topic Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar? in Audio & Video

Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

denodan — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 23:42:15 GMT

Why is it the Samsung soundbar is not recognized or found with Google assistant.

TV works fine through google.

I have both Google assist and Alexa.

TV and soundbar works with Alexa, but only tv is recognized with google. Smartthings in Google only shows tv and can control sound, voice etc, but wont find soundbar.

No issues with Alexa.

Just lucky I have both voice assistants?

But generally alexa is much better adding things than Google.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

moonblossom — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 16:46:12 GMT

I have the same issue with Google Assistant not seeing my Q90 soundbar. I prefer Google over Alexa. I wish it was supported.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

LazyX9 — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 11:28:33 GMT

This seem to be a feature many users are asking for just like myself, and I think its pretty bad for Samsung NOT to include google assistance to its high end soundbar.

As it currently stands, this soundbar does officially ONLY support Alexa and does NOT have Google Assistance feature. And this is required in order to add to the google home eco system.

We can only keep reminding and asking Samsung to do something about this and hope its only a matter of firmware that can be updated in the near future.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

denodan — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 18:20:27 GMT

Well I have my soundbar hooked up to my Samsung q90r tv so when I use google assitant and ask it to adjust volume then it works adjusting the sound of the soundbar as I got the sound of the tv through soundbar. Even more works.

The soundbar is designed to integrate with the samsung tvs.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

LazyX9 — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 19:54:37 GMT

Im very happy for you that you can do all that with your TV and Id be surprised if samsung didnt intergrate with its own products, not sure how it is relevant to the issue discussed here though. And I think for just adjusting the TV volume its more comfortable using a remote so you know what levels you need and also not interrupting whatever you are watching looking like a crazy person talking to the TV..

The soundbar should be able to be used as a stand alone device when you want to listen to music for example (think sonos playbar), I dont want to always have my TV on for that. So had Samsung done a proper job and added google assistance, the soundbar would be part of my google home ecosystem as a speaker and added to my speaker group and I could stream my music through casting.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

moonblossom — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 20:12:08 GMT

I also have my Q90 soundbar connected to my Q90 TV. I can control the TV with Google Assistant but I would prefer to control the soundbar independently from the TV. Sometimes I just want to listen to music and not have the TV on.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

denodan — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 20:35:27 GMT

You can run google music through soundbar via bluthooth

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

denodan — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 20:46:03 GMT

Why not just download the Alexa assistant on your phone? That works fine to control the soundbar.

And someone said LG is not relevant? Yes it is as they are moaning why no Alexa integration whereas Samsung owners are moaning why no Google assistant integration. None support both assistants, so either one or the or the other.

Those LG people have the same issues as Sansung by not supporting both assistants.

You get one or the other, not both.

Samsung just happened to pick alexa but included google assitant integration simply because when the soundbar is used with tv then its integrated with google.

LG have the opposite problem so none integrate with both systems and Samsung are not unique in this type of situation.

The simple answer and work around is download the free alexa app on your phone then can use the bar without using the tv by voice commands.

So yes the Example of LG is relevant as they have the same issue but the other way round. Dont think its just a samsung issue as it's not.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

moonblossom — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 20:52:33 GMT

I only have Google Assistant/Nest devices. I installed Alexa in my Samsung phone but didn't detect my soundbar. I can use Bixby to turn on/off the soundbar but not to stream music.

Bluetooth seems to be only work around 😞

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

denodan — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 20:57:36 GMT

Then turn on BT then if you got google music can stream music. Did not know you could independently turn on soundbar with Bixby by voice as the soundbar has no mic

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

moonblossom — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 21:02:08 GMT

Bixby on my phone.

Most people use either Google or Alexa assistants. You would think that since Samsung makes Android devices they would make their hardware work with Google better.

I have a Note 9 and I can't even stream using smartview (Samsung equivalent to cast).

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

denodan — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 21:16:28 GMT

Since they have their own voice assistant they would rather use that. For basic controls Bixby works fine. Have no issues there with the functions of tv or soundbar.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

denodan — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 21:35:09 GMT

None seem to support both assistance so depending on what one you have very likely having the same issues as Samsung. I have both assistance and often use one or the other. Anyway anyone can have both as you can download alexa through google app store and think apple app store?

And dont need a physical Alexa assistant and it's free. No matter what soundbar you get none support both so depending on your setup your no better off than Samsung.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

denodan — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 07:18:29 GMT

And LG are saying wished they had Alexa. Depending on make you get 1 or the other not both. Just download the Alexa app for free then can control it. Bixby works well enough for basic controls. On both tv and soundbar and in ways better than many that just rely on alexa or Google as you dont get both.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

LazyX9 — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 09:13:21 GMT

Anyway... going back to the issue for google users, unfortunately I think a true integration between Samsung and Google could be unlikely as it stands. This because I think both Samsung and Google are not really interested in investing in a collaboration seeing that both companies are moving towards expanding their own portfolio.

But this is where I see google having the advantage having the better smart home platform, which is where the future is heading, where as Binxy is a joke when compared. I dont see Samsung spending too much money in developing this either as they probably realized it will never reach the amount of users that google has and it will never be near as good, so dont be surprised if they stop it.

I wouldnt be surprised if Google, although perhaps unlikely, even made a bold move into the Soundbar market in the future, a bit like sonos did, which would actually be quite awesome. They are already planning on releasing a new speaker that will compete with the sonos one, and also seem to be developing a new smart dongle that in theory turn your old TV (or new) into a full google home smart TV experience, very exciting stuff for google users.

My suggestion to Samsung is to ditch any ideas of further developing their smart home platform and spend more in developing what they know best, TVs and Soundbars. And if they are clever and can convince Google to collaborate with a true integration, they will be very much ahead of the game. Or they just stick with Amazon.

Its a hard truth to accept that we who owns this soundbar Q90R, among other devices from Samsung, will just have to live with the fact that we still have a great sounding soundbar but thats about it. I will have to settle with using my google chromecast as the audio soutce to feed the soundbar, it works but its not optimal for what I would like to achive.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

denodan — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 09:42:41 GMT

To feed the soundbar I just use either bluthooth and Google music or Alexa with amazon music. If you download the Alexa app to your phone can control your tv and soundbar. Since I have both alexa and Google assist it's no big deal.

Just ask alexa to play example, relaxing music on alexa soundbar and works great as I have Amazon music also.

I think Bixby is great for integrating soundbar and tv and works well for your basic functions like decrease increase volume turn on soundbar tv etc change channels on tv, mute. For basic controls works well and better than other tvs sound combinations.

The only thing Bixby does not work doing searches in you tube, etc but as remote functions on soundbar and tv works well I find.
And if you have Alexa full functions.

If for example you have LG and you only have Alexa and no google.

At least Samsung you have Bixby and alexa and if you have the soundbar integration with tv then google works with soundbar.

Think more use akexa over google. Alexa is the better voice assitant for smart voice controlled devices and Google is smarter at general knowledge and less so for smart devices.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

LazyX9 — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 14:06:30 GMT

I totally get your point, the issue Im having is that I really dont care too much about the voice assistance feature in my smart home, even though I do use if for playing my music etc sometimes.

The main reason I want full integration with my samsung and google is that I prefer to use the google home platform for all my smart devices, and when it comes to music in multiple rooms it would just be so much better to have the samsung soundbar directly connected via WIFI to my google home ecosystem so I can put it in my speaker group. Its probalbly a nightmare to intergrate the two systems but it would be a great feature.

If that were possible my soundbar would be so much more than just a TV speaker without any other decices involved.

Re: Why no google assist with sansung Q90R soundbar?

KemikoChan — Fri, 25 Dec 2020 02:39:01 GMT

I also experience the same issue. I bought Q950T last week, but connecting SmartThings to Google Home only allows me to see Q950T on the Google Home app, but I couldn't control it via Google Assistant.

If you only want to command Google Assistant to play music on a soundbar, my solution is to pair a soundbar, via Bluetooth, with the Google Home app and set it as a default speaker instead of its own Google Home's tiny built-in speaker.

Here's a walkthrough.

Open Google Home app > Settings > Rooms and Groups > Choose your room, ex Living Room > Living Room Speaker > Default Speaker > Pair Bluetooth Speaker (see an attached screenshot)

Don't forget to set a Samsung soundbar to BT pairing mode.

Then, music will be played on my Q950T soundbar anytime I command Google Assistant. I hope this will be helpful!