A new TV can be the perfect gift if you’re buying something for the family. But if you’ve already upgraded your TV over the past year or are looking and aren’t sure what to get for the holidays, there are also some amazing TV accessories you can choose from. Here are a few ideas that will enhance your TV’s capabilities that are sure to delight your loved ones.
Media streaming for the whole family
If you don’t have a smart TV and you’d like a way to stream your favourite apps, a media streamer is one of the most helpful TV accessories you’ll find. Even if you do have a smart TV, you’ll find different media streamers all have something unique to offer. There are hundreds of cool channels with exclusive content you can only get from that brand of media streamer.
Google Chromecast with Google TV
Google Chromecast is one of the easiest ways to stream video on your TV. It plugs into your TV’s HDMI port and lets you access all of your favourite apps. You can use the included remote control or connect your Chromecast to your Google Assistant and search for something to watch using voice commands.
Google Chromecast is also an affordable gift if you’d like to add Wi-Fi and streaming apps to a secondary TV in the bedroom or rec room. Kids love Google Chromecast because it’s so easy to use and it lets them use the TV as a second screen for their games and YouTube videos.
Apple TV offers exclusive Apple content
The latest Apple TV streams in HD and gives you access to exclusive Apple content via the Apple TV+ streaming channel. You can add Netflix, YouTube, and other streaming channels too. One of the most exciting parts of having an Apple TV is access to Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness. You can work out using your Apple Watch or play games with the entire family on Apple Arcade.
Solo listening on Roku media streamer
Out of all of the media streamers, Roku is one of the most popular. When you add a Roku Streaming Stick to your TV you get access to over 30,000 apps. Many of those apps are free, and you’ll find a lot of entertaining content on the Roku channel, Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and Prime. The Roku operating system makes it very easy to search for content, and you can follow specific movies, actors, or TV shows and be updated when new content is available.
The latest Roku media streamer is the Roku Ultra 4K media streamer with headphones. It connects via Wi-Fi or Ethernet and streams all of your favourite content in 4K. One of the best features for people who stay up late watching movies and TV is the solo listening option. You can plug in the included headphones to the Roku remote and all audio will stream to your headphones so you can watch without disturbing others.
Amazon Fire TV stick
If you’re a fan of Amazon Prime you’re going to love the Amazon Fire TV stick. It’s a compact device that plugs into your TV and gives you access to Prime movies and TV shows as well as all of your favourite apps including Netflix, YouTube, CBC Gem, and Spotify. The bonus to having an Amazon Fire TV stick is that it gives you access to Alexa so you can search for content using voice commands, ask her questions about the weather, or use her for voice control on connected devices in your smart home.
Give the gift of a universal remote
A universal remote control is one of the most helpful TV accessories for a family style home theatre. You can sync all of your favourite devices with the remote control and use it to control everything. With a universal remote you can control your media streamer, cable box, and sound bar. It saves you a ton of time because you never have to dig in the couch cushions for one or several remotes to change different settings.
Wireless room audio as a gift
Music has the power to instantly change the mood in a room. You can stream your playlists or share your music with family members when you add a wireless speaker. It’s a great gift choice because you can set up wireless whole-home audio by adding Wi-Fi or Bluetooth speakers in every room in your home. Some types of wireless multi-room speakers let you connect multiple Bluetooth devices at once so everyone can stream their playlists. They can can also link together so your music follows you from room to room.
Upgrading your TV
If this is the year you’re planning to gift the family with an upgrade for your TV, you’ll have a lot of different options to choose from. There are new Mini-LED and QLED models with ultra-sharp picture quality and brilliant colour and contrast. There are also newly released 4K and 8K TVs from Sony including their first Mini-LED option. If you have always loved Samsung TVs you can also find big-screen QD-OLED, OLED, or Mini-LED TVs.
The latest TVs have features like gamer menus so your family can access all of your console and PC games in one easy-to-use menu. With a Samsung TV you can access Samsung TV Plus where you can watch hundreds of free channels on your TV. If you want to learn more about the different types of TV technologies, make sure to read this article so you can pick the best one for your needs.
TV accessories make great gifts
Which TV accessories do you think would make the best gift for your family? Or, is this the year you upgrade to a new TV you can enjoy all year? Take a look at Best Buy for a variety of TV and home theatre gift options for everyone on your gift list.
