The link between your Samsung TV and Ring Doorbell has made it much simpler to keep an eye on and talk to folks at your front door. This ease brings you a bit more peace and relaxation as you laze around on your couch.
So when your doorbell rings, a pop-up window or picture-in-picture will interrupt your TV program and provide a live view of who is at the door.
So what's the catch? Unfortunately, not all Ring Doorbells can integrate with all Samsung Smart TVs. In this article, I discuss what versions are compatible and which aren't along with alternatives to consider.
Which Ring Doorbells and Samsung TVs are compatible with each other?
Not all models of Ring doorbells and Samsung Smart TVs are compatible with each other.
As of right the time of writing, only the Ring Video Doorbell Pro (pictured above) is fully supported with Samsung Smart TVs, launched after 2018. Specifically ones with the model numbers NU7400, RU7400, and TU8500 and above plus any smart TV model from 2021 onwards.
So if you want to view your doorbell footage (and receive motion alerts) directly on your Smart TV, you'll need to have the Ring Video Doorbell Pro.
If you don't have this version, click here to check out some alternative approaches.
Supported Features
Below are the features you can expect from the Ring Doorbell Pro and a compatible Samsung Smart TV.
- Get alerts from your Samsung TV whenever someone presses the Ring doorbell button
- Stream your doorbell’s live feed whenever there is an alert or when you can bring up the feed whenever you want
- Use your TV to talk back to whoever’s on the other side of your door
Note: There have long been rumors about Ring and Samsung providing compatibility for other Ring video doorbells and security cameras. Unfortunately with tech giants like Amazon (who own Ring) and Samsung competing with each other across a number of product lines, I fear this may not happen anytime soon.
How to Connect Your Ring Doorbell to a Samsung TV
Here's the breakdown of the entire to connect these two devices:
- Setting up the Ring app and connecting to your Video Doorbell
- Setting up the Samsung SmartThings app and linking it to the Ring app
- Configure Ring notification options in the Ring app and the Samsung Smart TV
Note: If you've already been using both devices – the Samsung Smart TV and Ring Doorbell Pro – you can skip their initial setup.
Step 1: Setting Up The Ring App
First, let's set up the Ring app.
- So if you haven't already, I recommend that you download it from the App Store or Google Play Store.
- Next, create a Ring account or log in to your existing Ring account.
- When your account is all set up, you will have to add your Ring video doorbell device and link it to your account.
- Check your doorbell's live feed and all its features before moving on to the next guide.
Step 2: Connect the Ring App with Samsung SmartThings
Next, you need to set up the Samsung SmartThings app.
- First, download the app and create an account. If you've set up the Samsung TV before, you might have already created an account.
- Then, go to “Devices” and select Add Device. You can also do this by tapping on the “+” icon at the upper left.
- Depending on the software version of SmartThings, these steps might vary: You'll have the option to add the device itself or link up a “Partner Device,” which is the Ring app. So choose the option to Add Device Manually or tap on “Add” under partner devices.
- A list of devices or partners will show up. Here, you can scroll down to find “Doorbells” or search for Ring partner device.
- Select Doorbells from the list shown. If it doesn't display a list of devices, you can search for “Ring” instead and tap on it.
- After that, you will be asked to authorize your Ring account. Provide your Ring account credentials.
Step 3: Configure Ring Notification Settings
For the final steps:
- Access your Ring device's dashboard in the Ring app and tap on Motion Settings.
- Then, enable Motion Alerts and Ring Alerts.
- Finally, head over to the SmartThings Settings on your Samsung Smart TV.
- Select the notifications tab and scroll down until you get to your Ring doorbell (or the name you've given to it in the Ring app)
- Tap on it and enable the notifications as desired (options will be “Motion” and “Ring”).
Troubleshooting Steps
Unfortunately, whenever you are trying to connect the Ring Doorbell Pro to a Samsung TV, there can be several issues that will not allow access to the doorbell's camera footage.
So if you get a black screen when you try to access the live feed of the doorbell, or the TV won’t react to notifications at all, make sure these conditions are fulfilled:
- Compatibility: First of all, I recommend you check the compatibility with the Samsung Smart TV. The TV is only compatible with the Ring Doorbell Pro if it’s integrated with SmartThings.
- Updating the Software: If the issue involves software inconsistencies, it's best to check for any firmware updates/software updates and update them accordingly.
- Factory Reset: If you have confirmed the compatibility and upgraded all the software to its latest versions, the last resort is to try out a factory reset. Unfortunately, you will lose some data, but a hard reset is sure to rectify any software-related hiccups.
- Contact Ring or Samsung Customer Support: When all the above options have failed, your best bet is to get help from customer support, either from Ring or Samsung. They'll be able to figure out what's wrong and hopefully, come up with a solution.
Possible Alternatives
In case you don't have a Ring Video Doorbell Pro or a compatible Samsung Smart TV, there's still the chance to enable Ring notifications to your TV via Alexa and other third-party workarounds.
1. Use an Amazon Fire TV Stick
To implement this without any hassle you need to have an Amazon Streaming device such as the Amazon Fire TV stick.
Since the Amazon Fire TV Stick is readily compatible with Ring, you won't run into compatibility issues and you'll have ready access to motion alerts, live feed, and even picture-in-picture, the proper way.
2. Use an Android TVs Box
Alternatively, you can also set up a live view for Android TVs. The only catch: it's not officially supported and you will have to set up third-party apps to do it for you.
Check out this video to learn about this setup.
Common Questions Relating to Ring Doorbell on Samsung TV
Can I Receive Ring Notifications on My Samsung Smart TV?
Yes, you can connect your Samsung Smart TV to show the doorbell’s video feed. On top of that, it will also open a small window whenever somebody presses the button on the Ring doorbell.
However, you must have the Ring Video Doorbell Pro and your Samsung Smart TV should have SmartThings installed.
What is Samsung SmartThings?
Samsung SmartThings is Samsung's version of a smart home ecosystem. SmartThings is a platform partnered with other brands such as Google Nest, Philips Hue, and Ring to unite many of these devices under a single ecosystem.
With a single ecosystem such as this, users do not have to worry about compatibility issues whenever they buy a smart home product regardless of the brand.
Can I Use Voice Assistants to Talk to My Video Doorbell Through My Smart TV?
Yes, you can use Alexa or Bixby to speak to your video doorbell through your Samsung TV as long as they are compatible. This includes the Ring Doorbell Pro and a compatible Samsung Smart TV (model codes detailed above). With these you'll have the option to carry out two-way audio communication with the Ring Video Doorbell.
You can switch between Alexa or Bixby in the Voice Assistant settings in your Samsung Smart TV (Home –> Settings –> General –> Voice ).
Verdict
Checking out your video doorbell live feed or notifications directly from your smart TV is a very convenient feature. It improves accessibility and you don’t need to depend on your smartphone or other smart devices.
However, this feature is only supported for newer Samsung Smart TVs and the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, so if you don’t have these devices, you’ll have to look for alternatives: such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick or 3rd party apps on an Android TV Box.