Chromecast Remote Lag Issues

[Kepi]

We are having a major issue trying to change channels with the Chromecast remote. Lag time is at least 30 sec to 1 minute. Sometimes it will not change the channel at all. Turning the remote off and then on helps but is a pain. I have deleted cache from the Google Home app but it did not help. Does anyone have an idea why this is happening and how to fix it?

[dpryor1988]

I have been having the same issue when using Hulu w/ Live TV on my Google Chromecast w/ Google TV. For the past week or two it's been doing this.

If I watch for a decent amount of time without changing channels, or touching the remote at all actually, I notice that when I do finally go to change the channel (or do anything using the remote for that matter), there is no response from any button on the remote other than vol and power buttons for a very good amount of time. Like you said, about 30 seconds, sometimes more, before the screen does anything. And when it finally does react to the buttons pushed, the screen gets all laggy and slow.

I end up hitting the Home button on the remote repeatedly until it finally exits Hulu and goes to the GTV home page. Then I have to go to settings and restart my Chromecast w/ GTV.

Frustrating.

[Kepi]

Yes, very frustrating and time-consuming. I think it's a defective product that was rolled out too early and before proper testing could be done on various tv brands. 

[Rojo]

Similar issue, sometimes a few seconds of lag, if you press multiple buttons when the TV catches up all the buttons that were pressed are actioned. This is making the TV unusable. Full factory reset did not help. Started a few weeks ago. 

[Kepi]

It's annoying. If they can't provide a resolution, we'll know it's a defective product.

[Gwyanez]

I have the same issue. I found a fix. Throw away that junk and get a Roku. Problem solved!

[Kepi]

May have to if they don't offer a resolution. And of course, no receipt now so can't return it. Oh well. If no fix is available, back to the Hulu app I guess. Or like you said, go with Roku.

[GarrettDS]

Hey there,
Sorry for the late response, but I wanted to drop in here to help.

I understand that this issue can be frustrating but I definitely wanted to stop by and see how I could help.

Just wanted to double check to see if you were still needing help on this? If so, what troubleshooting steps have you tried?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,
Garrett DS
 

[Kepi]

Thank you for responding. We still have the issue. We constantly have to turn off the Chromecast with remote and turn it back on because it will not change channels. We have disconnected, rebooted, changed batteries, uninstalled, reinstalled, everything we could think of and nothing helps. We have super fast fibre optics internet that never blips so that isn't the problem. It never gets better until we turn it off and back on and then only lasts a short time before we have to turn it off again. It's very frustrating. Is this a common problem or did we get a lemon? 😔

[dpryor1988]

Got a notification for an update to the Hulu app on my Chromecast w/ GTV a few days ago. I did the update. Not sure what the changes were supposed to be in the update, but it hasn't fixed the issue.

Hulu still lags constantly when trying to do pretty much anything. Whether it be opening up the live program guide while watching live TV (pressing down button on remote), going from one menu to another, navigating through the live TV program guide, etc.

And, like before, if I watch a channel on live TV for, maybe 30 minutes or longer, when I try to either open the live guide back up or even just go back to the main Hulu app home screen, it takes 5+ seconds for the Chromecast to respond to any button I touch on the remote (other than the volume/input/TV power buttons). Even pressing the Home button on the remote to go back to the main Chromecast w/ GTV home screen takes forever to respond and actually exit Hulu and go back to the GTV home screen.

After this I end up going to the Chromecast w/ GTV settings and I restart the Chromecast. After it reboots, I am able to use the Chromecast and the Hulu app like normal, until I watch live TV on the Hulu app long enough for the issue to start all over again.

Hope this helps.. I want a fix 😞

[Imthejuan]

Navigation on YouTube app is extremely slow when using my Chromecast remote. Please help. Thank you

[GMan1]

Having the exact same problem. When the unit finally responds it often kicks our of HULU. Cannot rewind a good sports play, etc.  Took the GoogleFiber "offer" when they forced us to cut their cable service. Very sorry I did. Did GarrettDS ever suggest anything, or acknowledge that Google is listening / aware of this product design flaw?

[Mzcel]

Having the same problem even had the remote sent back to google and replaced. Still the same issue. Remote need testing and someone needs to create an update for it. Sometime it would get stuck and circle selections which is annoying. But you have to be very slow. 

[dpryor1988]

Over it.

Just ordered a new Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max. Gets here Monday.

Problem solved.

Thanks, but no thanks, Google. Better luck next generation of Chromecasts, eh? Is it going to take 6 generations of device upgrades before it's stable like the Pixels? Probably ha.

[Jeran]

Hey there,

I apologize about the late response on this, I'd like to dig a little deeper into this to figure out what's happening, as I can imagine that kind of lag makes using the remote incredibly frustrating. I'll just need to ask some questions to better understand the full picture:

• When did this issue start happening?
• What is the firmware version of your Chromecast device?
• Does this issue only occur when using Live TV?
• What Live TV apps are you experiencing this issue on?
• Does this issue occur with the virtual remote?
• What troubleshooting steps have you already tried?

I look forward to the responses, and if anyone had any other questions or concerns, I'd be happy to help out.

Best regards,
Jeran

[JBHD]

We are having the same issues, but with only one of our 4 TVs that are using Chromecast devices. When watching Hulu Live TV on this particular Samsung Smart TV, the remote gradually slows down on response time, especially in the channel guide, until it is almost non-responsive. If you back out to Chromecast home and then back into Hulu, the response time on the remote works fine, but then slows again with use. This doesn’t occur on the other Samsung Smart TV we have, so I am starting to wonder if it is this particular model/vintage Samsung Smart TV that is having issues with either Chromecast or the Hulu app. 

[Mzcel]

Hi Jeren

Thanks for responding here is a little detail: 

• When did this issue start happening? Pretty much the day we got it 
• What is the firmware version of your Chromecast device? The most latest update
• Does this issue only occur when using Live TV? I don’t use live tv but it always happens when browsing media 
• What Live TV apps are you experiencing this issue on? Netflix, home , Apple TV, paramount, prime all of them
• Does this issue occur with the virtual remote? I don’t use the virtual remote
• What troubleshooting steps have you already tried? Contacted google and received a replacement remote but still happens time to time.

[pschuler523]

Here are my answers:

• When did this issue start happening? From the beginning. I got it in January.
• What is the firmware version of your Chromecast device? 4.9.180
• Does this issue only occur when using Live TV? It starts in the channel guide of Hulu Live TV. When the remote finally responds to hitting the Home button, it continues to lag on the Google TV home screen.
• What Live TV apps are you experiencing this issue on? Hulu Live
• Does this issue occur with the virtual remote? I just tried it, and yes.
• What troubleshooting steps have you already tried? Restarted Google TV

[Moneytrain81]

My remote just stops working. Like it's going into some sort of 'sleep' mode that takes 30 seconds at least to wake it up. Not much use when you need to turn the volume down or do anything frankly. Add to that that it can do volume and power when it works but refuses to do the A/V setting at all times. 

Started the second I got and installed it. 

Whatever the latest firmware is, I have that. 

The issue occurs when using the device. The app I'm using is of no consequence as it happens on all of them. 

Apps I use are YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, Paramount Plus, a dab radio app I can't remember the name of, Prime and more.

I don't use the virtual remote. And I won't use it either as that's not a solution to the actual problem.

Batteries, power cycles, blah blah blah. It doesn't work. It's honestly a bit pathetic that every response from Google is the same set of questions that everyone has answered already. I don't want a Fire Stick 4K at all, but seriously might have to get one. 

[pcrawford]

My Chromecast remote volume button lags. Just the volume buttons. Cleared cache, deleted apps, already up to date.

[Samkikani]

I have the same issue with our remote too. It randomly starts acting up. Either we see lag or it will press same button multiple times even if we pressed it once. Have been having this issue for over 4 months now. Tried many diffrent things but nothing has helped. 

[Cubz90]

Just got the Chromecast with Google TV a few days ago and already facing this issue. Makes the remote impossible to use. Firmware up to date, brand new batteries, yes trying to navigate through the menu or any app is very laggy. So will likely be sending it back because its highly frustrating. 

[Cubz90]

Seem to have resolved my issue by unparing the remote and re-paring it. Working fine now. 

[dpryor1988]

Did the unpair remote and repair trick. Worked for maybe a few days... tops.

This issue persists now on CC w/ GTV with my remote (I recently bought an additional remote which has the same problem) with Hulu still to this day. Other apps suffer from the lag issue a bit here and there, but Hulu (w/ live TV) is by far just as bad now as it was a year ago. I don't see what we need to do to get this fixed by Google and/or Hulu.

I've done all suggested steps to try to fix the issue, and then some if you ask me, so don't suggest that I do anything at this point. I suggest YOU (Google) fix the problem! Work with Hulu to fix it! I don't care. You take our money with no issue, so fix the problem! I'm tired of sitting here having your support try to troubleshoot everyone through something that can't be fixed on the user's end. Period. You have how many people here attesting to this problem existing and it being a pretty major issue for a good amount of PAYING customers. I know that after you sell the Chromecast, you don't make anymore money, so in your view it's Hulu's problem, right? And that's why we, the customer, will always lose. Because we have no other choice, right?

Just fix the problem! Stop trying to give us ways to fix it on our end. It can't be, and you know it can't be. So stop playing stupid. Just take initiative and make the bug(s) go away. You have way more than enough bug reports. If you need a log or something, I'm willing to do that if you can tell me how to debug the Chromecast for stuff like that. If that's what it will take to prove that this is on YOUR end, I'll take one for the team. Because I'm tired of Google being so lackadaisical. Do your job and fix the issue that has been reported to you. Don't tell US how to fix it anymore. It can't be. And you know it. Now get to work.

[LaggyJ]

The issue itself is frustrating, but seeing the lack of valuable input from Google's own is infuriating.   Very much questioning my loyalty to Google after reading this thread.   

The Chromecast remote is simply not compatible with Hulu.   Would love a technical answer on why this is and a definitive answer on whether this is fixable.  

[dpryor1988]

Same here.

I'm not a noob with tech stuff, so I mean, if I have to do some sort of error logging or whatever, I'm willing to do so, but like you said, no one from Google's tech support even acknowledges this issue as far as I've seen, so this whole thread is probably useless at the end of the day. But if someone from their tech team WOULD actually reach out (can't speak for others, but I would respond) to follow up about this (pretty BIG) issue, I'd do whatever they need to narrow down the problem. But I don't see that ever happening seeing how Google's whole support staff company-wide are pretty useless.

For example:

I switched from Tmobile (was with them for almost 10 years) to Fi out of curiosity a couple years ago. Worst decision I've ever made. I signed up for Fi through the Fi website and even opted to finance a Pixel 4 through Fi at the time of sign up. So they had no issue moving my number from my Tmobile account to my new Fi plan, and they had NO issue with charging my card for the plan sign up and the initial payment on the phone along with shipping and whatnot. So I even paid the extra (I think it was $10 or $15 at the time) shipping cost to get the phone expedited for shipping. I thought this would get me my new Pixel 4 as soon as possible. I was wrong.

Somehow they accepted the Fi plan sign up, but my card was declined for the phone to be purchased and shipped off. So of course there's no phone support at the time, so you have to contact Google about a huge billing issue over an online chat (give me a break!). So these people are useless. I mean, every time I talk to one of these people, they have a different story and tell me how "someone will email you to follow up on the issue". Well, no one does for several days as I keep messaging support staff on the online chat. Finally, after a bunch of these online chat support idiots, someone emails me back. They have no clue what's going on either. So they say that the billing team will contact me. So eventually billing emails me saying they charged the card and it should be fine. Well, on their website, the phone still says it can't be shipped cause of some issue with my card. So this goes on for over a week. So I'm without a phone for this whole time. Then, finally they managed to "cancel" the previous order so I could place my order again.

And keep in mind that while their support says the card "couldn't" be charged, my bank statement says that google charged me (with the fast shipping cost added). So after a bunch of back and forth, eventually they say the order is "canceled" and my card/account will be refunded in like 3-5 days (that's lame... I mean, c'mon. What a joke!) but that I can now place my order again. So I do this, and I pay the extra cost for fast shipping again (even though I told them they should give it for free, but they didn't do this) because at this point, I just need a phone. Huge inconvenience not having a phone with an active sim or esim in it for over a week in current times where we rely on our phones so much, but Google didn't seem to care haha.

So, once again, the order status page says they had an issue billing me after like 2 days of saying that the order was pending for shipping or whatever. So I get ahold of support again (huge pain like the first time around..) and this time they somehow "correct" the issue, and they charge my card manually, the phone ships out a day or 2 later, and I get my phone (finally!). But, the 2 day shipping or whatever speed it promised (I think it was 2 day) was way off again, seeing how it ended up being another week or so before I had my phone. And just like I thought, Google didn't bother to refund the extra cost for fast shipping. The extra charge was still put on my card for "fast shipping". What a joke for a multi billion dollar company.

Screw Google. They'd go under so bad if they didn't monopolize every corner of every market to where we're pigeon-holed into using their overpriced crap products with HORRIBLE (or more like ZERO) support for anything/everything they do.

[dpryor1988]

Oh, and I forgot to mention. I ended up going back to Tmobile after less than a year with Fi. Way overpriced service with horrible support like I already mentioned.

So during the switching process, Fi's app almost lost my phone number through the process of transferring it back to Tmobile's service. The phone number I've had for YEARS was almost extinct and their support once again had no idea what to do about it. Somehow Tmobile's support was about to contact Fi and get it corrected. Had to had their hand held to be walked through how to fix something apparently. That's sad..

Was a big costly since I had to pay off the remaining balance of the Pixel 4 all at once when ending my Fi plan. Since the phone was purchased through Fi and not just Google's regular store website, I couldn't just continue financing it as if I had done so through their regular store website. Figures. So I had to pay that lump sum off at once like I didn't really want to, but it was worth it to be done with Google 100%. I don't want to ever be bound to any sort of payment plan or anything like that with them again. I'll never purchase a phone through them directly ever again seeing how it might end up taking a month and a bunch of headaches just to get my phone. If I were to ever get another google phone, I'd go to Best Buy or something so I know that when I'm being charged for the item, I'm actually going to get the item I'm paying for.. Just makes a bit more sense to me. Maybe Google will catch onto this idea one day. "When the customer pays for something, we should actually honor that and give them what they paid for and not act like complete morons during the process to make things as difficult for the customer as possible. That way we don't have to deal with them anymore. We can just relax at Google and soak up the sunshine and get overpaid to do nothing. The good life. Remember employees, here at Google it's profits over people 110% of the time. Now go get em team! After a nice nap of course!"

[Juni]

Hi folks.

Sorry for the late response. We are aware about what's happening, try these steps and let us know if this works for everyone.

1. Update your applications on your phone.
2. Update your Chromecast.
   • Go to your profile at the top-right.
   • Then select Settings > System > About > System Update.
   • If you get the message “Your system is up-to-date” then  it’s updated.
3. Go to your Apps. 
   • From the top-right corner under Profile go to Settings.
   • Select the Show System Apps, scroll down and highlight <Android TV Remote Service>
   • Swing over to the right side, select <Force Stop> then hit OK.
   • Scroll down, hit <Disable>
   • Next is to <Uninstall All Updates>, hit OK.
   • Then go back to your list of <All apps>, and look for Google Play Store.
   • Select Google Play Store and hit <Open>.
   • At the top-right corner, go to your <Profile>
   • Go to <Manage apps & games>, and select <Updates> > choose Update All.
   • Go back to your list of <All apps> again, and look for <Android TV Remote Service>
   • Swing over to the right side of your screen, and make sure that this is <Enabled>
   • Close and relaunch the Google Home app.
   • Tap on your Chromecast, hit <Open Remote> then start pairing by entering code. 

Best,

Juni

[Juni]

Hi everyone,

It's me again. I want to make sure you're all good — how did the steps go?
 

Regards,

Juni

[dpryor1988]

I've been using my Firestick,but I plugged my Chromecast in and tried all the steps you listed for the heck of it. Things are a little better, but it's still overall just so laggy that I am back to my Firestick.

[Rojo]

This issue has returned for me, last time Google had to replace the Chromecast.

[Juni]

HI folks,

@dpryor1988, we're sad to see you go. We'll definitely take this as feedback — we'll ensure to learn from it to be able to deliver a better experience in the future.

@Rojo, this is not the experience that we wanted you to have. A few things: Where is your Chromecast plugged in your TV or receiver? What is the make and model of it?  How far are you to the Chromecast when you control it? Do you still have the case number when you contacted our support so we can further check?

Looking forward for your response.
 

Thanks,

Juni

[modeluxe]

Hi @All 

i had the exact same issue (in all apps and settings menu).

The Remote-Function of the Google TV App on my smartphone always been working like a charm without any issues and lags. So it had something to do with the remote itself. 

I bought a HDMI Extension cable so the Chromecast wasn't behind my TV any more.

All input lags are gone! The Remote now works flawless!  

I assume that the remote signal is interruptet by the TV itself. 

In my case, the TV is hanging on the wall. So the Chromecast was in a narrow gap between the wall and the tv. 

I have another TV which is standing free with lots of air behind the TV. I have never had issues there with the remote..

[Zz__]

No reply yet?

[modeluxe]

Ich posted the solution right above your reply. This works. 

Have also done this at my parents house which had the same issues. In my opinion, that's definitely the solution