Here's what you should and shouldn't plug into a TV USB port

Modern smart TVs tend to have some USB ports that are easy to forget about, especially with those HDMIs gobbling up all of the oxygen. Most new sets feature at least one of these ports, typically located on the side or the back. The ports started showing up on TVs in the early 2000s, reaching ubiquity by 2010. Nowadays, it's tough to find a smart TV without a USB port, either an old USB-A one or a more modern (and useful) USB-C port.

These are actually very useful and offer a range of possible functions. For instance, the newly released Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is efficient enough to be powered by a basic USB 2.0 port, eliminating the need for a dedicated power adapter. Here's everything you can do with these ports and some suggestions on what to avoid. It's also important to note that settings could differ between makes and models, so check the instructions for specific information.

Smart TVs require the internet to do just about anything, beyond watching local and cable channels. How to keep entertained when the internet goes out? That's where that USB port comes in. These ports support USB sticks, so you can fill them up with all of your favorite shows and movies. There's no real limit here, as most modern TVs can handle 2TB (or larger) sticks.

There are a couple of little caveats here. Pay special attention to the initial format type of the stick itself, as most modern smart TVs can only handle FAT32 or exFAT/NTFS. The same goes for video format types. Stick to MP4, AVI or MKV to be safe, but check the TV's instruction manual for more information.

You also don't need access to a streaming platform like Spotify to listen to music on the TV. Just fill up a USB flash drive with songs and let the TV work its magic. Again, stick to common types to avoid any issues. We recommend MP3, WAV and AAC.

Smart TVs have created an entire lighting cottage industry. There are all kinds of USB-powered light strips out there intended to create a heightened mood. These illuminate the area with soft, ambient light and they automatically turn on and off with the TV. Some recent models use advanced algorithms to change the lighting along with the content being watched. This can help with immersion, especially during action-packed movies and shows.

USB microphones are a dime a dozen and it's likely you have one or two laying around the house right now. Connecting one to a smart TV offers a couple of features. First of all, it's a way to access voice assistants if the remote control lacks a microphone. This offers voice control functionality via Alexa, Google Assistant