Last week, I set up my new Samsung TV.
I connected all the right cables with the right ports.
And there were quite a lot…
At first, I was asking the same thing you’re wondering:
“What are all these ports?”
Keep reading to find out:
- How many HDMI ports a Samsung TV has.
- What HDMI ARC is on your Samsung TV, and where you can find it.
- What a One Connect Box is, what ports it has, and what its benefits are.
- And that’s only the beginning…
What ports are on a Samsung TV?
A Samsung TV has different ports, depending on which model you own. The majority has 2 to 4 HDMI ports, USB ports, ethernet port, A/V port, antenna port, and digital audio port. And some models come with a One Connect Box port for connecting the Samsung One Connect Box.
HDMI ports on Samsung TVs
The majority of Samsung TVs have 2 to 4 HDMI ports. And they’re located at the back of the TV.
They come with standard HDMI ports, but many Samsung TVs also have 1 HDMI eARC port.
‘’I know what an HMDI port is…
But what’s HDMI eARC?’’
Good question. Let me explain.
It’s a regular HDMI port, but with eARC, which stands for Enhanced Audio Return Channel.
For example:
Video and audio signals from a TV box are displayed on the screen and heard through the TV speakers.
Now, with HDMI eARC, you can transmit the audio signal to another device.
So, instead of the audio coming from the TV speakers, it’s then coming from a receiver or a soundbar.
Plus, you can even control the volume with your TV remote.
Moreover, you usually have to use many audio cables to connect a soundbar or receiver.
But with HDMI eARC, you only need 1 HDMI cable.
Note: Your receiver or soundbar must also have an HDMI eARC port.
Besides eARC, there’s another thing to pay attention to on HDMI ports: the HDMI version.
’’Are there different versions of HDMI?’’
Yes, the first version was released around 2002: HDMI 1.0.
And the latest version was released around 2017: HDMI 2.1.
Most Samsung TVs have the most common HDMI ports, which are 1.4, 2.0, or 2.1.
Here’s some helpful information about these versions:
| HDMI 1.4 | Around 2009 | Up to 1080p | You can find this on older models. |
| HDMI 2.0 | Around 2013 | Up to 4K | The most common HDMI version on TVs. |
| HDMI 2.1 | Around 2017 | 8K and 10 K | The high-end and latest HDMI version. Recent TV models come with it. |
‘’But how do I know which HDMI version I have?’’
You can check your Samsung TVs manual for your exact HDMI version.
And if you don’t have it anymore or can’t find it now, check out this link to find your TV’s manual.
You might also like: (11 Fixes) Samsung TV HDMI No Signal
Are there USB ports in a Samsung TV?
Samsung TVs have 1 or more USB ports.
As well as HDMI ports, they come in different versions.
There are Samsung TVs with USB 2.0 and 3.0.
The difference is the data transfer speed.
USB 3.0 is much faster than USB 2.0.
But truth be told, USB 2.0 is already fast enough for transferring big files.
And when you plug in a USB storage device, you can take these easy steps to play the content:
- Plug the USB storage device into the USB port.
- Press the Source button on the remote control.
- Choose USB device.
- Select the content you want to play.
- Push the Enter button to show the control button.
Warning: Do not remove the USB devices while they are transferring files.
Other ports on Samsung TVs
One Connect port
This connects your One Connect Box.
The latter is a media receiver that primarily supports Samsung TVs.
It functions as a hub for connecting other audio and video components.
Plus, a One Connect Box minimizes cable clutter by using only 1 cable to connect to the TV.
Its latest version from 2021 is customized for 8K TVs and has these ports:
- 1 Power port.
- 1 Ethernet port.
- 1 Antenna IN port.
- 1 One Connect port.
- 1 USB 2.0 (1.0 A) port.
- 2 USB 2.0 (5V 0.5A) ports.
- 3 HDMI IN and 1 HDMI IN eARC.
Note: HDMI IN ports #1, 2, and 3 (eARC) are HDMI 2.0, which supports 4K. And HDMI #4 is HDMI 2.1, which supports 8K.
You can check out this link to learn more about the One Connect Box and the different versions.
And this is a helpful video on how to connect the One Connect Box to a Samsung TV:
Antenna port
You’ll need a coaxial cable for connecting your antenna or standard cable TV box to this port.
Ethernet port
This allows you to connect directly to your internet router using an ethernet cable.
Note: Most Samsung TVs can also connect to WiFi.
Digital Audio OUT
An optical digital audio cable is necessary to connect the TV to a home theater or other audio system.
You might also want to know: Where Are Samsung TVs Made? 9 Things You Need To Know