So, you’ve seen a couple of good things about the Firestick and you’re wondering, do you have to have a Smart TV to use a Firestick? Wouldn’t it be compatible with a normal television?
Don’t worry, we’ll answer all of your questions about using Amazon’s Firestick TV!
You can connect your Amazon Firestick to a normal television given the fact that it has an HDMI port!
Learn how you can do it through our guide here!
Understanding How the Firestick TV Works
While many people use the Amazon Firestick TV, not all of them have a pure understanding of how it works and functions.
The Fire TV stick works simply – it will begin to operate and function when you plug it into an HDMI port or jack in your television.
But do you need a smart TV for the Firestick to work? Or would a regular TV be able to accommodate the said device?
Do You Have to Have a Smart TV to Use a Firestick?
Once and for all, let’s put an end to all the questions and concerns that people have when it comes to the Firestick TV.
No, your television does not necessarily have to be a Smart TV in order for it to work. The main and the only requirement of a Fire TV is an HDMI port or jack in the television.
Your television needs to have at least one (1) HDMI port for the streaming device to operate and function.
So, what you need to do is to check if there’s an HDMI port on your television, if there is, then you’ll be able to make your Firestick TV work.
How to Connect Amazon Fire Stick to Normal TV?
In the event that you have a normal or a regular television and you’re not sure how to make it work with it, here’s what you need!
Step #1: Check if There’s an HDMI Port on Your TV
The first thing you want to do is to make sure that your television has an HDMI port.
You’ll usually find it at the back, where the power cord or the power cable is.
Step #2: Make Sure the TV’s Turned On
Then, what you want to do is to turn on or activate your television.
Ensure that it’s plugged into a wall outlet or to an extension.
Step #3: Power Up Your Fire TV
The next step you want to do is to connect your Fire TV to power through a wall outlet.
In the box where the Firestick TV is, you’ll find a power adapter.
That’s what you have to use to be able to successfully connect your streaming device to a wall outlet.
Step #4: Connect the Firestick TV to the HDMI Port
After that, power up your Firestick TV by plugging the other end of the Firestick into your television.
NOTE:
It’s always recommended to plug it into power first before plugging or connecting it to the television.
Step #5: Check If Your TV’s in the Right Input or Mode
Once you were able to connect it, check and see if your television is in the right mode or input.
This is applicable to televisions that have more than one (1) input like HDMI, RCA Stereo, Optical Digital, Coaxial Digital, etc.
For instance, if you have more than 1 HDMI port, double-check where you’ve plugged the Firestick TV is.
If it’s connected to HDMI 2, then put your television to HDMI 2, if it’s in HDMI 1, then put your TV’s input to HDMI 1.
Step #6: Pair Your Remote to Your Fire TV
The next thing you want to do is to pair your remote to your streaming device.
Ideally, the remote has an auto-pairing function where you don’t have to manually pair it.
But, if it does not automatically pair, here’s how you can manually do it.
- Grab the remote and put on batteries inside the remote
- Then, press and hold the home button for fifteen (15) to eighteen (18) seconds
- Wait for the alert on the television to say that the remote control and the Firestick TV are synced
Now that you’ve successfully synchronized and paired the remote and the Firestick, we’re off to the next step!
Step #7: Connect the Streaming Device to the WiFi Network
When the remote and the streaming device have been synced, then the next thing you want to do is to connect the Firestick TV to your WiFi network.
The step-by-step process of doing this is easy.
You just have to select the network you want to connect to and enter the password for that particular network.
If the password is correct, you’ll see that the WiFi icon on the top-right part of the screen will be lit.
Otherwise, it’ll tell you that the password is incorrect.
Step #8: Log In to Your Amazon Account
You’re just a few steps away from watching your favorite shows, movies, and other titles!
After you connect the Firestick to the WiFi network, wait for the system to download all necessary updates.
Then, what you have to do next is to log into your Amazon account. Enter your user ID and your password.
When you’ve accomplished that, you’re all set!
You’ll now be redirected to the home screen of the Firestick TV, where you can go through the menu and access different settings, choose different streaming subscriptions, and many more!
Read Next: How to Setup Firestick Without Remote?
I Did All the Steps, But It’s Not Working… What Should I Do?
So, you have followed all the steps we’ve outlined above but it’s not working, what should you do?
In order to resolve this concern, you need to know what the root cause of the problem is.
Is not working when you plug in the Firestick TV? Or isn’t your television capturing or reading it?
If it’s a problem with the display or the resolution, though, avoid setting the Firestick TV to a higher resolution than what your television is able to accommodate.
If your television is only up to 1080p, don’t set your Fire TV to 2K or 4K.
Otherwise, if it’s a more technical problem, the next best thing to do is to contact the manufacturer of your television.
Tell them what the problem is, and they’ll perform troubleshooting steps to try and solve the concern.
Conclusion
In case you’re wondering if you have to have a Smart TV to use a Firestick, you don’t!
If your television has at least one (1) HDMI port, you’ll easily be able to use your Firestick TV.
So, if you don’t have a Smart TV but your regular television has an HDMI port, you’re good to go!
Read Next: Does WiFi Routers track your internet history?
Kevin has over five years of experience working in various Tech startups and providing Technical solutions. He has contributed to many Tech publications and websites.