8 votes

Connecting Amazon Echo Dot to smart TV

Posted by thefactthat
Tags: amazon.echo dot, ask.advice, alexa, consumer electronics, televisions.smart

I'm wondering if anyone here might be able to help me with this.

We've bought a Amazon Echo Dot for my Grandma who's no longer able to see very well. The idea was to connect it to her Smart TV so that she would be able to navigate it using voice commands rather than the remote (which she can't see).

I've been able to add the TV as a device on the Alexa app, however I'm unable to get Alexa to carry out any commands on the TV - change the channel, open an app etc.

I believe that what I need to do is connect the TV to the Echo Dot via Bluetooth. Is this correct? Is it functionally a different thing than having something as a device in the app? Currently when I go to the TV under devices and click to manage linked Alexa devices, the Echo Dot is greyed out because it's already paired with a device (presumably the iPad where I've downloaded the app as there are no other devices connected).

If the lack of bluetooth connection is the issue, I'll need to buy a Bluetooth transmitter for the TV has it doesn't have bluetooth capability. So I just wanted to see if anyone had any advice for me before I invest in another piece of tech.

8 comments

  1. Stopher87
    Link
    I can get my Alexa to turn on my Roku TV and select a show, but the voice commands are pretty limited

    I can get my Alexa to turn on my Roku TV and select a show, but the voice commands are pretty limited

    2 votes
  2. [5]
    cfabbro
    (edited )
    Link
    It would help knowing what make and model of Smart TV she has... since the process is largely going to depend on that, and not every make/model even supports Alexa voice control. And given your TV...

    It would help knowing what make and model of Smart TV she has... since the process is largely going to depend on that, and not every make/model even supports Alexa voice control. And given your TV doesn't even have built-in Bluetooth, which (AFAIK) is a requirement for pairing an Echo device to the TV, I am going to hazard a guess that it's likely an older model, and probably not one of the Alexa compatible ones.

    So IMO your best bet here is probably to just buy a Fire TV stick instead of trying to get her TV to work directly with an Echo, since the Fire stick already has built-in voice control via a mic on the remote, which is activated by clicking the prominent blue Alexa button at the top of the remote. And you can also quite easily pair the Echo to the Fire stick over the wifi network if you want totally hands free voice control for her.

    2 votes
    1. [4]
      thefactthat
      Link Parent
      It's a cheaper Hitachi model but it does support Alexa voice control - at least I've been able to go into the settings on the TV and turn on voice control and pair it with Alexa via the app. I had...

      It's a cheaper Hitachi model but it does support Alexa voice control - at least I've been able to go into the settings on the TV and turn on voice control and pair it with Alexa via the app.

      I had thought about a Fire TV stick but I'm not sure if it does what she'd primarily need it for. The main requirement would be to change the channel so she can watch the live TV programs she's interested in. Is that something you can do with the fire stick or is its function just to access Netflix, Amazon Prime etc?

      3 votes
      1. [3]
        cfabbro
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        A Fire stick can't watch live TV from a cable package or change the channels for it... unless the cable company has a Fire TV app. Mine, Bell Canada, has an app, but you would have to check if...

        A Fire stick can't watch live TV from a cable package or change the channels for it... unless the cable company has a Fire TV app. Mine, Bell Canada, has an app, but you would have to check if your grandma's cable company does too, and if so, whether it supports voice commands or not.

        Does the Hitachi TV manual not mention anything about how to set up the Alexa voice control? That's the fist place I would look.

        2 votes
        1. [2]
          thefactthat
          Link Parent
          Yeah, that's what I thought. She doesn't really watch cable (or our equivalent in the UK) so that probably wouldn't help much. You would think so, but no - it's really not very helpful. We're...

          A Fire stick can't watch live TV from a cable package or change the channels for it... unless the cable company has a Fire TV app.

          Yeah, that's what I thought. She doesn't really watch cable (or our equivalent in the UK) so that probably wouldn't help much.

          Does the Hitachi TV manual not mention anything about how to set up the Alexa voice control?

          You would think so, but no - it's really not very helpful. We're talking about just getting her a more up-to-date TV at this point because it's pretty crap otherwise as well.

          Thanks for taking the time to answer my (probably very obvious) questions. I'm the techiest person in my family so it's fallen to me to try and sort this out but I'm a bit lost because I don't own a TV myself and I've never used an Alexa device before. It's good to be able to get straight answers to my questions which Google just wasn't giving me for whatever reason.

          1 vote
          1. cfabbro
            Link Parent
            YVW. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but I don't own a Hitachi TV so I am just spitballing based on past experience setting up smart TVs for other people. And I feel your pain, BTW, since I'm...

            Thanks for taking the time to answer my (probably very obvious) questions.

            YVW. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but I don't own a Hitachi TV so I am just spitballing based on past experience setting up smart TVs for other people. And I feel your pain, BTW, since I'm also my family, extended family, and extended family's acquaintances, go-to technical support person due to having worked in IT for so many years. So I'm used to dealing with this sort of stuff on the regular. :P

  3. Greg
    (edited )
    Link
    I’ve worked a decent amount on TV apps so very happy to give more detail if you could grab the model number of the TV. A few general notes that might be helpful in the meantime: You may or may not...

    I’ve worked a decent amount on TV apps so very happy to give more detail if you could grab the model number of the TV. A few general notes that might be helpful in the meantime:

    • You may or may not need Bluetooth, there’s no specific technical reason that it can’t work over WiFi, just depends how the manufacturer has it set up. Worth double checking the devices are definitely on the same WiFi network as a starting point.
    • The fact you can see (and control?) the TV from the Alexa app on your phone is a good sign for sure, it suggests the “skill” (Amazon’s brand name for voice “apps”) is set up and working, which should then in theory be fine with any Alexa hardware. Implies that they just can’t see each other on the network, although I will say that again it may be that the manufacturer has put additional roadblocks in the way for one reason or another.
    • The TV itself could well also have an internal mic, which may be confusing matters if turned on. The primary thing the Echo Dot is actually doing here is acting as a room-scale microphone, the processing is all on Amazon’s servers whether the mic is in the remote, the TV itself, or the Echo.
    • Hitachi TVs are made by Vestel, so the official app is actually the very generically named TV Smart Centre (iOS/Android). The Hitachi Smartvue app is antiquated, so the Vestel one is your best bet if it turns out to be something nice and simple like needing to authorise the connection over WiFi.
    • Firestick does support live TV in the UK, but you’ll end up with a patchwork of apps, a £6.99 subscription to TV Player, or both. Probably not the best shout for a relative who’s not familiar with that kind of setup.
    • Worst case, there are IR blasters which will connect to the WiFi (for the Alexa voice control) and just shoot an infrared signal straight at the TV like the remote does. Given how cheap they are and, frankly, how bad most smart TV software is, this may well be the more stable and comprehensive bet if it’s otherwise a more complex problem.
    1 vote
  4. [2]
    Comment removed by site admin
    Link
    1. thefactthat
      Link Parent
      That's good to know Bluetooth is required, thank you! I've mentioned below that I thought about a fire stick but I'm not sure it does what she needs. Would she be able to change channels to access...

      That's good to know Bluetooth is required, thank you!

      I've mentioned below that I thought about a fire stick but I'm not sure it does what she needs. Would she be able to change channels to access her live TV programs? Or does it just allow you to access apps?

      3 votes