Want to enhance your TV's sound? You You can invest a lot of money into a home theater setup, or you could connect an Amazon Echo device to your television and use the smart home device as a speaker. It's not a perfect solution, but it's one that's quick and easy to set up.

This process works with both standalone TVs and receivers, though you can also connect a compatible Fire TV streaming device to a supported Echo for an even better sound experience. Here's how to set up

Device Requirements and Limitations

To use an Echo as a speaker for your TV, you'll need a TV or receiver that supports Bluetooth (either built-in or through a Bluetooth dongle). Both your TV/receiver and Echo should also be close to each other, or at least in the same room.

And your Echo device must be one of the following:

• Echo Dot (4th Gen)
• Echo Dot with Clock (3rd Gen, 4th Gen)
• Echo (2nd Gen, 3rd Gen, 4th Gen)
• Echo Plus (1st Gen, 2nd Gen)
• Echo Studio

Though this type of setup sounds promising, there are drawbacks to enlisting your Echo device to create a makeshift home theater experience. You may not be able to use your TV or receiver speakers and Echo at the same time. This restriction depends on your specific models, but in most cases you'll have to choose whether you want to pipe the sound through the TV or Echo.

With my old Denon receiver, I was able to play sound through both my Echo and the connected speakers at the same time. But with my new receiver, I can play sound only through the Echo or the speakers, not both. Your mileage will vary here, but if you don't like your TV’s built-speakers, you may be able to get better audio by listening solely through your Echo.

Connecting an Echo device to a TV through Bluetooth also can result in latency issues where the audio from your smart speaker is slightly behind the audio on your TV or other speakers. It would be ideal to use compatible Fire TV and Echo devices, since they connect over Wi-Fi and should be free of any latency issues.

Connect an Echo to Your TV

The process for connecting an Echo device with your TV differs based on whether you use a standalone TV or a multi-speaker system with a receiver, such as a surround sound setup with two front speakers, two rear speakers, and a middle speaker. If you use a TV without a receiver, you'll create the connection through your TV's settings. If you use a receiver, you'll go through that device's settings instead.

Go to the Settings screen on your TV or receiver, search for Bluetooth settings, and turn it on if prompted. At the same time, say “Alexa, connect.” The Echo will start searching for a Bluetooth connection while your TV is looking for a Bluetooth device.

If all goes well, your Echo device should pop up on your TV screen, indicating that it needs to be paired. Select the option to pair the devices. The Settings screen on the TV or receiver should indicate that your Echo is connected, while your smart speaker should tell you that it’s been paired with a TV or receiver.

Alternatively, you can try to connect your Echo device and TV or receiver using the Alexa app. In the app, tap the Devices icon at the bottom and then choose the Echo device you wish to use. Tap the Settings icon and then select Bluetooth Devices. Tap the button to pair a device. At the Bluetooth settings screen on your TV or receiver, wait for your Echo to appear and then select it to connect the devices.

Now it's time to test the connection. You may want to bump up the sound on your Echo. If you hear the sound from the TV coming through your Echo, then you’re in business. If not, try the Bluetooth connection again. You should also be able to switch the sound between your Echo and TV. Look for a setting on your TV for sound output or something similar. Select that option and then choose which output you want to use.

When you turn off your TV or receiver, the connection with the Echo shuts down as well. When you turn your TV or receiver back on, the connection with the Echo should automatically establish itself again. In this case, your Echo will announce that it’s connected to your TV/receiver. 

If you want to disconnect your Echo, simply say “Alexa, disconnect,” and Alexa will tell you that it’s now disconnected from the TV/receiver. You can also manage the Echo’s connection through your TV or through the Alexa app. On your TV, return to the Bluetooth settings, choose the Echo, and then select the disconnect option.

To manage the connection from the Alexa app, go to Devices and select your Echo device. Head to Device Settings > Bluetooth Connections and select the connected speakers or receiver. Tap Disconnect Device to stop the connection or tap Forget Device to remove the connection entirely.

Connect an Echo to Your Fire TV Device

Because of latency issues, Amazon doesn't officially support connecting your TV and Echo over Bluetooth. Instead, you can connect a Fire TV (3rd generation or later), Fire TV Cube (1st generation or later), or Fire TV Stick (3rd generation or later, 4K, 4K Max, and Lite) through Wi-Fi for a more reliable audio performance. Still, you won't be able to listen to sound from your TV or receiver speakers and your Echo at the same time, so you'll have to choose which output you wish to use.

To get started, make sure your Fire TV device is turned on, then open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet. Tap Devices, select the plus (+) icon at the top, choose Combine speakers, and select Home Theater. Choose your Fire TV device from the list of selectable devices, then tap Next. If you don’t see it listed, tap the Rescan link at the bottom of the screen.

Select the Echo you want to use as a speaker for your Fire TV device. If you have more than one Echo in the same room, you can designate one for the left channel and the other for the right channel. Tap Next to continue. Again, tap Rescan if you don't see your Echo displayed.

Select a name for your audio system, such as Home Theater or Sound System. Tap Next, select a group to which you want to add your home theater, and tap Save to finish. Your Fire TV should display a message telling you that your home theater was created.

With your Fire TV remote, click the Play Preview button to make sure you can hear audio coming out of your Echo. You can now play a movie or TV show from your Fire TV device, and the sound will come out of your Echo. If you wish to change the output, go to the Display & Sounds setting screen for your Fire device and switch between your TV or receiver speakers and your Echo.

(Credit: PCMag / Amazon)