The normal thing when using a Fire TV is to do it by means of the remote control that it incorporates in all its variants, from the cheapest. But there may be circumstances in which it is impossible and the reasons are varied. Loss, lack of batteries, it has broken down… and don’t worry, because no need to buy a replacement remote.
In these cases it may be possible to use the TV remote, something that will only be possible if you have connected the Fire TV to the HDMI CEC port (acronym for Consumer Electronics Control) that includes the television. And if none of this is possible, don’t worry, because your phone is there to help you.
mobile to the rescue
I have to admit that at home what I usually use to control the Fire TV is the TV remote. I have the amazon dongle connected to the HDMI CEC port and this means that In addition to the audio and video signal that is transmitted, I can control other devices. I do it for convenience (because I don’t have the TV, Fire, TV and Apple TV remote on the table) but also because many times I have left it saved. And to all these options is added one more.
And it is that at the controls of the TV or the Fire TV, the mobile is added through the Fire TV app, an application that can be downloaded on both an iPhone and any Android phone. A free application that allows you to use your phone as a remote control.
The phone screen, once the app is installed, will simulate the controls of a remote control with a huge crosshead and all the necessary buttons to access the Fire TV functions. It even has a button to interact with Alexa and a keyboard with which to search or enter data more easily.
All this being said, the association process is very easy. Simply download the app from the corresponding application store of each operating system. In order to associate it with the device, you first have to make sure that the Fire TV is plugged in and powered.
When you start the application, the first thing you will see is a series of permissions that it requires. From accessing the phone’s Bluetooth to locating other devices on the same local network. You must grant permission to each of the requests that appear on the screen.
Once these steps are completed, the Fire TV(s) that you have at home connected to the network will appear on the phone and you must choose the one you want to control.
A code will appear on the screen of the television to which you have connected the Fire TV, a four-digit code that you must enter in the application to be able to pair the mobile.
All this being said, the application is now fully operational. You can use the on-screen D-pad to move through all the Fire TV options, as well as invoke Alexa with the dedicated button or use the on-screen keyboard to enter data as if you were writing a WhatsApp message (this is very handy at the same time). time to enter emails and passwords).
Thus you can use the mobile as one more control without having to rely on the Fire TV remote.