Smart homes don’t only provide the opportunity to automate your appliances and security systems. In fact, they are great for creating seamless entertainment systems that give you highly convenient ways to enjoy media in your home. Here are a few of the ingredients you can use to set up a smart home entertainment system.

Smart TVs and video streaming

There are two major ways to set up a smart visual system for watching TV and video: with a smart TV or with a smart streaming device. A smart TV has built-in functionality for internet connectivity, apps and streaming. Meanwhile, a smart streaming device such as the Chromecast or a smart TV box gives regular TVs smart functionality by acting as a connectible hub. 

The best choice depends on your budget and what you want to be able to do with your TV. Using a device like a Chromecast is cheaper and doesn’t require you to buy a new TV if your current one is compatible. However, smart TVs have a lot of functionality and built-in apps that don’t require you to use your phone to stream content.

Smart audio systems

There are a variety of options for creating a smart audio system for your home. Smart speakers are able to stream music directly from the web with voice commands. You can also wirelessly connect audio devices to your smart home hub or smartphone. 

Another option is a smart soundbar, which can act as a speaker for your television as well as a general music streaming device. Soundbars include a variety of connection types, allowing you to play audio from your TV or smartphone apps, or via a Bluetooth connection to your phone.

Other smart home entertainment

Smart home entertainment is not only limited to audio and visual options. Certain devices will allow you to incorporate games and other activities into your smart home system. For example, with the Chromecast you can play Android games on your television, while smart home hubs and speakers can launch quizzes and trivia games with voice commands. 

There are also a variety of smart remotes that allow you to control multiple devices with a single remote. Finally, you can also invest in smart projectors if you want to create a theatre experience. 

The possibilities and choices are vast, you just need to decide which solutions suit your preferences the best!

Now that you know how to set up a smart home entertainment system, keep an eye out for the last article in our series, which will show you how to set up security features for your smart home. And if you're still wondering how to get started with creating your smart home, read this article on selecting a smart home hub.

Header photo by Jens Kreuter on Unsplash