Amazon is introducing a new feature called the “Alexa Home Theatre System” for users that lack a dedicated audio system. With it, users will be able to play audio from their Fire TV through an Amazon Echo smart speaker, thereby creating an ad hoc surround sound system.
The feature is being made available on select Fire TV and Echo models, including some older types, with multiple configurations available ranging from a 1.0 to a 2.1 setup.
Amazon said customers have the option to create a home theatre with just one Echo speaker, or an Echo and an Echo subwoofer, or else two Echo speakers, with or without the subwoofer. Supported devices at this time include the 1st and 2nd generation Echo Plus, the Echo Dot with Clock, Echo Studio, the 2nd and 3rd generation Echo, and the 3rd generation Echo Dot.
The system will only work with a 2nd generation Fire TV Cube, 3rd generation Fire TV or a Fire TV Stick 4K at this time.
Amazon said users will need to ensure their devices are on the same network and same Amazon account in order to connect them. The feature can be accessed via the Alexa app under the Devices menu – simply tap the “+” option and you’ll see instructions to “Set Up Audio System” followed by “Home Cinema”. A list of compatible devices will then show up. Simply select the ones you want to use.
Users will also need to do something similar through the Fire TV menu in order to manage the speaker system. Go to “Settings” then “Display & Sound” and then “Home Theatre System”. From there you’ll be able to choose a new option called “Gaming Audio” for when you’re playing video games, plus a second option for “Lip Sync Tuning” to ensure the audio is perfectly synced with the video content.
Admittedly the Alexa Home Theatre System is unlikely to dazzle viewers with its audio quality, but it’s still a nice alternative for those looking for a simple way to boost their TV’s audio output. That’s assuming they have both a Fire TV and an Echo speaker to play with, of course.
In other news, Amazon said yesterday that 2nd generation Fire TV Cube and 3rd generation Fire TV owners now have access to the Apple TV app. With it, they’ll be able to access content from both iTunes and Apple’s new Apple TV+ streaming service. Voice controls are enabled too, thanks to the Alexa Voice Remote or the far-field control on the Fire TV Cube.
The Apple TV app was already available on the 2nd generation Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick 4K devices, and will be added to the Nebula Soundbar – Fire TV Edition by the end of the year.
