Smart tv going dumb. How best to restore?

thor

I have an 8 year old toshiba smart tv which will lose it's smartness on 1st July. I use it for youtube but mainly watching video mkv and mp4 files from usb drives attached to it. I've seen that Amazon have some cheap firestick deals and was wondering if this will allow me to continue using this tv to watch stuff stored on my usb drive?

Neil_Jones

USB functionality shouldn't be affected, the only things you'll lose will be the apps like Prime, Netflix and YouTube.  USB media viewing isn't part of the smart TV experience.

If you want YouTube access on the TV easiest solution is get something like a Firestick or a Roku.

mobileron

\get a firestick now in the sale 4k version ,you can add lots of things to a firestick.

thor

Neil_Jones said:

USB functionality shouldn't be affected, the only things you'll lose will be the apps like Prime, Netflix and YouTube.  USB media viewing isn't part of the smart TV experience.

This is what I was hoping. However, I would still like to know if firestick is capable of playing media files from drives connected to the tv because it may allow me to play other different video formats.

Neil_Jones

thor said:

Neil_Jones said:

USB functionality shouldn't be affected, the only things you'll lose will be the apps like Prime, Netflix and YouTube.  USB media viewing isn't part of the smart TV experience.

This is what I was hoping. However, I would still like to know if firestick is capable of playing media files from drives connected to the tv because it may allow me to play other different video formats.

The Firestick doesn't have any method (or way I would have thought) of knowing what's in your TV USB port.

You would have to either use a suitable app/program (like Kodi for example) have some external storage (NAS or similar) with your file(s) on it, and then Kodi can connect to that.

bob_a_builder

You can add external storage to a Firestick - with the right USB cable 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=amazon+fire+stick+external+storage+

SiliconChip

Alternatively you can cast from your device to a Firestick which may make watching alternative video formats on the TV possible.

https://googlechromecast.com/how-to-cast-to-firestick/

Tiexen

thor said:

I have an 8 year old toshiba smart tv which will lose it's smartness on 1st July. I use it for youtube but mainly watching video mkv and mp4 files from usb drives attached to it. I've seen that Amazon have some cheap firestick deals and was wondering if this will allow me to continue using this tv to watch stuff stored on my usb drive?

I use free PLEX (media server) on a laptop to stream MKV files to a PLEX app on fire TV stick Plex on the TV generates code which you enter on the laptop to link it - it knows what you've watched and can stop and resume.

mobileron

Ive just installed an extra storage drive  USB on firestick Max and it gives you the chance to  add extra files to the usb.
Tell us exactly whta the extra files you wish to view,i presume video?. This may help?

thor

Yes it's video files such as .mkv and .mp4. The methods that have been posted appear to require a bit of work which I will probably have to explore unless my tv continues to be able to play videos like Neil has suggested.

Withbellson

thor said:

Yes it's video files such as .mkv and .mp4. The methods that have been posted appear to require a bit of work which I will probably have to explore unless my tv continues to be able to play videos like Neil has suggested.

He is correct; that will not change on your TV. It's only if you want to play files that you cannot currently play on the TV; for example H.265 encoded media. Plus a suitable box/stick will add updated and extra functionality; such as a usable Browser and applications including PLEX and KODI..