When you start using the different voice assistants on a regular basis, you realize all the potential they offer. Still, sometimes it takes a little help and inspiration to know all the things they can do. Among all of them, one of the most useful that you can take advantage of is the option to Control your TV with Alexa. Yes, it can be done with other assistants as well, but we are going to focus on Amazon thanks to its support from many Smart TV brands and because, if you don't have it, buying a Fire TV is very cheap. And we confirm that there is nothing better than being able to say that "Alexa, turn on the TV".
How to control your TV with Alexa
Fire TVs have positioned themselves as a very interesting alternative for all those users who have an old television at home that does not have Smart TV capabilities. With this simple and cheap dongle, you can give a second life to the television you have in your living room. In this video, we show you all our impressions of this Amazon device, which will also help you get started in the world of home automation and the connected home if you prefer.
Alexa, turn on the TV
When you bet on an ecosystem of products compatible with a specific voice assistant, the intention is clear: make the most of the integration options exists between products. That's why the Amazon ecosystem, with all the Amazon Echos and Alexa, is so interesting.
From controlling lights to smart plugs, what you can do with Alexa at the home automation level is very varied. So much so that there is a very particular and little-exploited use case: voice control tv. If you've always wanted to say "turn on the TV and put devs», now you can.
All you need is for the TV to have Alexa support. This is something that some Sony TVs, among others, already offer. For example:
- Sony TVs offer support for Alexa as standard from 2016 models onwards as long as they have Android 8 or higher. All you need is an Amazon account.
- LG TVs from 2018 onwards with webOS version 4.5 (and 22) also add Alexa support.
- Panasonic TVs are also supported from 2018 models onwards.
- Finally, Samsung televisions have the SkillSmartThings that gives the option of remote control through Alexa.
However, if your TV doesn't support using Alexa natively, don't worry. You can opt for one of the Amazon Fire TVs, like the small and versatile FireTV Stick. Thanks to its options you will be able to control what you see and other functions of the television through your voice and not only with the traditional remote control or the Alexa Voice Remote.
Alexa Pro, the best remote for Fire TV
As an alternative to the original remote, Amazon launched the Alexa Pro remote in 2022, a device designed to maximize the experience of using its Fire TV Stick.
The Alexa Pro has a set of fully customizable buttons. You can create your own maps, and assign remote buttons to Alexa actions, which is especially useful for triggering routines and other voice assistant actions. But the thing does not stop there. The Alexa Pro also has backlit keys that allow you to see the control interface at all times in the dark. It also has speakers, which we will use to locate the device in case we lose it among the sofa cushions. We will simply have to tell Alexa that we have lost the remote, and the remote itself will beep so that we can locate it in seconds.
See offer on AmazonWhich Amazon Fire TV to choose?
Amazon has recently updated its catalog of these devices. Although we have an article in which we tell you everything about them, we are going to summarize here the different models that you can buy and their main characteristics:
- fire tv stick lite: It has a renewed controller, more minimalist, with which you can invoke Alexa. Its maximum resolution reaches FullHD and is compatible with HDR technology. You can buy it on Amazon for a price of 29,99 euros. It is the cheapest model of all Fire TVs, and also the best-selling model.
- Fire TV Stick: the usual, the "normal" stick. This device is capable of reaching a maximum resolution of 1080p at 60 FPS. Compatible with HDR and Dolby Atmos technology. Its price is 39,99 euros on Amazon.
- Fire TV Stick 4K: This model was not updated with the rest. Therefore, we have an accessory with a less powerful processor but, yes, capable of reaching 4K resolution. Its price is 59,99 euros on Amazon.
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max: This is an upgraded version of the 4K version with a more powerful processor and Wi-Fi 6 support. Its price is very similar to the previous one.
- Fire TV Cube: the best and most powerful of the entire family but, yes, it loses the last name of "stick" for obvious reasons. It has a much more powerful processor than the rest, has its own microphones and speakers, and is capable of playing 4K content at 60 fps. Its price on Amazon is 119,99 euros.
How to set up Alexa on your Smart TV or Amazon device
Now that you know all the devices compatible with Alexa, let's see how you can configure it to perform this function.
As we have said, the only requirement is to have support for Alexa. That will allow us to integrate it and be able to take advantage of all the options that the rest of the compatible devices will offer. Especially smart speakers. Thus, for example, you could ask it to turn on the television and put on a specific series or movie through one of its compatible applications.
If you have a TV with Alexa support, go to her app. In the event that you connect a Fire TV, the process will be identical, except that you will have to select the device in question that you want to control by voice. This would be the configuration of a Fire TV:
- The first is open the Alexa app to pair the devices.
- Access the configuration menu and select Configuration.
- Now select the option TV and Video.
- Select your device FireTV.
- Click or tap on the option Link my Alexa device.
From that moment on, you only have to follow the instructions that appear on the screen and select from which devices you want to have control. Normally, the logical thing is to choose all the speakers and other gadgets where you have access to Alexa, but this is already your decision. Once the process is complete, you can start using your Fire TV and television with your voice.
Video calls from your TV
As you can see it is very easy to control the TV with Alexa and the help of a simple Amazon Fire TV. But among all the models available from Amazon, there is one in particular that can add other advantages when using your television for more than just watching content.
El Amazon Fire TV Cube offers the possibility of connect a webcam to make video calls. So you could have a completely voice controlled video communication system. With Alexa you would turn on the TV and you could call whoever you wanted from your connections. So using Alexa with your TV is so interesting for so many reasons that it's worth considering doing it.
Alexa, I want to see The Boys
Before telling Alexa that you want to watch the latest season of The Boys, or start playing Tales from the loopIt is important that you know something basic to be able to 100% TV control with Fire TV.
If you want to turn on the television or use other functions such as volume control using voice commands, you must have a HDMI CEC compliant device. This connection, normally integrated in all televisions, although not in all its HDMI ports; allows other devices to access basic functions such as power on/off, volume control, etc.
Therefore, to use Alexa and a Fire TV you must connect the device to an HDMI CEC connection. This is something you can know by looking at the stickers that commonly come next to each connector or the instruction manual to find out if it is HDMI 1, HDMI 2 or another that is supported. Once done, you will have everything ready. And now, you can ask Alexa to put on your favorite series or movie, turn the TV on and off, or change the volume.
More advantages of controlling the TV with Alexa
Also from outside the home
If all this is not enough for you, there are more advantages offered by the TV control via Alexa. The first of these is that because of how the platform is built, you will be able to control the television even from outside the home. This is useful in case you think you've left it on. This function can also be useful if you want to make others believe that someone is home when you walk out the door. Combined with an on and off lights, this functionality will be perfect.
Also take advantage of Alexa Routines
Of course, the second and most interesting is when it is integrated with the Routines. As you already know, by means of a single action that launches one of these routines, you will be able to establish different actions for different connected devices. So you could say "Alexa, movie night" and that would wake up the TV and set the lights to a certain color and intensity on each one, etc.
Creating your own routines is extremely easy. Simply go to 'More' within the Alexa app on your mobile, tap on 'Routines' and add a new one. You simply have to choose a name for the action or choose a time of day for said command to be executed automatically. Well configured, you can adjust the lights, turn on the speakers, turn on the TV and put on your favorite series. When you combine all these options, it is when all this control of the television through Alexa still gains much more value. You only have to worry about making the popcorn.
Use the Echo as speakers
Another advantage that you can enjoy if you use the Amazon ecosystem is the native integration between Fire TV and Amazon Echo. If you already have a few Echos at home, you may be aware that they can be grouped together to create surround sound. The ideal is to group two Echo that are located nearby, and the normal thing is to use them to listen to music through Amazon Music. However, there is one feature that is only available to Fire TV users.
You can group two identical Amazon Echos and an Echo Sub together to create a 2.1 sound system for your TV. If you don't have a Home Cinema, the Echo gives you the opportunity to do so. The steps are the following:
- Open the Alexa app on your mobile phone
- Go to Devices
- Select More and scroll to the bottom of the screen.
- Choose Combine speakers.
- Select Home theater.
- Select the compatible Fire TV device.
- Select up to two compatible Echo devices to use as speakers, plus an Echo Sub if you also have one and want to add bass to the set.
- Select left and right speakers when using two Echo devices.
- Give your name Home Cinema and assign it to a specific room.
- The devices in the speaker group must be in the same room than the television.
- Finish the setup on the TV.