Here’s a story that just happened to me last weekend. I was poking through some stuff in a closet and I came across… a VHS tape. Yes, kids, a real honest to cobalt VHS tape. When I brought the subject up, it turns out it was a video copy of a friend’s daughter’s wedding. Best we can figure, it was done about 2003. No one in the house remembered watching it, and I like to take the VCR out every couple of years to make sure it still works in some capacity. So, I plugged in that VCR next to the TV. I plugged the trusty old yellow, white, and red RCA cables into it. And then… I went to the TV.
The TV didn’t have any trusty old red, white, or yellow ports. I hadn’t much thought of that. It had a 3.5mm jack marked “A/V.” I pulled out the manual and other stuff from when I bought it. There was a little dongle that looked something like this:
So OK, I figured, there was the fix. You connect that to the A/V port and then you have your familiar connections. Seemed pretty simple. Except, it didn’t work. This whole time I had the TV, I never tested the thing and now either the cable or the port was broken. I had a very similar looking cable from another TV and I tested that too. No dice. So that port was obviously broken.
Saved by the box
Luckily I had a Tech Choice RCA Stereo Audio Video to HDMI Converter/Scaler left over from a previous video I’d made. It powers using a USB port, either from your TV or from a typical phone charger. Its sole purpose in life is to convert from RCA to a more familiar HDMI cable. And you know what? It worked. It took about 2 minutes to connect and suddenly I was watching a wedding from almost 20 years ago. I was once again a hero in the home, and all because of this little box.
Don’t think the same thing won’t happen to you. We all give in to the urge to toss responsibly recycle those old electronics we never thought we’d need. And we don’t think to test everything about our new purchases while the warranty is still in force. Little doodads like this give you a second chance to use old technology in a more friendly way. Best of all, like this HDMI converter, they’re usually dirt cheap and easy to store. Get one of these, put it in a drawer, and I guarantee you’ll use it sometime. I know I did.
Solid Signal has it
Solid Signal has this converter and thousands of other little bits of gear to help you live your best digital life. You won’t find most of this stuff at other e-commerce sites, not even the big ones. That’s the magic of Solid Signal. Shop now, and you’ll find everything you need. But what if you have questions? That’s the best part. We have free tech support before, during, and after the sale. Call us at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. If it’s after hours, fill out the form below. We’ll get back to you, usually within one business day.
