watching mkv movies on RCA TV

[Shinnen]

Hi all,
I have one season of Hannibal on mkv files and would like to watch them on my RCA TV, which is
about 10 years old. What's the easiest way of doing that?
Any help is appreciated.
..... john

[hech54]

Blu Ray player with a USB input playback option?

[Shinnen]

Thanks hech,
i was hoping not to have to buy a piece of equipment.
..... john

[The_Doman]

i was hoping not to have to buy a piece of equipment.

It depending on the capabilities of the TV there are possible other options?
Play it directly on TV from USB?
Or using network if it has DNLA support?

[Shinnen]

i was hoping not to have to buy a piece of equipment.

It depending on the capabilities of the TV there are possible other options?
Play it directly on TV from USB?
Or using network if it has DNLA support?

Hi Doman,
Here's what it says on the back of the TV
RCA 39" Direct LED TV
ATSC Tuner June 2016
SN: A1606174110004240
RLDED3956A
Does that help?
...... john
P.S. The videos (12 of them) are in mkv format

[jagabo]

The manual doesn't mention a USB port or built in media player.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1139046/Rca-Rlded3956a.html?controller=view#manual

So you'll have to use an external media player. You can get one for as little as US$20.

[cholla]

I did a little more digging.
This TV does have a "service port.
It is supposed to be able to do this:
"The RCA RLDED3956A TV's USB port
does not support video playback. The port has limited functionality and was only designed to support static files like JPG images and audio files like MP3 and WAV. "
So no this TV will not directly play any video.
So an external player that has USB in to HDMI out would be a good choice.

[The_Doman]

I did a little more digging.
This TV does have a "service port.
It is supposed to be able to do this:
"The RCA RLDED3956A TV's USB port
does not support video playback. The port has limited functionality and was only designed to support static files like JPG images and audio files like MP3 and WAV. "
So no this TV will not directly play any video.
So an external player that has USB in to HDMI out would be a good choice.

Yes there is no playback option of video/media/network.
May be understandable as this TV only has a resolution of 1366x768 (HD Ready).

But of course there is also the most simple option to connect the TV directly to your PC/Laptop?
It has HDMI/VGA input.
That could possible be a (temporarily) solution to playback the media files without any investment if you have the correct cable(s) available.

[usually_quiet]

Playback from a desktop PC or laptop would certainly work. I used to have a desktop PC permanently connected to an older 720p TV for watching videos, among other things. I could use either HDMI or VGA + stereo audio.

I have a Onn 4K Pro connected to my current 4K TV, but it should work for a 720p TV too. Although there are less expensive Android TV boxes, this one has a USB port and a legitimate Android TV OS rather than an OS designed for Android phones. (The USB-connected drive must be formatted as exFAT or FAT32 because Android doesn't support NTFS.) I installed Kodi (free) on the Onn 4K Pro for video playback.

[Shinnen]

OK. Thank you all for your help. I'm going to try out those suggestions.
...... john

[Shinnen]

Hi again,
I'm not getting the hang of this. I've tried several things so far, connecting my old Latitude E5410, via VGA connector, to the TV using both the straight in video port on the TV AND a VGA to HDMI adapter into the HDMI port on the TV; and none of the TV options show the video, TV, VGA, component, or HDMI. I tried both mkv (the original format) and mp4 (converted, using Format Factory, to 728x408). Might it work if I converted it to another format, i.e. 720p or 1366x768; or am I simply wasting my time here?
Any help is appreciated.
... john

[flashandpan007]

Could you post a picture of the RCA TV label on the back of the TV. I will see what the TV can and can not do.

EDIT: In the meantime I studied this:
https://static.rca.com/var/fichiers/RCA_RLDED3956A-C_EN.pdf

Is this right?

Does your Notebook have DVI or HDMI?

[Shinnen]

Could you post a picture of the RCA TV label on the back of the TV. I will see what the TV can and can not do.

EDIT: In the meantime I studied this:
https://static.rca.com/var/fichiers/RCA_RLDED3956A-C_EN.pdf*

Is this right?

Does your Notebook have DVI or HDMI?

Hi flashandpan,
The label says:
RCA 39" Direct LED TV
ATSC Tuner June 2016
SN: A1606174110004240
RLDED3956A
The laptop is very old. It has only a VGA, a firewire, 4 usb, and an ethernet port.
*I'm not sure what the 'C' means on the pdf link, but it looks like the same set.
... john

[flashandpan007]

Get an external HDMI box like the others already suggested. Both the TV and Notebook are old and outdated, sorry ...
But I think best is to get a second TV which will play the files direct via USB

[usually_quiet]

Hi again,
I'm not getting the hang of this. I've tried several things so far, connecting my old Latitude E5410, via VGA connector, to the TV using both the straight in video port on the TV AND a VGA to HDMI adapter into the HDMI port on the TV; and none of the TV options show the video, TV, VGA, component, or HDMI. I tried both mkv (the original format) and mp4 (converted, using Format Factory, to 728x408). Might it work if I converted it to another format, i.e. 720p or 1366x768; or am I simply wasting my time here?
Any help is appreciated.
... john

The laptop may not have the appropriate codec installed to play the video. ....or the processor may be too weak. For example, H.265 would be likely unplayable using the CPU on a 2010 laptop.

[Shinnen]

Get an external HDMI box like the others already suggested. Both the TV and Notebook are old and outdated, sorry ...
But I think best is to get a second TV which will play the files direct via USB

Hi flashandpan,
You'll have to forgive my ignorance; I'm not familiar with many of the terms used here. I'll look into and
'external HDMI box'.
Thanks,
..... john

[Shinnen]

Hi again,
I'm not getting the hang of this. I've tried several things so far, connecting my old Latitude E5410, via VGA connector, to the TV using both the straight in video port on the TV AND a VGA to HDMI adapter into the HDMI port on the TV; and none of the TV options show the video, TV, VGA, component, or HDMI. I tried both mkv (the original format) and mp4 (converted, using Format Factory, to 728x408). Might it work if I converted it to another format, i.e. 720p or 1366x768; or am I simply wasting my time here?
Any help is appreciated.
... john

The laptop may not have the appropriate codec installed to play the video. ....or the processor may be too weak. For example, H.265 would be likely unplayable using the CPU on a 2010 laptop.

Hi,
The laptop will play the videos, so I'm not sure that's the problem. It has a 2.4 GHz processor with 6 gigs of ram. Could it be that I have to format the videos so that they'll play on the TV?
.... john

[Alwyn]

...

[jagabo]

Here's the manual for your TV:

https://www.manualslib.com/download/1139046/Rca-Rlded3956a.html

Page 28 has a list of the supported video formats/frame sizes, but doesn't show the supported codecs.

That's a list of HDMI display formats, not media formats. No codecs are involved. It could show color formats like RGB32 and YUV 4:2:0 but doesn't.

[Alwyn]

Cheers @jagabo, I was off on a tangent.

[flashandpan007]

Can you post the exact model number of your laptop/notebook?

[The_Doman]

Hi again,
I'm not getting the hang of this. I've tried several things so far, connecting my old Latitude E5410, via VGA connector, to the TV using both the straight in video port on the TV AND a VGA to HDMI adapter into the HDMI port on the TV; and none of the TV options show the video, TV, VGA, component, or HDMI. I tried both mkv (the original format) and mp4 (converted, using Format Factory, to 728x408). Might it work if I converted it to another format, i.e. 720p or 1366x768; or am I simply wasting my time here?
Any help is appreciated.

Just start with the basics.
When connected with VGA,not with HDMI converter, check your Windows display settings if the TV is recognized as external screen/display option
If so then you should be able to enable/expand your desktop to the TV.
Of course test with another VGA screen if have that available.
Or with that VGA-HDMI converter if you sure/tested that worked before?

I there is no extra monitor/display option available/visible with the laptop no player/codec will help until this is solved.

And what Windows version you are using?
I have here several Dell Latitude e6410's (lowest with I3-M330) which work like this (VGA out on a TV) with Windows 7/10/11.

[Shinnen]

Can you post the exact model number of your laptop/notebook?

Hi flashandpan,
I'm not sure what else to tell you. The name on the computer is Dell Latitude E5410.
There is a label on the back side, in Chinese, and the only English script says
Latitude E5410.
...... john

[flashandpan007]

For DELL it will be something like "service-tag" which will be a sticker on the bottom of the notebook

[Shinnen]

Hi again,
I'm not getting the hang of this. I've tried several things so far, connecting my old Latitude E5410, via VGA connector, to the TV using both the straight in video port on the TV AND a VGA to HDMI adapter into the HDMI port on the TV; and none of the TV options show the video, TV, VGA, component, or HDMI. I tried both mkv (the original format) and mp4 (converted, using Format Factory, to 728x408). Might it work if I converted it to another format, i.e. 720p or 1366x768; or am I simply wasting my time here?
Any help is appreciated.

Just start with the basics.
When connected with VGA,not with HDMI converter, check your Windows display settings if the TV is recognized as external screen/display option
If so then you should be able to enable/expand your desktop to the TV.
Of course test with another VGA screen if have that available.
Or with that VGA-HDMI converter if you sure/tested that worked before?

I there is no extra monitor/display option available/visible with the laptop no player/codec will help until this is solved.

And what Windows version you are using?
I have here several Dell Latitude e6410's (lowest with I3-M330) which work like this (VGA out on a TV) with Windows 7/10/11.

Hi Doman,
I'm using Windows 7 home premium.
I don't see any indication on the laptop that I've connected the TV to it;
although I'm not sure where I should look to find that out?
I do have another TV, which also does not show the laptop on either the VGA, TV, or component options.
I don't have a VGA to HDMI converter. What I have is a micro HDMI to standard HDMI converter;
which I mistakenly took for a micro USB to HDMI converter.
I'm sorry if I described my laptop as a Latitude E6410. It's a Latitude E5410.
I have a DVD player attached to the TV which plays well; but when
I tried playing the same video on my laptop (not connected to the TV) it said,
'it's not possible to turn on analog copy protection on the output display,
and that I should install updated drivers for the video card'. I'm not sure if that means anything.
..... john

[Shinnen]

For DELL it will be something like "service-tag" which will be a sticker on the bottom of the notebook

Here's photo of the Service tag. I hope this is what you're looking for.

[Attachment 89539 - Click to enlarge]

[flashandpan007]

https://www.dell.com/support/product-details/en-us/servicetag/0-dncyQytsTXY0VC9TMkNRND...Odz090/drivers
I was hoping for some details, but I think the only thing left is to use a VGA to HDMI Adapter, if VGA direct to TV doesn't work. TV is limited and Notebook is limited.

[Shinnen]

https://www.dell.com/support/product-details/en-us/servicetag/0-dncyQytsTXY0VC9TMkNRND...Odz090/drivers
I was hoping for some details, but I think the only thing left is to use a VGA to HDMI Adapter, if VGA direct to TV doesn't work. TV is limited and Notebook is limited.

OK, good. Is this what I'm looking for?
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-general-electronics/city-of-toronto/hdmi-to-vga-adapter/1722332368
.......john

[The_Doman]

https://www.dell.com/support/product-details/en-us/servicetag/0-dncyQytsTXY0VC9TMkNRND...Odz090/drivers
I was hoping for some details, but I think the only thing left is to use a VGA to HDMI Adapter, if VGA direct to TV doesn't work. TV is limited and Notebook is limited.

Why limited?
At least it has a Core I-5 CPU (1st gen, but still)
What would do a HDMI to VGA adapter in this situation?
The laptop only has VGA out.
Try another cable if available??
Try with another VGA monitor if possible?
What does Windows display setting message/show when you connect the VGA?
And what Windows are you using?

[johns0]

The manual doesn't mention a USB port or built in media player.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1139046/Rca-Rlded3956a.html?controller=view#manual

So you'll have to use an external media player. You can get one for as little as US$20.

I think this is the best suggestion,all the other ideas will reduce the quality.