Many of my friends plan to buy firesticks. However, the lack of information regarding using it and what you need to use it is holding them back. One of the primary questions they ask me is, do you need a smart TV to use a firestick?
I decided to answer this so that anybody planning to get a Firestick doesn’t get stuck over this question.
Do you need a smart tv to use a firestick?
You do not necessarily need a smart TV to use a firestick. However the ports in your TV matter a lot if you plan to use the firestick.
The reason is that it is easiest to connect the firestick to a smart or non-Smart TV if you have an HDMI port in your TV. Of course, there are other ways to connect firestick to your TV without an HDMI port.
However, those require buying additional accessories, and therefore the procedure is a bit longer than using your firestick with the TV that consists of an HDMI port.
This brings us to another important question, do you need a firestick if you already have a smart TV? I will answer that below.
Do you need a Fire Stick with a smart TV?
The fire stick is not necessary with a smart TV but having one can certainly help you gain numerous benefits like providing you with access to more entertainment options, making navigation easy, providing you with better remote control, speeding up the loading, and helping you receive frequent content and app updates.
Expert Tip: Due to these advantages, even if you already have a smart TV, it is always good to get a firestick.
Before we go further, it is time to understand what is a firestick and what it offers precisely.
What is Firestick?
Firestick is a device that you can connect to your TV to get a unified interface to access web series, movies, and all other content from a single interface. You will not have to worry about accessing different channels to watch your favorite web series or movies.
The interface allows you to access your favorite movies and web series and helps you organize them. That is why you will be able to customize the layout according to your requirement so that you can access the type of content you prefer.
While many Smart TVs attempt to provide you with such an interface, a firestick’s ease of setup and navigation is unparalleled. So, it makes sense to go with a firestick. There are quite a few reasons to get one, even if you have a smart TV.
1. Numerous content options
You can access web series, movies, and documentaries from various apps in a single interface. The unified interface provides you with numerous content options on a single screen. That way, choosing between the content of different types is effortless with the help of a firestick.
2. Excellent user experience
If you have tried to play a movie or a web series from one app and switch to another, you will realize how cumbersome it is. You will have to first exit the single app and then reload the next one and go to the category from which you want to play the movie or the web series.
This might seem like a small problem. However, you might need to do this multiple times throughout the day when switching between different movies and web series.
Expert Tip: On the other hand, if you have a firestick, you will be choosing all these content options from a single interface. There is no need to manually start or exit apps. In a nutshell, the user experience you get on your TV is excellent.
3. User-friendly remote control
The firestick comes along with remote control. The remote control has a simple button interface. Not only that, it has a button through which you can activate the voice recognition feature and dictate the show or the movie name you’re looking for. That way, you need not type the same.
The user-friendly remote controls can undoubtedly come to your rescue when getting a firestick.
4. Better speed
When you’re looking to play any movie or web series from an app, you must first load the app. After that, you have to navigate to the category. Moreover, if you’re not familiar with the user interface of different apps, you will have to search around. All of this takes time as well.
On the other hand, you can customize the user interface of the firestick. You can access content from all different apps through a single interface. This means that you can run the movie, web series, or any other type of content faster. You will not have to fidget around for minutes just to access a movie or a web series.
A firestick can undoubtedly make your life easier if you hate waiting.
5. Faster software upgrades
The streaming apps which you use receive frequent software updates. However, as a consumer, it is not easy to manually check the app’s version and update every app to its latest version. That is because some or other feature is always in the works.
Many times, there might be a glitch in the software interface of the app as well. In that case, an update becomes a necessity. Fortunately, a firestick helps you with that as well. It lets you know whenever there is an update available.
Not only that, many apps launch updates through firestick at a faster pace. That way, you will not have to wait for a long time to gain access to that update.
All in all, the frequent and easier software upgrades make the entire experience easier for you. The elimination of glitches also ensures that you can seamlessly access various entertainment sources using the firestick.
6. Fewer junk apps
Most modern smart TV manufacturers include a few apps on their own. They keep on promoting these apps through their interface. It is not difficult to avoid these apps.
However, when using the interface of the firestick, you will not have to go through the TV manufacturer’s interface. Whether you want to uninstall or ignore those apps. doing so is easy.
Expert Tip: Firestick provides you with 100% control over the apps that are installed. There will be no need to deal with junk apps.
As you can see, there are numerous advantages of a firestick. Because of the same even if you have a smart TV, it makes perfect sense to get a firestick. I will answer another essential question related to the use of the firestick.
Do you need one with a Smart TV?
Yes, it is better to have a firestick with a smart TV. The reasons for the same. I have highlighted the above. What if you have a non-Smart TV? How will a firestick work then? If you have these questions, I will answer all of them below.
How Does a Firestick Work on a Non-Smart TV?
You can easily connect a firestick to a non-Smart TV in simple steps and start accessing your favorite entertainment streaming apps. I will cover all these steps below.
Before highlighting the exact procedure. I would like to state that TVs less than ten years old have HDMI ports. For the method below, you need a TV with an HDMI port. If your TV doesn’t have an open HDMI port, look at the next section to understand how you can connect your firestick to such a TV.
1. Power the firestick
On one end of the firestick, you will notice a USB port You have to connect the power cord with the firestick to this USB port and the other end into the socket. If your TV comes with a USB port, you can connect the other end of the power cable to that USB port. This cable will supply power to your firestick.
2. Connect the firestick
The other end of the firestick comes with an HDMI port. It would help if you connected this HDMI port to the HDMI port of your television. Doing so is pretty straightforward.
3. Insert batteries into the fire stick TV remote
Without batteries, you won’t be able to operate the remote, and therefore controlling the firestick is not easy. You have to add two AAA batteries to the remote control.
Do not worry if you do not have such batteries. The firestick remote comes with such batteries. You need to check the box and retrieve them. If you face any issues, the manual highlights the exact procedure.
4. Choose the right input
In your TV interface, you have to select the HDMI input. Only then can you access the interface of the firestick with the remote control of your TV.
5. Provide Wi-Fi access to the firestick
Once you change the input to HDMI, you will see the interface of the firestick. The first thing is to select the Wi-Fi network and enter its password. Only then the firestick will work appropriately.
Once connected to the Internet, it is good to log in to your Amazon account. This is a necessary step to ensure that the firestick works seamlessly.
6. Log in to other apps
The firestick comes loaded with the most popular streaming apps. You have to click on their icons, and after that, log into these apps. Since the firestick is entirely secure, entering your email and password to access these apps isn’t a problem.
That’s it! In these six simple steps, you can connect not only the firestick to your non-Smart TV but also access the various apps on offer. This brings up another question, what to do if you’re TV doesn’t have an HDMI port?
I will answer that question below and provide you with the methods you can use to still use the firestick with your non-Smart TV.
How to Connect Amazon Firestick to TV Without HDMI?
Even if your TV does not have an HDMI port and is a non-Smart TV, you will still be able to connect to firestick to it. There are two different solutions to do so, I will cover both of them below.
Solution 1: Use yellow, red, and white ports
If your TV is older than ten years, it likely won’t have an HDMI port. It will, however, have different colored circular ports. The first thing is to look at the number and the color of those ports.
Many TVs have yellow, red, and white ports. If your TV has these three ports, the method I will highlight now will certainly help you connect the firestick. To connect the firestick, get HDMI to composite AV converter. These are available on Amazon. You can also get one by clicking here.
It has the necessary cables to connect the three ports to this device. Not only that, it has an HDMI port on the other side. To power the device, it has a power adapter When you’re using this gadget to connect the firestick to your non-Smart TV you will not have to worry about getting any separate cables.
It is one of the easiest ways to connect the firestick to your TV if it does not have an HDMI port.
Solution 2: Use the green, blue, red white ports
Some older televisions have five different ports. These are green, blue, 2 red ports, and white. In that case, you need to get HDMI to component converter.
You can buy one here. This converter also comes with all the necessary cables. So, connecting the ports is certainly easy. On one side is the HDMI connector. Consequently, connecting the firestick to this HDMI port and the cables to your TV becomes easier.
Since it supports a 720p and 1080p resolution, you won’t have to worry about any down gradation of quality. Apart from this, it also comes with an HDMI cable. If you want to keep the firestick at a distance and not directly put it into the HDMI port of the gadget, it is also possible.
I’m trying to point out that even if your TV does not have an HDMI port, you can still connect the firestick using these two solutions. I will now answer some FAQs regarding the firestick and its usage with non-Smart and smart TVs.
FAQs
- Can you use a Firestick on a smart TV?
Yes, you can certainly use a firestick with the Smart TV. It is very easy to do so. A smart TV will have an HDMI port, connecting the firestick to the smart TV is easy.
- Can you use a Firestick on a non-smart TV?
Yes, you can use a firestick with the non-Smart TV. You might have to buy a converter for the same, but you can certainly use it. - Will a Firestick work on any TV?
Yes, a firestick will work on almost every TV. Even if your TV doesn’t have an HDMI port, firestick will work with it. With this guide, it will be easier for you to connect it to any TV. I have highlighted the methods to use firestick with smart and non-Smart TV support. - How can I make my non-smart TV a smart TV?
The best way to make a non-Smart TV a smart TV is to use a firestick. Once you insert it, you will be able to synchronize content from various streaming apps and play your favorite movies and web series from a single interface.
That way, it becomes easy for you to tap into multiple entertainment sources and have a customizable interface for your television. - Does Firestick work on old TVs?
Yes, you can use firesticks even on 2 to 13 years old TVs. In case they do not have an HDMI port, they will have circular ports of different colors. All you need to do is to try one of the solutions highlighted above, and you can connect the firestick to the TV.
You might have to buy a separate converter, to do so. But it is certainly well worth it. - Will Firestick work without Wi-Fi?
No, a firestick will not work without Wi-Fi. To access the content from various apps, it will need Wi-Fi connectivity. Also, consistent Wi-Fi connectivity is required since you will be streaming the content.
Conclusion
So, the answer to the question is do you need a smart TV to use a firestick? Is No. You can use firesticks with smart as well as non-Smart TVs. All you need to do is follow my guide above in case of any confusion. Once you do so, you will know how to connect a firestick to any TV.