Help Amazon Alexa connect to my Samsung SmartTV

Hello, I’m in the UK and trying to connect Amazon Alexa to my TV and wondered if anyone can help, or at least confirm if the following is correct. Previous research has found a Samsung SmartThings hub is necessary, I purchased one and have connected Alexa to it. I’ve now found to connect my TV that I either need a “Samsung SmartThings Extend” USB stick which isn’t yet available in the UK, or my TV is a model that already has the necessary hardware to connect and I’ve just not worked out how.

Here’s the hardware I have:
Echo Dot
Samsung SmartThings Hub
Samsung UE32K5500 SmartTV

I have registered for the beta of the Extend, here are some relevant links:



What I would like is to change the TV channel, the TV volume, and open TV apps, all by voice using Alexa. Will that be possible? Is it possible now?!

Thank you for your help.

Ian

The SmartThings Extend only works with a small subset of some of the newer Samsung TVs. I don’t think your TV is supported. Since you already have the hub you really would not use need the Extend device.

To control your TV with Alexa you first need to have you TV controllable with SmartThings. Can you currently control your TV with SmartThings?

I use Alexa to run “Activities” on my Harmony Remote which in turn will control my Samsung TV. The control ability is pretty much limited to on/off and which activity to run. I believe some others have extended the level of control by using Yonomi as an interface between Alexa and their Harmony remote but I have not looked into it.

https://www.yonomi.co/supported-devices/harmony-hub/

I have noticed that ST has added a couple DTHs for Samsung TVs but I have not seen anything yet on what those are meant to do. Maybe they will eventually support adding a Samsung 2015/2016 model TV as a device in ST. Or do they already?

Harmony now has direct integration with Alexa that would allow you to do this.

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@Automated_House - I tried the direct integration but it only supported 1 hub. I have 2, and more to come, so it was a no go for me. Have they added support for more hubs?

I used Harmony Connect smart app to bring the activities into ST and then have Alexa turn them on/off via ST.

not that i know of. I honestly didn’t bother since it seems like the same feature set as using harmony activities through Smart Things, which I already had setup.

Use the Yonomi app to get both of your hubs connected to Alexa.

Thank you for your help @drhtmal. I read that 2016 Samsung TVs all have the necessary hardware built in, maybe some 2015 models too. My TV does have all the modern smart features - for example, USB ports, apps, Bluetooth, updates over wifi. I would be very surprised if it will never work with Alexa (possibly via SmartThings Extend when it reaches the UK), I’m just hoping I can get it to work now, hopefully without spending more money!

It sounds the Harmony remotes aren’t worth it, plus I already have a remote control for the TV.

I’m definitely going to have a closer look at that Yonomi app @fightingmajor, thanks for the recommendation, although first impressions are that it looks as though it’s simply an alternative to the SmartThings app.

Just use it to connect the two hubs to Alexa. That’s all I used it for. You don’t need to run the activities via the app, i just makes both hubs become part of Alexa and then you set up what you want to do within Alexa app.

Which two hubs? I only have the one hub - the SmartThings hub, or are you calling Alexa a hub? I tried the app, created an account, but then ran into problems. First it crashed twice when attempting to connect, now it seems unable to find either my Echo Dot which is in the same room, or my Jawbone UP2 which is on my wrist next to the iPad.

As far as I can see, neither SmartThings or Yonomi can connect to the TV. I think SmartThings will eventually because the TV is new, from the same manufacturer, and both can be updated over wifi.

Sorry thought I was responding to aruffell

I may be 100% wrong, but I thought the Extend was to control ST with the TV, not to control the TV with ST.

Just because your TV is a Samsung, has WiFi and a USB port does not mean that it is one of the very limited number of Samsung TVs that are ST compatible. There was only 3 or 4 models listed as compatible. I know the 1 I bought last week and the one I bought for my mother last year are NOT on the list

I have a harmony hub, smartthings and alexa. Before I had smartthings, I used yonomi to integrate harmony to alexa, as the harmony skill is not available yet in the uk. Now I have smartthings, I just use the harmony connect app. This will bring all of your activities into smartthings, which can then be discovered by alexa. This is the easiest way I have found to work everything.

Someone has written a custom dth for samsung tv which may help. Do a search. Once you find this you may be able too hack it together with virtual switches to get alexa integration. Thats what i did with my celcus tv.

That is the issue… the Harmony Connect only allows to import activities. Many also want to control volume, channel, etc. I just want to turn my AV system on/off to the correct activity and then I am more than glad to use the remote… Shhh no talking during the movies! Also, I have an Echo Dot in the movie room and it keeps activating with things it hears form the TV… annoying. Oh, and when the Alexa add is on I have to press mute on the Echo Dot in a rush… otherwise random things start happening :wink:

Am also in the UK, with a UE49KU6400. I’ve no Harmony hubs etc.
Connected last night directly from Alexa to the TV, using the SmartThings skill.
I did need to do a firmware update on the TV though.
I can get Alexa to turn TV off, but not switch it on, as yet. More experiments tonight!!!

Hi did you get it to work? I have the same problem switches tv off but not on! I have a ue49mu6400

Hi,

I gave up in the end! Might have another go later in the year :wink:

To control your Smart TV with Amazon Alexa you will need Logitech Harmony.