Google Home now chats with YouTube TV

Now you can control YouTube TV on a Chromecast using your voice.

Google announced an update for both the live television streaming service and its digital assistant that allow the two to communicate. If you own Google Home, you’ll be able to ask Google Assistant to put on a specific channel or program.

Say “OK Google, play” followed by a channel or program and Google Home will direct your Chromecast. That means you can switch between the American League Divisional Series on FS1 and the latest episode of This Is Us on NBC without pressing a button. Since both devices are on the same WiFi network, they update each other in real-time.

Voice control can also play, pause, stop, rewind, fast forward, and adjust captions.

YouTube TV joins YouTube and Netflix as the other services already enabling Google Home-to-Chromecast functionality. Those are two of the most popular places to find video-based content, so Google might be onto something. Additional third-party partners are likely to add support in the coming months, especially with Google Home Mini and Google Home Max being released later this year.

Google points out that new members can try the live TV streaming service free for thirty days before having to pay $35 per month. There’s also a promotion in which new members get a free Chromecast just for joining YouTube TV.