I recently bought an older Samsung TV from a marketplace, but the USB drives that work fine on my other TV aren't being recognized. I've tried formatting them in different ways, so I don't think that's the issue. I'm starting to wonder if the USB port isn't getting enough power. Is there a way to supply external power to the USB? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
3 Answers
Have you considered looking for an external hard drive enclosure? That could help as it provides the required power through a wall outlet. Just a thought!
Make sure to check if your specific model supports media playback from USB. It helps to confirm what file systems and types it can work with too, as not all models are the same. Without knowing the exact model, it’s tough to offer tailored advice.
I don't have a datasheet for it, but being a Samsung, I hope it's not too picky. I've heard some USB drives might draw more power than the TV can provide, so I want to check that before assuming the port is faulty.
I really doubt it's a power issue with the USB. It might be the format of the drives instead. You could also check if the USB port is damaged—try plugging in a device like a keyboard to see if that works.
I noticed there are no lights showing up when I plug anything in, which makes me think it might be a power issue, or the port is completely dead. I’ve tried NTFS, FAT32, and exFAT. Any other formats you’d recommend?

Thanks! There are a lot of options out there, so I’ll check them out and see what fits best with what I have. Appreciate it!