Modern televisions these days can do much more than just play TV shows. But which connections should users pay attention to when buying, which ports should a TV set definitely have? TECHBOOK explains.
Watching TV shows, streaming films, listening to music, importing slide shows from a laptop or playing games on the game console – modern televisions are increasingly taking on the role of a media center. The old, analogue bobblehead has long had its day. However, in order for users to be able to exploit all the possibilities of their TV, they should make sure when buying that the TV set has the right connections. In this article, we reveal which interfaces a television must have so that users can be on the air at any time and regardless of the device.
Basically, a television should have as many connections as possible. In addition to the modern interfaces, it can make sense to also pay attention to older connections, for example Scart connections, VGA sockets or cinch outputs. Because sometimes some media devices are not technically up to date due to their age.
However, these TV connections are an absolute must:
Triple tuners
Even if many users have long since stopped aligning their daily television routine to the specifications of the TV stations, the various antenna connections should be available. Satellite reception requires a DVB-S or DVB-S2 connection, the latest standard. Then you can do without an external receiver.
For cable reception, on the other hand, a DVB-C connection is required. If the television is used when travelling, then the television set should also have at least one DVB-T2 connection. In this way, most TV programs can be easily received via antenna.
HDMI connections on the TV
In the field of entertainment electronics, HDMI connections are now the standard for TV sets. This makes it easy to connect picture and sound from DVD or Blu-ray players, external speakers, receivers or game consoles to the television.
The HDMI connection has also been upgraded with the addition of ARC. ARC stands for Audio Return Channel. With the latest HDMI standard, you save on an additional audio connection. Thanks to ARC technology, the sound is not only transmitted to the TV, but also back to the speakers or other audio output devices connected to the TV.
Also Read: The Best HDMI Cables for TVs and Monitors
Digital audio connection
If the television does not yet have an HDMI-ARC connection, at least one digital audio interface should be available for a rich, digital sound. The TV set sends the audio signals to the soundbar or external speakers via the so-called Toslink.
Ethernet/LAN
Even if most modern televisions have WiFi access, you should always remember that the wireless connection is sometimes not constantly stable and that there is not enough signal strength in all corners of the house. An Ethernet connection or LAN port is therefore one of the most important connections on a TV set. The latest updates for the television can be imported easily via LAN. Or users can use many streaming services without interruption in film or series.
Also read: The best giant televisions from 75 inches
USB ports
USB sockets offer various media access to the television. For example, USB sticks or external hard drives can be connected. At the same time, a USB port serves as a power source if there is no free socket nearby.
headphone jack
For undisturbed music enjoyment or for the next Hollywood blockbuster with a powerful sound, a television should also have a headphone connection. Of course, there are now numerous Bluetooth headphones, and technical development is also moving away from cables towards wireless transmission. However, there are occasional dropouts in sound transmission via Bluetooth. For first-class sound, it is therefore better to connect the headphones to the television using a cable.
CI slot
If users would like to receive exclusive, chargeable programs, they need a CI slot on the television. For example, channels can also be viewed in HD+. Simply slide the smart card provided by the provider into the slot and enjoy the best picture quality. Some pay stations also use smart cards to activate their own programs for a monthly fee.