Samsung TVs are amazing for their HD quality and ultra-smooth textures; it’s one of the best TV brands in the market, which is why it’s so annoying when an internal issue causes the quality to degrade. Here are some quick fixes you can do in case your Samsung TV is dark on one side.
Samsung TV is Dark On One Side
Is your Samsung TV Dark on one side? We’re sorry to hear that; it can be extremely detrimental to the image quality and viewing experience. It might not be very noticeable, but it’s prominent enough to distract you during your favorite show. But why does this happen?
Well, it could be because of several reasons. Maybe it’s an internal software issue, or perhaps it’s because of a loose cable connection. Alternatively, it could be because of a poor signal or because your device cannot catch the signal. Confused already?
We understand that manually fixing the TV by yourself can be a daunting task, especially if you have no clue what you’re doing. But don’t worry; we’ll take you through this process step by step and make sure we come up with a solution.
Reasons Why It Might Happen
Problem With Connection Board
Sometimes, your Samsung TV might have some problems with its on-screen menu capabilities. This usually happens in case of a damaged FPC cable or T-con board. However, we can’t be sure of it unless we check the OSD menu.
How To Fix
The first thing you should do is check the OSD Menu on your Samsung TV. OSD stands for On Screen Display; check whether it’s working by simply using the TV’s remote control. Change the volume, or press the menu button to check if the On-screen Display is working.
If you don’t see any issues with the OSD, go ahead and check the main board and LVD cables. 9 out of 10 times, the problem will be because of dirt or debris being accumulated on the FPC cable contact pins. Inspect it properly and clean out any dust or dirt from the contact pins.
Loose HDMI Connection
Your Samsung won’t be able to display crystal clear visuals if there is a bad HDMI connection. Often, the primary reason for having a partially dark or black screen is that the HDMI cable isn’t connected enough to do its job.
How To Fix
Simply inspect the HDMI slot with your hand and check if it is loose. You should firmly connect the HDMI cable to your TV; if you can move it around with your hand, it’s definitely too loose.
Tighten the connection with your hand and make sure the cable is firmly attached to the slot. Most HDMI cables have tiny rotating sticks on the sides, which you can use to tighten the grip. Make sure you have fixed these sticks properly by rotating them until they are locked.
TV Has Dirty Ports
Ports are quite sensitive as they are designed to transfer signals and frequencies across different mediums. The nature of these ports makes them susceptible to dirt and debris forming on the surface over time.
What’s more, most ports carry tiny dots, each playing a critical role in ensuring the smooth flow of signals. So getting even one of these dots or slots dirty can ruin the entire connection.
How To Fix
Inspect all the ports on your Samsung TV and give them a thorough clean-over. Don’t just clean the port’s surface; you’ll need to go inside too. Make sure there is no leftover debris stuck inside the dots. Blow into the port a few times to flush out dust and see if the image quality improves.
Power Saving Mode
Did you know that you’re Samsung TV doesn’t always need to be on full power mode? You can make it so that your TV smartly uses only a small portion of energy to maintain its day-to-day functionalities.
Power saving mode is a nifty feature that you can use to reduce energy consumption. It has several benefits, from reducing your electricity bill to ensuring your eyes don’t get strained after several hours of viewing.
While there are many benefits of power saving mode, it can sometimes create a dark patch on one side of your TV. Alternatively, it might also create a black shadow on a corner or particular area of the screen.
How To Fix
You should first open the menu option; do this by going to ‘home’ and then ‘settings.’ From there, you can adjust the picture settings to see if you can remove the dark patch. The ideal setting would be to have a clear, concise, balanced picture without any visible glitches, dark spots, or blurry edges.
The issue lies with the TV’s power-saving function if that doesn’t work. Turn off the power saving mode and switch off your TV; make sure you unplug the power cable. Wait for around 30 seconds to 1 minute, then plug it back again. Switch the TV back on and see if the problem is gone.
If this doesn’t work, the only thing you can do is restore the TV to its factory settings. Sometimes the visuals might become corrupted due to incorrect settings, so restoring them to their natural state might just get the job done.
Interference From Apps
We often like to connect our phone to the TV and run applications like Youtube on a bigger screen. While this is perfectly normal, it might sometimes get in the way of the TV’s core functionality. It’s difficult to explain why this happens, maybe the application is incompatible with the TV’s firmware, or maybe there is a glitch in the app that gets transferred to the TV.
How To Fix
The only way to fix this issue is to restore your TV to its factory settings. Doing so will log out any connected apps and remove anything you might have personally installed on your Samsung smart TV. So please be aware that the process will delete all your stored data, cookies, or other information from the smart TV.
Faulty LVDS Cable Connection
The LVDS cable is crucial for receiving crystal clear picture quality that you can be proud of. However, the connection might loosen over time, hampering the signal and resulting in visual interference or poor video quality.
In most cases, this will result in a red-colored effect spreading all over your screen, or at least on one side. In other cases, it might also result in half the screen becoming darker than the other.
How To Fix
Fixing this problem is simple; just ensure the LVDS cable connector is firmly fitted on the main board. Gently touch the connection and feel if it has loosened; observe whether or not the connection point is vulnerable and ajar.
Apply some pressure on the connection point and see if that strengthens the connection. Also, observe any changes on your TV screen; in most cases, applying pressure on the link will cause the issue on your screen to come and go. That’s how you’ll know if the problem lies here.
If the connection point is too loose, you might be unable to fix it by simply adjusting the LCD cable. In this case, you’ll need outside help to nip the problem in the bud. The best way to do this is by using some kind of tape or silicone glue manually fix the connection and make sure it doesn’t come loose again.
Faulty Capacitors
A dark patch on one side of your TV screen can sometimes be due to broken, faulty, or dead capacitors. These little battery-like objects are extremely crucial for the TV to work at full capacity. Any issues with them will likely make the screen develop a dark patch, dim the entire screen, or cause the screen to flicker rapidly.
If a capacitor gets damaged, it will likely ooze out certain chemicals, which can cause a series of issues for your TV if left unchecked. Alternatively, it might also emit a puff of smoke or some acid, damaging your TV even more.
How To Fix
Inspect the capacitor and see if there are any visible issues with it. You can spot a damaged capacitor by its shape; bad ones will most likely be deformed, wet, or oozing out thick chemicals.
It is pointless to repair a capacitor after it has gone bad, so there’s no need to try and salvage it. In this case, you can only replace all the capacitors in your TV with brand-new ones. Ensure you install them properly and check the TV to see if the problem persists.
Dust Stuck Between Backlight And Screen
If you haven’t cleaned your Samsung TV in a while, chances are the insides are filled with dust. A build-up of dust between the backlight and the screen will result in some visual problems, including a dark patch on one side of the TV screen.
We recommend opening up your TV and checking inside for dust, debris, small objects, or even dead insects. Clearing out the dirt and cleaning up the area will solve the issue.
How To Fix
We recommend getting a partner to help you out with this, as he will need to hold the TV while you unscrew it open. Alternatively, you can hire a technician to do it for you if you aren’t familiar with the process.
Carefully open the TV screen and inspect the area for any dust, debris, or small objects stuck there. Gently clean the area with a cloth, or blow on it to remove the dust. Make sure nothing is sticking in between the screen and the backlight; even a tiny object can cause major interference to the TV’s visual capability.
Faulty Backlight
If your Samsung TV still has a dark patch or shadow on one side of the screen, chances are the backlight has gotten damaged over the years. A faulty backlight can cause a strain of problems, so you should immediately replace it.
How To Fix
There’s no way you’ll be able to do this on your own unless you’re a trained technician experienced with repairing smart TVs. So, we recommend hiring a professional to come in and replace your TV’s backlight to avoid any further complications. Your TV should return to normal after installing a brand-new backlight.
Faulty LED Strip
Your Samsung smart TV might display a dark patch on one side because of a faulty LED. In case you didn’t know, your Samsung TV’s backlight is normally laced with an LED strip.
This strip is quite vulnerable to physical damage; it could come loose, get misplaced, or simply get damaged if you aren’t careful. If your TV is a few years old, chances are it’s been through some kind of physical wear and tear in the past. This can form a dark or red patch on the screen or make the screen darker or dimmer.
How To Fix
You will have to get behind your TV and unscrew all the screws connected, approximately 15 to 20 in total. Then carefully lift up the TV’s back panel and unscrew the metal sheeting to look inside.
You will spot a bezel inside; this is the part that holds the backlight diffuser in place. Remove the bezel so you can see the backlight; now, simply remove the LED strip and replace it with a new one.
Some people might suggest replacing a single LED to save up on money, but we don’t recommend doing this if you want a long-term solution to the problem. While replacing a single LED might be more economical, it just leaves more issues to arise in the future.
What To Do If, For Some Reason, Those Fixes Don’t Work?
Smart TVs are complex devices filled with intricate parts and complex internal structures. A tiny issue with any of these different internal will likely result in a string of external problems, which will reflect on the visual and audio quality.
While repairing these internal issues yourself can be quick and economical, there’s no guarantee it will actually resolve the problem. If that’s the case, we recommend bringing in the experts and having them take a look.
If you’re in need of a Samsung technician, do reach out to them at 1-800-SAMSUNG (726-7864). They will be able to troubleshoot the problem in no time and offer a viable solution that ensures the best result.