Sometimes, I want to watch something on my Roku that is not available on my Fire TV stick. And vice versa. So what do you do? How do you use Roku and Fire TV stick on the same TV?
In this tutorial, I will show you a few different ways that you can use Roku and Fire TV sticks on the same TV.
What is the difference between Amazon Fire TV and Roku streaming sticks?
If you are not familiar with the Amazon Fire TV or Roku streaming sticks, here is a quick rundown of the differences.
Amazon Fire TV stick is an inexpensive device that plugs into the HDMI port on your TV. It comes with a remote (with a built-in microphone for voice control) and has access to a variety of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and more.
Roku also plugs into the HDMI port on your TV and is supplied with a remote. Roku has access to all the major streaming services too but it also has access to a lot of niche content through its Roku Channel Store.
The Fire TV stick runs on an Android operating system, so you can install any app available in Google Play onto your device if you are willing to use developer tools to sideload apps.
How to use Roku and Fire TV Stick on the same TV?
If you want to use Roku and Fire TV sticks on the same TV, you will need to have two HDMI ports on your TV. One for each device.
1. Connect your Roku stick to one of the HDMI ports on your TV.
2. Connect your Fire TV stick to the other HDMI port on your TV.
3. Use your TV remote to turn on your TV and select the HDMI input for either your Roku or Fire TV stick.
4. Use the Roku or Fire TV stick remotes to access the Home Screen.
Now that you have both Roku and Fire TV sticks connected to your TV, you can easily switch between the two devices. To switch from Roku to Fire TV repeat step 3 by using your TV remote to change the HDMI input.
Top Tip If you only have one HDMI port on your TV, consider a HDMI switch. This will allow you to connect both Roku and Fire TV sticks to your TV. Follow our tutorial to control your HDMI switch with Alexa.
How to use a Fire TV Stick on a Roku TV?
Roku is also have available pre-installed on numerous TVs e.g. Hisense, TCL and Insignia.
If you have a built-in Roku TV, you can still use a Fire TV stick. Simply connect your Fire TV stick to the HDMI port on your Roku TV. Then use your TV remote to change the HDMI input. You should see the Fire TV stick home screen appear.
How to use a Roku Stick on a Fire TV?
Similarly, you can use a Roku stick on a Fire TV. Just connect your Roku stick to the HDMI port on your Fire TV and change the HDMI input to view the Roku home screen.
How to control both Roku and Fire TV with one remote?
If you want to use one remote to control both Roku and Fire TV sticks, you can buy a universal remote that is compatible with both devices such as the Logitech Harmony Elite.
Logitech Harmony remotes are able to control numerous devices including Roku and Fire TV sticks. The Logitech Harmony app provides instructions for adding multiple devices.
Once you have added your Roku and Fire TV sticks to your Logitech Harmony remote, you can easily switch between the two devices by pressing the Watch TV button.
Summary
In this tutorial, you learned how to use Roku and Fire TV sticks on the same TV. You will need two HDMI ports on your TV (or use a HDMI switch) and can easily switch between the two devices by using your TV remote to change the HDMI input.
If you want to use one remote to control both Roku and Fire TV sticks, you can consider buying a Logitech Harmony remote.
