Imagine you have a sizable digital media collection with a variety of video types.
As a cord-cutter, you believe you can go completely digital, view movies from your library, and still have a Netflix subscription as a backup plan.
Perhaps you could download those movies to your external hard drive (HDD), flash drive, or thumb drive and then watch them on your HDTV or even projector.
No more DVDs or CDs. It’s just you taking pleasure in your enormous movie collection and the benefits of your labor.
The question that arises is Can you connect an external hard drive to a projector?
In this article, we will share with you two easy steps that can help you with your connectivity trouble.
Can you connect an external hard drive to a projector?
It should be doable if we’re talking about contemporary smart projectors with Wi-Fi and other features.
It is typically ideal to link your PC to a projector, mirror the projector’s screen, or utilize the projector as a monitor to view such a massive movie collection on a large screen.
A projector can be connected to an external hard drive in a few different ways.
- A USB connection,
- A FireWire connection
- A Thunderbolt connection
However, you must confirm that the connection on the external hard disc you are using is appropriate.
To connect the hard drive to the projector using a USB connection, utilize a USB hub.
The hard disc can be connected to the projector using a FireWire connection if you are using a FireWire enclosure.
A Thunderbolt to USB adapter can be used to connect the hard drive to the projector if you are utilizing a Thunderbolt connection.
Check this video for a more clear vision.
Using an HDMI Cable to connect an external Hard Drive to a Projector
There are a few steps you must take to connect an external hard drive to a projector.
STEP: 01
An HDMI cable must first be connected to the projector.
STEP: 02
The hard drive must then be linked to a power supply at that point.
STEP: 03
The hard drive must then be connected to the projector using a USB cable at that point.
STEP: 04
To make the external hard drive compatible with your projector, it is crucial to make sure it has been formatted.
Using a USB Device to Connect to the Projector
One drawback of projector use is that an external hard drive cannot be connected to the projector’s USB connector.
This is because only authorized USB devices can use the projector’s USB port but it can be possible If we’re talking about modern smart projectors with Wi-Fi and whatnot, it should be possible.
You need a projector that was designed with USB devices in mind, from thumb drives to cameras as well as external hard drives, if you want to use an HDD to show movies on your projector.
The infrastructure of a laptop or desktop, which enables you to utilize the projector as an alternative computer monitor through an HDMI connection, is often absent from a hard drive.
However, you can utilize the HDD like an SD card or thumb drive with just the USB-A connection.
The files are kept there and can be viewed and played. Your projector now has the responsibility of being able to play those files.
The likelihood is that you can only play files like OGG or MKV on your computer.
Also, check How to connect the phone to a projector using USB.
Roku Running Plex
You may access the various files on your hard drive without connecting them to a computer.
Instead, you may access the HDD and easily run its files through your projector by using a Roku running Plex.
Just keep in mind that you can always utilize your laptop or desktop as an intermediary if all else fails and you can’t connect an HDD to a projector directly.
Connect the external HDD to your PC, then attach a projector to mirror your screen.
Finally, play your HDD files on your PC normally. Depending on how good your computer’s graphics card is, the PC display will show the movie in HD.
Also, see how to connect the Roku stick to a projector.
Raspberry Pi
A High Definition Media Interface (HDMI) cable should not, and cannot, be used to connect an external hard drive.
Instead of HDMI ports, these portable storage devices often have USB ports.
You need a device with a processor and an operating system if you want HDMI links to guarantee HD streaming or file transfers of HD movies.
Raspberry Pi is an integrated solution that eliminates the need to link your PC to your projector.
It is a compact, affordable single-board computer that transforms your HDD into a computer that you can connect via USB ports, HDMI out, and other interfaces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a projector play USB media?
In a nutshell, sure. Or at least the majority of contemporary projectors ought to be equipped with a USB port that can read data from a USB flash drive or thumb drive.
However, some projectors use the USB connector to power up or charge a device. Before making a purchase, confirm that the projector of your choosing can read flash drive media.
What does a projector’s USB port serve?
Projector USB ports are typically used to play video from Flash drives, external hard drives, smartphones, and other storage devices or to charge mobile devices with batteries.
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cables should be used instead.
Why won’t my USB be read by my projector?
The most frequent causes of the “No Signal” notification are as follows:
The source device and the projector are not properly linked. Verify the plugs on the wires and adapters are secure.
Make sure you are connecting your source device to the projector with the correct cable and/or adapter.
What size hard disc do I require for watching movies?
You can fit everything onto a 250GB hard drive with ease if you believe you’ll only be engaging in one of the aforementioned activities.
However, if you enjoy playing video games and watching movies, you’ll probably go through 250GB quickly and would prefer to search for something in the 500GB range.
Final Wordings
A common question I get asked by many projector owners is Can you connect an external hard drive to a projector? So the answer is YES.
The simplest way to view the media you’ve stored on your external HDD through a projector is to simply connect the HDD to a projector with one or more USB ports.
Also, make sure the projector can read the numerous files you’ve downloaded, recorded, converted, upscaled, downscaled, or ripped from different media.
Thank you for reading our article! If you have any questions feel free to contact us in the comments section.