Use Google Nest Mini (Pair, in the near future) as Bluetooth Speaker for my Shield TV

by Sonicjan

So I tried to somehow get the Nest Mini to connect to my Shield, in order to stream the sound onto it (the Mini). However, in-app attempts like streaming music are only possible to go in the other direction (to the TV). While other means of connections are only able to allow controling the TV with my Voice through the Nest Mini. Streaming the picture + sound to my Nest Mini through a sideloaded Home App doesn't work, since it doesn't recognize other devices in the same network and so my last chance would've been non in-app means like Bluetooth. Of course this was the most obvious choice for a connection, but having all those devices in one app, you might think they would allow any kind of connection between those devices, especially since speakers like the Home Max were basically made to be used as music boxes. But alright, so back to good old Bluetooth. The only problem is; the Shield doesn't want to connect to my Nest Mini via Bluetooth! It always shows me an error of the pairing not beinv possible and than cuts the connection. The Nest Mini does save the Shield as a paired Bluetooth-Device and the Shield did the same thing for the Mini once, but the connection still didn't work. No matter what I do; resetting the Bluetooth-Application, trying the least common ways to connect or something else entirely, IT DOESN'T WANT TO WORK!

So PLEASE, can someone help me to finally connect those two together? I just want to have the sounds be played by my Nest Mini instead of the TV, why is it so difficult?!

ALSO: My Shield (2017) is rooted, I don't know if this could be the core of the problem...

glapulapu112

I've had success pairing bluetooth headphones when I would watch something I didn't want sound output through my sound system, but using a google home mini for tv viewing audio begs the question, why?

NoShftShck16

Plug a 3.5mm Bluetooth adapter into the back of your TV and maybe see if you can connect it to the Nest. Even if that somehow worked the latency would make it unusable. What you are trying to do is unfortunately not possible.

Squirrito

There are so many better options for food audio from your TV. I recommend saving your energy on investigating something that clearly isn't the intended use of these products (and likely not feasible) and investigating AVRs and speakers or a sound bar

Sonicjan

To a deleted comment, that asked if "Nest isn't just a Thermostat":

Nest was a company that made devices like thermostats or other security/smart home stuff. However, Google came along and bought that company, thus still selling and producing their products but all with Google Home-connectivity and most of them with a build-in microphone, speaker and the Google Assistant. The Google Nest Mini is the sequel of the Google Home Mini; a small Assistant-speaker similar to the Amazon Echo Dot. Other Devices are the Google Nest Hub, Google Nest Hub Max, Google Nest Hello Doorbell and of course a Google Nest Thermostat.

With the Nest Mini you can, for example, control you Android TV. Saying things like "Hey Google, turn the TV on" or "Hey Google, turn the Shield off". Even saying things like "Ok Google, play Stranger Things on Netflix on my TV" work perfectly and controling the sound with the Assistant is possible aswell.

My problem is, that I can't connect the Shield TV to the Nest Mini in order to use it as a Bluetooth Speaker. That is possible witb phones and other devices, but for some reason the Shield tells me that it can't pair with the Google Nest Mini.

Of course one would ask, why to connect it to that thing in the first place. The thing is, you can connect two Nest Minis to a Stereo Speaker Pair and thus having the two directional channels split between those two Speakers. I myself have only one right now, but I'm going to get a second one today. They will be placed left and right from my sofa, so playing games on the Shield could be a bit more emersing, just like watching movies or hearing music.

Of course the Nest Mini isn't the very best speaker in the world and connecting it through Bluetooth makes it a teeny tiny bit out of sync with the picture. Of course this isn't a problem with just music, but some might be destracted by it during a movie. However, there is one very special other Bluetooth-Speaker/Assistant made by Google, that is really interesting to me:

The Google Home Max (still didn't got a second Generation model "Google Nest Max", but Google will probably give us one in the near future)

The Google Home Max is basically a Audiobox, that even has AUX-ports. Pairing two of these bad boys to my Nvidia Shield TV would be perfect. Awesome sound quality, integrated Google Assistant and an easy connection via the Home App to allow for easy use with other Devices aswell. Of course I would want to connect them via cable, because of the delay, but having a fast and uncomplicated Bluetooth-/Home-Connection would make it just more flexible, if I were to connect them to something else (like my record Player for example), but suddenly wanted to hear something else that I have on my Android TV and without the hassle of reconnecting wires.

max1001

Why don't you just use a sound bar setup like most people do? I am using a 5.1 Vizio set that's like $150.