Alexa is the voice assistant created by Amazon, capable of offering a strong ecosystem behind it. Today we are talking about how to connect Alexa to TV to control it with your voice. If you have a smartTV compatible with voice assistants, usually the association between them and our Alexa device is very simple but varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.
How to connect Alexa to the TV
If your TV is compatible with Alexa, you need to use the Samsung Smart Things app (available for Android and iOS ) to connect. The handy app allows you to create a free account with which to control your television. Once you have the account, you can set it up on Alexa. To do this, you need to:
- Open the Amazon Alexa app (available for Android and iOS );
- Press the menu button (it is at the bottom right of the interface, three parallel white segments characterize it);
- Then choose the item” Skills and Games “;
- Inside the screen, press the magnifying glass icon at the top;
- Then search for the “Samsung SmartThings” skill, select it and press the “Enable use “button;
- Then log in with your Samsung account and confirm.
- At this point, you can switch to enabling the TV again in the Alexa app. To do this, you will have to go back to the menu and select the item” Add device,” then select “TV,” and finally, “Samsung. ” The procedure is guided. At the end you can give commands directly to your TV.
How to connect Alexa to Sony TV
Bravia models enabled for voice control compatible with Alexa (here is an official list) have a special app available. To reach it, make sure your TV is connected to the Internet, then from the remote control, press the “Home” button and reach the “App” section. Then select the “Configuring TV control with Amazon Alexa” icon. Follow the procedure and select your Google account associated with the TV during the first configuration. Then give the TV a name that is easy to pronounce and press the “Finish” button.
We can follow the first 5 points of the previous paragraph and, at the time of the search, enter “Sony’s Android TV.” Once identified, click on “Enable use “. The configuration will start, which is simple and guided. You simply need to enter the Google account associated with the TV.
How to connect Alexa to LG TV
The procedure on LG smart TVs is slightly more complex and is only available on models with at least the WebOS 4.5 operating system version, starting with the UM7100 series. Alexa works only with the remote pointer control with a microphone. If you want to use the function, you will have to buy it.
With the remote in hand, long press on the “Prime Video “button, do not release it until the automatic installation of the Alexa app begins. When the installation is complete, a screen will open with a code, which must be entered on the following page after logging in with your account.
Then tap to configure the TV to control by voice, just:
- Press the button with the gear icon on the remote control;
- In the “Settings, “go to “Connection” then on “Connection to voice control devices”;
- Then select the Amazon Alexa item;
- The procedure will continue allowing you to enter your Amazon account;
- Finally, you will be asked to indicate a name with which the TV will be called and the procedure can be concluded.
If you want to control the TV via the Alexa app or an Echo device (connected to the same WiFi network as the TV), follow the 5 points in the paragraph dedicated to Samsung TVs. This time, install the “LG SmartThinQ” Skill and follow the indicated procedure.
How to connect Alexa to Panasonic, Hisense and TCL TV
For these televisions, the procedure is standard. You have to download the respective apps to associate your television and register your account. Then you can download the appropriate Skill on Alexa and connect the device by logging in with the registered account credentials.
If your TV is not compatible, don’t worry, there are other ways to configure your TV to interact with Alexa as explained in the next paragraph.
How to connect a non-Alexa certified TV
In this circumstance, you can use a Fire Stick TV or a smart HUB IR. The Fire TV Stick is a handy HDMI dongle (it’s nothing more than an adapter that connects to the HDMI port) that allows you to make a classic TV smart (we have already talked about it in this article ).
While a smart HUB IR is a device that emits an infrared signal like a universal remote control. We can control this through an Echo Alexa device, TV, air conditioners, decoder, stereo and everything that works through a classic infrared remote control.
Alexa commands are dedicated to controlling the TV and playback
After having configured your SmartTV or installed a Smart HUB IR, you can use the following commands:
Alexa, turn on / off (TV name);
Alexa, put the channel number (for example 222) on (TV name, to indicate on which TV if you have configured more than one);
Alexa, go to the next channel;
Alexa, previous/next channel;
Alexa, turn the volume up / down on (TV name);
Alexa, mute/unmute audio on (TV name);
Alexa mutes (TV name);
Alexa, turn on / off (TV name).
