How to Connect a Security Camera to a TV Without HDMI
By Marlo Strydom · Updated
Plenty of CCTV gear can reach a TV without HDMI. The two usual routes are the TV’s yellow composite video jack and a VGA cable from a recorder. The catch is that both ends must use the same video signal, not just the same plug.
Start with the recorder you have
First, decide whether you’re connecting one camera straight to the TV or showing your cameras through a DVR or NVR (the box that records them). If you already have a recorder, its display outputs are usually the best place to start.
Identify both ends of the connection
Check the port labels and the manuals for the camera, recorder and TV. Write down both the plug type and the video format for each one.
A DVR usually takes analog cameras over coax cable, while an NVR takes video from network (IP) cameras, as Lorex’s recorder overview explains. Some hybrid models do both, so check your recorder’s actual inputs and outputs.
Swipe across the table to see all three columns.
| Your equipment | Possible route without HDMI | What must match |
|---|---|---|
| Camera with a CVBS (standard composite) output; TV with a composite AV input | Coax video cable plus a BNC-to-RCA adapter where needed | Both must use composite video and the same TV standard (NTSC or PAL). |
| DVR or NVR with VGA output; TV with a VGA (PC) input | VGA cable from recorder to TV | A resolution and refresh rate both devices accept. |
| Recorder with a composite video output; TV with composite input | Recorder video output to the TV’s AV input | Confirm the jack is a video output, and check which view it shows. |
| HD analog camera using TVI, AHD or CVI; TV with composite input only | A recorder or powered converter that clearly supports both formats | A simple plug adapter will not turn HD analog video into CVBS. |
| Network camera with Ethernet or Wi-Fi only | A compatible recorder, decoder or supported viewing app | The receiving device must be able to decode the camera’s video stream. |
CCTV Camera Pros explains why the format matters in its CCTV-to-TV connection guide, which separates composite cameras from HD analog ones.
Connect a composite camera to the TV’s AV input
This only works if the camera really sends CVBS composite video. A BNC plug alone doesn’t prove that, because cameras with the same plug can send a different signal. CCTV Camera Pros shows a working direct hookup in its camera-to-TV support answer.
- Make sure the camera outputs CVBS. If it supports several formats, use its manual to switch it to the right output mode.
- Find the TV’s composite video input, usually a yellow RCA jack. Some TVs need an AV breakout cable made for that model, so check the TV manual before buying one.
- With everything turned off, run a video cable from the camera’s video output to that input. Add a BNC-to-RCA adapter if needed (BNC is the twist-lock CCTV plug, and RCA is the round TV plug).
- Power the camera with its specified power supply, turn on the TV, and choose AV, Video or Composite as the source.
The red and white RCA jacks are normally for audio, not the camera picture. A direct hookup shows live video but doesn’t record it. If both plugs fit but there’s no picture, check the signal type before you replace the cable.
Use the recorder’s VGA output
If your TV has a VGA input, connect it to the recorder’s VGA output and set the TV source to PC or VGA. Pick an output resolution both devices support. The recorder’s VGA port may offer different resolutions than its HDMI port, so check the manual.
VGA carries video but no sound, as Reolink notes in its NVR display port guide. If you need sound, check whether both devices have a separate audio connection.
If the TV shows the recorder’s startup logo and then goes blank, the output resolution may be the problem. Borrow a screen that works to change it in the recorder’s settings. Reolink’s no-video troubleshooting page covers cable, display and resolution checks for its NVRs.
Check a recorder’s composite output carefully
A DVR may have a row of BNC jacks for cameras plus a separate jack for video output. Plugging the TV into a camera input won’t show a picture. Look for labels like Video Out, CVBS Out or Spot Out, and confirm what they do in the manual.
A spot output may show one camera or cycle through cameras, without the menus and layout of the main screen. For example, the Viewtron VT-DVR-4 specifications list HDMI, VGA and a CVBS output that works as a main or spot output.
If your camera only connects to the network
An Ethernet port carries network data, not a ready-to-show picture. Plugging an IP camera into the TV’s network port won’t turn the TV into a camera screen. You need a device that can receive the video and show it, such as an NVR with a display output.
If you’d rather skip cables, see whether your camera maker offers a viewing app for your exact TV platform. A smart TV can’t open every camera stream.
A computer you already own may be the easier screen. Our guide to viewing CCTV on a laptop over the local network covers that route. The separate laptop screen connection guide explains why a laptop’s HDMI port is usually an output.
Before buying a converter
Write down exactly what you need, such as “camera’s TVI output to TV’s composite input.” Then make sure the converter clearly lists that direction, video format, resolution and power needs. A product listed only as a “BNC adapter” doesn’t tell you enough.
If nothing you own lines up, compare the full cost of a converter with using another screen you already have. Our guide to choosing a screen for CCTV helps you check inputs and screen size before you spend money.
