Why does my Samsung QN90C keep losing HDMI signal?

AM Amy1987 IE 📗 Student 👁 53 ⚑ Report TVs

Got this TV last year and it's been great, but lately when I switch between my streaming devices it takes forever to recognize the HDMI input. Sometimes I have to unplug and replug the cable. Is this a common issue or is my TV dying?

3 answers

★ Best answer

The HDMI handshake issue on these sets can be stubborn, and it's usually not a dying TV - just Samsung's firmware being finicky about switching sources quickly. Before you keep unplugging cables, try setting your streaming devices to a lower resolution output (like 1080p instead of 4K) and see if that stops the signal dropout; a lot of folks find the TV doesn't negotiate the handshake properly at higher bandwidths when jumping between inputs. You could also try leaving about 30 seconds between switching devices instead of rapid-firing through them, which sounds annoying but actually trains the TV's HDMI controller to behave itself again.

Your TV's probably not dying - this is actually pretty common with Samsung's HDMI implementation, especially when switching between devices quickly. First thing to try is going into the TV's settings and disabling HDMI enhanced mode on the ports you're using, since that sometimes causes handshake issues. Also make sure you're using high-quality HDMI cables rated for 2.1 spec; cheap cables can be finicky about recognizing devices, and I learned this the hard way when my own setup started acting up after I'd been using some sketchy cable for years. If that doesn't help, a factory reset on the TV might do it, but if it persists you'd probably want to contact Samsung support since the QN90C is still relatively new and should be under warranty.

Are you using the same HDMI port for all your devices, or switching between different ports?

The earlier answer's on the right track, but I'd actually push back a bit - this doesn't always point to Samsung's firmware. More often it's either a cable degradation issue or the TV getting confused about handshake protocols when devices have different resolutions or refresh rates. The QN90C is a solid TV and shouldn't be having this problem out of the box, so something's changed.

Before diving into settings, try this: swap out your HDMI cable for a new one (grab a certified high-speed cable, not the cheapest thing on Amazon). Sometimes the connectors get microscopically corroded or the shielding deteriorates, especially if cables are near heat sources or bent awkwardly. Also try using different HDMI ports on the TV itself - port 3 or 4 sometimes handles device switching better than ports 1 and 2 depending on the panel. If you're bouncing between, say, a Roku and a PlayStation, make sure both are updated to their latest firmware too.

If the cable swap and port rotation don't fix it, then reset the TV's HDMI settings. Go to Settings > General > HDMI settings and look for options like "HDMI Enhanced Format" or "Auto Input Change" - toggle these off and back on. If it's still acting up after that, Samsung's support can remotely check the HDMI module, and if it's within warranty they'll either fix it or replace the panel. But honestly, nine times out of ten it's the cable.

Your answer

Log into answer.