Google Nest Hub as a Roon Display Working

Tinkering
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I put away my Nest Hub a few years ago because I could not get it to work as a Roon Display consistently. I decided to take it out and play around to see if it would work now. While I was playing around with it, I stumbled on a hack to get my Google Nest Hub working as a Roon Display without timing out after 60 secs. I am not sure if this hack will work for you. Please try it and post your result.

My Google Nest Hub System Firmware: 4.20210608.1.1146075
Cast Firmware: 1.56.291758

My Roon Core version: 1.8 Build 923

Step 1: Open Google Home App on your iPhone or Android and open your Nest Hub
Step 2: Select Settings (Gear icon on top)
Step 3: Select Accessibility
Step 4: Turn on Screen Reader

Once Screen Reader is turned ON, my Nest Hub as a Roon Display stops timing out. It will still “blink” every 60s, but the Roon display stays ON.

The drawback is that now you will see a red box around the display in the accessibility mode. You will also need to figure out how to use your Nest Hub in the accessibility mode (Google Nest display accessibility settings - Android - Google Nest Help). Since I only use my Nest Hub as a Roon Display I don’t interact with my Google Hub. Or you can interact with your Nest Hub using “Hey Google”.

I only have one Google Nest Hub at home, so I am unsure if it will work for you. Post your results here. So far, my Nest Hub as a Roon Display is working well for me.

Edit: Confirmed by a few other users the hack works!

7 Likes
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interesting, sadly doesnt work for me, still goes back to screen saver after 60 seconds

what do you have set as your screen saver options on the hub?

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I have Google photo as my screen saver. Try to turn on and off Screen Reader a few times on your Google Home app. Do you see the red box around your Google Nest Hub?

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no cant get a red border round at all, even tho it says screen reader is on

this is a google home hub mini is it? the smaller one anyway

System firmware version: 4.20210608.1.1146075
Cast firmware: 1.56.291758

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Yes it’s the smaller 7” one. What happens when you click on your screen with screen reader on? On my Nest Hub it will show a red box. That is how I know I am in the accessibility mode.

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cant get a red border at all with screen reader on/off

tried a reboot, tried turning it on/off many times

the other accessibility options work tho, inverse colors and and triple.tap to zoom

i also have google photos for screen saver that always kicks in after 60

wonder if you have another option turned on that i dont?

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I just rebooted my Core and Nest Hub. I am able to get it to work consistently again (Roon Display without timing out). If you turn on Screen Reader, try to interact with your Nest Hub. You will find one finger touch does not register with your screen. Try to use 3 fingers to slide left or right. Do you see a red box around menu selections?

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No one finger continues to work even with screen reader selected on in the all, looks like its just not letting me turn on screen reader even tho the app says its turned on. odd as all the other options register and turn on immediately.

will keep trying

have tried talking to it asking it to read my screen and it says it cant

interesting you have it working tho thanks, will come back if I manage to get it going and if its a setting that also needs changing

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You should see the red box like this

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Here is what it looks like as a Roon Display

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yeh its most odd, for whatever reason I cant get it to go in screen reader mode

i have just tried on the larger nest hub we have in the kitchen tho and as soon as i turn screen reader on there assistant actually says

'chromebox spoken feedback is ready window

and hooking that screen up as a roon display does indesd function as you describe

so well done getting it to work, clearly something wrong with my smaller nest hub, it is a gen 1 of that i think with no camera etc

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Awesome. I am so glad someone else can confirm it is working. The only reason I purchased Nest Hub a few years ago was to use it as a Roon Display.

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Please step nu step to use as display

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See my original post. Once your Nest Hub is in the Screen Reader mode, use your Roon to display to your Nest Hub.

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And Roon settings ?

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1 Like
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Thanks! Will give it a try

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Just dug out another nest hub mini screen and can get it to work on that one as well.

As soon as you turn on screen reader it announces that nonsense message

chromebox spoken display ready window

odd how one of my minis doesnt work when they appear identical and same os/firmware

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Yep it’s working now, nest hub gen 2 shows nicely album art, lyrics

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That is weird how one of your Nest Hub does not work. But I am glad to see your other hubs work.