Some new TVs still accept composite AV, but there is no universal port list: an exact model may have yellow/red/white RCA jacks, a model-specific AV breakout jack, or no analog AV input at all. Check the TV’s full model number and official specifications before buying it or an adapter.
What counts as an AV input?
“AV” can mean several different connections. The familiar yellow, red and white RCA plugs carry composite video and stereo audio: yellow is video, red is right-channel audio, and white (or sometimes black) is left-channel audio. Composite carries an analog standard-definition picture.
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Component video is a different analog format, commonly using green, blue and red plugs for video, with separate audio connections. The red video plug is not the same signal as the red right-audio plug in a composite set. Sony’s legacy-connection guide treats the two formats separately.
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Why the answer varies by TV
Analog connections have not disappeared from every current television, but their availability depends on the exact model, screen size, model year and market. A family name or a review of a similar-looking set is not enough to confirm compatibility. Roku’s TV port guide, for example, applies to Roku-branded televisions and distinguishes them from televisions made by other manufacturers that use Roku software.
Some TVs provide composite through three RCA jacks. Others use a small 3.5 mm jack with a specific breakout cable that separates into RCA plugs. Still others omit analog AV input. A 3.5 mm socket might instead be a headphone output, so its shape is not proof that it accepts AV. Sony recommends checking the exact reference guide or connectivity specifications in its port guide.
LG’s US help page, dated August 14, 2025, says the analog audio-video input option was dropped on some newer digital televisions to make room for more HDMI and USB ports. That describes LG’s account of its product change; it should not be read as a claim about every manufacturer. See LG’s guidance on connecting older devices.
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How to check a specific TV before buying
- Find the full model number. Check the back of the set, its box or its settings screen. Roku says that for its televisions, the number may be found on the back, on the box, or under Settings > System > About in its port guide.
- Open the manufacturer’s page or manual for that exact model. Confirm the regional model code as well as the family name; port counts and specifications can differ between models and markets.
- Look for explicit analog-input wording. Search the specifications or reference guide for “Composite Video Input,” “AV IN,” or a specified AV mini-jack. Check whether a required breakout cable is included or must be obtained separately. Philips explains the use of a model-specific AV lead in its composite-connection guidance; Sony also advises checking the exact model documentation in its port guide.
- Match the source’s output to the TV’s input. Yellow/red/white plugs indicate composite; green/blue/red video plugs indicate component. If the TV has only HDMI, you need active conversion matched to the source format, not just a cable with different plugs.
Choose the connection that matches both devices
| Source output | TV connection | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Composite RCA (yellow video, red/white audio) | Composite RCA input | A composite AV cable, or the TV’s specified breakout cable if its input is a mini-jack. |
| Composite RCA | HDMI only | An active composite-to-HDMI converter. A plain RCA-to-HDMI cable does not convert the signal. |
| Component video (YPbPr) with separate audio | Component input | A component-compatible cable and input, following both devices’ instructions. |
| Component video (YPbPr) with separate audio | HDMI only | An active component-to-HDMI conversion path that supports the source’s signal and handles its audio connections. |
Composite and component are different formats, so a composite-to-HDMI converter is not the right match for a component source. Sony’s legacy-connection guide distinguishes the formats. The manufacturer documentation cited here does not establish one universally compatible component converter; check the specific converter’s supported resolution and audio handling.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Connect a composite device to the TV
If the TV has RCA composite inputs
- Connect the source’s yellow plug to the TV’s composite video input.
- Connect red to right-channel audio and white—or black if the TV manual specifies it—to left-channel audio.
- Turn on the source and select the TV’s AV or composite input using its source/input control.
TCL’s VCR connection instructions specify the yellow video, red right-audio and white or black left-audio assignments. TCL recommends HDMI where available as manufacturer guidance, noting that it carries audio with video over one cable; this is not an independent quality test.
If the TV has an AV mini-jack
Use the breakout cable specified for that TV model. A generic 3.5 mm audio cable is not necessarily wired for composite video, and two visually similar AV leads may use different pin assignments. Check the set’s manual or parts information before connecting one. Philips describes a composite breakout connection in its support guidance; Sony likewise recommends verifying the exact port and model guide in its connectivity article.
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If the TV has HDMI but no analog input
Put an active composite-to-HDMI converter between the source and TV, then connect the converter to an HDMI input. Confirm the converter accepts the source’s signal and follow its instructions for power and audio. LG describes third-party analog-to-HDMI conversion as one possible route in its older-device guidance, while stating that it does not endorse the example product.
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Converting a signal changes its connection format; it does not add detail that was absent from the original video. Composite is standard definition, so its picture may look soft or show artifacts when enlarged on a large modern screen. LG specifically cautions about the picture-quality limits of connecting older devices in its support article. Converter results vary, and no universal plug-and-play behavior or performance level can be assumed.
Quick Recap
- Check that the converter’s input matches the source: composite or component.
- Check that its output matches the TV: usually HDMI when the set has no analog input.
- Confirm how it handles audio as well as video; composite stereo audio uses separate RCA plugs, while HDMI carries audio with video.
- For a TV mini-jack, verify the exact breakout cable before purchasing a converter or lead.
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