Old TV USB Hack for $0.00

I have an old crappy TV I got as a floor model at Circut City when they closed their doors.

It's got a built in DVD player and 2 HDMI ports but no USB port...

Now, We just bought a new house and I figure why not stick this thing in garage? I dont care if it breaks, gets packed with saw dust etc....

I could just run a micro USB cable threw the low voltage box along with the AC adapter cord, but I hate wires. so logically I figured.... INSTRUCTABLE TIME!

Instagram: withered_perception

Step 1: Opent the TV

So TV's are dangerous! Make sure yours is completely discharged or you know what the hell your doing before you do this!

Any electrical device could cause serious injuries or death! Modifying one could cause fire or worse!

Now, for every one else... Remove the wall mount and all the screws you can find.

Pop the TV open and look for the 120v ac adapter and cut any tape, wires, cable ties etc...

Instagram: withered_perception

Step 2: Drill

Drill a hole in a discreet place that is big enough to fit your micro USB threw.

Note: You may need to step threw bits to get the optimal size.

Quick tip: Use some scrap paper to catch the shavings. This will help to prevent shorts and keep metal shavings from sticking to the speaker magnets.

Step 3: Who Doesn't Have This Crap Laying Around?

Take an old crappy 120v to USB adapter... Preferably one that is slow like this thing unless you have others or something else which demands more power.

The output on this adapter is only 0.7 A! Enough to power a chromcast or take 30+ hours to charge your phone...

Take some spare wire that matches or exceeds the current TV wiring. I just happen to be running a bunch of electrical so I have 100's of feet of 14-3 laying around...

Take 2 short pieces and bend the wires threw the holes in the prongs.

Scratch the prongs! This is a nessisary step to get solder to hold to the slick prongs. Mine just happen to already have been scratched threw years of sliding around a junk drawer.

Next solder! Preferably not with the crappiest soldering iron ever!

Once cool slather it with liquid electrical tape, heat shrink it, electrical tape it, plastidip it.... Just makesure it cant arc!

Step 4: Snip Amd Strip

You dont need the ground. So just cut the + and - or, Hot and Neutral or Power and Ground...What ever term works for you.

Strip the wires...

Step 5: Wake Up the Cat

There is no reason for this step. It is optional. You can skip it at any time... If your any reason you get lost durring this Instructable . Please revert back to this step before proceeding.

Step 6: Be Anal

I wrapped it again cause I could. Sue me!

Step 7: Nuts!

Wire nut the adapter in. Now I should suggest that you could locate this port where it could be accessed if you plan on using this port for other things. That or pick up a USB extension and make that external.

Step 8: Stuff It In

Where ever works... Use tape, cable ties, velcro, double sided sticky tape... I don't care what you use its your TV!

Now pull the wire through!

Step 9: Close Up Shop

Put the screws back in. Pull the cable all the way out... or what ever you need... Your call...

Step 10: Plug It In

DM me if you need instructions on how to do this.

Also please leave your phone number, address, full name, checking account info, credit card number / date of experation and the 3 numbers on the back. Also your social security number and a copy of you birth certificate to verify you are who you say you are!

Step 11: Make Sure It Works

Just make sure it works before you go all crazy.

Step 12: No Visable Wires

Well just 1 wire. At least it's manageable vs. 2 wires, extension cords etc... Still need to clean it up a bit but a zip tie works until I paint.

Instagram: withered_perception

Comments

[MrP24]

thx what a complet tuto

[Rushrv]

in Step 10 you forgot billing zip code with the credit card if it differs from physical address.

[Withered Perception]

Damn! Your right! FAIL!

[oliveira.igorm]

why do you have an adapter to connect the chromecast to hdmi?

[Withered Perception]

It comes with it and the adapter and it works not only to make it flexable ti hidenit a bit better but also as an extension for the chromcast's internal antenna.

[elfercho]

Nice idea!!!!

[Withered Perception]

Thank you!

[soilwork]

Step 6 LOL

[Withered Perception]

I aim to please! ?????

[soilwork]

"Be Anal" I believe that you're talking something like analogic right?, but if you do speed reading and appears "Be anal" that make me laugh :P

[pandadude]

soilwork maybe you're not a native english speaker if you don't get this joke, I don't know? Look up 'anal retentive' he means what he says by 'be anal' but only as a joke.

[Withered Perception]

lol I miss read as welll...lol

[Withered Perception]

????

[electrifier]

You could also see if the TV already has a 5v output on it's PSU and solder your micro USB cable directly to it. This would save you messing around with dangerous mains voltage wires.

[asadabdul]

Dangerous main voltages? The real danger is in Step 5. Some men just want to watch the world burn LOL.

[Withered Perception]

????

[Withered Perception]

lol not this one thank god!.. lol

[asadabdul]

Waking up a cat always have an inherent risk XD

[rybitski]

True, but what if the extra load is outside the capacity of the PSU? Without a lot of reverse engineering you can't know for sure. 99% chance that it wouldn't cause any issues, but I digress. 120 isn't anything to be afraid of if you take the proper precautions.

Great instructable!

[Ronald MontyM]

chromecast is not an over toaster.
also, power supplies that are in our appliances are usually rated at least 1.5 or twice, that's how the engineers specs out a power supply to compensate for surge and extra load.