Can I connect my Macbook to my TV using an adapter

Cyflor-N-Ac wrote:

I have an HDMI to HDMI cable at my home. But the problem is my MacBook air 2017 only has a thunderbolt and USB 2.0 port. If I but an HDMI to USB adapter. Would I be able to connect my laptop to my home TV (It's a TCL btw)

No. USB doesn't normally transfer video directly. Most adapters that claim to do this, exhibit a lot of issues.

You can get a Thunderbolt to HDMI Adapter for that, and it should work fine, as thunderbolt can provide a video signal.

A 2017 MacBook Air would have

• A Thunderbolt 2 port, with a Mini DisplayPort connector, that can double as a Mini DisplayPort
• Two USB-A (USB 3.0) ports, which do not carry video signals

To connect the MacBook Air to a TV in a wired way, you would need a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter. (Since Mini DisplayPort and DisplayPort have the same signals, you could daisy-chain a mDP-to-DP and DP-to-HDMI adapter in a pinch. But watch out for total cable length.)

You also might be able to use AirPlay. This connection method is lower-quality, but is wireless. To use AirPlay, you would need something like

• A "smart" TV that has AirPlay support,
• An AirPlay-compatible set-top box (like an Apple TV box), plugged into your TV, or
• An AirPlay-compatible streaming stick (like some Roku sticks), plugged into your TV

Use AirPlay to stream what’s on your Mac to an HDTV - Apple Support

Cyflor-N-Ac wrote:

For my specific macbook, I would need a thunderbolt 2 to HDMI adapter, right?

I don't think there are such things as "Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI adapters". (Excluding Thunderbolt 1 and 2 docks.)

Your Mac's Thunderbolt 2 port can provide either a Thunderbolt signal or a DisplayPort signal, as needed. Thus, you'd be looking for a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter or adapter cable.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=mini+displayport+to+hdmi

A Mini-DisplayPort to HDMI adapter.

But a search for Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI adapter will still yield results for Mini-DispayPort.

Servant of Cats wrote:

I don't think there are such things as "Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI adapters". (Excluding Thunderbolt 1 and 2 docks.)

If you are being very strict about it, no, there are no actual Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI adapters.

But given that no Thunderbolt 2 port lacks DisplayPort support, the difference is fairly academic.

Though the inverse is not. Mini-DisplayPort ports do not support Thunderbolt 2.