Connector

A connector is a plug or socket that joins two pieces of electronics so they can be connected and pulled apart again. A TV has dozens, from the HDMI and USB ports on the back to small sockets inside that link its boards.

Each one is a few parts put together. The contacts are stamped from thin strip of phosphor bronze, which bends like a spring and grips the matching pin firmly. They are then plated: a thin layer of gold where they touch, because gold never tarnishes, and tin on the tails that get soldered to the board. A body of PBT plastic is injection molded to hold the contacts in place and insulate them from each other. Sockets like HDMI and USB also get a steel shell that adds strength and shields against electrical noise. The exact plastics and platings vary by maker.

In the TV, connectors form the plugs on each end of the wiring harness and the LED strips, carry power in and out of the power supply board, link the timing controller board to the main board and panel, and give the main board its HDMI, USB, network and antenna sockets.