The Samsung SmartThings on Samsung TVs in 2024 is tailored for home automation and entertainment. Here’s an overview of its key features:
- Samsung TV Voice Control: Integration with Bixby, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa allows for voice-based control of the TV. Users can change channels, adjust the volume, open apps, and search for content using voice commands.
- Device Control and Automation: The TV serves as a mini-hub for controlling other smart devices. However, the range of compatible devices is somewhat limited, and managing them through the TV can be less convenient than using a smartphone.
- Management of Connected Devices: Devices can be viewed, monitored, and managed on the TV in map and list formats. While adding new devices directly via the TV is feasible, setting up and connecting devices is generally more straightforward when using a smartphone.
- Music Wall Function: By syncing with a phone via Bluetooth, the Music Wall function plays music accompanied by colorful visual effects. This feature is compatible with various audio apps, including Spotify and YouTube, enhancing the music listening experience.
How does Samsung SmartThings app work?
The Samsung SmartThings app is a versatile tool for controlling Samsung smart devices and home appliances, as well as compatible gadgets from other brands. It operates using both internal IP addresses, assigned by your router, and external ones, enabling control over devices. Additionally, some devices can connect via Bluetooth to your smartphone.
The core software of SmartThings resides on Samsung’s servers. By creating an account, you gain access to its features, allowing you to control your devices from anywhere globally. The SmartThings app on your smartphone acts as a control terminal, through which you can add, delete, and manage your smart devices.
How to connect SmartThings to a Samsung SmartTV?
Verify Network Connectivity: Before you begin, ensure that both your Samsung TV and mobile device are connected to the same wireless network. This connection is essential for establishing a seamless link between the two devices.
You need to log in to the same Samsung account on your TV and in the Smart Things app.
Install the SmartThings App: If you don’t already have the SmartThings app on your Samsung mobile device, follow these steps to download and install it:
- Open the app store on your Samsung device (Google Play Store for Android or App Store for iOS).
- Search for “SmartThings” and download the official app.
- Once installed, launch the app from your device’s app menu.
Add Your Samsung TV to SmartThings: To connect your Samsung TV to the SmartThings app, follow these steps:
- Open the SmartThings app on your mobile device.
- Press the Devices button at the bottom.
- Click Add Device or tap on the “+” icon in the top right corner.
- Now click on Scan nearby.
- Choose a TV from the list of available devices.
- Enter the numbers that appear on the TV screen into your SmartThings app.
Once your Samsung Smart TV is successfully connected to SmartThings, you can start enjoying the convenience and control offered by the app.
Control Your Samsung Smart TV with SmartThings
Remote Control: Use your mobile device as a remote control to navigate menus, change channels, adjust volume, and control playback on your Samsung Smart TV. To use SmartThings app as a remote control you need:
- Select your TV from among the connected devices.
- Now you can control your TV through the app. Here is a picture to help you do that.
App Launcher: Launch your favorite apps directly from the SmartThings app on your mobile device, providing quick and easy access to streaming services and content providers.
Additional features: For example, View TV on Phone, Play Phone Sounds on TV, and many other additional features that may be useful to you. To use the additional features you need to:
- In the upper right corner of your TV’s menu, click on the three dots.
- On the right, you will see additional features available on your TV.
- Settings Management: Adjust various TV settings, including picture and sound preferences, network settings, and more, all from the convenience of the SmartThings app.
- Automation and Routines: Create automation routines with other smart devices connected to SmartThings. For example, you can set your TV to turn on and adjust the lighting when you arrive home.
- Voice Control: Utilize voice assistants like Bixby or Amazon Alexa to control your Samsung Smart TV through SmartThings, allowing you to change channels, adjust volume, and perform other actions with simple voice commands.
How to check if your TV supports SmartThings
If your TV is not connecting to SmartThings, it could mean that your TV doesn’t support it. To confirm this, you can check the list of supported devices in the app on your phone. To do this, you need to:
- On your phone or tablet, open the “SmartThings” app.
- Tap “Add” (plus icon), and then tap “Device”
- Tap the By “Brand tab”, and then tap Samsung
- Select “TV”, and then tap “Supported Devices”
- Search the list for your TV If there is one, just tap it and the connection process will begin.
If you haven’t found your TV then don’t despair, look again a few times, maybe you just did not notice the model of your Smart TV.
Can a Samsung TV work as a SmartThings hub?
A Samsung TV cannot function as a full-fledged SmartThings hub. While Samsung TVs integrated with SmartThings offer some home automation capabilities, such as controlling smart devices and using voice commands via Bixby, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa, they do not replace the functionality of a dedicated SmartThings hub.
The SmartThings hub is a separate device designed to connect various smart home devices that use different wireless protocols such as Zigbee and Z-Wave. It acts as a central communication and control point for these devices. While Samsung TVs with SmartThings can control a limited set of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-connected devices, they don’t have the broader connectivity and more sophisticated automation features of a dedicated SmartThings hub or your smartphone.
Can’t find SmartThings app on Samsung TV
It’s not unusual to not find a standalone SmartThings app on your Samsung TV. This is because SmartThings functionality is integrated into the TV’s operating system rather than existing as a separate application. In the latest iterations of the system, the TV incorporates some hub-like features, such as displaying the approximate location of devices in the house. However, it’s important to note that the TV itself doesn’t perform these functions independently; it merely displays information processed and transmitted by Samsung’s servers.
For comprehensive SmartThings functionality, the dedicated SmartThings app is designed for mobile devices. You can download it from the Google Play Store for Android devices or the Apple App Store for iOS devices. This mobile app allows for more direct and versatile control of your smart home ecosystem.
