I just picked up a new Samsung 8 series TV, beautiful picture, and it has Alexa built in. My wife is not very tech oriented and I want to make this as easy as possible for her. Right now, when you turn on the TV, a free Samsung movie is instantly switched on. I'd like some help on the following:
1. When we turn on the TV, I'd like to at a minimum, see the YouTubeTV home screen/guide. Right now, even though I checked off that I'd like it to open with the last used App... it always starts with the free movies and we have to do the home key, bring up the App menu bar, then select YouTubeTV, then select the station we'd like to watch. So my understanding is that you can configure this TV so that when you turn it on, it will automatically select the YouTubeTV home screen.
2. Since its Alexa built-in, I'd like to know how to enable Alexa to tune in to a particular station that is not an App. So If I say "Alexa, tune into MSNBC" or "Alexa, tune into the Food Network" the TV will automatically switch to that station in my provider's mix of available stations. Or will Alexa only tune into an "App" meaning I have to add Apps to the menu bar for every station on the YouTubeTV guide?
What ever I was watching when I turn my TV off will be there when I turn it on. If I'm watching Netflix and a movie ends I go back to Netflix home turn off TV and its always there.
No offense, but your reply doesnt help me much unless you can explain exactly how you set that up, or if you did set it up. Questions I would ask you:
1. What is your source/signal? IOW, do you have a provider with a cable box and is your set hard wired? If you don't have a cable box and are streaming content from a provider like Hulu or YouTubeTV let me know. If you are using a device like a Firestick 4K or Firebox let me know.
2. What Model Samsung TV do you have? Mine is a Samsung 43-inch class Crystal UHD TU-8000 Series 4K UHD HDR Smart TV with Alexa Built-In (UN43TU8000FXZA, 2020 model). My TV also has Alexa built-in, and has a remote with a microphone... so in theory, I should be able to say "Alexa, tune in to CNN" and the TV should switch to CNN live.
3. I'm using WiFi within the house to send a streaming signal from my provider, YouTubeTV, so the only wire connected to my set is the power cord. The signal is strong, the picture is perfect.
4. When I press the HOME key, I'm presented with the "App Bar" wwhich has numerous streaming App icons positioned horizontally on the scree.n. There appears to be a fixed divider on the left side about 1/3rd of the way over. Beyond that "divider" are the Home and other preset icons, one of which is "Samsung+ FreeTV". What I'm trying to do is Move the YouTubeTV App/Icon into that preset area because whenever I turn MY set on, it starts with the Samsung+FreeTV channel.
5. So I have installed the YouTubeTV App and its over on the RHS. To bring up their 50 channel guide, I have to scroll to that icon and relaunch it every time I turn the TV on. Once I launch it, I can then see the YouTubeTV guide and scroll down and select whatever channel I want using the remote.
6. I mentioned the set has Alexa built in, and I thought... that if I turned the TV on, and said into the microphone... "Alexa, switch to YouTubeTV" the set woukd swwitch to that app and the guide would appear. That doesn't happen. When I say "Alexa, switch to YouTubeTV" the set puts up an icon for YouTube, not YouTubeTV.
This morning I spent about an hour with a live Samsung "tech" who didnt seem to have a clue about how move or remove the preset Apps on the left, or how to move my provider's App into the Power-On section. He also didn't know why I could not get Alexa to switch to YouTubeTV. He admitted he was very limited in his knowledge of reconfiguring or using the Apps, he knew more about basic TV functions. This is not a deal killer, but when you sell a TV without a real manual either printed or an eManual that explains every function you advertise, its a detriment.
Now if somebody with a similar TV has figured all this out I'm more than willing to follow your instructions on how to get it working the way I think it should be working. And Samsung... if your quality assurance folks are readig these posts, why not jump and help out?
ok the Tv in bedroom is a 2019 43NU6900 it has in the Home menu the option to move apps and delete apps from the main bar. The Tv in living area is a 2020 50TU7000 it gives me the option to move apps around on the home screen as well. As far as source signal I use local company for internet only. Tv in the bedroom is hard wired into router and living room Tv is wireless. We stream mainly Disney+, Netflix and Prime.
Ok when I press home the apps all pop up. There is a central set of main apps horizontal as you said. If I move my cursor over to highlight on of those apps I then press the down arrow and it gives me the option to delete or move that app. I hope that's what you are looking for.
So when I hold the center remote button down over the YouTubeTV icon, I can only move it so far to the left and then it stops. I cannot get it into that "Home" section, and from what I determined, thats where the TV boot-up is because whenever I turn the set on, it starts playing a free movie or tv show like Baywatch.
And yes, when I press the "Home" button on the remote the App/menu bar appears, and I was able to load the YouTubeTV App onto the bar... they are my paid streaming provider. I can click on that Icon, and YouTubeTV will launch, and then I can scroll thru the 50 channels and decide what to watch. If I turn the TV off and then back on again, the YouTubeTV channel I was watching is no longer there, its back to the free Movies provided by Samsung Plus Free TV. So I have to re-launch YouTubeTV and then scroll down to ESPN, CNN, HGTV or whatever channel I was watching.
Don't know if your sets have Alexa built in, but this set does, and when I ask Alexa to switch to YouTubeTV she replies, "I'm sorry but I don't know that one" or something like that.
So you stream Disney, Netflix, and Prime. If you are watching a Prime movie and you pause it, then turn the set off to eat dinner... when you go back to the TV and turn it on, is that Prime movie waiting for you or do you have to select Prime on your remote or the screen? My remote has three (3) hot buttons; Netflix, Prime, and Samsung TVPlus. I havent even used them, but I assume pushing one would instantly open that app. I wish those buttons were programable so at least we could instantly select our streaming content provider.
If Im watching say a Netflix movie and go to bed halfway. When I turn the TV back on its at the Netflix Family avatar as we have three. I choose mine and my movie say continue watching or I can scroll away and watch other movies. I don't have Alexa built it. I do use the 3 hot buttons when I remember I'm so use to using home. I forgot to msntion If you go into settings>general>auto run last app turn that on.
To answer your questions from the original post --
1. Not all apps will support autorun last app feature. If you tried on YouTubeTV App and it does not work, then likely the feature is not supported on this app.
2. If you say "Launch YouTubeTV App" using Alexa, it should be able to detect and launch the app for you. As far as using Alexa to switch to a channel like CNN or MSNBC, that will not work inside the YouTube TV App. This feature only works if your TV is set up with the service provider that your STB came with.
