Why Your TV Belongs at the Center of Your Smart Home
Your television is already the focal point of your living room, so it makes sense to turn it into a smart home command center. With new Android TV smart home and webOS smart home hub apps from Homey, you can manage lights, thermostats, plugs, sensors, and more without reaching for your phone or a separate smart display. Instead of juggling multiple remotes or apps, you use the TV interface and a single remote to navigate a smart home dashboard designed for the big screen. This consolidates everyday tasks such as dimming lights for movie night or activating a bedtime routine into the same device you use for streaming. The result is less clutter in your media cabinet, fewer devices on your coffee table, and a more unified way to control TV automation control scenes and routines throughout your home.
How Homey’s Android TV and webOS Apps Work
Homey’s dedicated Android TV and LG webOS apps are built specifically for remote-first navigation, so everything is optimized for arrow keys, OK buttons, and minimal clicks. After installing the app on your Android TV device or compatible LG TV running webOS, you log in by scanning a QR code with your phone. This keeps setup simple while linking your existing Homey account and devices. Once connected, the smart home dashboard presents your Favorites front and center, so commonly used devices, Flows, and Moods are always just a button press away. Dedicated sections for Devices and Flows give you deeper TV automation control when you need it. Because the apps tie into the broader Homey ecosystem, they work with Homey Cloud, Homey Pro, Homey Pro mini, and self-hosted Homey Server setups, giving you a consistent experience regardless of how your system is deployed.
Setting Up Your TV as a Smart Home Dashboard
Turning your television into a smart home dashboard takes just a few steps. On Android TV, open the app store, search for the Homey app, and install it. On compatible LG TVs released in 2021 or later that run webOS, you follow a similar process via the LG content store, noting that availability may still depend on your specific model. After launching the app, a QR code appears on screen; scan it with your smartphone to sign in securely to your Homey account. Once logged in, you can customize your Favorites so the devices, Flows, and Moods you use most appear on the main TV interface. From there, you can experiment with different layouts of your smart home dashboard, ensuring that everyday actions—such as turning on the hallway lights or arming sensors—are one or two remote clicks away.
Using Quick Controls, Flows, and Moods from the Couch
The real power of an Android TV smart home or webOS smart home hub lies in how quickly you can act on everyday routines. Favorites let you place go-to devices, Flows, and Moods on the main screen, so starting a movie-night scene is as simple as tapping a single button on your TV remote. You might dim living room lights, close smart blinds, and switch your sound system to a specific input all at once. Dedicated Devices and Flows sections allow you to drill down for more precise control, such as adjusting a specific bulb or tweaking a routine. Because the interface is designed for remote navigation, you can move between tiles and menus fluidly, keeping your focus on the TV while still running the rest of the home. This turns your television into a natural, always-on control surface.
Beyond the Living Room: Browser Control in Cars and More
Homey extends the idea of TV automation control into other big-screen environments with its browser-based Homey.tv platform. You can access this smart home dashboard from compatible vehicle browsers, including those found in certain cars, which means you could trigger automations like opening your garage door before you reach your driveway. Because it relies on a web interface, Homey.tv also offers a consistent control surface on laptops, desktop computers, and other large displays around your home. This flexibility complements the Android TV and webOS apps, ensuring that you can manage devices, Flows, and Moods from virtually any major screen. The overall effect is a more cohesive smart home experience, where familiar interfaces and layouts follow you from the living room TV to the car and beyond, reducing the need for separate remotes, hubs, or dedicated smart panels.