Modern televisions are becoming increasingly thinner and increasing number of features the amazing resolution that left us speechless, the incredible brightness rendition, the artificial intelligence in its processors, and the futuristic designs where almost everything is a screen.

And it is precisely this tendency that unintentionally limits some of the strengths of classic television, no less the sound department. important aspect of the connection.

We agree that almost any technology will improve if it includes the following in addition to basic functions. Wi-Fi and BluetoothHowever, there are still many users who continue to use wired equipment for reasons such as greater data transfer capacity, security or comfort depending on the circumstances. And a clear example of this is multimedia playbackIts data usually resides in memories and hard drives that we connect to different computers at home, as well as some peripherals such as a mouse, game controller or keyboard.

Hard-to-access connectors on TV

It is obvious that it is ideal to have a good NAS or server system at home, if we also have a good server system. strong and reliable network to be able to send data to all rooms and if our TV has good connection capabilities to the local network, something that is not always possible with Ethernet ports and limited wireless interfaces, as we have seen in other cases.

This means that, in practice, for the vast majority of uses, using discs and flash drives to play our favorite content is still a great option; especially if they are very demanding in terms of bandwidth, e.g. 4K videos.

This is exactly where TV makes things increasingly difficult for us. If only we had a good collection of screens years ago front connectors This gave us quick access to plug in a video camera, console or player, for example; now TV connectors have moved to the back and sides.

This is ideal if you just want to plug in an HDMI cable and forget about it for years, but will be plugging and unplugging a device frequently. pen drivethings get complicated and the normal thing is that having to look at the back of the TV to do this (assuming you can) is clearly a hassle. placed the screen in inaccessible places.

Samsung is trying to make access to cables easier with One Connect. Image: Samsung

It is true that some manufacturers, such as Samsung with its models with One Connect, which have a separate connection box and processing system, have tried to remove the connectors from the screen, but this is only available on some very specific TV series. Moreover, depending on where we put it, we again face a similar problem.

Here USB extendersPractical accessories that allow us to expand the connection possibilities by moving the port closer to a more accessible area of ​​​​the furniture and make it easier to insert and remove memories, disks and peripherals.

In my case, I’ve been with one of them is permanently attached So when I want to quickly play content from a USB stick or external disk, I can do so without any further problems, without worrying about finding the port on the screen or getting too close to it. Using too much force to remove and replace a peripheral. No big deal, that’s what an extension cord is for, and they’re also usually very affordable.

USB extension cables for TV: what to pay attention to

When purchasing one of these accessories there are a number of Points to be consideredAlthough they are generally accessories that do not cause much misunderstanding, they are basically a cable with two plugs at the ends. However, there are some important features to consider.

• cable length: Normally there are models 0.5 meters to 5 meters. Each of us has needs here, but in general with a model 1 meter It will be more than enough. If we want it to be a little longer due to our specific situation, we can buy a longer one to hide somewhere in the furniture, but we take into account that if they exceed 3 meters, it may cause problems with some 2.5-inch hard drives that are supposed to be longer. Powered directly from the USB cable.
• What kind of connectors do we need?: What is normal, type A male At one end it will be connected to the TV, and at the other end it will be connected to the female, where we will insert the memory, peripheral or USB disk, but there are other types of connectors that we can choose depending on our specific needs.
• Standard and speed reached: We will find extenders in the market USB2.0 It has USB 3.0 with speeds up to 480 Mbps and speeds up to 5 Gbps. Logically, the better the cable, the greater the possibilities for the future, but today any USB 2.0 should be sufficient For the most demanding content in 4K. Additionally, many Smart TV models only feature USB 2.0.
• Build quality of the cable: If we frequently plug and unplug equipment from this extension cable, and as with other types of cables such as HDMI, good construction and solid connections in their connectors. It will be a little more expensive, but it will last longer and if the insulation is good, we will prevent possible errors in data transfer.

Recommended models

Amazon Basics – USB 2.0 Type A

If we are looking for a simple model that is suitable for daily use without worrying about anything else, we can choose this model. Amazon Basics 1 meter USB 2.0 certified with male and female Type A connectors. It features corrosion-resistant gold connectors for optimal signal transfer and electromagnetic shielding to minimize interference. The price is 5.22 euros.

Amazon Basics USB 2.0 3m

If we need a longer cable we can get this. Amazon BasicsA USB 2.0 model and size with male and female type A connectors 10 foot. It has gold-plated, corrosion-resistant connectors and electromagnetic protection and costs 7.59 euros.

Amazon Basics USB 3.0

If we look for a type model USB3.0 we can choose this Amazon BasicsFeaturing a type A male to type A female extension cable 1 meter Featuring gold-plated, corrosion-resistant connectors for optimum signal transfer and shielding to minimize interference. It allows data transfer up to 4.8 Gbit/s and costs 7.66 euros.

RAVIAD USB 3.0 Extension Cable

Another interesting option is this model RAVIADa cable USB 3.0 extension Supports data transfer rates up to 5 Gbps. Made with high density nylon braided cable and connectors. 24K gold plated. The price is 8.98 euros.

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