You likely already know about Amazon Echo devices, like the new Amazon Echo Show 10 and the just-announced Echo Show 15 — smart, capable home helpers and digital butlers. But a lot of folks lean on their smart-home capabilities first, forgetting that the digital screen can also be a video entertainment portal. With the power of Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube already built into these devices, you can watch streaming TV no matter where you are or what you’re doing.
Plus, with SlingTV coming to the Echo Show 15 soon, your Amazon device may now start to look a lot more like a mini TV.
How to access video streaming on the Echo Show
There are a few ways to surf and view videos on your Amazon Echo Show device. You can say “Alexa, open video home,” to see all streaming service options and available programs. You can also swipe to the left on your main Echo screen and select Video from the menu.
The channels and services available in your region will be visible along the top of the screen, with content and episodes shown below. Just tap on a program or service. You’ll need to sign in to each service with your user name and password. If you don’t already have an account, you may need to sign up on your smartphone or computer first, then use your login info on the Echo device. One last caveat: Yes, Netflix, Sling TV, and Prime Video are paid services, so you’ll need to manage those subscriptions separately from your Amazon account.
How to get YouTube on the Echo Show
Accessing YouTube is done a little differently. There’s no dedicated YouTube app on Echo devices. Instead, you access YouTube via Amazon’s Silk Browser on Echo Show devices. Essentially, it opens a webpage where you can search and surf for video content. Just tap to play what you want.
How to get Sling TV on the Echo Show
Sling TV is coming soon, as we learned from Amazon’s fall product announcement, but when exactly is still unknown. It’s believed that Sling will be a dedicated app, but more details should be coming soon. Worth noting: Echo Show users will likely need to pay for access to one of Sling’s live TV packages, which start at about $35 per month.
Other video services available on the Amazon Echo Show
Believe it or not, there are already eight different video services you can access on your Echo Show, though some countries outside of the U.S. may not have all of them visible. (Sorry, Canada!) In addition to the services mentioned, there’s also Hulu, NBC, Tubi, Food Network Kitchen, and Red Bull TV.
Amazon’s Echo Show devices are slowly but surely moving from small smart-home digital assistants that can simply turn your lights off or on to larger and more integrated total home hubs. The announcement of the 15-inch Echo Show seems to prove Amazon wants to integrate Echo Show devices into your home like never before. It’s going to be interesting to see how things develop in the future. For all we know, one day you might be able to install a full Alexa digital suite onto any brand of TV and turn it into a giant Alexa home hub and video portal. Time will tell.
