There are two things that I always look forward to after coming back from work – A game of basketball with my friends and catching up on the latest developments in the world of sports.
This Monday was no different.
After a tiring game of basketball, I sat in front of my TV to watch ESPN.
As usual, I tried switching on my TV with the remote, and nothing happened.
I tried a couple of more times with the same outcome until I saw the red light on my 55” TV blinking.
The moment I saw that it sent shivers across my body as I realized that there was something wrong with my TV.
I then decided to get to the bottom of it and here I share my observations and a tip that would help you fix a red light blinking issue with your TV.
The red light blinking issue on your Samsung TV can be fixed by power cycling your TV. Switch off your TV, disconnect the power cable and wait for at least a minute before powering back again. Surge protectors are also known to cause this problem and replacing them with a new one is also an effective fix.
Power Cycle your TV
Before you start with the troubleshooting process, try this simple but effective step that can fix the issue of the red light blinking.
Power cycling can fix issues related to hardware and software glitches.
This will also restart all the apps as well as the TV’s operating system.
You can do this in two ways – with a Samsung remote and without.
If you have your Tv’s remote controller, do the following
• Ensure your TV is on.
• Press and hold the power button in your remote until the TV switches off and boots back again.
If you don’t have a remote or are unable to find it. Don’t worry, Just follow the steps below.
• Keep the TV turned on.
• Now, unplug the TV from the power socket and wait for a minute. This step helps to remove any residual power from the TV.
Check your TV’s Remote control
The first step in diagnosing a red light blinking issue on your TV is to check your TV’s remote control.
A faulty remote can cause the red light of your TV to blink.
A weak signal from the remote might not be sufficient to turn the TV on and the blinking red is an indication of this.
A weak or drained-out battery might be the reason.
Replace the batteries of your remote and check.
If that didn’t work, try using another remote.
You could ask your friends for theirs if they too have the same TV model as yours instead of buying a new one.
You could also think of using a universal remote control.
If any of these solutions work, it is time to replace your remote.
It could also be that there could be some obstruction between the TV’s Infrared (IR) receiver and the remote.
Look for any obstructions and remove them if you find any.
Point the remote directly toward the TV as the IR receiver might not be able to detect the signals coming from its periphery.
Power supply interruptions
A red light blinking issue could also crop up due to an erratic or discontinuous supply of power.
Check your TV’s connection with the power source to ensure there are no loose connections.
A bad power cable too can cause this.
Confirm whether the power cable is not bent or broken.
If yes, replace the cable immediately as a broken cable is an electrical hazard.
Check the power ports of your TV.
Look for any darkening or oxidation marks on the ports. If you find any of these, it is better to get the port replaced.
Try Another Power Outlet
Another probable cause for the red light to blink is a faulty power outlet.
Try plugging your TV into another outlet and check.
If your TV works, then the problem was with the power outlet.
You could also check the outlet with another appliance like a night lamp or try charging your phone by plugging in a charger into the socket.
Functioning power outlets supply the appliances with good quality power and it is a prudent practice to frequently check your power outlets for corrosion and loose connections.
Another reason for the power outlets not supplying power could be a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker controlling that outlet alone.
Open the power distribution board of your house to check this.
Worn-out surge protectors
The problems due to faulty surge protectors are many. Red light blinking issue is one among them.
The use of surge protection devices has increased widely over the past few years.
Companies are offering multi-socket power boards with surge protection capability which are ideal for connecting home theatre systems and other electronics.
Surge protectors normally use a Metal Oxide Varistor and have a life of 3-5 years.
It could be that the Surge protector might have got damaged due to a power surge or may have worn out over time.
Try running your TV with an alternate surge arrester if you have one.
Look for bad capacitors
The biggest reason for the red light of your TV to blink is a faulty capacitor.
Capacitors are pivotal components of any power supply circuit.
Capacitors, when exposed to high voltages might get damaged and this can lead to problems with the quality of the power supply.
Look for capacitors that are smoked or bulged. If you find any, get them replaced and check.
Unplug your external devices
Disconnect all the other devices connected to your TV and power up.
If your TV turns on, it could be that one of the external devices was interfering with the smooth functioning of your TV.
HDMI connections are very notorious for causing a red light blinking issue.
Check Your HDMI Inputs
HDMI is the acronym for High-Definition Multimedia Interface.
It was developed by 7 leading TV manufacturers along with Intel as a substitute for analog video signals.
With the advent of the HDMI interface, it has become very convenient for us to connect to a lot of external devices and enjoy high-quality video and audio.
As with any technology, there are certain drawbacks and HDMI too has its share of problems.
HDMI cables connected to TVs from external devices have been identified as one of the potential causes for the red light blinking issues in Samsung TVs.
HDMI glitching can also lead to this issue.
HDMI cables transmit data up to 40Gbit/s and faults in the communication between the TV and the peripherals might prevent the TV from starting up.
Inspect your HDMI cables for any fractures or bending.
You can try with a spare HDMI cable and check whether the problem persists.
Try plugging the cable into other HDMI ports. If the TV boots up, then the cause was a faulty HDMI port.
A related problem is a wrong source selection.
If you have accidentally chosen the wrong source, remove all the inputs and try plugging them back in one by one till the TV starts back again.
Check for Main Board / Power Board Failure
If you are reading this, that probably means none of the above solutions worked.
The only logical conclusion is that there could be an issue with your power supply board or your main control board inside your TV.
As most TVs utilize LEDs, it becomes necessary to supply them with the recommended power.
This is accomplished by the power supply board which steps down the mains voltage and conditions it before feeding it to the LED strips.
A faulty power board is another leading cause of the red light blinking issue in TVs.
Faults with the main controller board too can lead to the same issue.
Since these boards have complicated circuits, it is best left for the experts to fix these.
A word of caution – Do not try to repair the TV by yourself until and unless you are certified to do so.
By doing so you might void the warranty of your TV and also run the risk of permanently damaging your TV and yes, getting an electrical shock.
Factory reset
Factory resetting your TV is also a remedy and has been reported to work.
I would suggest you do a factory reset only if you have exhausted all the other options.
Factory reset will completely wipe out all data from your TV and you would have to set up your TV from scratch.
Claim Warranty
Before calling your repairman, confirm whether your TV is covered under warranty.
If yes, contact Samsung and ask for help.
If they say the damage is not repairable, ask for a replacement.
In the event that your TV’s warranty has expired, you can take help from a third-party repair service.
Wrapping Up
The red light blinking condition in Samsung televisions is one of the most common problems reported.
This problem has many implications and it might be something related to your TV hardware or may allude to a software issue.
It has been seen that power supply issues generally lead to this issue.
Other causes include faulty HDMI connections, blown fuses, worn-out surge-arresting devices, and malfunctioning power boards of the TVs.
The solutions given above will help you fix the red light blinking issue as long as the issue is not caused due to an internal hardware problem of the TV.
In the event none of the solutions work, contact Samsung for help and warranty-related queries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the red power light on my TV blinking?
A red light blinking issue alludes to a hardware or software malfunction in the TV.
Power cycling the TV will most probably help fix this.
How do I reset my Samsung TV if it won’t turn on?
Power off the TV and unplug it from the power socket.
Wait for at least 60 seconds and plug the TV back again and power up.
Why is my TV not turning on but the red light is on?
This points to a remote whose battery has drained out.
Replace the batteries of your remote and try again.
