To control a streaming device with a smartphone or tablet, you first need to ensure that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Once that is confirmed, download the corresponding app for your streaming device on your smartphone or tablet. Open the app and follow the instructions to link it with your streaming device.
Using the app on your smartphone or tablet, you can navigate through menus, search for content, adjust settings, and control playback. Some apps also offer additional features like voice control and the ability to cast content from your mobile device to the streaming device.
In order for the control to work seamlessly, make sure both devices are within a reasonable range of each other and have a stable internet connection. With the app on your smartphone or tablet, you can enjoy the convenience of controlling your streaming device from the palm of your hand.
Best Streaming Devices in 2024
1
Rating is 5 out of 5
Roku Ultra | The Ultimate Streaming Device 4K/HDR/Dolby Vision/Atmos, Rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro, Ethernet Port, Hands-Free Controls, Lost Remote Finder, Free & Live TV
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Super-fast startup: Stream your favorite channels like Netflix, Apple TV+, Prime Video, and more in a snap
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Our best Wi-Fi: Enjoy fast, seamless TV streaming in any room in the house with our best Wi-Fi and Ethernet
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Cinematic streaming: Stream in 4K, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+, plus Dolby Atmos sound
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Our best remote: Roku Voice Remote Pro is conveniently rechargeable with personal shortcut buttons
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Hands-free voice controls: Say “Hey Roku” to play entertainment, power up your TV, and find your lost remote
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Private listening: Use wired or wireless headphones to crank up the volume without disturbing a quiet house
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No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote
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Watch what you love: Stream a massive selection of free, live, and premium TV including 350+ free live TV channels
2
Rating is 4.9 out of 5
NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV Pro Streaming Media Player; 4K HDR movies, live sports, Dolby Vision-Atmos, AI-enhanced upscaling, GeForce NOW cloud gaming, Google Assistant Built-In, Works with Alexa
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The Best of the Best. The world’s most powerful Android TV streaming media player upgraded to Android TV version 11. Enhance HD video in real-time to 4K for clearer, crisper visuals using next-generation AI upscaling. 2x USB 3.0 ports for storage expansion, USB cameras, keyboards, controllers, and more. Plex Media Server built-in, 3 GB RAM, and 16 GB storage.Connectivity Technology : Bluetooth 5.0
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Dolby Vision - Atmos. Bring your home theater to life with Dolby Vision HDR, and surround sound with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital Plus—delivering ultra-vivid picture quality and immersive audio
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4K HDR Content. Get the most 4K content of any streaming media player. Watch Netflix, Amazon Video, Apple TV+, Disney+ and Google Play Movies & TV in crisp 4K HDR, and YouTube, Hulu, and more in 4K. Stream from your phone with built-in Chromecast 4K.
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GeForce NOW Cloud Gaming. GeForce NOW instantly transforms SHIELD TV into a powerful PC gaming rig. Play over 1000+ titles and nearly 100 of the biggest free to play games. The new GeForce NOW RTX 3080 membership unlocks GeForce RTX 3080 gaming servers in 4K HDR, the shortest wait times and longest session lengths, with RTX ON including ray tracing and DLSS graphics for supported games.
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Voice Control. The built-in Google Assistant is at your command. See photos, live camera feeds, weather, sports scores, and more on the big screen. Dim the lights and immerse yourself in your favorite show or music using only your voice. And control your SHIELD hands-free with Google Home or Alexa and Amazon Echo. Format/Container support: Xvid/ DivX/ASF/AVI/MKV/MOV/M2TS/MPEG-TS/MP4/WEB-M
3
Rating is 4.8 out of 5
Amazon Fire TV Cube, Hands-free streaming device with Alexa, Wi-Fi 6E, 4K Ultra HD
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Our fastest-ever streaming media player - Brings lightning-fast app starts with an octa-core processor and is 2X as powerful as Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
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Hands-free Alexa with built-in mic and speakers - Control your compatible TV, soundbar, and receivers with your voice, even from across the room.
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Seamlessly navigate between your entertainment - Connect compatible devices and easily go from streaming to your cable box, game console, or webcam.
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Smoother streaming with the latest in wifi tech - The first-ever streaming media player that features Wi-Fi 6E support.
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Picture quality that puts on a show - Feel every scene with true-to-life, cinematic 4K and support for Dolby Vision, HDR, and Dolby Atmos audio.
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Endless entertainment - Stream more than 1.5 million movies and TV episodes. Watch favorites from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Peacock, and more, plus listen to millions of songs. Subscription fees may apply.
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Designed to protect your privacy - Built with privacy protections and controls, including an off button that electronically disconnects the microphones.
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Manage your smart home right on screen - Use Alexa to start video calls, check the weather, get a live view of your Ring cameras, and more.
4
Rating is 4.7 out of 5
Roku Ultra LT 4K/HDR/HD Streaming Player with Enhanced Voice Remote, Ethernet, MicroSD with Premium 6FT 4K Ready HDMI Cable, Black
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Power, picture, performance: Roku Ultra LT has a quad-core processor and is great for smooth wired and wireless streaming. It's perfect for heavy streaming in HD, 4K, and HDR and delivers the kind of powerful performance you want on your home's main TV
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Smooth streaming: Get a connection that stands up to whatever you want to stream with dual-band wireless or use the Ethernet port for wired streaming
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Brilliant picture quality: Experience your favorite TV in stunning detail and clarity; whether you are streaming in HD, 4K, or HDR, you will get stunning picture quality that is optimized for your TV with sharp resolution and vivid color
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No more juggling remotes: Power up and adjust the volume on most televisions, control your player, and enjoy private listening with the enhanced voice remote and included headphones; use your voice to search across channels, turn captions on, and more in a touch
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Lots of extras: Roku Ultra LT is packed with features you will love, including microSD for extra channel storage; use the included headphones to pump up the volume on your shows without disturbing the house. Bundle Includes Premium 4K HDR 6FT HDMI Cable.
5
Rating is 4.6 out of 5
Tablo 4th Gen 2-Tuner Over-The-Air (OTA) DVR - Watch, Pause & Record Live TV, News, Sports & Movies Throughout Your Home Over Wi-Fi - Pairs w/Any TV Antenna - 50+ Hrs Recording - No Subscriptions
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WATCH, PAUSE, RECORD, & REPLAY LIVE TV: Enjoy live TV from major networks, including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC(2), as well as a curated selection of free live streaming TV (FAST) channels
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WHOLE-HOME ACCESS: 1 DVR pairs with any TV antenna to let you watch TV on multiple compatible devices at once, including smartphones, tablets, as well as smart TVs & streaming players from Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Chromecast w/ Google TV(1)
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NO SUBSCRIPTIONS OR HIDDEN FEES: Pay once for the Tablo device and watch and record your favorite live, local TV shows, along with free streaming TV channels without contracts or ongoing fees(4)
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RECORD MULTIPLE SHOWS: 2 tuners within this device allow you to record one live TV channel while watching another for viewing flexibility
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WATCH, PAUSE, RECORD LIVE TV: Watch, pause, and record live TV, including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as a curated selection of free live streaming TV (FAST) channels
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RECORD 50+ HOURS: Never miss a moment with 128GB of onboard recording storage; add up to 8TB of external USB storage(3) to record even more
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GET MORE TV CHANNELS: Access more than 60 additional free streaming channels you can’t get with your TV antenna alone, enhancing your endless free-TV experience(4)
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TIME-SHIFT VIEWING: Start watching in-progress recordings—perfect for catching the action from the beginning or skipping to the good parts
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EASY SETUP: Connect the Tablo DVR to ANY TV antenna; connect it to your home network via Wi-Fi or using the included Ethernet cable; download the Tablo app on your smartphone or tablet and follow the setup instructions(4)
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WI-FI CONNECTIVITY: The only OTA DVRs with Wi-Fi, Tablo devices let you position your TV antenna wherever it can get the best signal reception, then wirelessly streams live and recorded free TV content throughout your home to compatible devices.
6
Rating is 4.5 out of 5
Roku Express 4K with Voice Remote Pro - Roku Streaming Device 4K/HDR, Rechargeable Roku Remote, Hands-Free Controls, Lost Remote Finder, Free & Live TV - Amazon Exclusive
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Brilliant 4K picture quality: Stream in 4K HDR with sharp resolution and vivid color optimized for your TV
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Seamless wireless streaming: Enjoy a seamless streaming experience with fast Wi-Fi performance
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The ultimate Roku remote: Roku Voice Remote Pro is conveniently rechargeable and includes TV controls and personal shortcut buttons
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Hands-free voice controls: Say “Hey Roku” to play entertainment, control your streaming, power up your TV, and even find your lost remote
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Headphone Mode: Plug headphones into your remote to crank up the volume without disturbing a quiet house
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Find your lost remote: Say “Hey Roku, where’s my remote?” and your Roku remote will play a sound
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No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote
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Upgrade to Roku streaming: All your favorite channels are front and center, plus your device is always improving with automatic updates
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Simple setup: It’s easy to get started with everything you need included in the box—just plug it in and connect to the internet
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Watch what you love: Stream a massive selection of free, live, and premium TV including Prime Video, plus free live TV channels and local news on The Roku Channel.
7
Rating is 4.4 out of 5
Echo Dot (5th Gen, 2022 release) | With bigger vibrant sound, helpful routines and Alexa | Charcoal
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OUR BEST SOUNDING ECHO DOT YET – Enjoy an improved audio experience compared to any previous Echo Dot with Alexa for clearer vocals, deeper bass and vibrant sound in any room.
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YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC AND CONTENT – Play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify and others or via Bluetooth throughout your home.
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ALEXA IS HAPPY TO HELP – Ask Alexa for weather updates and to set hands-free timers, get answers to your questions and even hear jokes. Need a few extra minutes in the morning? Just tap your Echo Dot to snooze your alarm.
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KEEP YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE – Control compatible smart home devices with your voice and routines triggered by built-in motion or indoor temperature sensors. Create routines to automatically turn on lights when you walk into a room, or start a fan if the inside temperature goes above your comfort zone.
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DESIGNED TO PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY – Amazon is not in the business of selling your personal information to others. Built with multiple layers of privacy controls, including a mic off button.
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DO MORE WITH DEVICE PAIRING – Fill your home with music using compatible Echo devices in different rooms, create a home theatre system with Fire TV, or extend wifi coverage with a compatible eero network so you can say goodbye to drop-offs and buffering.
What is the benefit of controlling a streaming device with a smartphone?
Controlling a streaming device with a smartphone offers several benefits, including:
- Convenience: Using a smartphone to control a streaming device allows users to easily navigate through menus, search for content, and adjust settings without the need to use a separate remote control.
- Portability: With a smartphone, users can control their streaming device from anywhere within the range of their Wi-Fi network, making it easy to play, pause, or adjust content from different rooms in their home.
- Enhanced functionality: Many streaming device apps offer additional features and functionalities that are not available on a standard remote control, such as voice search, text input, and personalized recommendations.
- Integration with other smart devices: By using a smartphone to control a streaming device, users can easily integrate their streaming experience with other smart home devices and services, creating a more seamless and connected entertainment system.
How to customize the controls of a streaming device on a smartphone?
To customize the controls of a streaming device on a smartphone, follow these steps:
- Open the app for the streaming device on your smartphone.
- Look for the settings or preferences section within the app.
- Find the option for customizing controls or remote settings.
- Within this section, you may be able to rearrange the layout of the controls, change the size or color of the buttons, or assign different functions to specific buttons.
- Make the desired changes to the controls based on your preferences.
- Save your changes or settings before exiting the menu.
- Test out the new control layout to ensure it works as you intended.
- If you are not satisfied with the changes, you can always go back to the settings and make further adjustments.
Please note that the ability to customize controls may vary depending on the streaming device and app you are using. Make sure to explore the settings and preferences to see what options are available for customization.
How to optimize streaming quality on a smartphone?
- Use a strong and stable internet connection: To optimize streaming quality on your smartphone, make sure you have a strong and stable internet connection. Connect to Wi-Fi when possible, as it is typically faster and more reliable than a cellular data connection.
- Close background apps: Close any unnecessary apps running in the background on your smartphone to free up processing power and memory, which can help improve streaming quality.
- Adjust video quality settings: Most streaming apps and services allow you to adjust the video quality settings to a higher or lower resolution. Consider lowering the video quality if you are experiencing buffering or lag, or increase the quality for a better viewing experience.
- Update your smartphone and streaming apps: Make sure your smartphone's operating system and streaming apps are up to date. Updates often include performance improvements that can help optimize streaming quality.
- Clear cache and cookies: Clearing the cache and cookies on your smartphone can help improve streaming performance by removing unnecessary temporary files that may be slowing down the device.
- Use a VPN: If you are experiencing geo-restrictions or slow streaming speeds due to your location, consider using a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass these restrictions and improve streaming quality.
- Use a video optimization tool: Some smartphones have built-in video optimization tools that can help improve streaming quality by adjusting settings such as resolution, frame rate, and bitrate.
- Adjust screen brightness and display settings: Adjusting the screen brightness and display settings on your smartphone can help improve streaming quality by reducing glare and optimizing contrast for better viewing.
- Use an external streaming device: Consider using an external streaming device, such as a Chromecast or Apple TV, to stream content on your smartphone to a larger screen with better audio and video quality.
