+19 votes
by (350 points)
Question does adding a roku to my tv now make my tv smart? And if so can it now connect to Alexa?  
Question does adding a roku to my tv now make my tv smart?

16 Answers

+10 votes
by (2.4k points)
 
Best answer
Don't ever waste money on a firestick. they are not only crappy products but have a horrible interface. get a roku ultra and never look back. and as for smart, depends what you think smart is. yes you will have access to apps. so in that sense yea. and yes it can connect to Alexa with the help of other devices.  
by (1.2k points)
I won't even fight with you about the firestick part currently, but can u sideload anything to Roku yet, or are you still forced to only use native apps. No Kodi, no cinema, no external universe of free content, that's why I will never try one.  
+15 votes
by (1.4k points)
Get a firestick instead
+14 votes
by (4.1k points)
Rouku is its own beast. It works with rouku.  
by (350 points)
@tulley ok so we already have Roku had them years just heard that Alexa can work with smart TVs?! What’s the benefit of connecting a tv to Alexa?  
by (4.1k points)
@skinner204 yea, I use harmony hub and remote to control my shield, TV, and denon avr by voice.  
by (350 points)
@tulley at eight over my head  
+15 votes
by (750 points)
I use logitech harmony, controls the roku and it is controlled by Alexa
+16 votes
by (500 points)
I have a Roku box only gripe it no audio output on the box only hdmi and can’t stream from a computer or nas box without silly software.  
+6 votes
by (1.5k points)
I find a remote with a few tactile buttons is the most useable for Watch scenes. My C4 does Roku really well. You can add mini drivers for Streaming services too so you can have single touch for things like Amazon or Netflix etc. Then add Alexa and can use her to activate any combination of actions you want. The more things you have automated the more choices you have.  
+1 vote
by (460 points)
Roku makes a TV a Smart TV. Alexa is an Amazon product, not a Roku product. Alexa is available on some smart TVs that have FireTV built in. FireTVs, Firesticks, are competing products that do similar things to Rokus. Apple TVs are also boxes that do similar things to Roku and Firesticks, but have Siri built in now.  
by (1.2k points)
^ This is the most direct and best answer to the original posters question. ^ Each company that makes these devices has their own die hard following. Just like Ford or Chevy fans. The only way to know what is best for you is to experiment. If this all seems above your head your either trying to get too involved for your mindset and budget, or you will learn. Good luck
by (1.9k points)
@constrain27438 yes but an Alexa can control Roku devices very easily using the Roku skill in the Alexa Skill Store.  
by (1.2k points)
Jake, she never mentioned having an Alexa device. She just wanted to know if her roku could speak to alexa, that's the issue incomplete info
by (1.9k points)
@triplet she said can she connect her Roku to Alexa. The answer is yes. why is this so hard for some people?  
by (1.2k points)
@myrilla2 when she had to ask if this makes her tv smart, we are trying to help her. Obviously she needs guidance beyond yes and more input is needed.  
+19 votes
by (1.6k points)
Depending on your home automation, yes. I can control my roku (and tv) via Alexa.  
+4 votes
by (1.1k points)
I have 3 different brands of smart TV. I have Samsung, TCL and Onn. The Samsung has it's own thing but the TCL and Onn both use built in Roku. What I found on the samsung is that I can turn the TV off but can not turn it on from Alexa. I have not started looking into the other two.  
by (1.2k points)
Man I gotta go look, I'm sure my Samsung powers on also, and then try to remember how, it does make sense that if a device is off it can't power itself on so maybe mind is always on in power savings.  
+14 votes
by (4.6k points)
Alexa is amazon. Fire tv is amazon. Roku is a different company. You wouldn’t buy Toyota parts to go on a Ford. They’re not compatible. Same with amazon and Roku
by (4.6k points)
@myrilla2 nope. Not what I said. Re read and come back.  
by (1.9k points)
@sudor48 they are compatible. Both products off the shelf integrate well with no work.  
by (1.9k points)
@sudor48 what was the OPs question? “Does a Roku make my TV smart and can I connect it to Alexa? ” The answer is yes and yes. You said no. That makes you. wrong.  
by (4.6k points)
@myrilla2 well ok let’s split hairs since that seems to be your mantra. No the tv isn’t smart - It’s still a dumb tv with a roku attached. Yes you can connect with a more limited functionality and not ALL Alexa commands will work as well as with a fire tv device. Better?  
by (1.9k points)
@sudor48 Feel free to see my response to the OP below which outlines the difference between the Roku add ons and the Roku TVs. In the future before answering questions please be sure you aren’t working with many years old information. This is tech, things change fast and giving out wrong information is bad. Thanks.  
+5 votes
by (570 points)
I have Alexa turn my living room Roku/TV off and turn on my bedroom Roku/TV as part of my goodnight routine. We can have Alexa switch channels and other stuff, but it doesn't always work well.  
+12 votes
by (1.9k points)
Hey there! I own both a roku stick and a TCL Roku TV. Both are great products but there are things to be aware of. Both Roku products offer Alexa control. From both product you can say, “play Mickey Mouse club house” or “pause the Roku” or “play the Roku”. However only on the TV can you power on and off with Alexa and change the volume. Neither product let’s you use voice controls on Netflix (except volume changes). My understanding is this is a Netflix limitation. Overall I love my Rokus. I they they have the best bang for the buck and I don’t have to worry about platform wars because Roku is mostly a hardware company. A while back google and amazon got in a spat and google pulled the YouTube app from Firesticks. It back now but that kind of thing drive me nuts.  
+7 votes
by (1.6k points)
Roku is way better than firetv.  
by (4.6k points)
@komatik any data to back up your claim?  
by (1.6k points)
Nope. Just years of selling them and using them. Plus Roku has an API that's not trash. And will do IR if necessary.  
+11 votes
by (1.8k points)
They are both good. I prefer the Roku and I think the interface is better. The one thing that makes the firestick better is if you want to sideload other apps onto it, most people install Kodi and get free "usually illegal" channels on it for free movies. This also makes the firestick more vulnerable and less secure. If you plan on trying to use Kodi then firestick is your answer, if not it's all about personal preference after that.  
+10 votes
by (500 points)
Alexa ----> Harmony Hub -----> TV.  
+11 votes
by (1.2k points)
There is a Roku skill, but it isn't great. I control my TV, Roku and cable box with a Logitech Harmony hub and enabled that skill in Alexa
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