Most modern television comes with an HDMI port to connect to an external device. It is one of the safest and most straightforward ways of connecting a TV to an external device.
As seamless as the method seems, it only requires your TV or cable box to have a port for HDMI cables. Unfortunately, you would not be able to connect your devices if they don’t have an HDMI port.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that you are out of choice. HDMI might be the most common way of connecting cable boxes to TV; it is not the only way. There are a couple of options available for you.
Ways To Hook Up Cable Box To TV Without HDMI
Typically, there are three alternative ways you can hook up the cable box to TV without HDMI, they are:
- Composite Video Cables
- Component Video Cables
- HDMI Converter
1. Composite Video Cables
Before the advent of modern technology that paved the way for HDMI cables, composite video cables were the best bet. They perform the same function as the HDMI cable, but technology left the cable behind long ago.
Just as you can use the HDMI cable to connect visuals and sounds, the composite video cables perform the same functions. A typical composite video cable comes in a variety of white, yellow, and red. Among these three cables, you only need one to connect visuals.
2. Component Video Cables
Don’t get confused with the composite video cable and component video cable. The former only uses one cable to connect video. The component video cables use more than one cable to connect video.
A component video cable is a combination of cables used to transmit sound and visuals from one device to another. You need to connect these cables to the cable box and connect the other end to the TV. After doing this, switch on the TV and navigate to settings and change your TV’s input option. Click on Component to change your source.
3. HDMI Converter
HDMI converter is the most commonly used method. It is pretty hard to find a cable box that doesn’t have an HDMI port in this age. It is easier to find a TV that doesn’t support the use of HDMI. Also, if your TV uses HDMI but your cable box doesn’t, this method still works well.
When this happens, the best option is to use an HDMI converter. You need to connect the convert to the port designated for the HDMI cable. While the other device doesn’t have an HDMI port, you can connect an RCA. You have to be mindful of the colour. The HDMI connects audio and video simultaneously, so you don’t need to worry about connecting the HDMI converter.
However, you have to be careful of the colour of the RCA cable you connect. Be sure to ascertain the one that works for visuals before you connect, else you might get visuals.
Having listed the available options for hooking up your cable box without an HDMI, let’s explain how to connect it.
Steps To Hook-up Cable Box To TV Without HDMI
First, you must know the alternative method you want to use to determine how you will connect it. Follow these simple steps to connect using any of the alternatives mentioned above.
Step One
Switch on the TV and cable box and plug the converter into the HDMI port device. If you are using a cable, plug the cables into the cable box. Ensure you plug all the cables into their designated ports. You can achieve this by checking their label. Fortunately, most times, the label corresponds with the colour. It makes it easy to identify.
Step Two
Connect the other side of the cables to your TV. Also, ensure that all the cables are connected to their designated ports. If using the HDMI converter, connect an RCA cable to the device without an HDMI port. Connect the other end of the RCA cable to the HDMI port connected to the first device.
Step Three
You should ensure all is working smoothly. It is not enough to have all the devices connected. Both the sound and video must be working well, especially if you are using a composite or component video cable.
If you can see pictures without sound or vice versa, you should know there is a wrong connection. Check again to rectify it.
Take Away
Don’t feel bad if your TV or cable box doesn’t have an HDMI port for connection. You can safely adopt any of the options above to connect your cable box to the TV without stress.
