First invented in the 20th century, TVs are still one of the most important sources of entertainment and are constantly evolving with new features, such as USB ports. Indeed, these allow you to connect several devices simultaneously to the TV. Nevertheless, these devices have a feature that few people know and use.
In this article, you will discover the function of USB ports and how to make the most of them.
What is the special function of the USB ports on the TV?
The USB port on the TV, in fact, allows you to play different multimedia files. You can insert a USB stick or your external hard drive and listen to music, watch movies and photos, and even read PDF books.
However, it is better to check that the TV supports the different media formats you want to play and operate.
How to play multimedia files via a USB port
Here are the steps to follow to play multimedia files using a USB port on the TV:
- First, plug the external hard drive or USB stick into one of the USB ports usually present on the back of the TV.
- Select the USB device with your remote control.
- Select the media file you want to play.
- Finally, you can press the back button on the remote control if you want to play another file or media on the USB device connected to the TV.
How do I transfer files from a USB stick to a TV?
You can also transfer files from your cell phone, USB stick, or PC to your smart TV. To do this, simply proceed as follows:
- Go to the home screen of your smart TV;
- Go to Settings (usually located at the bottom of your screen);
- Select “Storage and Reset” under “Device”;
- Choose the USB drive;
- Press the button that allows you to migrate the data. Then press
As you can see, you can browse the USB stick as you would on a PC or a smartphone. If files do not open, it may mean that their format is not supported by the TV. To fix this, you can convert the files to the formats supported by your TV. Note that most LCD, LED, and plasma TVs can play DivX, XviD, Mpeg2, or Mpeg4 (H.264) files.
Although smartphone manufacturers recommend charging the phone using its original charger, you can still charge your mobile via the USB port on your TV.
It’s a simple operation, which consists of connecting the USB cable to the smartphone and then plugging it into the USB port of the TV. As soon as the TV is turned on, your phone will charge.
Finally, be aware that the phone will not charge as quickly as when connected to a conventional phone charger.