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Google TV just made digging through settings menus optional, for some of you

Describe what looks or sounds wrong and the TV tunes itself, no menus needed.

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TV screen showing Gemini confirming it set picture and sound modes to Movie for a cinematic experience
Gemini sets picture and sound modes to Movie on a TCL Google TV. | Image by Google
Digging through TV settings menus to fix a dim picture or muddy dialogue is one of those chores nobody signed up for. Google is now handing that job over to Gemini on Google TV, though rivals like Amazon Fire TV have nothing to sweat yet, because the rollout starts and ends with five TCL models.

Gemini will now fix your picture and sound for you


Google announced that starting today, you can talk to Gemini on select TCL Google TVs to adjust picture and sound settings, troubleshoot audio or video issues and jump straight into specific settings menus. Just press and hold the mic button on the remote or say "Hey Google" and ask away.

The examples Google shared range from direct commands like "Set picture mode to Sport" or "Increase the bass" to plain descriptions of a problem, such as "The screen is too dark" or "I can't hear the dialogue clearly." You can even hand it a vibe, asking Gemini to make movie night feel more cinematic, and it will pick the right picture and sound modes for you.

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Only five TCL models make the cut


The feature arrives via a TCL system update rolling out over the next few weeks, and it covers the QM9K, X11L, QM9L, QM8L and RM9L in the US. Your set will also need to run Android TV OS 14 or newer.

Here is how to check if the update has reached your TV:
  1. Open Settings on your TCL Google TV
  2. Go to System, then About
  3. Select System update

How do you handle your TV's picture and sound settings?
2 Votes

A great update that most Google TV users can't touch


Gemini has been steadily taking over Google TV since it first landed on the platform, and we recently covered Google's plan to overhaul how the platform recommends content. Voice-controlled settings felt like the natural next step, and now it is here.

The catch is reach. Google says there are over 300 million active Google TV and Android TV devices, and this rollout touches exactly five TV models in a single country.

The mood among early adopters seems upbeat, too. One TCL owner shared their excitement on Reddit after Gemini for TV landed on their Q77K set, which bodes well for how these voice-driven settings will be received once they reach more living rooms.



However, if you watch through a Google TV Streamer or any other streaming box, you are left out entirely, since the settings Gemini is adjusting live inside the TV itself and not the dongle. That one stings for the rest of us, but it makes sense to TCL owners as they are getting a genuinely useful upgrade.

I guess all we can do is celebrate the win for those eligible and hope the exclusivity window stays short.

Soccer fans get something too


In a separate announcement, Google said the Sports topic page on Google TV becomes the home of soccer's biggest global tournament starting tomorrow (June 12). You will find live matches, upcoming schedules, highlights and post-game breakdowns from apps like FOX One, Tubi and YouTube TV, with the hub running through July 19.



Unlike the Gemini settings trick, this one is not locked to specific hardware, so streaming box owners are covered here.

Should Fire TV and Apple TV owners care?


If your living room runs on an Amazon Fire TV stick or an Apple TV box, nothing here affects you today. But features like this rarely stay exclusive for long, so consider it a preview of where TV voice assistants are headed, and a reason to keep an eye on what Amazon and Apple do next.
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