So I bought a Chromecast with Google TV over a year ago, and I sent it back within a couple of days because it was just awful.
Let me explain.
I have used Google/Nest Home Minis and Chromecast devices for years - casting was seamless from my device, but also casting by issuing voice commands to a Mini just worked (as long as Google heard me) I could play and pause and skip and go forward and backward specified amounts of time - all with voice commands.
Enter the Chromecast with Google TV...
It seemed to create a weird two-tier system - where casting from my phone or using my voice would use the web-based traditional Chromecast UI for streams, but then there were Apps too which were totally separate - and using the Google remote and onscreen Google TV UI would play with these Apps as you would expect. But the trouble is voice command from a Google Home Mini we're then very broken - they would not control the Apps properly, sometimes a command like "Play Groot from Disney Plus" would lead to the App UI opening on the correct video page but not Playing, and asking Google Home Mini to press play just didn't work. I'd have to use the physical remote.
And that is just part of it - it's like they mashed a Google TV and Chromecast together without any thought to how the whole thing would work together - especially with voice commands from a Google Home Mini.
I love the traditional Chromecast approach and the new Google TV approach was a horrible experience for someone who loved the old approach. I'm hoping it's improved substantially, but I won't be surprised to hear it hasn't. Google likes to destroy their products to much.
