Screen blanking on TV - making my Apple TV unusable

I have a Samsung TV (QN85), which doesn't appear to have many settings for the source that the Apple TV is connected to.

I've tried disabling match content for refresh rate and HDR - even though the refresh rate is essential otherwise I end up with choppy playback.

Tried 3 different HDMI 2.1 cables, including branded ones. Different HDMI sources on the TV.

It feels too easy to blame the Samsung TV when my Playstation 5, and a Humax PVR display no such issues.

At random the screen blanks. Sometimes until you change source and then back again. It's incredibly frustrating and has spanned multiple TVOS updates, including betas.

I'm now resorting to using the Samsung Smart Apps as even though they are clunky and sluggish compared to the AppleTV versions, they give uninterrupted playback.

Has anyone found a consistent fix for this?

I may as well bin the AppleTV as it's unusable while it continues with this 'apparent and long lasting bug'.

Apple TV 4K (3rd generation)

Posted on Sep 4, 2024 2:56 AM

Top-ranking reply

Urquhart1244

Level 10

146,758 points

Posted on Sep 4, 2024 3:34 AM

At random the screen blanks.

It is expected to happen for changes in frame rate or changes in dynamic range, when the source is an HDMI device — unless the TV supports QMS. Not sure if any Samsung TV supports QMS. None of theirs did last year.

It is up to the TV chip to adjust eventually, and thus the time it takes may differ by TV model.

The way to prevent the screen blanks from frame rate changes or dynamic range changes through HDMI, is to disable the Match Content settings on Apple TV. Then Apple TV will send a fixed frame rate and fixed dynamic range through the HDMI, so that the TV never has to adjust to changes in the HDMI signal.

I've tried disabling match content for refresh rate and HDR

That did solve the screen blanks, yes?

… even though the refresh rate is essential otherwise I end up with choppy playback.

Showing 60 Hz or 50 Hz when the source is 24/25/30 fps wouldn’t result is choppy playback. I think it is a myth. 99.9999% of the viewers are unable to notice the smart frame doubling routine, which is pretty much the same as what your TV would do internally for matched content. 25→50 and 30→60 are 100% unnoticeable (frame doubling), 24→60 uses the old tried and trusted regularity of smart 2:3 pulldown, and 24→50 is a bit more complex, but fine.

Your other HDMI devices output a constant frame rate all the time, so that is why they won’t have this symptom.

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Screen blanking on TV - making my Apple TV unusable

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