These ports are often forgotten, but can still be useful.
Modern smart TVs tend to have easy-to-forget USB ports, especially with HDMIs gobbling up all the oxygen. Most new devices have at least one of these ports, usually located on the side or back. The ports started appearing on TVs in the early 2000s and became ubiquitous by 2010. These days, it’s hard to find a smart TV without a USB port, whether it’s an older USB-A port or a more modern (and useful) USB-C port.
These are actually quite useful and offer a range of possible functions. For example, the new Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is efficient enough to be powered by a basic USB 2.0 port, eliminating the need for a dedicated power adapter. Here’s everything you can do with these ports and some suggestions on what to avoid. It’s also important to note that settings may differ between brands and models, so check the instructions for specific information.
Watch and listen to stuff without internet
Smart TVs require internet to do just about everything beyond watching local and cable channels. How to have fun when the Internet is cut? That’s where that USB port comes in. These ports support USB drives, 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 small caveats here. Pay special attention to the initial format type of the stick itself, as most modern smart 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.
You also don’t need access to a streaming platform like Spotify to listen to music on the TV. Simply fill a USB drive with songs and let the TV work its magic. Again, stick to common types to avoid any problems. We recommend MP3, WAV and AAC formats.
Design a light show
Smart TVs have created an entire cottage industry in lighting. There are all kinds of USB-powered light strips meant to create added ambiance. These illuminate the area with soft ambient light and automatically turn on and off with the TV. Some recent models use advanced algorithms to change the lighting based on the content being watched. This can help with immersion, especially during action-packed movies and shows.
Plug in a microphone
USB microphones cost a dime and chances are you have one or two lying around the house right now. Connecting one to a smart TV offers a few features. First of all, it’s a way to access voice assistants if the remote control lacks a microphone. This offers voice control functionality via Alexa, Google Assistant or Bixby, among others.
This is also handy when using the TV for video calls, as a dedicated microphone should make everything much clearer. Finally, most smart TVs offer access to a few karaoke apps, which is akin to instant partying.
If you’re feeling bold
Turn the TV into a photo frame
You don’t need a TV that doubles as a picture frame to display art around the house. You can simply load a few images onto a USB stick, plug it in, and let the TV do the rest. It should automatically recognize images and offer the ability to view them as a slideshow. Most TVs will also allow you to continuously loop a single image.
You might encounter issues with file types, just like with video footage. To be safe, stick to common file types like JPEG and PNG.
That said, not all televisions are suitable for this type of use. In fact, most are not. There’s a reason why Samsung’s Frame TVs are specifically designed to work in always-on mode. Regular TVs use a lot of power to display some artwork, and some models of OLED sets are prone to burning out. So even if you try, stop things when you’re not in the room and make sure the images scroll consistently so that one photo doesn’t end up there forever.
Charge gadgets (but be prepared to wait a bit)
This is a good news/bad news type situation. You can use a TV’s USB port to charge a phone, tablet, or similar gadget in a snap, but it’ll probably take a long time. Indeed, most modern smart TVs come with USB 2.0 ports, which offer a modest 5V at 500mA. It would take about seven hours to charge a newer phone. A laptop can take around 20 hours to complete. It’s just not practical.
There is, however, good news. The industry is slowly moving toward USB 3.0, and many newer TVs offer this functionality. This will speed things up. Regardless, even USB 2.0 ports are great for charging low-power devices like mobile accessories.
Some USB powered devices will not work
Not all USB powered devices work with smart TVs. This is especially true for devices that require driver software to function. This includes things like USB printers, optical drives and scanners. The TV will not recognize them once connected.
There are a few workarounds, but they can be finicky. Some optical disc drives are designed for TV connections, but they only work with certain models. Some Android TVs can accept downloaded apps that accept printer connections, but the process can be cumbersome.
