One week after announcing it had updated the SmartCast platform powered by Google’s Chromecast, TV/video display maker Vizio said that its SmartCast enabled products are now compatible with Google Home, Google’s new voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant.

Vizio SmartCast TVs have Chromecast functionality built in to enable streaming video and music apps on the display controlled by the SmartCast app on a smartphone or tablet. With integration of Google Home users with a Google Home speaker will be able to speak voice commands across a room to control basic television operations hands free.

Google Home accepts simple voice commands to adjust volume up and down, play, stop and skip music tracks on any Google Home supported services. Google Home users can also power on their displays by asking to play entertainment on the big screen when the “Quick Start Power Mode” function is enabled on their Vizio SmartCast display. (Vizio SmartCast displays lack over the air tuners and do not quality to be called “TVs”).

Read more about Vizio’s Google Home-powered displays after the jump:

The Vizio SmartCast collection of products includes: P-, M-, and E-Series displays as well as home theater sound bars and standalone wireless speakers.

The Vizio SmartCast connected ecosystem allows for consumers to use voice control powered by Google Home. To hear a song on a Vizio SmartCast speaker or sound bar, a user can say, “Ok Google” followed by their song request from Google Play Music, Pandora, Spotify and other music app services.

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If the “Quick Start Power Mode” feature is enabled on the Vizio SmartCast display, Google Home users instruct the display to play a movie even when the display is off. The display will then power on and begin loading the requested content from apps like Netflix and YouTube.

Google Home is Google’s alternative to the popular Alexa Echo family of products available through Amazon. Both platforms were big sellers over the recent holiday selling season. Vizio SmartCast displays do not include the Amazon Instant Video app to easily stream content through that OTT service.

By Greg Tarr

 

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