These holes are often forgotten, but they can still be useful.
Modern TVs tend to have USB ports that are easy to forget, especially those HDMI ones that suck up all the oxygen. Most new sets include at least one of these holes, usually located on the side or back. Slots first appeared on TVs in the early 2000s, becoming ubiquitous in the 2010s. Today, it is difficult to find a smart TV without a USB port, either the old USB-A or the modern (and useful) USB-C port.
These are very useful and offer a range of possible functions. For example, the recently released Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is efficient enough to be powered by a standard USB 2.0 port, eliminating the need for a dedicated power adapter. Here’s everything you can do about these ports and some suggestions on what to avoid. It’s also important to note that settings can vary between models, so check the instructions for specific information.
Watch and listen to things offline
Smart TVs require Internet to do almost anything, beyond watching local and cable channels. How can you stay happy when the internet is down? That’s where that USB port comes in. These ports support USB sticks, so you can fill them with all your favorite shows and movies. There’s no real limit here, as most modern TVs can handle 2TB (or larger) sticks.
There are a few caveats here. Pay special attention to the original format of the stick itself, as most modern TVs can only handle FAT32 or exFAT/NTFS. The same goes for video format types. Stick to MP4, AVI or MKV to be safe, but check the TV’s instruction manual for more information.
And you don’t need access to a streaming platform like Spotify to listen to music on TV. Just fill the USB drive with songs and let the TV do its magic. Also, stick to the normal types to avoid any problems. We recommend MP3, WAV and AAC.
Design a light show
Smart TVs have created an entire cottage industry of lighting. There are all kinds of USB-powered lighting cables out there that are meant to create an uplifting mood. These illuminate the area with a soft, ambient light and turn on and off automatically with the TV. Some of the latest models use advanced algorithms to change lighting and visual content. This can help with immersion, especially during action-packed movies and games.
Connect the microphone
USB microphones are all around and you probably have one or two lying around the house right now. Connecting one to a smart TV provides several features. First of all, it’s a way to access voice assistants if the remote control doesn’t have a microphone. This offers voice control functionality through Alexa, Google Assistant or Bixby, among others.
This is also useful if you are using the TV to make a video call, as the dedicated microphone should make everything clearer. Finally, many smart TVs offer access to several karaoke apps, such as Instant Party.
If you feel brave
Turn the TV into a picture frame
You don’t need a TV that doubles as a picture frame to display some art at home. You can simply load some images onto a USB stick, plug it in and let the TV do the rest. It should recognize the images automatically and offer the option to view them as a slideshow. Most TVs will allow you to output one image continuously.
You may face problems related to file types, such as video image. To be safe, stick to common file types like JPEG and PNG.
That said, not all TVs are suitable for this type of use – in fact, most are not. There’s a reason that Samsung’s Frame TVs are specially designed to work in always-on mode. Conventional TVs will use a lot of power to display certain artwork, and certain models of OLED sets are prone to overheating. So, even if you are doing this shooting, close things down when you are not in the room and make sure that the images are constantly rotating so that one shot does not last forever.
Charge gadgets (but be prepared to wait a while)
This is a good news/bad news situation. You can use the TV’s USB port to charge a phone, tablet or similar gadget in a pinch, but it will probably take longer. That’s because most modern smart TVs ship with USB 2.0 ports, which provide a modest 5V at 500mA. This will take about seven hours to charge a new phone. A laptop can take about 20 hours to complete. That just doesn’t work.
However, there is room for good news. The industry has been slowly moving towards USB 3.0, with many new TVs offering this feature. This will speed things up. In any case, even USB 2.0 ports are good for charging low-power devices like mobile accessories.
Some devices that use USB will not work
Not all devices that use USB will work with smart TVs. This is especially true for devices that require some type of software driver to operate. This includes things like USB printers, optical drives and scanners. The TV will not recognize when it is connected.
There are workarounds, but they can be finicky. Some optical disc drives are designed with a TV connection in mind, but they only work with certain models. Some Android TVs can accept side-loaded apps that accept printer connections, but the process can be complicated.
