Fios triple play, expanded tv, I bought Samsung smart tv, want to use laptop with hdmi to connect to
deelurker
Newbie

I bought a Dell small laptop with HDMI SLOT, AND WANT TO CONNECT TO STB TO be able  TO VIEW MOVIES FROM EXTERNAL HDconnected to laptop . Is that possible?  With no other adapters or would it be better to HDMI directly to new Samsung smart tv?     Help, very much appreciated.  Thanks in advance 

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Re: Fios triple play, expanded tv, I bought Samsung smart tv, want to use laptop with hdmi to connec
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

No. The HDMI on the STB is a output. You will have to connect the STB and laptop to the TV individually into two different HDMI ports. 

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Re: Fios triple play, expanded tv, I bought Samsung smart tv, want to use laptop with hdmi to connec
deelurker
Newbie

ThNks for the answer.   I have kept searching for info on cnet, Samsung etc and found meanings for arc,mhl dvi and am more confused than ever.

here is status. I have the arris series 1100 STB, Samsung 43 inch new tv, smart,4K. Of which I no almost nothing, being old, I gave up keeping up with latest, greatest info some years ago and now have a new tv. Woohoo.   Just found out about USB c, and all that.  Also I bought at same time with tv the sound bar system Samsung , just read instructions for that.never got a manual with tv, so I downloaded PDF version, which of course doesnt match tv  exactly.  I have less sockets than depicted.

so here is where I am now.   The tv has hdmi socket labeled STB/DVI.   Now that confuses me since DVI  carries NO sound.  Number two slot has HML, NUMBER THREE HAS ARC.     SOUNDBAR INSTRUCTIONS SAY I HAVE TO CONNECT  ARC TO ARC, BUT MENTIONS BOTH SET TOP BOX  AND SOUND BAR...DUH, ONLY ONE ARC ON TV.   Haven't called fios tech help yet and am calling samsung tomorrow for details.  Still no idea how to connect PC to TV to transmit video and sound from digital movies on PC external hard drive which shouldn't matter whether internal or external drive, either coming through pc.  Question is what are USB sockets for on STB?  Also on Tv one USB says camera?  Does that mean video and sound?  Other USB on tv has 3.0 so what can I input there ???   All confusing, too many options of how to hook up vid and sound using fios cable box.   I downloaded Samsung emanual and it only ,

makes matters worse.  Seems Samsung promoting the tv as stand alone entertainment center such as saving programs, recording shows, favorites etc as well as obtaining internet access directly via wireless and viewing Hulu and Netflix as I said too much info. by having extended fios,i have dvr, favorite channels choices,some internet access, Hulu, Netflix, YouTube and others I never use.   Phew, plus all the smart things tv does,voice control, motion control and on and on, e manual is well over 100 pages.    Worse than buying salad dressing in supermarket ,   Crap, I just want my fios back with ability to use my laptop to flow my movies and tv  shows on the screen with sound.   Any help if you have the knowledge for all this greatly appreciated ,

tom herron

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Re: Fios triple play, expanded tv, I bought Samsung smart tv, want to use laptop with hdmi to connec
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

Ok so DVI, ARC, and MHL...

Some older HD boxes had a DVI output. So one end of the cable was DVI and the TV end was HDMI. That was video only so you also needed to run white/red composite wires for sound. 

MHL is for typically connecting a mobile device like smartphones and tablets to your TV to stream. It also passes power so the device charges while you are watching/streaming something. 

ARC is to send sound in both directions. So your soundbar would manage all the HDMI devices rather then the TV. Basically one HDMI cable would go from soundbar to the TV. And all your devices would plug into the soundbar. Does your soundbar have multiple HDMI inputs? If it only has one input then don’t worry about the ARC because that would limit sound to just the STB. 

Now there is probably and optical cable that came with your soundbar. Connect one end to soundbar and other end to TV. Then connect STB to say HDMI 1 and laptop to HDMI 2. This will provide soundbar’s sound to both devices. 

USBs on TV can power up a Amazon Firestick or Chromecast without having to use the supplied power adapter. The USB 3.0 is probably for hooking up external hard drive for the Smart TV DVR feature. All those features are there because alot of people only stream but still want the same features they had on cable. 

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