C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR A future update for Google TV may let you program the customizable remote button to open a specific smart home camera feed directly.
This would add a new shortcut option to the ‘star’ button, which can currently be set to launch an app, the input switcher, or the full smart home panel.
Evidence for this unreleased feature was discovered in the code of the Google TV Ambient Mode app, though it’s not yet live.
When you’re relaxing at home watching a show on your Google TV, interruptions are the last thing you want. Still, a package delivery or a strange sound outside can pull your attention away. That’s why the customizable button on select Google TV remotes is so useful, as it can be configured to open the smart home panel, letting you view a camera feed or control other devices. A future update, however, may take this a step further by letting you bypass the panel to launch your preferred camera feed directly.
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For reference, select Google TV devices — like the Google TV Streamer, Onn 4K Plus, and Onn 4K Pro — feature a customizable button on their remote, designated with a ⭐ symbol. The “star” button can be set to launch the smart home panel, the TV’s input switcher, or an app of your choice.
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
While digging into the Google TV Ambient Mode app, I found strings suggesting you’ll also eventually be able to open a camera feed directly with a tap of this button. Here are the strings in question:
Code Copy Text Select a camera feed will open the selected camera feed on top of your onscreen content Create shortcut
These strings were introduced in version 3.2.0 of the Google TV Ambient Mode app back in June. However, there’s no indication the feature has gone live, which several Google TV Streamer users have confirmed. It’s possible Google is still developing the shortcut for a later release. It’s not uncommon for features to appear in code months before they roll out publicly. That is, of course, if the feature is still planned for release — some end up on the cutting room floor.
Hopefully, that won’t be the case here, as this shortcut might be genuinely useful for some people. If you frequently check Nest camera feeds on your Google TV, this feature will be a time-saver. While setting up this new shortcut means you’ll lose one-click access to the smart home panel, it’s not gone completely. You can still access the panel by holding down the Home button to open Quick Settings, where the home panel tile is located.
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