Retailers Can Now Upsell Harmony Hub For TV’s With New Alexa Speakers

Millions of Australians can now get their Amazon speakers to talk to their TV by simply connecting a Logitech Harmony Hub.

At a demonstration today of the new Amazon Alexa range of speakers Amon US executives were able to control an LG OLED TV using the $149 Harmony Hub.

This hub allows owners of an older TV that don’t have voice capability to not only connect their TV to a voice network, making it easier to turn the TV on and off they can also call up program guides, and channels they want to watch.
Using the Amazon Alexa app, all a user has to do is navigate to Menu > Skills and search for Harmony.

Tap the search result for the blue Harmony skill, and then hit the enable key.

When prompted to log into your Harmony account be sure to select the same method used when first setting up your remote.

Alexa in the future could be compatible with the Samsung SmartThings Hub. It is already compatible overseas.

This if implemented will allow you to connect your Samsung Smart TV to Alexa.

The process is easy and once completed, you can then issue commands to Alexa to turn on/off the TV or change the channel without getting up from your seat.
What is important is that your Samsung Smart TV must be on the same network with SmartThings Hub to connect.

Once you have established a Wi Fi connection, press the button on your TV remote and select “Settings.” Navigate to “System” and select “Samsung Account.”

Sign into your Samsung account and you will notice your TV show up on your SmartThings mobile app.

According to Amazon executives in Australia for the launch of the new product range retailers will benefit from selling Amazon Alexa enabled speakers by also being able to sell third party products such as Philips Wi Fi enabled light bulbs and Harmony Hub devices.

About Post Author

David Richards

David Richards has been writing about technology for more than 30 years. A former Fleet Street journalist, he wrote the Award Winning Series on the Federated Ships Painters + Dockers Union for the Bulletin that led to a Royal Commission. He is also a Logie Winner for Outstanding Contribution To TV Journalism with a story called The Werribee Affair. In 1997, he built the largest Australian technology media company and prior to that the third largest PR company that became the foundation company for Ogilvy PR. Today he writes about technology and the impact on both business and consumers.