A blinking red light is a common issue with Samsung TVs that can be quick and easy to fix.
So what causes a Samsung TV’s LED light to blink red?
This article will help you identify the potential causes and how to fix the problem.
The most common causes of a Samsung TV’s blinking red light are broken power supplies, incorrect launch configurations, HDMI glitches and incorrect source selections. These issues are easily identifiable and fixed, but you may need to contact customer support if you rule out these causes.
So, if your Samsung TV has a blinking red light, don’t worry. The chances are that you won’t need to replace the TV, and resolving the issue can be straightforward. This article will help you easily fix the problem.
Common Causes For Blinking Red Lights On Samsung TVs
If you see a blinking red light on your Samsung TV, you don’t need to panic. The problem is unlikely to be beyond repair. It’s a mechanism that identifies a fault that could have created problems. These faults damage your TV and can be fixed easily without professional experience.
So, let’s take a look at some of the most common issues that cause a blinking red light:
Power Supply Issues
The most common cause of a blinking red light is that the electricity flow from the power outlet to your Samsung TV has been disrupted due to damages to the power cord, surge protector, LED backlight strips, or your home’s electricity supply.
Your Samsung TV receives too much or too little power to function properly. This has most likely been caused by a power outage or lightning storm, damage to your power cord or surge protector, or even through blown capacitors.
Try plugging your TV into another outlet and see if it works, check your fuse box for blown fuses, or purchase a new power cord to see if there’s an issue with your power supply. If it works after troubleshooting, the problem is in your power supply.
Incorrect Launch Configurations
Another potential cause of the blinking red light on your Samsung TV could be that the launch configurations have been corrupted. This can occur when your TV doesn’t connect to the Wifi or if the settings have been altered. These configurations are stored during startup.
These settings will make your TV startup faster but, if corrupted, can prevent startup.
HDMI Glitches
HDMI glitches are similar to incorrect launch configurations but are caused by using other devices, like video game consoles like PlayStations and Xboxes, as HDMI inputs. You may not have changed the HDMI source, and another device is preventing your TV from starting up.
Incorrect Source Selections
Another potential issue is when the correct source isn’t selected from the TV, creating launching issues. This is a common issue that prevents your TV from receiving the correct signal from the source.
Samsung TV Red Light Blinking 5 Times
Another easy way to identify the issue is to see how many times your Samsung TV’s red light blinks. If the red light on your Samsung TV blinks five or six times, the issue will likely be that the powerboard of the TV has a problem or the backlight LEDs have a fault.
Samsung TV Red Light Blinking 2 Times
If your Samsung TV’s red light blinks twice, the issue is likely caused by a bad power supply or an HDMI glitch.
Quick & Easy Fixes For Samsung TV Blinking Red Light
Before we go into the quick, easy fixes for a blinking red light on your Samsung TV, you need to identify the issue to isolate the problem and follow the steps below to use the appropriate solution.
Start by checking when your TV is turned on if the light on the bottom right of the screen (the standby LED) is on. Then press the power button on your remote or the TV itself and check if the standby LED light turns off. If it does, the connection between the TV and power supply isn’t faulty.
You can also lightly tap the screen with your finger to ensure that the screen is receiving power – if it blinks, it’s functioning properly.
Should the screen not blink or the standby LED doesn’t turn off, there is an issue with the screen or power supply.
Check Outlet & Surge Protector
If there is a problem with the power supply, you can fix it by replacing certain components, such as the power cord, a power board/transformer, capacitors, LED backlights, a surge protector, or a wall outlet.
Due to the cost of new power cords, replacing your surge protector or wall outlet should be your first port of call. So, plug your TV into a different outlet to establish whether the TV is the problem. If it turns on and works normally, the TV is fine, and you will need to buy a new surge protector or get an electrician to repair the power outlet.
Locate Shorted Components With Voltmeter
If you’ve ruled out a bad power supply as an option, use a voltmeter to determine where there may be a disruption to your power supply. Determine whether the electricity flows into your TV and identify where there is a disruption in the supply. The voltmeter will help you to identify where the problem is.
If you can read electrical activity at the outlet, your power cord is faulty. Suppose there’s a reading at the outlet by not the back of the TV. In that case, your power board is faulty.
If you get a reading at both, you can open up your TV to locate components that the voltmeter can’t read to identify the specific location where the power supply has been disrupted and replace the components in question. The most likely place to find a fault is the capacitors or the LED backlights.
Replacing components is a complicated affair; however, that would require a qualified electrician, so we recommend that you don’t attempt this yourself if you don’t have the necessary skills in soldering or other technical skills.
Power Cycle/TV Reset
If you’ve ruled out power supply issues, your TV may have corrupted launch configurations. The next potential issue to rule out is corrupted launch configurations. You can use a TV reset (also known as power cycling) to erase the launch configurations.
Unplug the TV from the wall outlet and hold the power button on the TV for 15 seconds. Then plug the TV back in and turn it back on. If the problem persists, you can move on to the next potential issue.
Unplug Extra Devices
If you are using additional devices on your TV, such as a PlayStation, Xbox, or cable box, it could be creating an HDMI glitch through the Anynet+ or HDMI-CEC function that automatically turns your TV on when you start your console.
This could prevent your TV from turning on. The next step is to unplug all other devices from the HDMI slots. Once everything is unplugged, turn the TV on and see if the TV starts up correctly. If it does, you can change your source to an unused HDMI input and plug the additional device(s) into the other HDMI port.
However, don’t forget to switch back to the “empty” HDMI source before switching off to avoid encountering the problem again.
Change Source Selection
If your launch configurations have been corrupted, it won’t select the correct sources. Therefore, navigate through the different source inputs to select a source that allows your TV to launch correctly. This may require a TV reset/power cycle.
Another issue may be that the HDMI case you’re using is faulty and worn out. In that case, you need to buy a new HDMI cable and try again.
Contact Customer Support
Finally, if you’ve run through and exhausted all of these potential causes and solutions, you will need to contact Samsung’s customer support line to get further advice. Sadly, if you’ve ruled these problems out, it’s unlikely to be a quick and easy fix.
You’re likely going to require help from a qualified technician to diagnose the problem and may need to send your TV in for repairs or buy a new TV altogether.
Call Samsung through their online customer support web page or telephone at +1 (800) 726-7864. Alternatively, text “SUPPORT” to +1 (800) 726-7864 or contact them via social media platforms.
Samsung TV Warranty Details
Samsung offers a one year warranty on all TVs, so if your TV is less than a year old, Samsung may accept your warranty claim and your TV may be repaired or replaced for free.
However, bear in mind that these warranty claims will only cover factory-specific faults, and they will assess whether the TV has been broken due to negligence or some other kind of interference – meaning they’ll require you to pay the repair or replacement costs.
However, if you bought your TV and the Samsung Care+ plan, it will extend your TV’s warranty, and you’ll have access to personalized customer service and troubleshooting tips.
Samsung TV Maintenance Tips
If you want to avoid a recurrence of the problems you’re struggling with, the best way to keep your TV fully functional is to practice prevention techniques through maintenance and keeping your TV in great condition.
Firstly, when you purchase your TV, peel off the plastic cover and remove any stickers or advertising material on the TV frame. These covers may appear to prevent the buildup of dust, but they do not allow the TV to dissipate heat, which will affect the longevity of your display panel over time.
Secondly, ensure that you’re using a clean, stable power supply. This is especially true if your home is susceptible to leakages or other disruptions to its power.
Always opt for the safe option and use a stabilizer (surge protector) rather than plugging it directly into the power outlet. This is an additional layer of protection and keeps your warranty in place because it often excludes damages caused by high or low voltages.
Thirdly, opt for high-quality cables. Any Smart TV on the market today is likely to use multiple input sources such as multi-channel audio systems, media players, gaming consoles, etc. Using low-quality cabling will compromise their performance and have the potential to cause unnecessary faults that would damage your TV.
Opt for smooth cabling that bends easily and with strong metal connectors. Also, check that they are made out of oxygen-free copper and use HDMI 1.2 cables at least (HDMI 2.0 for 4K and HDMI 2.1 for 8K is recommended).
Furthermore, ensure that your TV’s brightness and contrast settings remain optimal. In your device’s manual or online, the manufacturer will specify what these levels are, and if you opt for different values, your TV will likely experience pixel burning and poor image quality.
You should also avoid leaving the TV on with still images for a prolonged period, creating pixel burning and image retention.
Finally, try to clean your TV at least once a month. Use a microfiber cloth, avoid strong chemicals, and do not spray anything directly on the TV. For the TV body, use a damp cloth and then clean it again with a dry microfiber cloth to avoid potential water damage.
And, when it comes to your remote, protect it by using a silicon cover so that it isn’t mishandled by clumsy family members.
Conclusion
So, if your Samsung TV has a blinking red light, numerous common issues could be causing it to do this. There may be power supply issues, corrupted launch configurations, HDMI glitches or incorrect source selections.
You can identify the problems and solve them by checking power outlets and surge protectors, locating shorted components, power cycling, unplugging extra devices, or changing your source selection.
If you have exhausted these options, you can contact Samsung’s customer service for advice and send your TV in for repairs or be replaced. Should your TV be less than a year old, your warranty will be valid, and you can replace or repair your TV at no extra cost.
However, ensure that you don’t try to repair the TV yourself without any technical skills because this could make your warranty null and void.