As the owner of a TV that has suddenly developed a purple tint, I was frustrated and wanted to find out what was causing it and how to fix it. After doing some research, I wanted to share what I learned and the solutions I discovered in this blog post. I’ll be talking about the potential causes of a purple tint on your TV, the pros and cons of different solutions, and some tips and tricks to help you get the best outcome.
Generally, purple tinting on TV is caused by HDMI issues, incorrect cable components, improper color calibration, and LED backlight faults. Solutions range from changing the TV’s settings to replacing the backlight LED strip.
| Issue | Explanation | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Loose or Damaged HDMI Cable | HDMI cables transmit video and audio signals. When not inserted properly or damaged, they can cause color distortion, including purple tinting. | Remove and reinsert the HDMI cable, ensuring a proper connection. If the issue persists, replace the HDMI cable. |
| Component Cable Issues | Component cables (green, red, and blue) transmit audio and video signals. If loose, damaged, or connected to the wrong input, the picture quality can be affected, including a purple tint. | Unplug and reinsert the component cables, ensuring each color is inserted in the correct slot. If the issue remains, inspect and replace the cables if needed. |
| Improper Color Calibration | Accidental changes to the TV’s color settings can result in a purple tint. | Go to your TV’s display settings and adjust hue, contrast, saturation, etc., until the purple tint disappears, or reset the display settings to default. |
| LED Backlight Issue | Modern TVs use LED backlights to illuminate the screen. Damage to these backlights, such as from power surges or driver board issues, can cause purple tinting. | Take the TV to a professional technician to inspect and replace the defective LEDs. |
| Soft Reset | Technical glitches in a device’s internal memory can result in a purple tint. | Perform a soft reset by turning off the TV, unplugging it from the wall outlet, waiting 60 seconds, then plugging it back in and turning it on again. |
| Hard Reset | A hard reset involves resetting the TV to its factory defaults, which can help solve display issues. | Perform a hard reset according to your TV model’s specific instructions. For Samsung TVs: Head to Settings > General > Reset > Enter your PIN > Select Reset. (Default PIN is 0000 if unchanged) |
Table of Contents
Loose or Damaged HDMI Cable
HDMI cables are responsible for transmitting both video and audio signals from one device to another. When not inserted properly, they can negatively impact TV color and resolution.
Old, damaged, or loose HDMI cables can result in distorted, pixelated, or blurry image quality, and would often cause purple tinting on TV screens.
As such, it’s important to ensure you buy a high-quality HDMI cable from an established brand or source to guarantee optimal performance.
How to Fix
The solution to this problem is as simple as can be. First, remove the HDMI cable from both devices. Then, turn off the TV and the source (if any).
After about five minutes, reinsert the HDMI cable in both devices. Make sure both ends are firmly and correctly attached to the devices before turning the TV back on.
If the problem persists, there might be an issue with the HDMI cable itself. It might have some internal wiring issues or is simply too old to work properly. It might also have physical damage to the wires or general wear and tear.
Common signs of a bad HDMI cable include:
- Blurry or fuzzy picture
- Intermittent picture
- Poor screen resolution
- Discoloration (i.e., purple tint)
- Poor sound
Test the status of your HDMI cable by inserting it into a different device. If the screen quality doesn’t look good on the other device, it’s time to replace the HDMI cable.
Loose, Damaged, or Incorrect Component Cable
Like HDMI cables, component cables transmit audio and video signals to your TV.
They come in three lines of different colors: green, red, and blue.
The red and blue cables, also known as the Pr and Pb cables, bring out the red and blue components of the video. The green cable, also known as the Y cable, transmits brightness information.
When these cables are loose, damaged, or not connected to the right input point, the picture quality won’t render as it should. The TV screen will appear blurry, fuzzy, or discolored with a purplish tint.
How to Fix
To fix this issue, it’s simply a matter of unplugging the component cables and plugging them back in. Make sure each color is firmly and properly inserted in the correct slot.
If the purple tint still remains, there might be an issue with the component cables. Inspect each cable thoroughly; if there are any signs of wear and tear, replace the cable.
Improper Color Calibration
Improper color calibration is another common cause of purple tinting on TV. You might have accidentally pressed the wrong button or switched the TV’s color around when adjusting some other TV settings, which might be the reason for the purple tint on the TV.
How to Fix
To solve this issue, you’ll need to go to your TV’s display settings. From there, you’ll be able to adjust the TV’s hue, contrast, saturation, and the like. Adjust them until the purplish tint disappears, or reset the display settings to default.
LED Backlight Issue
Modern TVs use LED backlights to illuminate the TV screen and add vibrancy and depth to bright colors. They’re situated behind the TV’s LCD panels, so they’re directly responsible for any odd changes in color on the TV.
Though TVs have gone a long way since their inception, they’re not immune to LED backlight issues. TV backlights can get damaged due to sudden power surges, driver board issues, or when dropped or made contact with liquid. Defective LED-backlit displays can cause purple tinting on TV, often as a result of dead or burnt circuits.
How to Fix
Unfortunately, there’s no easy fix to this problem. If you’re not experienced with TV repair, it’s best to take the TV to a professional to avoid further damaging the display. The technician will open the TV, inspect the LED backlights, and replace the defective LEDs with new strips of light.
Try a soft reset
A soft reset, is where you turn off the TV and unplug it from the wall outlet. You then usually have to wait for 60 seconds then you can put the plug back in and turn the TV on again. Performing a soft reset clears a device’s internal memory of running programs, which often clears up any technical glitches.
Try a hard reset
A hard reset involves completely resetting the TV to its factory defaults. Most TV models have specific instructions. However, if you have a Samsung TV here are the steps to follow:
To perform a factory reset:
- Head to Settings > General.
- Select Reset.
- Enter your PIN > then select Reset.
Note: If you didn’t change your PIN initially the code is 0000
Conclusion
Purple tinting is a relatively common display issue on TVs. It’s caused by multiple reasons, including loose or damaged cable components, improper color calibration, or LED backlight issues.
In most cases, removing and reinserting the cables fixes the problem. If that doesn’t work, you might have to visit a technician. The purple tinting could be a result of burnt or damaged LED backlights.
Read more: TV won’t turn on but red light is on
