IssueTracker

I can confirm this, very aggravating.

Very surprised this isn't an option already. I would like to see this added.

Thank you for this suggestion. We are aware of this issue and working towards fixing the issue. We will provide updates as they are available.

This should have been an option a year ago.

[Comment deleted]

lots of people with this issue: https://productforums.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!msg/chromecast/R-VGErCknOo/AL6BZikhBgAJ

I too would love to see this option for our church's signage

Does not seem to impact all TVs the same way. Was ok on my Philips and LG, but horrible on an older plasma Toshiba. Though this was a problem with the TV until I realized that this is an overlay applied after a few seconds.

Please give us the option to (1) disable the overlay and (2) adjust its intensity depending on the screen or our needs.

This feature request has been marked P1 since the start of the year.
Any news on an update?
Is this the correct place for this request?

Thanks for checking with us on the status. Our team considered this request, however we don't have scheduled dates on this feature release.

This is one of those needling issues that drives people to adopt different software. I really just want to use Chromecast as a picture frame 90% of the time, but not with some third party app.

Please make this an option, the gradient ruins some of our photos.

Why doesn't Google give a credible reason why they don't want to fix this problem. It shouldn't be a problem to do that. It's making backdrop totally useless.

As something with a VERY high priority (P1) and a high severity (S2), why is it taking so long to correct?

I just bought an ultra and the first thing I noticed is the picture quality on the Backdrop pictures. Completely disappointed. Spent a few hours on the internet to discover that there is no way that the gradient can be removed. I'm surprised why it can't be a simple plain display of the picture as is. Please do the following

1. No zooming of the picture
2. No adjustments to the picture to "fit screen"
3. No dark gradient on the background
4. Also, a nice to have, please allow us to change/adjust the display time of each picture. Currently, there is only 0.5x,1x and 2x options, it makes much better sense if we can adjust the time in seconds. Have 5-second option to begin with and then increase by 5 seconds intervals for the next.

Please just let us turn off all the "fancy" features and be able to display the pictures as is

I'd love to see an option to display backdrop photos unmolested as well. I take great care to expose properly, edit, etc. and love to use my Chromecast with a Google Photos album to randomly display my favorite photos on my TV when I'm not casting media from a device. What will it take to get this 'feature' (I have a hard time calling it that) incorporated?

This is a major annoyance for a lot of users, surely you could implement an option to remove the overlay gradient. Ive had a Chromecast for a long time now, and have just recently purchased an Ultra and was disappointed that this was the same behaviour on my new device. Please fix this Google Devs

Please remove the overlay gradient.

please allow us to remove overlay!

This is fixed in internal firmware releases and fix will be available to public in next chromecast firmware release.
Steps to remove dark gradient over backdrop photos:
1. Google Home app -> Device -> Backdrop Settings ->  Google Photos -> enable Google Photos for Backdrop -> Add Album  
2. Google Home app -> Device -> Backdrop Settings -> Turn off all the information like Time, Device Info, etc

Huzzah!  Thanks guys!  I'm sure this was low priority, but very much appreciated :-)

Wait, "turn off all information like Time, Device Info, etc"? That's not what we asked for, nor is it what we want. We just want the dark gradient removed. We don't want to get rid of any of the text. This issue does not sound properly fixed.

I still can't see any difference until now. When is it supposed to be fixed for every one?

When is the next update?

Hi guys,I can't turn off the time etc. only the weather. So I still have the *** gradient

The fix is not available to public yet. We will provide updates when the fix is available to public.

It would be nice, thanks

nice, thanks

Is it possible to make gradient an option without having to turn off all the other information?

I've turned off everything and it is still dark on the bottom. Any timeline on when things will be fixed for us mortals?

Lucas

As mentioned in posts above, the version available to the general public only has options to turn off the extra information.
There is no option to turn off the dark gradient.
Worse, the dark gradient now appears on portrait photos, whereas before, portrait photos did not have the dark gradient.

Obviously there must be some complications in implementing this option. A shame, because such a simple change would be a killer feature of the chromecast.
As it is, I am constantly looking for alternatives. I'll even switch away from a google ecosystem if I could find a satisfactory solution.

Thanks for the update. Can you share the screenshots of expected and observed behaviors with explanation if possible.

using a chromecast ina small business lobby to advertise, this gradient is so annoying cant wait for the new firmware release!

Responding to comment #33
Sorry I'm not sure what to do here.

Are you saying that the request to "remove the dark gradient" needs more explanation?

My understanding from comment #21 is that there is a fix that has not been released to the public yet.
Since that comment there has been an update pushed out to the public that renames "backdrop" to "ambiance" and allows us to selectively remove additional information like photo credits, weather info, etc.
However, there is still no option to remove the dark gradient displayed over the photos.

So has the "option to remove dark gradient" still to be released to the public? Or has there been a misunderstanding about what this feature request has been asking for?

You are right!  On the latest version you can remove all overlay text like time, weather, personal photo data in the ambient mode.

Regarding the option to remove the dark gradient, I’m still trying to get more information on that and will update soon with my findings.

The gradient will show if Device data is turned on.
can you try to hide device data in ambient settings and cast the photos?

Also if you can share the sample photo you are testing, it 'll be helpful to investigate better regarding the dark gradient.

Thanks

The dark gradient shows in ambient mode even with all info te off. Any idea if this is another update that we are still waiting for?

I made two photos with my smartphone:
1. Photo set as backdrop photo, all ambient information are turned off. Look especially on the lower part which is always darkened (nowadays on portrait and landscape).
2. Photo when casted from Google Photos app. This is how the image is supposed to look like on backdrop without this gradient which darkens photos in the lower part.

Attached is also the original test image from Wikimedia Commons.

I hope this will be fixed soon. Just one of many example recently: Children's face is not visible because it is in the lower part of the photo and too dark thanks to Chromecast Backdrop gradient :(

As reporter of this bug, I want to also say that this is still not fixed.

Thank you to the reporter in comment #39 for posting the example photos.

When you reboot a chromecast there is a brief moment at the start where a stock google photo is displayed without the dark gradient. Then the dark gradient appears over that picture, then the chromecast switches to the users photos (with the dark gradient). The is probably the most obvious place to see the gradient and has been there since the beginning in all versions of the chromecast.

The status of this issue is set as fixed.
But the issue is not fixed.

What can we do here?

Its a shame, google is not able to fix a bug reported more than 1 year ago.. this is not a big deal to fix, so why do we have to wait for years??

The scrim will show if deviceData is turned on.
can you try to hide device data in ambient settings and share your observations?

All device data is hidden in ambience settings.

Resulting display and details are with screenshots described here https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/36191458#comment39 

Cast firmware version: 1.35.137090

Also suffering from the same issue. Even though all the device data is turned off there is a dark gradient on the background photo which makes it completely useless... Please do something about it!

I am finding it very hard to believe the Google support team cannot see this problem themselves it's so obvious. Maybe their devices are using an updated firmware and don't usually use the ambient setting at all. Whatever the reason ambient is useless without allowing the lower gradient change in brightness to be set. I can see this is not going to be fixed and so will look for a new device.

After investigating a bit more, it looks like this dark gradient issue may occur on devices with older UI layout.
Also this issue is not reproducible using devices with latest android version in US.

So if I understand comment #47 correctly, there is an update coming that fixes this?
Would it be possible to get version numbers for when this is fixed?
When does the "older UI layout" get updated?

Strange also that other countries are so far behind the US versions. I was not aware of that.

Having a Chromecast Ultra running version 1.36.140318 of cast firmware with all information turned off, it still has the fade to dark overlay on background images. The overlay is also displayed on the curated albums as well, covering almost two-thirds of the display area with a dark overlay, rendering most images quite dark.

Bit curious if this has any kind of timeline for when this will be fixed and when the fix might make it's way to non-US devices.

Same, just bought a Chromecast and a picture in ambient mode just for a second is super bright and later there is that horrible gradiant dark on the bottom -_- . Google photos, my pictures, everything always dark. Well, it's quite ugly..

I can't believe they can't fix such a stupid thing like that... like removing that HORRIBLE DARK GRADIENT from the ambient mode... it makes NO SENSE you put it in, but is wrost you can't remove it ... community is asking for this since 2 years.

They lowered the priority for this issue from P1 to P2. Seems that they do not care for users outside us? See the comment from 26.11.2018, it stated that the problem is not existing in the us version and the priority of the issue was lowered from the user with that comment. I dont think it will be fixed ever. Dont buy google chromecast if you want to watch photos on it, it is simply not working without dark shade at the bottom and that since 2 years. There are other alternatives like the amazon fire stick, i am sure they are able to display the google photos album (very simple job) without such unbelievable issues.

Can you, at least, give us the details of HOW the gradient is applied ? (Like "Lowest X% of the screen, from Y% grey to Z%"

That way we can add an inverted filter to our pictures in order to correct the display.

Still waiting for this SUPER easy fix to remove the gradient. It will literally take 15 min to fix this issue but we've been waiting since Jan 27, 2017!!!! THAT'S TWO YEARS!!!

We're going to fix this issue in a future release by updating the UI that handles the scrim hiding correctly.
Unfortunately, we won’t be able to provide an ETA for the release of this fix.

The fix should be not to add a gradient ever. Put a shadow behind the text that is chosen to be displayed. Gradients are the laziest option and quite disrespectful to people that care about photos

+1

It is absolutely absurd that such a simple fix as being able to toggle the overlay on or off has not ben added in the three years people have been complaining about this.

Like everyone else, no matter whether I turn off all the information to be displayed or not, I can not get rid of the dark overlay in ambient mode. I purchased my Chromecast in Canada just a couple of days ago, if that's different than the US version.

Have the same issue.

Initially purchased Chromecast ultra in Best Buy week ago - faced this issue, thought smth is wrong with device and returned it back.
Bought regular Chromecast...and the same issue again.

After that I've found this Issue report and can not believe that it takes so long time to resolve such minor defect...

Going to return that Chromecast back to you  guys, if you don't care about your customers at all

Isn't Best Buy is a US company? According to comment #47 " this issue is not reproducible using devices with latest android version in US."
User in comment #59, did you try turning off all information?

Another point is that I don't think turning off all information is a good way to resolve this issue. Can't we just have an option to turn the dark gradient on/off?
Call it "enhance information text visibility" or something.

We want the options to: (1) disable the "vingette feature,"

I have my Chromecast "backdrop" set to use a my own hand-picked album of family photos (in my Google Photos account). Basically, when the TV has the Chromecast as the selected input, but nothing is playing on Chormecast, I want my TV to just be a huge "digital picture frame" -- without Google screwing with my photos. I've seen a zillion people request this from almost 3 years. Is it really that difficult to turn it off?

Please make "dark gradient" an on/off option just as weather, time, etc

I am totally unsatisfied to know that after so long and you have tried to make complaints about this problem google did absolutely nothing. I just bought two chormecasts and I'm going to give them back. It is disgusting...

Please fix this one. I cannot hide the backdrop either. (Germany, 3rd Gen. Chromecast with software version 1.36.140335)

If someone can give me a pixel perfect screen capture (photograph is not enough) 1920x1080 from the photo attached I can program a small program (python or go) as a temporary workaround which makes the lower parts brighter so that the photos look overall normal. Thanks.

Very dissapointed in this ChromeCast. Worst buy ever. Screensharing is horrible and this backdrop black shadow on Ambient pictures is horrible too. The app old app was working perfect. The new version is just a complete chaos. Have it for 2 hours and will sell it on ebay.

Would like to know if anyone in the US can see this problem (or the fix).

Comment #47 suggests that it has been fixed in the US. Is this true?
Can we at least have some version numbers where it is known to be fixed?

This is a very frustrating issue.

Still waiting for gradient to be removed 😫

Also waiting. Wife hates it. Had to unplug the Chromecast and waiting for a fix before we use it again.

I own a Chromecast 2nd gen and also a 3rd gen, and live in New Zealand. Still waiting on this option to be able to remove the scrim/gradient.
Can someone please confirm this fix is a) actually being progressed on, or if we're simply being ignored, and b) what this new UI layout is? How does it compare to the "old" one?
I'm running version: 1.36.140335.
Seems a bit ridiculous to wait 2 years for this request to be an option for users, or even a developer setting, or at the very least an explanation why this isn't going to be developed and have this request closed.

After keeping an eye of this issue since October 2018, I can actually report that the Chromecast I have currently doesn't have the gradient anymore.
Image is nice and bright! I'm located in Canada. Hopefully this info helps out someone else who was experiencing this issue.

Australia here, and the gradient is now gone in ambient mode as long as the weather, picture info, etc is disabled.  Finally the slideshow pictures look great.  Chromecast Ultra firmware version 141427.

This great to hear, and this is how it used to be earlier, BUT I would still MUCH prefer having the ability to show text (with individual text shadow) selectively without a huge gradient. This is how it should have been to begin with.

From: buganizer-system@google.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2019 09:15
To: b-system+-1264462101@google.com
Cc: mgt576@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Issue 36191458: Option to remove dark gradient over backdropphotos

Replying to this email means your email address will be shared with the team that works on this product.

https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/36191458

Changed

an...@gmail.com added comment #72:
Australia here, and the gradient is now gone in ambient mode as long as the weather, picture info, etc is disabled.  Finally the slideshow pictures look great.  Chromecast Ultra firmware version 141427.

_______________________________

Reference Info: 36191458 Option to remove dark gradient over backdrop photos
component:  Public Trackers > Google Cast SDK
status:  Assigned
reporter:  ng...@gmail.com
assignee:  ne...@google.com
cc:  ne...@google.com, sy...@google.com
type:  Feature Request P2 S2
blocked by:  120219151, 20530780
Feature:  20530780



Generated by Google IssueTracker notification system

You're receiving this email because you are subscribed to updates on Google IssueTracker issue 36191458 where you have the role: starred. 

Same here (Belgium, version 141427) : the dark gradient is only removed if Time, Weather AND Device Information is hidden.

The most stupid part is that the Device Information had now been moved to the upper right corner and is not even "protected" by the gradient.

In short : this is a bad fix and not an acceptable solution to a very simple problem.

Tg

Ggf

"Works" for me as well now in Australia.
As mentioned in above comments, you have to turn off ALL text information, not just Device Information.
Also noticed that the gradient seems slightly lighter. However the pictures still look far better without it

The better fix, as originally requested, would be to give us an option to turn the gradient on/off and let us decide if the text information needs "protection".
However, we now at least have the ability to display the pictures with full brightness, and for that I thank you.

It is more or less ok now .. even with information, the information was greatly minimized (quite small and neat on a large TV) and the gradient, while still there, is also quite reduced. While still not as good as having a text shadow only by a mile it is at least a visible improvement. I still don't understand why the gradient was chosen at all, I still think it is quite disrespectful of the amount of time and workmanship that went into making high quality photos to begin with. Sadly switching the info off is not an option for me, we have guests over and it is very helpful for them , and us sometimes, to quickly see when and where the photos were taken .

Update: have the "new" UI with Google sans font. Text looks great and has a subtle drop shadow, and the scrim/gradient disappears when all info is disabled. However, this is limited to the user's Google photos library only and persists with Google curated art gallery, which is my default.

Can we please simply have consistency on this and more importantly an option to remove this gradient?

Hi there,

Any update on this please?

Still waiting too :)

I'm also waiting for this to be resolved...

I hate this gradient.

It's infuriating to me that Google won't do this for us. We could have our big beautiful TVs act as always-changing artwork displays, and they clearly recognize the value in this, but then they go and completely ruin it with the dark gradient. It's literally less visually appealing than a blank screen.

Please remove it!

It has now been 3½ years and the problem is still not entirely addressed.

If Google's intention is to prevent users from choosing settings that could result in a negative experience (electing to remove the scrim but not all info, possibly resulting in illegible text onscreen), then I understand that motivation. It's not exactly the Google or Android way (sounds pretty Apple-ish to me) but it's understandable.

What's not understandable is why, after all this time and user feedback, there is not a unilateral solution to this problem. Even with new devices on up to date software, users are continuing to have a poor experience due to this blatant flaw in product design. Beyond the statement of the problem being fixed even though it's not, 1) the removal of all info should not be required in order for the clearly desired and reasonable customization to be made, 2) the use of Google Photos for ambient backdrop should not be required for this to work--that's not even the default option, come on Google, 3) there are further issues in the ambient settings which make this "solution" seemingly impossible: for example, when selecting photo data to not display, it only occasionally works properly (by not displaying).

Is there something else we can do to help you, Google? Or is this just part of a ploy to push users to your upcoming new smart TV solution? I would hate to find out that you're pulling an Apple move on us.

Please provide an option to remove JUST the gradient. Or better yet, just get rid of it altogether. It doesn't make anything look better. Thank you!

Can't believe this is still not an option.

I've just updated to the new  Chromecast with Google TV and the ambient mode is much better!
The dark gradient is gone (or at least so subtle it dosen't bother me).
The text also contains location information which is a nice touch.

Finally! I had pretty much given up.
I only updated from a chromecast Ultra becasue I noticed the change in ambient mode on someone else's chromecast.
So don't think older Chromcasts have got this new ambient mode?

Technically there is no "Option to remove dark gradient over backdrop photos".
With the lastest device, it's just gone! Which is even better :-)

Sadly chromecast cannot be told to just show photos from all new albums created on google photos and the delectable list is weirdly size limited and no longer shows any of my more recent albums . I guess there is a query limit and no one ever bothered to actually use this feature or think of this limitation. Nowadays chromecast only shows pictures from before corona :(

What is obsolete ? Google not planning on doing chromecast anymore ?

Is this ever going to happen? Google screensaver with ambient mode is only option I have on my tv and I can't even see my photos unless its completely dark in the room. it makes me so sad :(

HELLLLOOOOOOOO\


EVEN in 2022 and still not fixed, why??

Is there a fix coming? Still cannot remove the gradient even with all info hidden

REMOVE THAT GRADIENT FINALLY GOOGLE 🤦🏻🤦🏻🤦🏻

PLEASE REMOVE THE GRADIENT!  It is covering and blocking critical information.

Google be like: if you want to see your photos, print them.
Remove this filter, already...

Yes, this is such a shame. Please, just remove the gradient when no information is superimposed.

Still not fixed. Get a grip and take care of your customers, please.

System firmware version: 291998
Cast firmware: 1.56.291998