Samsung TVs Will Control Your Smart Home

The connected home is about to get even more connected: Samsung is turning your TV set into a smart home controller.

All of Samsung's 2016 SUHD (or "Superior 4K UHD") TVs will come with Internet of Things hub technology from SmartThings, allowing users to control lights, locks, thermostats, speakers, cameras, and other home appliances, the companies have announced.

Too lazy to leave the couch to dim the lights or turn off the streaming music? Just pick up the TV remote to manage devices directly from the SmartThings app on the big screen. (And when you've lost the controller between sofa cushions, a mobile version of the app is available on smartphones.)

"The 2016 lineup of Smart TVs will offer consumers new possibilities and cement Samsung's market leading position as the first company to launch IoT-ready TVs," Hyun Suk Kim, president of Samsung's Visual Display Business, said in a statement.

Users can pause Game of Thrones to check when visitors arrive and open the front door — without putting down the popcorn.

But to take full advantage of SmartThings-compatible products at home, you'll need more than just a new television set: Connect your SUHD TV with the free SmartThings Extend USB adaptor, which adds support for ZigBee and Z-Wave devices.

"With Samsung Smart TVs working with the SmartThings technology, we have an opportunity to reach millions of households," SmartThings CEO Alex Hawkinson said. "Applying this technology into current household devices is a major step forwards that will make it much easier for everyone to experience the benefits of a smart home."

But keep in mind that while every 2016 SUHD TV does come with built-in IoT technology, functionality will be activated regionally as SmartThings expands platform availability. So you may not be able to tap into these features immediately.

Samsung will show off its SmartThings-enabled Smart TVs at January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, ahead of the product's 2016 public availability. A specific timeline for the television's rollout has not been revealed.