Insignia TV Black Screen: Fix It In 60 SECONDS [2023]

One of the frustrating issues that Insignia TV owners may encounter is a black screen.

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I have encountered the same issues recently and poured more than 12 hours into researching and fixing the issue myself.

To save you time and money, I have compiled this list of troubleshoots that can help you fix your Insignia TV.

Why my Insignia TV Screen is Black?

The Insignia TV shows a black screen for several reasons.

1. Power issues: One of the most common is a power problem that the power cable, power plugs or surge protector can cause.
2. Input issues: Another cause is the incorrect input selection.
3. HDMI connection problems: A faulty HDMI cable or a loose connection can also result in a black screen. There is also a possibility of a faulty HDMI port.
4. Hardware issues: In some cases, internal components of a TV can also cause the “No Picture” issue, such as a faulty backlight, T-CON board or faulty power board.

Most of these root causes are simple to address despite being seemingly complex. However, if you want to dive into the internal hardware of your TV, it is best to have a technician handle it for you.

The sooner you find the real culprit behind the issue, the sooner you will be able to fix the issue.

Black Screen with Sound – The Sound Test?

Before moving on to solutions, you need to perform a sound test. A sound test ensures that your Insignia TV is powering ON and only the display is not working.

To perform this test, power your TV ON and turn the volume to max.

If you hear any sound coming from your TV, you can proceed with these troubleshoots; if you are still not hearing any sound that, jump to method #10.

How to Fix Insignia TV Black Screen?

Now you know what is causing the issue and how you perform the sound test before moving with the troubleshooting methods.

You are good to proceed with the troubleshoots.

I have found 15 troubleshooting techniques to solve this issue, and you must follow these fixes.

1. Power Cycle your Insignia TV

Let’s start with the power cycle (also called soft reset), as it is the most effective way to troubleshoot any minor issue with any electronic device.

Simply follow these steps for power cycling your Insignia TV:

1. Unplug your TV from the power source.
2. While your TV is unplugged, press and hold the power button on the TV for 30-60 seconds. (It will drain all the charge from the TV.)

3. After 30-60 seconds, release the button and leave your Insignia TV unplugged for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Then plug it back into the power outlet and turn it ON.

Congratulations, you have successfully power cycled your TV.

If it works and your TV is showing display, great; if not, continue with other troubleshoots listed below.

2. Inspect your Insignia TV’s Power Cable

The condition of your TV’s power cable matters a lot regarding maintenance.

So, you must ensure that the power cable is in good shape without any wear and tear and is plugged securely into the TV and the power outlet.

If you find that the power cable of your TV has tearing on it, you must buy a new one and replace it with the old one.

If it is in good shape, you can skip this step and move on to the next step.

3. Plug your TV into a Different Power Outlet

Just like the power cable, the power outlet can also be the culprit. The outlet may be faulty and not supplying enough current for the TV’s display to function correctly.

With that said, you can try to plug your TV into a different outlet to see if the black screen disappears.

Or if there is no outlet close to the current one, and you don’t want to bring your TV close to another outlet, you can plug another small appliance into the existing outlet to see if that appliance works properly.

If it does work correctly, you can move on to the next step, and if it doesn’t, you know whom to blame for the black screen issue.

4. Remove the Surge Protector and Connect your TV Directly

The use of power surge protectors is widespread because of the potential dangers posed by voltage spikes and spikes in frequency.

Try plugging your Insignia TV directly into the power outlet without using the surge protector to see if it resolves the issue.

Although it seems like not big of a solution, it works most of the time.

5. Select the Correct Input Source

There is also a possibility that you have selected an incorrect input source, which is why your Insignia TV is showing a black screen.

You must select the correct input to ensure your TV gets any signals from a streaming device (such as PlayStation, Roku, Cable Box, etc.) to display on the screen.

To fix it, pick up your TV’s remote and follow these troubleshooting steps:

1. Ensure your TV is powered ON.
2. Find and press the “Input button” on the bottom side of the TV to open the input selection list.
3. Now press the button a few more times until the input of your choice is highlighted, and wait a few seconds.
4. The TV will then switch to that input source.

That is it.

6. Inspect the HDMI Cable and Properly Connect It

Just like you had examined the power cable, you must also investigate the HDMI cable. There is a possibility that your HDMI cable is damaged and not transferring the signals.

Have a thorough look at your HDMI cable, and if you find any tearing, get a new one and replace it to see if it fixes the issue.

If there are no signs of tearing, plug it correctly into both ends (the TV and streaming device.)

Follow these steps:

• Remove the HDMI cable from the TV and streaming device.
• Thoroughly examine it for any issues. If you find it to be damaged, get a new one.
• Plug it back in securely and tightly.

If you are using other cables to transmit signals, such as RCA or Coaxial, you can also examine those cables.

7. Inspect the HDMI Port

A faulty HDMI port is another known case for Insignia TV’s black screen.

To inspect it, you can try to plug your PS5 into HDMI port 2 and then switch the input on your TV to HDMI 2, and if you see the display, you can be assured that the HDMI 1 port is damaged.

You can replace the port yourself at home if you have experience with electronics, but if you have no prior experience, I suggest you seek help from an expert.

8. Try to Perform the Factory Reset

You can also try to perform a factory reset, but it will require you to have the display, else you won’t be able to do it.

8.1. How to Reset Insignia TV with Black Screen?

So, follow these troubleshooting steps:

• Unplug your TV.
• Press and hold the power button of the TV, and while holding the button, plug the TV back into the power outlet and turn it ON.

If your TV shows you the Insignia logo while getting into recovery mode, you can proceed with this method; else, you can skip this method and continue to Fix #10.

Follow these steps if you see the Insignia TV logo:

1. Release the power button.
2. You will get to Insignia’s recovery boot.
3. Now press the power button on the TV repeatedly until you see “Wipe Data/Factory Reset” highlighted.

4. Now press and hold the power button again until the highlighting colour turns green.
5. A warning will appear; press the power button to accept it and select “Yes.”
6. It will factory reset your TV and ask you to select the option “Reboot system now.”
7. Press the power button one last time to select it.

Your TV is now factory reset; hopefully, the black screen will be gone for good.

Here is an amazing video which can help you factory reset your Insignia TV.

9. Inspect your Insignia TV’s LED Backlights

When the backlight or blue light stops functioning, the TV shows a black or very dark screen which is almost not viewable in normal conditions.

In that case, we perform a small test using a torch. You can perform it by following these troubleshooting steps:

1. Ensure you have your TV plugged into a power outlet and powered ON.
2. Now get a torch and light it directly on your TV.
3. If you can see some pixels or pictures with very low brightness, that concludes your TV’s backlight is broken.

If you can see the reflection of the torch, that indicates the backlight function correctly.

Here is an excellent video on this torch test.

Changing the screen’s led strips may resolve the backlight issue. Though it is a somewhat complicated process, thus I suggest you have a professional repair it.

10. Blow the Warm Air inside the Vents of your TV

After weeks or months of inactivity, the capacitor in your TV may begin to deplete or undergo a change in capacitance. When this occurs, powering your TV might result in a black screen.

Well, the solution is simple, you will have to recharge the capacitors by providing some warm heat!

All you have to do is to pick a hair dryer (or a hot air blower) and blow it on your TV’s vents. Follow these steps, and you will be able to do it yourself:

1. Power ON your TV.
2. Plug your hair dryer into a power outlet.
3. Turn your TV backwards or wherever the vents are for your TV model.
4. Blow the hair dryer onto the TV vents from a distance of 15-20 inches for 30 seconds.
5. Now unplug your TV and plug it back in after 5 seconds.

That is it, you have artificially recharged the capacitors, and hopefully, if the capacitors were causing the display not to work, it will work properly now.

11. Inspect the Power Board

There is a good chance that your Insignia TV’s power board (power supply board) is malfunctioning, and you must either replace the board itself or the capacitors on it, in case it is fixable by just replacing the capacitors.

You must open your TV in order to get to the power board.

Get a microfiber cloth, a container, and a Philips screwdriver to get started.

1. Use the microfiber cloth to clean a table, and put your Insignia TV upside down on it.
2. Using the Philips screwdriver, unscrew the back of the TV.

Now you are inside your TV, and you need to have a close look at the power board and follow these steps:

• Smell the power board. (If you smell anything burnt, you must replace the power board.) – If you are going to change the whole board, it can cost you around $50.

• If you find some of the capacitors on the power board are dead (brown liquid coming out of them, or their top part is bulged), you can just replace the capacitors, or you can still choose to replace the whole board. The choice is yours. – Changing capacitors is a little more tough procedure than changing the whole board but will cost you only $2/capacitor.

Here are a few other signs that indicate a blown capacitor:

• An opening on the top part of the capacitors. (A kind of a blown “X” mark like in the image above.)
• A leakage from the capacitors.
• A corrosive layer on the capacitors’ legs.

Watch this video; it will help you analyse the situation of the capacitors on your TV.

If a capacitor shows any of the symptoms above in the video, you should replace it immediately.

With that said, let me tell you the step-by-step process of replacing capacitors and changing the whole power board.

11.1. How to Replace Capacitors on the Power Board?

Follow these steps to remove a dead capacitor:

You need a soldering iron to remove the capacitor. (Don’t pull out the capacitors with force, as it will damage the board.)

• Detach all the cables connected to the power board and unscrew the board to remove it.
• Closely inspect the attaching pins of the capacitors on the board, and find their exact location on the backside of the board.
• When you find the connecting pin on the backside, use a heated soldering iron to apply the pressure on the pin, and when it melts, pull out the capacitor from the other side.

Follow these steps to place the new capacitor:

• Get the replacement capacitors with the same Voltage, temperature, and Micro farad ratings as the old ones. (If you cannot find capacitors with the same ratings, you can get the ones with slightly higher ratings; lower won’t work at all.)
• Place the new capacitor in the same position where you removed the old one. (If you don’t remember the exact position, you can look at the picture of the board you have taken before getting to work.)
• Once you find the exact location, place the capacitors, and solder them from the back of the board like the old ones.

After you are done soldering all the faulty capacitors, plug the cables into the power board, and try to power ON your TV without closing its back because you don’t want to re-open it again if it doesn’t work, right?

If all goes well, you will have a working Insignia TV without a black screen; otherwise, you may have to replace the whole board.

11.2. How to Replace Insignia Power Board?

1. Note down the model number written on the power board.
2. Order a replacement board from Amazon or your preferred store.
3. Put the new power board there and screw it in its dedicated place.
4. Carefully attach the cables to the new power board.
5. Screw the back again.

Connect the power cable back to the TV, and turn it ON. Hopefully, it will turn ON, and you will have the display again.

12. Inspect the T-CON Board

All Insignia LCD TVs include a timing control (T-CON) board for the image and other functions to work as intended. This board provides the vertical and horizontal lines necessary for all TVs.

An LCD driver chip, a part of the T-CON board, regulates the brightness of the LCD backlight. If the T-CON board fails, it will significantly reduce the brightness. The result is a fading of the colours.

The good news is that you can buy replacement T-CON boards on Amazon or eBay for reasonable prices.

13. Contact Insignia Support

If none of the above solutions works, it’s best to contact Insignia Support for further assistance.

Or you can contact them directly on their helpline number 1-877-467-4289 from (8 AM till 9 PM Central Timezone.)

They have a dedicated team of technical experts who can help diagnose the issue and provide appropriate solutions.

These troubleshooting steps are general suggestions and may not resolve all issues. If your Insignia TV black screen is still there, it’s always best to seek professional assistance from the manufacturer or authorized service for your specific model.

Other than that, if your TV is still under a 1-year Insignia warranty, you can claim it, and they might send you a brand-new TV and take the current one back.

How to Prevent Insignia TV Black Screen from occurring again in Future?

Follow these steps to prevent any harm to your TV, including black screens, from happening again in the future:

• Cable Care: Ensure you have plugged all cables connecting your TV to devices securely and tightly. If using HDMI cables, consider rotating ports to distribute wear and tear.
• Firmware Updates: Keep your TV’s firmware up to date by checking the manufacturer’s website. Updates often fix bugs and enhance performance, reducing the risk of black screen problems.
• Power Source Stability: Connect your TV to a stable power outlet. Avoid power strips and outlets prone to surges, which can protect your TV from power fluctuations.
• Cooling and Ventilation: Maintain proper ventilation around your TV. Avoid blocking airflow with objects to prevent overheating and potential shutdowns.
• Careful Remote Use: Handle the TV remote to prevent damage to the infrared sensor. Avoid dropping or hitting the remote.
• Scheduled Inspections: Regularly check your TV for signs of wear, damage, or unusual behaviour. Early detection can prevent power-related issues from escalating.
• Environment Considerations: Place your TV away from direct sunlight and moisture. These conditions can affect internal components and lead to power-related problems.
• External Devices Maintenance: Keep external devices updated and properly maintained to ensure they don’t impact your TV’s performance.
• Proper Cable Connections: Regularly inspect and secure cables to prevent power and display issues.
• Power Surge Protection: Invest in a high-quality surge protector to shield your TV from sudden power surges or electrical interference.

Following these preventive steps can significantly reduce the risk of power-related issues and ensure your Insignia TV’s long-term functionality.

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