Nest Hub and Spotify issues

[TedTheDev]

This is a problem with the Google Home service, not any individual device. I can launch the automation from any device, nest hub, google mini, or my Android phone and the same thing happens, namely that it fails to start Spotify on my Chromecast 4K. I have a premium Spotify account that uses the same email address as the google home app.

To be crystal clear, this automation has been working for over a month and stopped working last week with no changes on my end. I run it every morning. Ever since I foolishly enabled the Gemini AI for Google Home it has started failing to perform commands successfully that have been working for literally years using the old system. 

Give us the ability to revert back to the non-Gemini based system please. It actually worked most of the time.

I'm able to launch Spotify on the Nest Hub locally. I can run Spotify on the Chromecast 4K using the remote. I just no longer can get it to play using an automation anymore.

[TedTheDev]

More weirdness with this, as I can launch Spotify on the TV via voice using the Chromecast 4K, but not with a specific playlist, it always uses the last one. It also plays in some weird mode where the music plays but the screensaver come on.

The update apparently also broke my automation that turned off the TV, turned on the kitchen light, and after 5 mins the stairway and study light.

This gets worse every update, please regression test your code more.

[StephanieQ]

Hi @TedTheDev, 

Thank you for reaching out to the community! I’m sorry to hear that for the past few weeks you’ve been experiencing trouble with your automation failing to start Spotify on your Chromecast (4K). It seems that since the update to Gemini for Home, you can trigger the automation from any device, but it fails to launch Spotify on the Chromecast specifically. Additionally, while you can launch Spotify via voice, it won't play specific playlists and defaults to the screensaver mode. I also see that your automation for the TV, kitchen, stairway, and study lights isn't working as expected. I appreciate you confirming that Spotify works locally on the Google Nest Hub and via the Chromecast remote. I understand how important it is to have your smart home working properly, so let’s work together to find a solution. 

To help me investigate, I’d like to ask you some questions:

• Could you confirm which specific Chromecast (4K) model you have? For reference, you can use this article to identify it: Chromecast & Google TV Streamer specifications. 
• What is the firmware version of your Chromecast? Here’s a helpful article on how to check your Chromecast & Google TV Streamer firmware versions and release notes. 
• What is your current Google Home app version? You can find this by going to your mobile device's Settings > Apps > Google Home app. 
• Have you tried recreating the automation since the update? You can review the steps for creating a new one here: Manage smart home automations in Google Home. 
• What type of automation is not working? Is it Personal or Household? 
• Just to confirm, is the automation failing to trigger at all, or is it triggering but performing incorrectly (for example, starting at the wrong time or skipping certain steps)?

I look forward to your reply so I can assist you further. 

Best regards,

Stephanie 

[TedTheDev]

Chromecast with Google TV (4K) OS 250917.004.1419397

G Home app 4.10.57.1

I've tried editing the automation but not making it anew. I've fixed 4 automations so far as the AI version has rolled out and this is the second time this one has broken and I've yet to find a fix so far for it after 3 tries of changing the phrasing, and reinstalled the Google Home app. I have update fatigue at this point, especially since the app editing experience has had zero improvements so far.

This morning it actually launched spotify on the TV, but searched for a public playlist with of of the two words from my custom playlist in it instead of using my playlist. Yes, I have the exact name of the playlist in the automation in the activation phrase. Again, this was working for over a month. Maybe give us an expert mode to send command to the old command parser manually or select the AI version when we're feeling lucky?

The main problem with the lights automations are failures to correctly trigger off of the command word, like instead of running the one with activation keyword "laundry" it asks me "What about laundry". Sometimes it just does nothing silently after the display has the "thinking" screen briefly.

I may have a workaround where I play the playlist locally on the Nest Hub and then cast it to the TV, but I've not tested it much yet. It will take longer to activate and I expect it to randomly break in a few weeks so my motivation to put in effort is low.

[TedTheDev]

Workaround not working. I foolishly thought the voice commands that worked would also work when entered into the automation.

[StephanieQ]

Hi @TedTheDev,

Thank you for your reply and for all the details you’ve provided. I appreciate your effort in trying the workaround; however, Spotify is still not playing via the automation. 

To help us gather more information, we’d appreciate it if you could submit your feedback through the Google Home app. This provides the details we need to look into this situation. For guidance on how to send it, please refer to this Help Center article: Send feedback from the Google Home app. In the meantime, we suggest using manual casting as it remains functional. 

You can also reach out to us directly so we can review your device setup; please visit our Contact Us page and follow the prompts until you reach Contact Options. From there, select “Get a Call” or “Chat.” Our team has the necessary information and resources to provide you with further assistance. 

Feel free to keep me posted if you have any other questions. 

Best regards, 

Stephanie 

[TedTheDev]

I finally found a workaround by changing the phrasing around several times. The longer delays and inaccurate parsing still remain but at least I can get it to do what I want now when it decides to work.

[StephanieQ]

Hi @TedTheDev, 

Thank you for keeping me updated. I’m pleased that you were able to find a temporary solution to this issue. Please continue to monitor the situation and don’t hesitate to contact us again if the inconvenience persists or if you need further assistance. 

Regards, 

Stephanie 

[Emilbus6]

Are you able to help me (OP) with my issues listed above?