Spotify Connect & Televisions

[Um]

Happy Saturday everyone!

Does anyone have experience of using Spotify Connect integrated into a Smart TV.

I have a Premium Account, are TV Spotify apps only for Premium users? Does it still stream at the highest bit rate?

Thanks

 

[FLima]

I never thought about it, probably beacuse I don't own a smart tv, but it seems to be a great ideia. I made a search on google and I think it is possible to use spotify on tv. I only dont know it it applys to all models. here's an example: https://support.spotify.com/pt/problems/#!/article/Samsung

 

[knaithrover]

No Spotify on my Sony Bravia Smart TV which is a pity

 

[Leeps]

Spotify on Smart TV's come in two flavours as far as I know. Both need a premium account to work but suit different needs;

Some smart TV apps just have a simplified on-screen interface that enables you to view & play your playlists, use the search facility and so on. You need your display on to use it and use your TV remote to navigate. It's ok: it does free up your smart device and battery and it can play at the same 320kbps resolution. It's a little clunky to use however compared to smartphone or ipad apps and just looks a little old-hat and basic. It also requires your screen to be on which might use more power than you'd like or may present screen burn issues (particularly for plasma & OLED, but even LED manufacturers will likely have some small print somewhere covering their backs about screen burn should you leave the same image displaying for long periods). This same type of Spotify app is available on third party devices too like the Roku 3 that can smartify your older TV.

The other newer method is Spotify Connect. This has the advantage of using your phone or iPad as a remote controller, but uses the TV to stream the content directly from your router. This has a number of advantages; it frees up your phone or iPad while it's playing so won't use the battery juice as quickly and it maintains the slicker user interface of your smart phone or tablet. Spotify Connect is available on Amazon's Fire TV, again to smartify your older TV. I think the Fire TV has the advantage of not requiring your display to be switched on to use it. If Connect is built into your TV, presumably it may need to be switched on for Spotify Connect to still work.

As for TV's that offer either of the above, typically it's the newer ones that have Spotify Connect.