What TV's Work With HomeKit?
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Sony, LG and Samsung TV’s All Work With HomeKit
Televisions are getting smarter and larger everyday. But the top of the line smart TV’s work with HomeKit so that you can control them with your voice. With Homekit and Siri voice control of your smart TV you no longer even need a remote control to control your TV, you can control your TV with your voice or from your iPhone or Apple Watch. Just tell Siri what you would like your TV to do and she’ll do it for you.
With Homekit Siri voice control you can turn on or off the TV, search for your favorite program, play a movie or control the volume. HomeKit TV’s with Airplay also let you stream videos or photos from your phone so you can view pictures of your latest vacation.
One of the most popular things people do with HomeKit TV’s is stream youtube videos they are watching on their phone through the TV with just the click of a button. It’s a great way to view a smaller youtube video in a larger format and as more youtube content is recorded in 4K it’s a nice way to add additional functionality to your TV.
What It HomeKit & Siri For TV’s?
HomeKit is Apple’s smart home integration system that provides direct integration with Apple iOS and allows you to control smart home devices from one app the “HomeKit” app on your iPhone, Apple Watch or use Siri voice commands to control your smart home using Siri voice commands on your phone or Apple Watch. With HomeKit you can then control your smart devices like smart thermostats, smart lights and smart TV’s by saying voice commands to your iPhone like “Siri, turn on living room lights.”
What TV’s Work Work HomeKit?
2019 was a major breakthrough for TV’s compatible with HomeKit and Siri. Before 2019 the options for HomeKit TV’s were limited. Now there are 4 major manufacturers supporting TV’s compatible with HomeKit. Select Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio TV’s work with HomeKit and provide full featured HomeKit and Siri functionality.
Primarily TV’s built in 2019 and after from these 4 manufacturers will work with HomeKit but Samsung and Vizio have been proactive in pushing out updates to some of their 2018 TV’s that make the 2018 models of TV’s compatible with HomeKit.
How Do TV’s Work with HomeKit?
There are two primary ways that smart TV’s can work with HomeKit and Siri for full voice control. You can either get a TV with Homekit capability built in, or you can connect an Apple TV to your existing TV if it has an CEC-HDMI input available. However there are some drawbacks to using and Apple TV device when compared to using a TV with HomeKit built in.
We compare the two options for using your TV with HomeKit below.
Option #1 TV’s With HomeKit Capability Built In: How It Works
TV’s with HomeKit built in will work with any compatible HomeKit device like your iPhone, Apple Watch or Apple HomePod. The smart TV does not have a built in microphone but it connects to your Apple device via wifi and uses the Apple device as a microphone to listen to your commands to turn on/off the TV, change the channel or turn up the volume.
Many new Samsung and LG TV’s have HomeKit capability built in. HomeKit and Siri are always waiting for your commands so there are no buttons you need to push to control your TV. Just say “Siri, turn on TV” and she will respond to your commands.
Option #2: Connect Your Existing TV To HomeKit With Apple TV
You can connect an Apple TV device to any TV with an CEC enabled HDMI port and you can control your TV hands free with Siri voice commands. With HomeKit TV device your TV will work similar to a TV that has HomeKit capability built in. However your TV must have a CEC - HDMI port which enables 2 way communication between the TV and Apple TV. The only other disadvantage of using an Apple TV device to add HomeKit functionality is that it takes up and HDMI port, and because of this you will typically need to have the TV set to the HomeKit HDMI port in order to have full functionality so you can lose some functionality in this setup because it can only control content on the Apple TV and not control the full functions of the TV while switched to other inputs like your cable TV.
The Apple TV also comes with a remote control but most people just use voice commands to control their TV.
With HomeKit enabled TV’s you can use Siri commands to control your TV.
Top TV’s That Work With HomeKit
The top four TV brands that currently have built in homekit compatibility are Samsung, Viso, Sony and LG.
It should be noted that both Samsung and Vizio have made an extra effort to provide software updates for even some of their older model TV’s that enable HomeKit support which has made some people loyal fans of these brands. It’s a nice feature that added functionality to existing TV’s and didn’t require consumers to go out and but a New TV just for HomeKit support.
In my mind this extra effort, says a lot about their two companies and their commitment to support the HomeKit integration and additional features on their TV’s.
All four brands are well known but typically Vizio provides the most value minded TV’s, while Samsung and LG provide an excellent balance of value, technology, and resolution. Sony provides great TV’s as well but typically they are a little pricier and are not typically as popular as Samsung or LG TV’s which have become a mainstay in many households.
Sony is known for it’s top quality displays and has been in the TV game for decades. LG and Samsung are also long time provider of both home appliances and TV’s. The Sony TV’s tend to be more focused on providing the absolute best picture and display while the Samsung and LG TV’s are focused on providing the combination of best value with outstanding picture quality.
You can’t go wrong with any of these TV brands but below we’ve listed our top picks for each size and brand TV. If your on a budget, it can be worth looking at Vizio TV’s but they mostly make TV’s in the smaller sizes and don’t offer the extremely large TV sizes like you might see from LG, Samsung and Sony.
There are a lot of good TV’s in this lineup and for most people the value offered by Samsung and LG TV’s will give you a good combination of resolution, size and cost. Sony tends to be more expensive and Vizio tends to be more value oriented.
Samsung TV’s That Work With HomeKit
The majority of Samsung 2019 TV’s work with Homekit and some 2018 model samsung TV’s work with HomeKit. We’ve listed the Samsung TV’s that work with homeKit below and our favorite Samsung TV’s in Popular sizes.
In the Samsung lineup the QLED 8K TV’s are the highest end TV’s, followed by the QLED 4k and Frame TV, with the Samsung UHD being the most value oriented TV’s in the Samsung lineup. The QLED 4K and Frame TV offer similar resolution and features with the exception being that the Frame TV has a frame around it and is designed to blend in and look like a picture when installed.
The QLED 8K TV’s have amazing picture but for most people the QLED 4k will offer similar results because there is very little 8k programing available. If you’re on a budget the Samsung UHD TV’s allow you to get a giant size TV even on a tight budget.
All of the TV’s were listing below work with HomeKit but they also have the added advantage of working with Alexa as well.
Samsung 85” HomeKit TV
This TV is massive and packs a big punch with great 4K resolution, brilliant colors and HDR (high dynamic range). Because of the lack of 8K content available this TV shines with it’s large size, great picture and better value than the QLED 8K TV’s. However if you want to get a forward compatible 8K QLED TV you can, it will just set you back a pretty penny.
Samsung 75” TV That Works With HomeKit
This TV gives you a huge screen at a value sized budget. If you want to go big, but don’t want to spend big the the Samsung UHD offers a great option to get a great picture combined with serious size. In my opinion Samsung offers some of the best flat screens out there, and it has to do with the fact that they sell huge numbers of TV’s at a volume that lets them delivery high quality TV’s at a competitive price. Next to a 4K samsung TV you might notice a slight difference in picture quality, but the reality is you need to have exceptional vision to even notice it and it would require that the content was streaming in 4K.
Even with UHD vs 4k compared this TV offers an incredible value for it’s size and you won’t be disappointed with the picture quality compared to even a TV that is 2 or 3 model years older.
Samsung 65” Frame Style HomeKit TV
The frame style offers a unique proposition, it’s designed to blend into a room and look like a picture frame by displaying art when not in use. Trust me it actually does look like a picture when not in use and the “picture frame” around the TV truly completes the illusion.
It’s a great way to sneak a TV into your bedroom if your spouse has previously denied the request. It should be noted that the Samsung frame requires a recessed mount to house the “Brains” of the TV which allow it to have such a slim small profile on the wall.
What Sony TV’s work with HomeKit?
Below we’ve compiled our best of recommendations for the Sony TV’s that work with HomeKit in the 85”, 75” and 65” TV sizes. All of these TV’s have rich features that will make it easier to use your TV with HomeKit Siri voice commands and create an engaging TV experience.
It’s important to note that only 2019 and later Sony TV’s work with HomeKit so make sure your Sony TV’s are the 2019 or later model.
The following lines of Sony TV work with HomeKit
The Z9G and A9G offer some of the best tech and picture quality of any TV’s on the market, these are the highest end models designed with 8K resolution to provide the most realistic picture and screen tuning. These TV’s make you feel like you’re actually there when your sitting on your couch. These TV’s are superior to most everything on the market but you pay a pretty penny for them.
The X950G and X850G are more approachable displays with good picture quality while keeping value in mind. There are reports of some complaints with the X850G line but the X950G has a good track record and large format TV’s in the lineup.
If you want a great balance of picture and value the 65” TV is one of the most popular options for TV’s that works with HomeKit at a very reasonable price. If you a person that believes bigger is always better than the hulking 85” Sony TV that works with HomeKit is for you.
We’ll cover each brand below and our top pick overall.
Sony HomeKit TV’s
Best 85” TV That Works With HomeKit
This is one of the biggest baddest professional TV’s available on the consumer market. With 8K resolution it seems like it’s capable of actually tricking your eyes and will make you wonder if you’re watching TV or if the person on video is actually in your living room. At 85” inches this is monster that delivers with Superb picture quality and works with HomeKit for full voice control of your TV. If you get this TV make sure that you get a mount capable of holding it. For this size TV you want a TV mount that allows for at least 4”-6” of outward movement otherwise it makes it near impossible to complete your connections to the TV because they are so far behind the edges of the screen. We recommend the Sanus TV mount for TV’s over 65” as it has a low profile but still allows you to pull the TV forward for connections and allows you adjust the levelness of the TV with two easy to reach screws.
75” TV That Works With HomeKit
Sony X950G 75 Inch TV: 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV with HDR - 2019 Model
If you're looking for a big screen that offers an exceptional value the 2019 Sony 75” TV works with HomeKit for full voice control and is at a significant discount when compared to the Z9 or A9 series. Unlike the A9 series it does not offer 8K resolution but it does have advanced 4K resolution. You’ll find that at this time 8K isn’t really necessary because there is only limited amount of content available in 4K and very very small amount of content available in 8K. With this TV you get a lot of the more expensive tech packed into a great TV a typically a lower price point than the other Sony Models.
65” TV That Works With HomeKit
Sony X950G 65 Inch TV: 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV with HDR - 2019 Model
The 65” TV lineup offers arguably the best balance of size and value for Sony TV’s. These TV’s work with HomeKit, offer great picture quality and many of the other smart features the the larger size TV’s have included. The only real difference is that the 65” TV is smaller than the other Sony TV options that work with HomeKit.
If you end up choosing a Sony TV' we’ve provided the commands you can use to control your TV and so you can get an idea of how voice commands with a TV that works with HomeKit are spoken.
Sony TV HomeKit Commands:
“Siri, turn off TV”
“Siri, turn on living room TV”
“Siri, change the channel to 200 on living room TV”
“Siri, next channel on living room TV”
“Siri, change channel to NBC.”
“Siri, change channel to Fox.”
“Siri, tune to channel 200 on living room TV”
“Siri, set volume to 20 on living room TV”
“Siri, turn down the volume on living room TV”
“Siri, mute living room TV”
“Siri, unmute living room TV”
“Siri, play on living room TV”
“Siri, pause on living room TV”
“Siri, fast forward on living room TV”
“Siri, rewind on living room TV”
What LG TV’s Work With HomeKit?
LG also offers an entire lineup of HomeKit compatible TV’s right out of the box. With LG TV’s you get great value and a high quality picture. You’re typically going to get more screen for your money with the LG TV’s vs a similar priced Sony TV. LG and Samsung offer TV’s offer very similar value propositions and LG and Samsung are among the most popular TV’s on the market.
The following models of LG TV’s are designed to work with HomeKit
86” TV That Works With HomeKit
86” LG TV That Works With HomeKit
This LG TV is designed to match the size and features of the 85” Sony TV but it will save you a significant amount of money for a larger TV. LG went for the win with this TV and it’s 1” larger than the comparable Sony TV that works with HomeKit. If you want to go big on a budget the 86” LG TV is a giant TV that will make a statement in any room. This TV has both built in HomeKit and Alexa capability and can be controlled with voice using an Apple device or an Alexa device like the echo dot.
For any TV of this size make sure that you get a mount capable of holding it, you need a TV mount that allows for at least 4”-6” of outward movement otherwise it makes it near impossible to complete your connections to the TV because they are so far behind the edges of the screen. We have found with TV’s this large you want a mount that not only holds the TV but allows you adjust the level of the TV even after it’s mounted on the wall.
Because the TV’s are so large and have such a long straight line getting them level is critically important and if the bracket on the wall is not level it can throw off the whole installation of the TV. However we recommend the Sanus TV Mount for large TV’s because even if the wall bracket is not perfectly level it allows you to adjust the level of the TV with two adjustable screws after the TV is installed for perfect adjustment. I’ve personally installed several of the Sanus TV mounts and love them for their simplicity, adjustment and reliability. If you are mounting a TV over 65” they are the ideal mount.
75” TV That Works With HomeKit
75” LG 4K TV-Works With HomekIt
The 75” LG TV probably offers the best screen size to price ratio of any of the smart TV’s we’ve listed that have built in HomeKit capability. You pay a significant price penalty for TV’s over 80” but you can get a TV that is almost the same size in the 75” range and oftentimes is only half the price as a TV that is only 10” larger. This TV provides exceptional features, and size at an incredible value. For typically less than $1500 you get a lot of TV with the 75” LG TV that works with HomeKit.
75” LG TV that works with HomeKit. This smart 4K will work with compatible HomeKit devices like the Apple Watch, your iPhone and Apple HomePod.
65” TV That Works With HomeKit
LG 65” TV - Works With HomeKit
A few years ago 65” TV’s were the standard size for large TV’s, now they are a common place. If you don’t feel like you need a huge TV. 65” TV’s provide the best value of larger smart TV’s on the market. Typically you can get a 65” smart TV that works with Alexa for less than $1,000.
The LG 65” TV is very reasonable TV that has all of the features of it’s larger cousins and works with HomeKit.
We have a list of the Alexa Commands that work with LG TV’s below if you end up choosing an LG Smart TV that works with Alexa or you want to know how you can control a TV that works with Alexa using your voice.
LG TV HomeKit Commands:
“Siri, turn off TV”
“Siri, turn on living room TV”
“Siri, change the channel to 200 on living room TV”
“Siri next channel on living room TV”
“Siri, change channel to NBC.”
“Siri, change channel to Fox.”
“Siri tune to channel 200 on living room TV”
“Siri, set volume to 20 on living room TV”
“Siri, turn down the volume on living room TV”
“Siri, mute living room TV”
“Siri, unmute living room TV”
“Siri, play on living room TV”
“Siri, pause on living room TV”
“Siri, fast forward on living room TV”
“Siri, rewind on living room TV”
Vizio TV’s that Work With HomeKit?
Vizio has several models of TV that work with HomeKit. Vizio TV’s are the most budget oriented TV’s of those we have reviewed and they typically don’t come in the extremely large sizes we see from Samsung, LG and Sony. If you’re looking for an inexpensive small size TV Vizio TV’s fit the bill and can save you a ton of money if you want at TV that works with HomeKit.
VIZIO P-Series 2019
VIZIO E-Series 2019
VIZIO V-Series 2019
Best 55” Vizio TV That Works With HomeKit
This TV offers an inexpensive option for a 4K HDR TV. At 55” it’s not huge but can be a great option for a bedroom, office or game room TV. It does its job and has 4k resolution at budget price while offering an entry point for getting a HomeKit compatible TV.
What Apple Devices Do I Need For My TV To Work With HomeKit?
If your TV has built in HomeKit compatibility it it can be controlled from iPhones, Apple Watches and HomePod. You can also stream content directly from your laptop using a mirror feature for your TV screen.
Most often people use HomeKit and siri with their phones to control HomeKit TV’s but it’s becoming more popular to use Apple watches to control TV’s. Having HomeKit compatibility is a great way to allow you to control your TV even if you’re not near the remote.
HomeKit TV’s Summary:
There are great options for TV’s that work with HomeKit. In general Sony has some of the highest end TV’s while LG and Samsung find the perfect balance of value and resolution that is sure to impress without breaking the bank. Vizio also makes quality TV’s but the sizes are typically limited to smaller TV sizes and do have some noticeable quality differences when compared to LG or Samsung HomeKit TV’s.
In general having a TV that works with HomeKit is a great way to upgrade your TV setup and adds a ton of functionality to your TV. It’s great when your watching a movie and can’t find a remote to just tell Siri to turn up the volume or pause the movie.
In addition to being compatible with Homekit most of the TV’s we listed are also compatible with either Alexa or Google Home which means you can control them with free standing voice assistants as well. What’s nice is that you can mix and match voice assistants and still use voice commands for one or the other. So you could have your TV connected to both HomeKit and Alexa and you wouldn’t need to worry about having to choose one over the other, both will work at the same time. So you could issue one command for your TV with HomeKit and Siri and then if you needed to issue a command through Alexa you could do so without affecting your Homekit Settings.
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