Best TV for playing items stored on ext hard drive

[flan_taster]

Am going to buy a new TV with a 32" screen and wish to plug my Western Digital external Hard Drive in order to play movies I have stored and JPGs. So I need a USB and presumably the TV remote will be able to view the hard drive contents. I also need HDMI for a Chromecast.
Any suggestions ?
Am near a Carrefour or perhaps a MediaMarkt !

[El Cid]

Most TVs will play jpg photo and MP3 audio files with no problem. Video files are more complicated as it depends on what format they were recorded in. Check the format you have and check the acceptable formats that the TV will accept.

Sid

[john the baptist]

for some bizarre reason ive never been able to connect any usb hard drives to any of my TV's or DVD players, the only thing that has ever worked are usb pens.

I have to assume that there is not enough power to "fire up" the hard drive or there is not sufficient software installed in my devices to communicate with the devices.

[flan_taster]

john
I think you have hit the nail on head. I just watched a You Tube and it explains that for an external hard drive to work the TV needs a USB input with HDD labelled. (allegedly) But a flash card stick should work. Maybe with the latest TVs the support of external Hard Drives is better but this is one of those annoying areas where the tech stuff becomes a little annoying.
OK if you have hours of patience.
Would still like to know if anybody has used a TV to screen stored movies / films on a Hard drive.

[flan_taster]

This appears to be a list of video formats that can be played with different TV brands.
http://www.mediafire.com/view/fm31d5f8f ... rmats.docx

[satandpcguy]

So far I have yet to find a TV that plays every file I have...

Some say they play "mkv" files, but then, like most file formats, there are different versions of those file formats.

Some play and some do not.

Frustrating having to re-encode things!

[northandsouth]

Well my dear old Toshiba 40LV933G manages to play every video format I can throw at it on both USB sticks and hard drive I've yet to find something it won't play in 3 years of ownership.

[flan_taster]

northandsouth
Awesome news ! But I suppose that Toshiba TV is no longer sold and the modern ones are not as good? Oh for an easy tech life. Can't these people make life simpler?

[Enrique]

Hi flan_taster,
I've sent you a PM.............require some info please.

[flan_taster]

Enrique...I have your PM but don't understand what you want. Thanks for offering to test my HD on your Samsung .
I think that if I found a TV which had a USB HDD that provided enough power (same as my PC) to make my Hard Drive which does not have an independent power supply work and I could navigate media then it would be simple.
Seems the Toshiba TV that magically handles anything thrown at it is no longer sold.

I always find with techy issues that it is COMPATABILITY and then one system replaces another. So you finish up running around in circles hoping you have the correct answer but ask someone at a techy store an they don't know.

[El Cid]

I think that if I found a TV which had a USB HDD that provided enough power (same as my PC) to make my Hard Drive which does not have an independent power supply work and I could navigate media then it would be simple.

Buy yourself a powered USB hub. That will solve the problem of lack of pwer for the HDD.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Ultra-Po ... owered+hub

Sid

[Enrique]

Hi flan_taster,
Sorry I didn't get it over the net..........
Just wanted to know what formats/films you had on your disk so I could download a sample on to my disk and try on that TV I have access.
Look for the labled USB (HDD) port on the TV of your choice.

[flan_taster]

A simple powered hub could well be what I need but then I don't know how the TV remote would act when I plug it in.
I do have already a WD TV LIVE box which acts as a device to play from Hard Discs or Flash Drives plugged into the thing. It obviously needs a power supply and separate remote control. It plays most things I throw at it like TS, AVI and mp4 files.
This still does not really answer the question about buying a TV that allows my external WD Hard drive just to be plugged into the USB and play successfully ! I do not want to buy a TV and wish that I had researched it better.
Been down that road before with techie things.

[El Cid]

You just need to find out exactly what format the films you have recorded are in. That should be obvious if you check the file extensions of the files on the hard disk.

You haven't said what source you get the films from - are the downloaded from the Internet or copied from DVDs?. Again, check what formats are available.

When you have all this info then you will be in a position to check them against the video file specs on the TV you are interested in.

My Samsung has two USB ports, one labelled USB HDD. That will support an external drive without a power supply.

Sid

[gerryh]

Buy yourself a powered USB hub. That will solve the problem of lack of pwer for the HDD.
Sid

Definitely good advice.
Often the power supplied to USB sockets is quite low on TVs and laptops.
I found out the hard way.
I use a laptop to control the stage lighting and sound for theatrical performances.
I had various bits of equipment plugged into the USB sockets.
Got a message to the effect that the sockets where being overloaded. Each socket failed with no 5V DC power supplied to them. Repairing the power supply to the USB sockets on a laptop is not an easy job.
I now run all USB equipment via a powered USB hub.
Cheers
Gerry

[flan_taster]

You haven't said what source you get the films from - are the downloaded from the Internet or copied from DVDs?. Again, check what formats are available.

The files are mainly TV documentaries recorded over several years plus other TV films and they are all TS files and should play on a TV USB.
The format of files is important but what is more important is whether the USB HDD port in the TV is powerful enough to be used and capable of handling a Western Digital external Hard Drive which is powered by the device or computer you plug it in.
As I said, I have a powered WD TV live powered unit which handles all this but I just wanted to know about TVs.

My Samsung has two USB ports, one labelled USB HDD. That will support an external drive without a power supply. Sid

This now appears to confirm that if I buy a Samsung TV which has a USB HDD port then the power supply will be enough to drive my WD external HD.

Is this correct? Have you actually used it with such an UNPOWERED Hard Drive ? I am nervous after Gerry's reply now.

[Enrique]

Hi flan_taster,
If your WD HDD runs of one USB cable then you will be ok.

The TV I mentioned is labelled USB HDD 5v

[El Cid]

Is this correct? Have you actually used it with such an UNPOWERED Hard Drive ? I am nervous after Gerry's reply now.

At the last count I had 5 "UNPOWERED" USB drives attached to various receivers and occasionally to the TV and they all work without any form of power supply.

TS files are what is used on commercial DVDs. The Samsung certainly handles those OK.

Sid

[gerryh]

Sorry I didn't want to cause alarm with my post.
Just meant as a warning particularly if you have several USB sockets and you connect a power hungry device to each socket.
All my desktop and laptop backups use unpowered USB hard drives.
Modern USB hard drives only seem to need a small current to function. Some older ones needed a higher current which often meant they needed a separate power supply.
Cheers
Gerry

[flan_taster]

Cool
Will buy a Samsung.