon I get various results. Sometimes the playing icon switches to “All Speakers” but the audio isn’t changed - or it just buffers and after a while returns to default speaker.

Hope this info can help tracking what’s wrong.

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

rhammond84 — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 18:31:37 GMT

The Nest Hub Max plays audio by itself.

I have Nest Hub V1s on separate speaker group (but on 'same' V12 Fuschia preview firmware) that work fine as part of speaker group: 2 Nest Hub V1s and an original Google Home.

Experimenting a little with some test groups, per other poster, in some combinations speaker groups work with the Nest Hub Max and in others they don't.

Nest Hub Max, Google Home Max and Google Home Mini (V1) speaker pair: audio doesn't play on Nest Hub Max.

Same for combo involving Google Home original, vs Google Home Mini pair.

If I add. Nest Hub V1 (also on preview firmware) instead of the devices above, both the Nest Hub Max and the Nest Hub V1 do jot play audio.

Adding Nest Hub Max, Google Home Max and Nest Mini (V2) to a speaker group all works fine.

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

rhammond84 — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 06:35:00 GMT

When will this bug be resolved?

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

Alex_S — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 15:41:28 GMT

Hi everyone,

Our team would like to take a look at this. Kindly fill out this form and let us know once you're done.

Kind regards,
Alex

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

Archibald — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 22:23:36 GMT

Hi Alex,

Thanks for your help. I have filled out the form.

Best regards,
A

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

Dan_A — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 17:39:29 GMT

Hi folks,

@Archibald, we got your form; thanks for filling it out. Please continue the conversation there and keep an eye on your email for updates.

@rhammond84, we haven't received your form. Have you had a chance to fill it out?

Thanks,

Dan

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

rhammond84 — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 20:20:12 GMT

Yes, I completed it last week

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

bpcs — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 21:02:28 GMT

I'm on the same FW and Cast FW and have noticed exactly the same issues. Hopefully it will be resolved soon.

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

Traxtar944 — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 19:55:07 GMT

I'm having the same issue on my Nest Hub Max running the same firmware. Hub will not play audio when the speaker group it's in is selected. I can manually select the radio button next to the hub and only then will it start to play along with the speaker group.

Home Assistant, which pulls speaker groups from Google integration via API, shows that the hub is missing from the group, even though it's included in the group when viewed from the Google Home app... So that could help point to what's causing this issue.

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

bpcs — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 21:01:27 GMT

Very well explained... that's exactly what I am experiencing too. It's frustrating as everything was working fine before something was updated.

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

solidaudio — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 09:30:55 GMT

Same issue happening for me too.

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

Muddi — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 22:32:56 GMT

Hello everyone,

Sorry for the delays. Just an added question: is the Nest Hub Max added to multiple groups? To further isolate the issue, please set up your Nest Hub Max and one speaker on a different network, like a mobile hotspot. Please note that you will need two mobile devices for this setup (one to serve as a router and the other to be used to set up your speakers). Also, make sure to remove your Nest Hub Max from the Google Home app first before resetting it.

If a hotspot is not available, try creating a new home structure on the Google Home app, then move your Nest Hub Max and one speaker to the new home. Once done, create a speaker group and check if you still have the same issue.

Keep us posted.

Cheers,

Muddi

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

Traxtar944 — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 22:40:45 GMT

The hub is in one group. The network is not the problem. Removing, resetting, and re-adding does not fix the problem.

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

bpcs — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 23:44:02 GMT

Thanks Muddi. I will see if I can try setting up separate networks.

For further information, I now cannot create a second speaker group at all (except for the exception described below). I have been deleting, recreating, rebooting etc, and I can only have one speaker group (I have Hub Max, Hub Mini V2, Nest Audio, Nest Mini V2, Samsung Q990C Sound Bar). If I try to create a second speaker group with any combination of speakers, the second speaker group disappears, unless the second speaker group contains the Samsung Q990C Soundbar, and then the second speaker group does "stick", but it will only contain the Samsung Soundbar (the other Google speakers disappear). Bizarre, isn't it?

Muddi, you have been very helpful in the past, so thank you for taking and interest here.

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

Muddi — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 19:45:08 GMT

Hi there,

Thanks for the information, @Traxtar944. It is best if you could try connecting two of your devices on a different network to check if you'll still have the same issue.

@bpcs: I appreciate it. There's a new update on the speaker group: Google Home and Nest speakers or displays, Chromecast, Google TV (4K,HD), and Pixel Tablet (Hub Mode) can only belong to one speaker group in the Google Home app. For more information about the update, you can visit this article: Create and manage speaker groups

Cheers,

Muddi

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

Traxtar944 — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 19:56:10 GMT

I have attempted to try a different network without success in resolving the issue.

I'm running app version 3.5.1.4

I currently have multiple nest minis in more than 1 speaker group and they work fine.

Why would Google limit functionality that was working fine a few weeks ago? That's extremely frustrating if true.

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

rhammond84 — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 19:58:26 GMT

My devices are all in multiple groups. I can still create new groups duplicating those devices without at error message in the home app.

I note though that all the devices referenced in the support link are on the newer cast firmware. I presume some change has been made and support teams have misinterpreted the constraint, or a temporary bug has been introduced. Limiting devices to one group only is design feature breaking!

Re: Nest Hub Max no longer playing audio on speaker group

bpcs — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 22:25:08 GMT

Thanks Muddi. I don't know why the speaker groups are now limited to one only... that's a big step backwards in my opinion. At least I know now and can stop trying to "fix" it.

Hopefully there will be an update to get multiple speaker groups back again???