# Question regarding HDD's and TV's



## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Dec 29, 2012)

I want to be able to hook up an external hard drive to my 55" Dynex television. Unfortunately, I dont have the exact specs of it atm as I am at home. However, when I get home I will try and find the manual for it. 

My question is this. Do I have to have a smart TV in order for me to plug in a USB external hard drive into it and have it read read the files off the hard drive? Or will any ol TV with a USB port work?

Ive never done anything like this before and I figured Id ask you guys before I drop money on this. My girlfriends cousin says she does it but I dont know if she has a smart TV or not. 

Thanks!


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## newtekie1 (Dec 29, 2012)

You're going to need a SmartTV if you want it to read and play files off the hard drive.

Normal TVs with USB ports generally only have the USB port there for diagnostic purposes, sometimes you can updated the firmware through the USB port, but that is it.  Without the built in software to know how to handle files or player to play them off a hard drive the TV won't be able to do anything with them.


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Dec 29, 2012)

Thats what I figured. I just wanted to confirm it.


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## MT Alex (Dec 29, 2012)

You could get a WDTV box for $90 and play any movie file you want off your HDD or network, as well as Netflix and other jazz.

Western Digital WD TV Live Streaming Media Player ...


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## newtekie1 (Dec 29, 2012)

I use a Pivos Xios flashed with the XBMC firmware for that, a little more expensive than the WDTV Box, but running XBMC natively is super nice:

Pivos ULTRA SLIM XIOS DS HD Wi-Fi Media Player w/ ...


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## DRDNA (Dec 29, 2012)

there are some TV's that can display content from the USB ports such as the UN55B8000
http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/samsung-un55b8000/4505-6482_7-33490419.html


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Dec 29, 2012)

DRDNA said:


> there are some TV's that can display content from the USB ports such as the UN55B8000
> http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/samsung-un55b8000/4505-6482_7-33490419.html



Well, I already own my Dynex 55" TV. Lol but thanks anyway.


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## newtekie1 (Dec 29, 2012)

DRDNA said:


> there are some TV's that can display content from the USB ports such as the UN55B8000
> http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-tvs/samsung-un55b8000/4505-6482_7-33490419.html



Of course there are, they are called SmartTVs, the OP already knows those exist.


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## DRDNA (Dec 29, 2012)

newtekie1 said:


> Of course there are, they are called SmartTVs, the OP already knows those exist.



but as was mentioned ....not all smart TV's will display content via  their USB ports. I just wanted to point out that there are some TV's that do. This info is provided not just for the OP but the readers of the thread and I wanted to bring a little more clarity to the subject as it progresses.


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