How do I use Amazon Alexa with a soundbar?
This article provides basic information, how-to, and troubleshooting information when using the Amazon Alexa™ app with your HT-Z9F soundbar
Basic information
What is Alexa? It's an Amazon cloud-based voice service.
What can I do on my soundbar with Amazon Alexa? You can do the following operations on your soundbar through voice commands on Amazon Alexa-enabled devices:
Playback or stop the music. Go to the previous or next track. Set the volume control.
Note: Operations such as power on or off, USB content playback, switch input, and changing the sound mode aren't supported.
What are the requirements to use it? You will need the following in order to use your soundbar with Alexa:
An Amazon account. An Amazon Alexa-enabled device. o Devices such as Amazon Echo™, Echo Dot™, Echo Plus speakers, etc. A mobile device. o A device that can connect to Apple® App Store® or Google Play™ store to perform initial setup with an Amazon Alexa-enabled device. A home network with Wi-Fi® (wireless) capabilities. A Music center app.
Note: Make sure your soundbar system has the latest software installed so you can use the
Amazon Alexa function.
What streaming music services are compatible with the Amazon Alexa function? The following streaming music services are compatible with this function:
Amazon Music Spotify® TuneIn™ iHeartRadio Pandora® SiriusXM® Deezer GimmeRadio Saavn
Note:
You may be required to activate the account link and skills on the Alexa app, depending on the streaming music service. Playback and input switching commands for USB files aren't supported. Spotify doesn't support Alexa Multi-Room Music.
Can I use Amazon Alexa functions without Amazon Alexa-enabled devices? You need an Amazon Alexa-enabled device to use the Amazon Alexa function. This function isn't available in countries and regions where Amazon Alexa-enabled devices aren't sold.
How-to
How do I perform the initial setup to use the Amazon Alexa function?
1. Install the Music Center app to your smartphone. 2. Connect the smartphone and soundbar to the same network. 3. On your smartphone, open the Music Center app. 4. Perform the initial setup and follow the on-screen instructions.
Note: Make sure your soundbar system has the latest software installed so you can use the
Amazon Alexa function.
What voice commands do I use with Alexa? You must give preset voice commands to Amazon Alexa-enabled devices. You can say the following voice commands:
"Play music on the soundbar" "Play some Jazz music on the soundbar" "Play Bruno Mars on the soundbar" "Turn up the volume on the soundbar" "Turn down the volume on the soundbar" "Stop the music on the soundbar" "Play on the soundbar" "Play song on the soundbar" "Stop on the soundbar" "Next on the soundbar" "Previous on the soundbar" "Pause on the soundbar" "Pause music on the soundbar"
Note: You can set your own device name, but the recognition accuracy of the Amazon.com, Inc. service may change depending on the device name, we recommend using soundbar as the device name.
How do I unregister my device from Alexa? Sign out from the Alexa setting of the Music Center app.
How do I use Multi-Room Music with the Alexa function?
1. On your smartphone, launch the Alexa app. 2. Create Multi-Room Music Speaker Group from Amazon Alexa device settings and register the soundbar. o Visit the Amazon Support Website for more information.
Troubleshooting
The Amazon Alexa-enabled devices don't respond to my voice commands Music Center app initial setup fails My Amazon Alexa-enabled device can't find my soundbar after the initial setup Your Amazon Alexa device says "Sorry, the device is offline" Can't cancel the soundbar registration from the Alexa app. o Sign out from the Alexa setting of the Music Center app. Music services such as Deezer, GimmeRadio, and Saavn don't play correctly.
o Make sure your soundbar system has the latest software installed. The playback screen of the device doesn't display the correct song information when using the Amazon Alexa Multi-Room Music function. o The song data may not be available depending on the devices and music services using the Alexa Multi-Room Music function. So, the playback screen shows the previous song information or it won't display the song data. The Amazon Alexa device doesn't respond to my voice commands
IMPORTANT: This article applies only to specific products and/or operating systems. Check Applicable Products and Categories for details.
1. Make sure that the microphone setting of the Amazon Alexa™ enabled device is set to on. 2. On the Amazon Alexa app, change the Alexa device name that is set to the soundbar to a different device name. o Depending on the Alexa device name, the recognition accuracy of the Amazon.com, Inc. voice service may change.
Note: Register the soundbar to the Preferred Speaker setting of the Alexa app to enable soundbar voice operation without having to speak the Alexa device name.
3. Check the Amazon Alexa language setting. If the displayed language is different from the one that has been set, change it to the same language. o Check the language and voice command language set on the Music Center app for the system. o Check the language and voice command language set on Alexa devices. Amazon Alexa device says Sorry, the device is offline and doesn't recognize the Soundbar
Check the following if your Amazon Alexa™ device says "Sorry, the device is offline" when you try to stream music to your HT-Z9F soundbar:
Check if your soundbar is connected to the internet.
o Select Setup > Advanced Settings > Network Settings > Network Connection Status. If Network/Bluetooth Standby is Off, set it to On.
o Select Setup > Advanced Settings > System Settings > Network/Bluetooth Standby > On. Perform a power reset. o Turn off the soundbar. o Unplug the power cord from the AC wall outlet and then wait for one minute. o Plug in the power cord again and then turn on the soundbar. Initial setup of the Music Center app fails
Follow the steps below if the initial setup of the Music Center app faills for your HT-Z9F soundbar.
1. Make sure your wireless network has an active internet connection. o Check if other devices have an internet connection. 2. Make sure your soundbar and mobile device are connected to the same wireless network. 3. Force quit the Music Center app and reboot (restart) your mobile device. 4. Perform the initial setup of the Music Center app again. 5. Unplug the router from the wall outlet and then plug it in again. 6. Power reset the soundbar. 1. Turn off the soundbar. 2. Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet and then wait for one minute. 3. Plug in the power cord 4. Turn on the soundbar. Alexa doesn't discover my soundbar after the initial setup on the Music Center app
1. On your mobile device, check if the Amazon Alexa™ app displays the name of your soundbar. o The soundbar won't work with the voice command if it doesn't have the Amazon Alexa device name registered to the Alexa app. 2. Check the Amazon account used during the initial setup. o If the account is different, perform the initial setup again and register with the same Amazon account. . Check the account used on other Alexa-enabled devices. . Check the account used on the Music Center app for the soundbar.
Note:
If the Amazon Shopping app is installed on your mobile device, you'll be automatically signed into your Amazon Shopping account when you perform the initial setup of Amazon Alexa on the Music Center app. Visit the Amazon Support or Music Center website for more information. Can't Connect Other Devices to My Soundbar Through Bluetooth Connection
IMPORTANT: This article applies only to specific products and/or operating systems. Check Applicable Products and Categories for details.
Follow these steps if you're connecting a different device (such as a mobile device) using the Bluetooth® function for the first time and the connection fails:
1. On your soundbar, press and hold the BLUETOOTH button for two seconds. o Your soundbar enters the pairing mode. o The Bluetooth indicator flashes quickly.
2. Perform pairing registration on the device you want to connect. o Check the device manul for more information. o If the device requests a passkey, enter 0000. o The connection is established if the Bluetooth indicator on your soundbar lights in blue.
Note:
The connection fails because your soundbar remembers the last device you connected to it. If you reconnect a previously paired device, you'll need to perform pairing registration on that device again.