How To Get a Smart Display to Actually Show Videos You Want to Watch

Get yourself aGoogle Nest Hubor anAmazon Echo Show , and you ’ve got a equipment that can do everything a smart speaker can — plus wager videos . It ’s not always obvious which video apps work on these smart display , or what you could do with them , which is why we curated this list of what you could lead and ca n’t race decently now .

There ’s one conspicuous omission : Netflix . You ca n’t run Netflix on either the Echo Show or the Nest Hub , and you ca n’t use the Chromecast feature built into the Nest Hub either , because Netflix does n’t recognize these devices as displays in the same manner a inspection and repair like Plex does .

Here is every picture - streaming app that works on your smart presentation .

Photo: Sam Rutherford (Gizmodo)

YouTube

YouTube is the default video player on the Nest Hub , as you might expect , and you may just ask to “ play some computed tomography TV ” or “ act Billie Eilish telecasting ” to evoke up a list of clips . It ’s a routine pip or miss ; if you ’re looking for a specific video recording , you ’re better off witness it on your earpiece and beaming it over to the Nest Hub .

The Nest Hub doubles as a Chromecast equipment and will automatically show up on your connection . only load up YouTube on your earpiece ( or your laptop ) , line up the video you ’re after , and tap on the Chromecast button . Select your Nest Hub and playback starts . To contain playback , use your phone or the touchscreen control on the equipment itself .

There ’s no app interface for YouTube on the Nest Hub , but using the touchscreen restraint , you may skip through videos in a play list , turn subtitles on and off , and start and halt playback . you’re able to also access commend YouTube videos from the front CRT screen , but you ca n’t seek for specific clips .

Image: Google

Image: Google

YouTube is available on the Echo Show as well , though you need to mention it by name ( “ play some cat videos on YouTube ” ) , then pick from the hunt results that appear in a internet browser window ( either Amazon ’s Silk internet browser or Firefox ) . From there , launch the video manually and play it full - projection screen . It ’s more difficult than it need to be , but once playback get , it ’s fine — and unlike on the Nest Hub , you’re able to actually look for specific videos .

Amazon Prime Video

Unsurprisingly , the Echo Show shines when using an Amazon streaming service . However , if you just require Alexa to play some videos on any matter without specifying a service , it ’ll just run a generic web search — on Bing , in fact — and take back the top video final result . To get something up on Prime Video , you require to specify a show or film title , a type of depicted object , or a genre .

“ Alexa , play Fleabag , ” works , for example , as does , “ Alexa , play Olympus Has Fallen . ” As long as you have intercourse what you ’re looking for on Prime Video , the table service will jump straight to it . If you want to have a browse , postulate Alexa to show you movies or show , and you’re able to scroll through them and launch titles on the machine ’s screen .

you could be more specific and ask to see clowning films or detective shows or sitcom . ask for specific actors works as well , in subject you suddenly feel the need to stuff watch everything Tom Hanks or Rooney Mara has come along in ( you ’re limited by what ’s on Amazon Prime Video , but still ) .

Screenshot: Gizmodo

Screenshot: Gizmodo

At the moment there ’s no means to observe Amazon Prime Video on a Google Nest Hub . The Prime Video apps have a Chromecast feature , but , like Netflix , they do n’t recognize the Nest Hub as a proper display . You ’re going to have to use another screen to catch up on your Prime Video movies and shows .

Plex

Plex pride itself on working on as many different devices as possible , and it has introduced reenforcement for the Nest Hub . You need to found Plex on your headphone first , then hit the Chromecast button , then choose your Nest Hub . Playback can be insure on your wandering equipment or via the touch screen .

You ca n’t roleplay Plex movies and show on an Echo Show with a voice program line , but you could access it through the Silk or Firefox browsers . It ’s not gentle navigating the Plex site on an Echo Show blind with a touchscreen keyboard , and one or two screen are n’t by rights formatted , but you could get it to work .

Twitch

Amazon owns Twitch , so Twitch integration is built right into the Echo Show , as expected . Just say , “ Alexa , open Twitch , ” or , “ Alexa , ask Twitch for pop channels , ” for exemplar , to come out watch . you may intend particular line and games , too .

Over on the Nest Hub , Twitch is one of the apps that recognizes Google ’s impudent display when you wiretap on the Chromecast button , so you’re able to tune up into Twitch streams if you ’ve got a telephone to reach . You ca n’t open Twitch natively with a representative instruction on a Nest Hub .

Hulu

Hulu work on the Echo Show in a interchangeable mode to Prime Video . Just say , “ Alexa , loose Hulu , ” or , “ Alexa , play ESPN on Hulu , ” to get get going . The first time you do this , you ’ll need to access using your Hulu credentials , but after that step , everything will work instantly . you may also voyage through channels and register from a consecrate Hulu splash cover on the Echo Show .

If you need to observe Hulu on a Nest Hub equipment , you need to take the Chromecast route . Tap the Chromecast button inside the Hulu app for Android or iOS , and your Nest Hub will seem as an alternative . you could even habituate a voice bid to get Hulu pelt on your Nest Hub , but you ’ll need to relate your Hulu account in the TV & Video part of the Google Home mobile app first .

Vimeo

Vimeo work on the Google Nest Hub , but you need to take the Chromecast path ; you ca n’t just launch the service with a vox bid . set up the video you want to watch on Android or iOS , tap the Chromecast button , and pick your fresh display . Playback can be controlled from the app on your speech sound or the touchscreen .

If you need to follow Vimeo video on the Echo Show , you ’ll need to go the browser app route using Amazon ’s Silk web browser app or Firefox , whichever you opt . Just say , “ Alexa , open … ” followed by the name of the web browser app . you may then log into Vimeo and browse through the videos on offer , then make for them full - screen . It ’s not idealistic , but it works .

Amazon Echo