I recently purchased a Fire TV and was excited to start watching my favorite movies and shows. However, I quickly noticed that the picture was very dark and I couldn’t see the colors and details clearly. I was frustrated and didn’t know what was wrong. After doing some research and testing, I have come to the conclusion that there are a few reasons why my Fire TV is so dark and I want to share my findings and solutions with other owners.
Your Fire TV can be dark upon startup or while streaming because of a hardware problem. There could also be an issue with your internet connection or the operating system of your device.
| Tips |
|---|
| A soft reset can often resolve the Fire TV going dark issue. |
| Accessories, such as HDMI extenders and USB cables, can cause the picture to be dark. |
| A bad internet connection can cause the Fire TV to be dark. |
| Overheating can also cause the Fire TV to be dark. |
| A start-up glitch can cause the Fire TV to be dark. |
| Confusing the input information can cause the Fire TV to be dark. |
| Issues with Amazon servers can cause the Fire TV to be dark. |
| Updating the operating system can help resolve the issue. |
Table of Contents
Why is My Fire TV so Dark and How to Fix it?
Using your Fire TV, you can turn an old TV into a smart one, streaming multiple services whenever possible. But having a dark screen can be extremely annoying whether you’re trying to watch your favorite movie or reading the subtitles on a foreign film.
Nevertheless, this problem doesn’t mean that your Fire TV is doomed, and there are actually several ways to tackle it.
Do a soft reset
Often, a soft reset is all that is needed. To do a soft reset, simply unplug the Fire TV from the wall outlet and wait for 60 seconds before plugging it back in again.
Accessories Issue
Your Fire TV could be too dark because of a problem related to its accessories. You can start to unplug and plug it in again and see if it improves. You can also switch the HDMI port and see what happens.
Using an HDMI extender can solve this issue. This extender guarantees that your Fire TV is properly inserted, protects the device from overheating and improves internet connectivity.
You should also check the USB cable you’re using. It should be tightly fitted to your device and TV. Changing the cable might solve the issue. It’s always recommended to use the original cable that comes with your device to make sure that it’s compatible with your device and provides enough power to operate it.
Internet Connection
A bad internet connection is usually the culprit in many Fire TV issues. It’s recommended to have at least 10 Mbp speed for 1080p and 20 Mbp speed for 4K streaming, or your device won’t work as expected.
When the connection is too slow, the device spends time buffering, so the screen goes dark. Upgrade your internet connection and make sure that there are no obstacles that interfere with the Wi-Fi connection. You can also use an Ethernet cable if the connection is unstable.
Overheating
If you live in a warm climate and you’re using your Fire TV all the time, it will be prone to overheating. Your device is designed to work for extended periods, but you should still let it cool down a bit. Unplug your device and wait until it cools down, and then use it as usual.
Start-Up Glitch
You might experience a dark screen on your device if it goes through a technical glitch while starting up. In this case, restarting your device might solve the issue. Just go to Settings, Press My Fire TV, and then click Restart, and your device should work normally.
You can also use the remote by holding the Select and Play button for a few minutes to force restart your device. If this doesn’t work, unplug the Fire TV from its power source and plug it in again.
Check Input Information
While pairing your Fire TV with your TV, you might confuse the input information. If you’ve set your input source to one HDMI port and connected your device to another port, the TV won’t recognize your device, and the screen will go black.
Make sure that the input information matches and unplug your device, and then plug it in to test streaming. Things should work fine once you’ve had this issue resolved.
You should also make sure that the HDMI port on your device is compatible with your device. For example, an old TV will face compatibility issues if you’re using a Fire TV 4K, which needs an HDMI port that is able to handle a higher refresh rate.
Check the Servers
Your Fire TV might go dark because of a problem with Amazon servers. If there’s an international problem and the servers are down, you’ll just have to wait until Amazon resolves the issue. This usually doesn’t take much time.
Update the Operating system
You might have missed the most recent Fire TV updates, which is why it’s flickering and going dark. Updating the operating system is easy, as you only have to go to Settings, check My Fire TV, and then press About. You can then check for any new updates and wait until they install.
This should resolve any technical issue you’re dealing with. However, if none of these solutions work, your Fire TV might have a bigger problem. In this case, you should contact Amazon and see how they can help you with this issue. They could tell you how to resolve this issue or offer to replace your device.
Conclusion
Nothing feels more frustrating than the Fire TV going dark while you’re watching your favorite show. However, there are several reasons why this happens and numerous solutions you can try.
In most cases, changing the accessories and restarting the device will help resolve this issue. However, if this doesn’t work, you might have to upgrade the system, change the TV, or have your device replaced.
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