To throw or not to throw?
Surely, you’ve thought about getting rid of your old TV at least once.
But then again…
You remembered that you have a Firestick.
And if you want to know if you can use this device on your non-smart TV…
Continue reading to find out:
- 3 features you can enjoy with an Amazon Firestick.
- 7 effortless steps to connect this device to a non-smart TV.
- How you can connect a Fire TV stick to a TV without an HDMI port.
- And this is just the beginning…
Can you use a Fire Stick on a non-smart TV?
You can use Firestick on a non-smart TV.
In fact, it’s 1 of the best ways to turn a regular device into a “smart” 1.
And if you’re wondering how your TV can benefit from this device, here are some…
Features that your non-smart TV will get with a Firestick:
Access to streaming platforms
Unfortunately, non-smart TVs don’t have access to streaming platforms.
But add an Amazon Firestick into the mix and…
You can easily access popular streaming apps on your TV, including:
- Netflix.
- Youtube.
- Discovery Plus.
And what’s a better way to enjoy the night than watching your favorite movies, right?
You might also want to know: (9 Fixes) Netflix Not Working On Firestick
Connect to offline and online games
Amazon’s Fire TV Stick supports thousands of games you can play on your TV.
And the best thing about this feature is…
You can enjoy most of them using your Firestick remote. So you don’t need to buy external controllers just to play on your Fire TV.
On top of that, this device also has games that you can play offline. Which are incredibly helpful in keeping you entertained. If your Wifi ever goes down. Or if it starts to load slowly.
And to my favorite part…
Have I mentioned that hundreds of these games are free?
So really, if you’re a game fanatic, I highly recommend upgrading your non-smart TV.
By using an Amazon Firestick.
Ability to control your TV with voice commands
“Hey Alexa, turn ON my TV.”
Wouldn’t it be so convenient if you could simply command your non-smart TV to turn ON?
Well then, you’ll be glad to know that adding Firestick to your TV will allow you to do this.
And really, it’s not just limited to turning ON your device. As you can also command Alexa to:
- Adjust your volume.
- Search for a movie title.
- Play a show from a specific app.
So if you want the added comfort of controlling your TV with just a press of a button…
Go and upgrade your non-smart TV with a Firestick.
How do you connect a Fire Stick to an older TV?
Now, before proceeding to the exact steps to connect a Firestick to your TV…
Bear in mind that not all older TVs are compatible with HDMI.
With that, check whether or not your TV has an HDMI port.
And if it has 1, simply go straight to the steps below.
But if you can’t find an HDMI port on your device…
That means you need to have these prepared before you can connect the Firestick to your TV:
And if you’re wondering why…
It’s because Firesticks only have HDMI connectors.
So if your TV doesn’t have an HDMI port, you won’t be able to connect the 2 directly.
But fortunately, there’s a way to work around this problem.
See, you can use a converter box to connect an HDMI cable to RCA cables.
And if you’re wondering why it has to be RCA…
It’s because older TVs that don’t have HDMI ports have RCA ports instead.
So once you have all the necessary items prepared, here are the…
7 Easy steps to connect a Firestick to an older TV
#1: Plug your Firestick into its power source
Prepare the power cable of your Fire TV stick and connect it to the USB port of your device.
After that, plug its power adapter into a wall outlet and then…
#2: Connect your Firestick to your TV port
Now, this step will vary slightly depending on the connection type of your TV.
But don’t worry, regardless of whether your TV has an HDMI port or not…
Connecting it to your Firestick will be easy.
With that being said, here’s…
How you can connect a Firestick to a TV with an HDMI port:
- Prepare an HDMI cable.
- Plug 1 end into the HDMI port of your Firestick device.
- Insert the other end into the HDMI IN port on your TV.
Note: The connection won’t work if you plug this cable into the HDMI OUT slot of your TV.
How you can connect a Firestick to a TV without HDMI:
Step 1: Plug 1 end of the HDMI cable into your Firestick.
Step 2: Insert the free end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI port of the converter box.
Step 3: Prepare your RCA cables.
Step 4: Insert each cable into the RCA ports on your converter box.
These ports will be colored red, white, and yellow, just like your cables.
So ensure that the connectors’ color matches the ports’ color.
Step 5: Insert the free ends of the RCA cables into the RCA ports on your TV.
Follow the same color-coding rule.
Step 6: Plug your converter box into its power source.
And now that you’ve connected the Firestick to your TV…
#3: Change your TV’s input settings
Now, the exact process to do this will depend on your TV brand.
But for most models, just click the Input/Source button on your remote.
And the list of all available inputs will appear on your screen.
Now, if your TV has an HDMI port…
Select the HDMI input from the list.
Note: If your TV has multiple HDMI ports, check which 1 your Firestick is connected to. And select the name of that port from the list of available inputs.
But if you used a converter box and RCA cables to connect the Firestick to your TV…
Select the TV/AV input from the list.
And now, your Firestick’s system should appear on your screen.
#4: Insert batteries into your Firestick’s remote
Place new AAA battery cells into the battery compartment of your Fire TV remote.
Now, most controllers auto pair with the TV, but if yours doesn’t…
Press and hold the Home button on your remote for 15 seconds.
And this will sync it with your Firestick.
#5: Connect your Firestick to your Wifi
Now that you can use the remote to control your Firestick…
Simply follow the on-screen instructions to connect your Fire TV to the Internet.
Don’t worry. This is a one-time setup process.
So you won’t need to connect your Firestick to the Wifi every time you turn it ON.
And once you’re online…
#6: Sign in to your Fire TV account
Simply input the credentials needed.
And confirm that you want to sign in.
Once your account has been verified, tap the Home button on your remote.
#7: Enjoy streaming on your Firestick
You can now watch on the streaming platforms you see on your TV screen.
So sign in to the apps you want to use and enjoy your newly upgraded non-smart TV.
Now, are you a first-time Fire TV user?
Then this video might help you get familiar with the platform faster:
You might also be interested in: 9 Steps To Reset Firestick Without Remote
Is Amazon Fire Stick compatible with any TV?
Amazon Firestick isn’t compatible with any TV.
“I thought it works with both smart and non-smart televisions.”
Yes, it does.
But that doesn’t mean that a Firestick is guaranteed to work with all types of TV.
Let me give you some examples to make this clearer.
See, if your TV is 10 years or older…
You might get a message saying “invalid format” when you plug your Firestick into it.
Moreover, for some TVs like the Sony 1080i…
The resolution of the TV and the streaming device conflicts with each other.
And as a result, the display gets cropped oddly. Making it incompatible with streaming.
So really, the Firestick works with different types of TVs. But it doesn’t work with any TV there is.
Pro tip: To increase the chances of making your Firestick compatible with older TVs, do these:
- Use high-quality HDMI or RCA cables.
- Use a TV that’s less than 10 years old.
- Update your TV to its latest available firmware.
Conclusion: Do you need a smart TV for Amazon Fire Stick?
You don’t need a smart TV for Amazon Fire Stick. See, 1 of the primary purposes of this device is to turn even non-smart TVs into smart ones. So if you want to use a Firestick on a TV that doesn’t have access to the Internet, you can do so. And personally, I highly recommend doing it.
With that, just ensure that you have:
- A stable Wifi network.
- An Amazon Fire TV account.
And you’ll be able to use your Firestick on your non-smart TV.