Amazon Echo Show devices have proven to be remarkably handy in a kitchen or even a workbench in the garage.
Not only does it have all the voice-activated commands you expect from a smart speaker, but the screen can show you family photos, and local weather reports.
Adding live over-the-air channels from a TV antenna takes some extra work (and hardware), but it’s not impossible. Making the upgrade is a worthwhile, one-time investment that can add lots of live, local TV stations like NBC and FOX.
Believe me, having some TV to watch while you are washing dishes in the sink or cooking is a serious life upgrade.
This method, which I have been using since I bought my Echo Show 8 back in July 2023 also adds more than 500 FAST channels courtesy of Sling TV. Amazon did add “Fire TV mode” or the Fire TV experience to the Echo Show 15 in late 2022.
From what I’ve read Fire TV mode essentially adds a lot of Smart TV functionality to the Echo 15, including streaming apps such as YouTube TV and Disney+.
But if you have an older Echo Show model like I do, then you are limited in what you can watch or stream. The other benefit is my method for watching antenna channels is free after you buy your hardware.
I’m going to make the assumption that you either already know how to set up a TV antenna, or can figure out what to do after reading some of my tips on buying the right one.
The essential piece of hardware you are going to need is an AirTV 2 or AirTV Anywhere. Both of these over-the-air (OTA) DVRs are designed to integrate Sling TV subscriptions with OTA channels from an antenna through the Sling TV app.
The Sling TV app is the only live TV option for older Echo Show devices. However, you don’t need a Sling TV subscription to add your local channels to the Echo Show. Even without a Sling TV subscription, you can use the Sling TV app as a portal for both free broadcast channels and the roughly 500 streaming channels available through Sling’s Freestream.
Both AirTV models have built-in digital TV tuners just like ones you would find inside a typical Smart TV.
You need to plug in the TV antenna’s coaxial cord to the back of the AirTV tuner. From there, you open the Sling TV app on a mobile phone, and under settings choose the “Local Channels” option. The AirTV 2 requires an external hard drive if you want to record local channels from the antenna. An AirTV Anywhere has 1TB of internal storage for recordings.
The setup process takes you through connecting the AirTV to your Wi-Fi, and performs a channel scan. Once connected, you can use the AirTV to watch OTA channels anywhere you have a Sling TV app, including your Echo Show devices.
