Nexus Q Guidebook
RF Exposure: To comply with FCC RF exposure requirements
for mobile transmitting devices, this transmitter should only be
used or installed at locations where there is at least 20 cm
separation distance between antenna and all persons.
This device is intended for indoor use only.
Important safety instructions
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with a dry cloth.
7. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.
8. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched,
9. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when
10. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing
is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any
way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged; liquid
has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus;
or the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture,
does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the
point where they exit from the apparatus.
unused for long periods of time.
Legal & safety information
Copyright © Google Inc. 2012. All rights reserved.
Edition 1.0
Android, Google, Google Play, Nexus Q, and YouTube are
trademarks of Google Inc. A list of Google trademarks is
available at http://www.google.com/permissions/guidelines.
html. All other marks and trademarks are properties of their
respective owners.
FCC notice
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation
is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may
not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15
of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference
to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to
try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
•
•
•
•
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different
from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician
for help.
Warning: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by
Google may void the user’s authority to operate the device.
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Adjust settings
Manual factory data reset
Forget Nexus Q
Audio calibration
Specs
Warranty
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For additional help and support,
visit support.google.com/nexus
Nexus Q User Guide
About Nexus Q
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Get ready
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Before purchasing
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Before it arrives
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Compatibility
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Compatible Android phones & tablets
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Compatible routers
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Network requirements
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Hardware & cabling
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Speakers (banana plug cables)
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AV system or audio receiver (optical audio) 9
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TV or audio receiver (HDMI cable)
Set up Nexus Q
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Unpack carefully
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What's in the box
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Run the Nexus Q app
LED colors
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Volume controls
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Remote & direct controls
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Fixed volume output
Play music
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Change or add to the queue
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Select rooms
Combine rooms
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Play YouTube videos
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Play movies & TV shows
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Invite guests
Before the party
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When your guests arrive
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Turn off guest access
About Nexus Q collections
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About Nexus Q
Nexus Q lets you instantly stream music, HD
movies, and videos from Google Play to your
home, using your Android phone or tablet and
Wi-Fi to control what plays in which rooms.
You can use Google Play and YouTube apps as
you normally would. Except now you can choose
to stream entertainment through one or more
Nexus Qs and the equipment attached to them.
Each Nexus Q is designed to function as a media
source for one room: speakers, AV systems, TVs,
and more. Each room shows up on your Android
phone or tablet, where you can control what's
playing and at what volume, or stream to multiple
rooms at the same time.
And when friends come to visit, they can stream
any of their own music or movies from Google
Play through your Nexus Qs, using their own
Android phones or tablets.
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Get ready
Before purchasing
To play music, videos, and movies through a
Nexus Q, you need:
Before it arrives
After you've ordered your Nexus Q and any other
equipment you need, start preparing for its arrival:
the right kinds of cables. For details, see
the application, and follow the instructions.
1. If you don't already have a Google
Music account, set one up at
play.google.com/music.
2. If you haven't yet uploaded your music to
your Google Play music library, download
Music Manager to your computer, open
3. Decide where you want to keep your
Nexus Q and what equipment you want to
use with it, and make sure you have
Hardware & cabling.
4. Download and install the Nexus Q app on
one of your compatible Android phones
and tablets.
5. Make sure you know the name and
password of the Wi-Fi network you want
Wi-Fi. The Nexus Q can optionally use Ethernet
network. For practical purposes with most
home networks, this means the Ethernet should
be plugged into the same router that's
providing the Wi-Fi.
to use with your Android device and
your Nexus Q. The Android device must use
that's on the same subnet as the Wi-FI
to set up your Nexus Q. Where available, an
1. A compatible Android device. See
Compatible Android phones & tablets.
2. An active Wi-Fi network with a reliable
connection to the Internet and a strong
signal at the location where you plan
Ethernet connection may provide a more
still required. See Network requirements.
3. A compatible router for your Wi-Fi network.
4. Compatible stereo and TV equipment
and the cables required to connect it.
See Hardware & cabling.
reliable experience, but a good Wi-Fi network is
To purchase Nexus Qs, speakers, cables, and
other equipment, go to Google Play — Devices.
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Compatibility
Compatible Android phones & tablets
To operate your Nexus Q, you can use any
Android phone or tablet that supports Gingerbread
(Android 2.3.3) or higher. Here are a few examples:
running Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0)
• Galaxy Nexus phone or Nexus 7 tablet
or higher.
• Xoom or Galaxy tablet running Honeycomb
• Nexus S phone running Gingerbread
(Android 2.3.3) or higher.
(Android 3.2) or higher.
You also need the Google Play app, so you can
download and install the latest Nexus Q app. If
your phone or tablet supports Android Beam, just
hold the back of the device near the top of your
Nexus Q after it arrives. After a moment, Google
Play opens to the page where you can download
the app. (It's free.)
Or go to Nexus Q app.
Menu icons: This guide sometimes refers to the
menu available on an Android screen. Because
Nexus Q supports so many Android devices, the
location and appearance of the menu icon varies.
Here are a couple of examples:
looks like this:
• On a Galaxy Nexus phone, it may be located
at the top or the bottom of the screen, and
• On a Nexus S phone, it's one of the
permanent navigation buttons built into
bottom of the phone, and looks like this: .
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Whenever you need to choose something from
this menu, this guide uses text like this:
Menu > Q settings.
Compatible routers
Most modern routers for home Wi-Fi networks
should work with Nexus Q, as long as they
produce a strong signal at the locations where
you plan to use each device.
However, some routers and networks can be
configured in a way that prevents Nexus Q from
operating correctly. Here are some examples:
Nexus Q MAC addresses: If your router is locked
to specific MAC addresses, you'll need to add the
Nexus Q's MAC address to the list. During setup
from your phone or tablet, you'll see a message if
Nexus Q can't connect with Wi-Fi. The message
includes that Nexus Q's MAC address, which you
can then add to your router.
• Routers configured for some form of guest
mode (to prevent guests from reaching
sensitive parts of the network) won't work with
Nexus Q.
• Routers configured for isolation mode (to
prevent Ethernet and Wi-Fi controlled by the
same router from communicating) won't work
correctly if you're using Ethernet with any of
• Wi-Fi networks in hotels, coffee shops, airports,
and other public spaces often include security
features that prevent Nexus Q from working.
your Nexus Qs.
Nexus Q is intended for home use, with
home networks.
If you've already set up a Nexus Q but it shows
up in the Nexus Q app as "Not available," touch
its name and follow the on-screen instructions
to troubleshoot.
For more information, see Troubleshooting Routers.
to your router's list.
• If your router is locked to specific MAC
addresses, you'll see a message during
setup that Nexus Q can't connect with
Wi-Fi. The message includes that Nexus
Q's MAC address, which you can then add
• If your router is locked to specific IP
addresses, you may need to reconfigure it.
• Restart your router.
• If the signal remains weak at the Nexus Q's
better signal. Use a phone or tablet to check
the strength of the Wi-FI signal at a potential
new location.
location, set it up somewhere else with a
Network requirements
Your Android phone or tablet controls Nexus Qs in
your home via a local Wi-Fi network. You need
Wi-Fi with a strong signal in each room where you
want to set up a Nexus Q.
Bluetooth
During setup only, Nexus Q requires Bluetooth. If
your device has Bluetooth turned off, you'll have a
chance to turn it on.
You also need a reliable connection to the
Internet. Nexus Q can use either Wi-Fi or Ethernet
to stream music and videos directly from Google
Play. It uses Wi-Fi by default. To use Ethernet for
this purpose, connect an Ethernet cable to the
Ethernet port.
Ethernet
Ethernet can't entirely replace Wi-Fi. When your
Nexus Q is connected to an Ethernet network, it
uses that network to stream music from your
Google Music library, but your Android phone or
tablet must use Wi-Fi to communicate with the
Nexus Q. When a Nexus Q is connected to
Ethernet, the Android device needs to be in range
of a Wi-Fi access point rather than within range of
the Nexus Q.
For Ethernet to work with Nexus Q, it must be on
the same subnet as the Wi-FI network. For
practical purposes with most home networks, this
means it should be plugged into the same router
that's providing the Wi-Fi.
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If your device still can't find a Nexus Q to pair with:
• Make sure you're in the same room with
your Nexus Q. Bluetooth works best over
short distances.
• Confirm that Bluetooth is turned on. For
example, on a phone running Android 4.0 or
higher, open Settings and make sure the
Bluetooth switch is turned On.
Wi-Fi
Nexus Q uses Wi-Fi to communicate with your
Android device and, via your router and ISP, with
the Internet. The Wi-Fi network must support
802.11 a/b/g/n at 2.4GHz or 5GHz. To minimize
interference from other devices, use 5GHz.
If your phone or tablet has Wi-Fi turned off, you'll
have a chance to turn it on during setup.
If your device still can't find a W-Fi network:
• Confirm that Wi-Fi is turned on. For
example, on a phone running Android 4.0 or
higher, open Settings and make sure the
Wi-Fi switch is turned On.
• Make sure your Wi-Fi is functioning
correctly and has a strong signal at the
Nexus Q's location.
Hardware & cabling
You can connect a pair of speakers, an AV system,
a TV, or all three to a single Nexus Q.
The following pages describe some of the most
common configurations. Others are possible,
depending on the equipment you have available.
Because HDMI and optical audio can connect
to a variety of equipment, their output may be
delayed by a perceptible amount compared to the
analog output directly to speakers. For information
about synchronizing output from different ports
(also known as delay compensation), see
Audio calibration.
Speakers (banana plug cables)
What you need:
• Two speakers rated 15 watts RMS or higher
@ 8 ohms.
• Speaker cables with banana plugs on at
least one end for connecting the cables
to your Nexus Q (and on both ends if your
speakers use banana jack connectors).
Banana plugs are labeled R and L and color
coded with a black or red dot.
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