5 causes I linked an exterior laborious drive to my TV

Carrying round an

external hard drive
remains to be a wise transfer for lots of people. It is a easy technique to retailer your information and have them readily available wherever you go. In some instances, it may well truly really feel

more secure than a laptop
— particularly relating to non-public or delicate data. Plus, they arrive in all types of sizes, relying on how a lot space for storing you want.

You are not simply restricted to saving spreadsheets and Phrase docs on an external hard drive, though these are most likely probably the most generally saved information. They typically have sufficient storage capability for bigger audio and video information as effectively. Simply plug it in, and you have prompt entry to no matter you have saved — no web required.

What you are searching for is a tool that

offers a USB-C port
, as most exterior laborious drives have that as their connectivity possibility. However have you considered utilizing it along with your TV? It is essential to keep in mind that that is A) potential to do, B) one thing it’s best to think about doing, and C) a believable technique to get extra out of your TV. It isn’t troublesome, however there are some parameters that you must observe. Listed here are 5 methods you should utilize your exterior laborious drive along with your TV.

Western Digital 2TB Parts Transportable Exterior Arduous Drive

At the moment, the Western Digital 2 TB Parts SE is one of the best finances SSD possibility. Historically, SSD storage is far more costly than HDD, however at the moment costing £/$90, this difficult drive provides implausible worth for cash. This tough drive is all about efficiency and with 2 TB of storage with speeds able to 400 MB/s, it may well each retailer your huge initiatives and cargo them in a short time. It’s extremely compact, has a drop resistance of as much as 2 metres and is ‘plug-in-and-play’ for Home windows customers. Mac customers must format the laborious drive earlier than use.  

1

Use it to retailer films and TV collection

Take note of what your system can deal with

WD

Exterior laborious drives are available all sizes and styles — mostly providing wherever from 500GB to 5TB of storage. Naturally, the more room you want, the extra you will need to spend. If you happen to’re storing giant film information or complete seasons of a TV collection, that house can refill quick. So positively try how a lot room you will want earlier than diving in.

Earlier than you go attempting to look at films and TVs out of your exterior laborious drive in your TV, you must ensure that your TV has a USB port. Most fashionable good TVs do, but it surely’s at all times good to double-check. As soon as it is plugged in, simply swap over to the proper enter or supply, and it’s best to be capable of browse your information. Your TV’s guide will let you recognize if there are any dimension limitations it has, so you possibly can know what file system your laborious drive must be.

Utilizing an exterior laborious drive like it is a nice technique to deliver older or non-streamable content material to your TV display screen. It means that you may take some extra leisure and tote it round. This could possibly be a great way to retailer your film assortment in case you do not wish to maintain your DVDs round.

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2

Retailer video video games in your exterior laborious drive

It is a great technique to maintain tabs of previous video games

Sony / Pocket-lint

Exterior laborious drives can retailer all types of information, together with online game information. And contemplating how a lot house fashionable video games can eat up, a tough drive is definitely one of many smartest methods to maintain your complete library in a single place. It is constructed to deal with giant information, so why not let it?

That stated, you possibly can’t simply plug your exterior laborious drive into your good TV and begin gaming. TVs aren’t designed to run PC or console video games on their very own. You may want to attach the drive to a gaming PC or a Raspberry Pi, which you’ll be able to then hook as much as your TV. If you do not have a gaming console, it is a workaround for enjoying your video games on the TV. Plus, an exterior laborious drive makes it simpler to switch video games between techniques in case you do have a number of setups.

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3

Save and document TV reveals and films

That is an possibility for some TVs

Tech has positively advanced for the reason that days of popping a VHS into your VCR and holding down two buttons simply to document your favourite present. Now, most cable and streaming suppliers allow you to retailer content material digitally, so you possibly can watch by yourself schedule. But when you do not have a DVR setup, there’s nonetheless a workaround: some good TVs allow you to use an exterior laborious drive to document reveals.

This solely works for choose TVs, although. Not each producer provides this selection, so you will have to test your TV’s guide to see if it is an possibility on your mannequin. Whether it is, simply plug your exterior laborious drive into the USB port in your TV. Some TVs even allow you to schedule recordings — Samsung, as an illustration, has options like Schedule Supervisor that you may entry by way of the 123 button on the distant. Simply ensure you’re on Dwell TV, and also you’re good to go.

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4

Play music information in your TV

Present everybody these contemporary tracks you’re keen on

Just like how one can watch reveals and films, taking part in music out of your exterior laborious drive provides one other aspect to your leisure functions. If you happen to plug the drive into your TV and your music information are in a suitable format, most good TVs will allow you to play them straight by way of the built-in audio system. It is a easy setup, however simply double-check that your TV helps the file sorts first.

After all, most good TVs can run music apps like Spotify or Apple Music, so that you may not have to go this route. However in case you’ve bought unique tracks you wish to share — say you are a musician debuting a brand new set at a get-together — plugging in and taking part in out of your laborious drive is a simple technique to exhibit your work to the room.

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5

Again up your TV

Use the exterior laborious drive for its major objective

Samsung / Pocket-lint

An exterior laborious drive is not only for bringing information to your TV — it is also nice for backing up content material from it. If you happen to’ve downloaded films, pictures, or different information to your good TV, you possibly can switch them to an exterior laborious drive for safekeeping. That approach, in case your TV ever crashes or resets, you will not lose something essential.

This is useful particularly as streaming platforms rotate content material out and in. Backing up information places you in management, so you are not on the mercy of licensing offers — what a nightmare. It is also a wise technique to save information from different units you have linked to your TV (like good dwelling setups or USB drives) multi function place.