You can also watch TV on the Echo Show – but it’s not quite as easy as on standard TV sets. Read here how you can still receive the current program on the Amazon devices.
the Amazon Echo Show devices are a further development of smart speaker, which can also be operated via a touch screen. And where the Echo speakers are so good for streaming music, the Echo Show series should actually be easy to use as a TV replacement thanks to their screen. However, this is only partially true.
The streaming functionality of Echo Show devices is already relatively limited and retrieving the current TV program is possible in this sense, but relatively cumbersome, depending on which channel you want to watch at the moment.
You need these apps and skills
Since there are no classic apps on the Echo Show, you have to use their limited, slimmed-down versions in the form of Alexa Skills Put up with. However, these are not available for the common TV streaming services Zattoo, waipu.tv and Joyn. Except for the latter, however, you can use all services via a detour on the Echo Show:
TV streaming via Silk Browser
Since the Echo Show does not have the corresponding Alexa skills for TV streaming services, you have to use the Silk browser, which is preinstalled on the devices. Netzwelt uses the example of to show you how to access your TV content via the browser on the Echo Zattoo:
The tedious way via the browser brings you the largest selection of stations on the Echo Show. The easiest way to get to the current TV program is via the video category in the main menu, under which you can also call up the streaming skills for Netflix and Prime Video.
The offer there is limited, since essentially only the public service channels of ZDF and the sports content of Red Bull TV can be seen – but at least one or the other international match can easily be played on the Echo Show. This is how you open the ZDF skill on the Echo Show:
Receive Pay TV on the Echo Show
You can see pay TV on the Echo Show just like free TV channels – provided you have booked the right package with your TV streaming service: Zattoo, waipu.tv and RTL+ all offer pay TV packages, which you can also use stream via the Silk browser.
Timeshift TV on the Echo Show
With the restart function of the fee-based Zattoo packages Premium and Ultimate, you can watch time-delayed television as part of the current program. You can also pause the live program and start it again later without missing anything.
A more far-reaching option for time-shift television with Zattoo Replay is currently only available in Switzerland.
Much more TV and entertainment coming to the Echo Show 15
On the Echo Show 15 there will soon be significantly more options for watching live TV and streaming programs: the Alexa skills from Prime Video and Netflix, which are limited in scope and control, will be implemented the implementation of the Fire TV streaming operating system is virtually obsolete.
As soon as the smart entertainment operating system has landed on the Echo Show 15, you will also be able to control the smart display with the Alexa voice remote control from Fire TV and have access to all relevant streaming services and media libraries – including those specializing in TV streaming Zattoo, Waipu.tv, Joyn and RTL+.
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