How To Connect a DVD Player to a Smart TV? (Also Without HDMI)

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While DVD players may seem like a thing of the past, they still have several modern uses.

Whether you want to watch an old home video or a special edition Blu-ray movie, sometimes you just need a DVD player.

But is it possible to connect an old DVD player to a new smart TV?

Yes, it is! Since DVD players are meant to be used with TVs, they have all of the necessary ports to connect them to TVs without using any adapters or converters.

Additionally, even the newest and smartest TVs will still have some legacy ports (e.g. composite, component, etc.) that can be used to connect them to your DVD player.

How can you connect a DVD player to a Smart TV?

Keep reading to find out!

Common Ports on DVD Players

Here are a few common ports you’ll find on DVD players.

• HDMI (This is the most widely used modern port.)
• Composite 
• Component 
• S-Video 

Common Ports on TVs

You can find the following ports on TVs that will be compatible with your DVD player’s ports.

• HDMI 
• Composite
• Component 
• S-Video

Quick Connection Guide

1. HDMI DVD to HDMI TV

HDMI is currently the most commonly used port found on modern electronics and you probably already own a few HDMI cables.

All smart TVs will have at least one HDMI port, though only newer DVD players will feature one.

So, it’s a good idea to double-check that your DVD player has an HDMI port, especially if it’s an older model.

Please note that while HDMI cables can support 4K, you will not be able to display 4K content on your 4K smart TV unless your DVD player also supports this resolution. 

Diagram

Material(s) Needed

•  HDMI cable

Setup and Connection

Step 1: Plug one end of your HDMI cable into your DVD player. Then, plug the other end of the HDMI cable into one of your TV’s HDMI ports. Take note of which port you plug it into.

Step 2: Ensure the DVD player and TV are both connected to power.

Step 3: Power your DVD player and TV on.

Step 4: Set your DVD player’s output to HDMI. This process will be different depending on which DVD player model you own.

Bear in mind that some DVD players do not have this option. If this is the case for your DVD player, proceed to the next step.

Step 5: Using your TV remote, change your TV’s input/source to HDMI. You will need to select HDMI 1, HDMI 2, etc., depending on which HDMI port you’ve plugged your DVD player into.

Presto! You’re ready to watch DVDs on your snazzy new smart TV! 

2. Composite DVD to Composite TV

Although composite cables were first invented in the 1930s, they can still be found on many modern smart TVs. Sometimes called RCA ports, composite ports are recognizable by their yellow, white, and red colored rims. 

The yellow port transmits videos, while the white and red ports transmit audio signals. 

Let’s learn how to connect your DVD player to your smart TV using composite ports! 

Diagram

Material(s) Needed

• Composite cable

Setup and Connection

Step 1: Plug the composite cables into your DVD player’s composite ports. Remember to plug each cable into the port of the same color. Then, do the same on your TV.

Step 2: Connect your DVD player and TV to power. 

Step 3: Turn on your DVD player and TV.

Step 4: If possible, set your DVD player’s output to Composite/RCA. Otherwise, skip this step.

Step 5: Finally, press your TV remote’s Input or Source button to change your TV’s input to Composite/RCA. 

3. Component DVD to Component TV

Not to be confused with composite ports, component ports are another legacy port found on TVs both new and old.

These classic ports come in pairs of five and are colored white, red, green, and blue, with three cables carrying video and the other two carrying audio.

Like composite ports, component ports are analog and are a great alternative to HDMI ports.

Let’s learn how to use them!

Diagram

Material(s) Needed

• Component cable

Setup and Connection

Step 1: Plug each of the component cables into your DVD player’s component ports. Bear in mind that the component cables must be plugged into a port of the same color.

Component cables are also meant to be plugged into their ports in a certain order, since one of the red cables handles video, while the other handles audio.

Then, plug the other ends of the component cables into your TV, ensuring both ends of the cables are secure.

Step 2: Check that your DVD player and TV are plugged into stable power sources. You may plug these devices into a power strip, but be careful not to overload it.

Step 3: Turn on your DVD player and TV.

Step 4: If your DVD player’s output must be manually adjusted, set it to Component. If your DVD player does not have this option, then it will adjust its output automatically.

Step 5: Press Input or Source on your TV remote until you see the Component source pop-up on-screen.

Bear in mind that inputs can be mislabelled, so try flipping through all of them if you’re having trouble finding your DVD player. 

4. S-Video DVD to S-Video TV

S-Video offers a great video resolution, so this may be the best choice for you if you want a clear picture without using an HDMI cable.

However, since S-Video can only carry video signals, you will need to pair your S-Video cable with two composite audio cables.

Together, these three cables will make up a high-quality, analog TV setup.

You will need to ensure that your TV has an S-Video port and two composite audio ports before proceeding with this solution.

Let’s get started!

Diagram

Material(s) Needed

• S-Video cable
• RCA Audio Cable

Setup and Connection

Step 1: Plug your S-Video cable into your DVD player and TV’s S-Video ports.

Bear in mind that S-Video cables have four round pins and one rectangular pin that must fit into the port’s pinholes.

These pins can be a bit tricky to align, so to avoid breaking them, please do not blindly and forcefully jam the cable into the port.

Step 2: Now that you’ve taken care of the video, it’s time to turn your attention to the video. Plug the red composite cable into the red composite port on your TV, then plug the white composite cable into the white port.

Step 3: If you haven’t already connected your DVD player and TV to power, do so now. Then, power both of them on.

Step 4: If you have the option to do so, change your DVD player’s output to S-Video.

Step 5: Last but not least, change your TV’s input to S-Video by pressing the remote’s Input or Source button.

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