How to Fix an HDMI Port on a TV

Today, the HDMI (High Definition Media Interface) is an important component when it comes to home entertainment. It’s a standard connection for most entertainment devices, including the best TVs. Game Consoles, Set-top boxes, media streamers, and soundbars can connect to your TV with HDMI.

Connecting your devices through an HDMI cable might fail. Therefore, learning how to fix an HDMI port on a TV will go a long way in reducing your out-of-pocket expenses by buying a new one. Why is this important? Because knowing how to connect a DVD player to a TV correctly will help improve your overall viewing experience at home.

What causes TV HDMI Problems?

HDMI was an ingenious invention that makes it possible to connect all your entertainment devices with one cable for both video and audio. However, to do this, the devices at hand need to be able to communicate with each other through HDCP (High Bandwith Digital Content Protection).

When media devices are able to recognize and communicate with each other, it’s called an HDMI handshake. If this handshake doesn’t occur, it means the HDCP encryption in the HDMI signal was not recognized by one of the devices. When this happens, you’ll be unable to stream movies or play video games. You can experience a loss of sound or a black screen. In the case of the latter, you can easily find out how to fix a black screen on tv. Additionally, if you see a black screen, it could be a sign of a blown fuse.

How to Troubleshoot a Faulty HDMI on a TV

Fortunately, TV owners can troubleshoot HDMI problems to determine the cause of connection issues.

1. First, check your HDMI cable connections to ensure that it is fitted tightly on both your Television and device. Sometimes, the HDMI cable might slip out since they are not designed to fit tightly. This can be a problem for some streaming devices like Chromecast for your TV, which has a dongle that could cause it to slip out because of the weight.
2. Change your device’s turn-on sequence. If you usually turn on your TV before your device, try switching the sequence. For future reference, note down the most ideal turn-on sequence.
3. Try connecting your device using a different HDMI input. Use your TV remote to select a secondary input, and physically change it on your devices too. It is essential that you select the correct input for the device you want to use. At times your device might be connected to a specific channel and will require the user to select that channel on their TV remote. And if you ever have trouble with your remote, we have a great article on how to fix TV remotes.
4. Find out your device’s resolution setting. If your device has an HDMI menu setting, ensure the video resolution is set at AUTO. Alternatively, reset it to match Your TV resolution.
5. In case your device is plugged into an audio receiver, disconnect the HDMI connection and plug it into your TV. If it works, there’s a problem with your audio receiver. Make a separate connection on your audio receiver from the device to the TV with the HDMI source still connected to your TV. Do this until you can determine the problem with the audio receiver. You may also have to fix a high-pitch noise from the tv if you are experiencing this audio problem.
6. Search online for firmware updates for your HDMI device, TV, audio receiver, or console.
7. In case you find out that the problem with the connection is the HDMI input on your device, you can still use the device’s audio input to transmit sound from the HDMI device. If that particular HDMI port is bad and you can’t use it anymore, you can read our guide on how to add HDMI ports to your TV to take advantage of the other ports.

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