why does Netflix app on Samsung smart TV not work. get black screen. Samsung no help with 5 resets. all other apps work.

[normus]

oes Netflix app on Samsung smart TV not work. get black screen. Samsung no help with 5 resets. all other apps work. Wi-if not problem. Help?

 

[Dyoung1119]

oes Netflix app on Samsung smart TV not work. get black screen. Samsung no help with 5 resets. all other apps work. Wi-if not problem. Help?

 

[Matthew_169]

It seems to be a cache issue.
All i had to do was to turn my tv off at the power source, then re-start it.... just like that it went from a black screen to working smoothly

 

[Zealousellis]

Hey, just hold down the power button while the tv turns off and back on, the hard reset will close out the apps. Netflix will work again, guaranteed.

 

[Evansjr98]

Unplugged from power source, wait a few moments, plugged back in and good to go.

 

[May Day]

So after you hit the smart hub button on your remote hoover to the netflix app. Once there click tools on remote and hit reinstall!

 

[Maeve1956]

I have a Samsung UN55HU8550FX. It is 2 years old. It is connected to my home network via ethernet. I have very strong, reliable high speed internet.

I have had nothing but trouble with the Netflix app on this TV since I bought it. It works perfectly for about 2 days after it is powered on, then it begins to misbehave - starting as soon as Netflix loads, when it kicks me out and makes me reload it. On the third day, every time I watch a program and try to fast forward or rewind, it either loads audio but no video, or video but no audio. By the fourth day, every time I fast forward or rewind the screen goes black and Netflix freezes. By the fifth day nothing works at all. If I then unplug it for 5 minutes, the whole process starts over again.

I have tried every suggestion I could find on various forums and tech sites, I have had lengthy conversations with Samsung senior tech support representatives. At first Samsung blamed it on my internet connection, which was a bogus suggestion. Then they insisted I reinstall the SmartHub, which did not fix the problem. Then they insisted I upgrade the firmware, which did not fix the problem. Then they made various changes in the settings, which did not fix the problem. Then they told me to reload the Netflix app, which did not solve the problem. Then they blamed Netflix, saying this problem happens when the Netflix servers are busy. This is unlikely to be my problem, as I mostly watch TV between 11 pm and 4 am U.S. time, which is hardly peak TV viewing time.

Then they said "Just unplug it every 5 days" but I told them this was a completely unacceptable solution. I did not pay $1500 for a TV that I have to unplug every 5 days.

After these conversations with Samsung I got assertive and asked to speak to a senior engineer. I told him it was obvious that the Netflix app has problems, because 1) I have no problem with Netflix on my PC; 2) I have no problem with Netflix on my older, Sony TV in the bedroom which uses a Roku to connect to Netflix; 3) I have no problem with the Hulu app on Samsung TV; 3) I have no problem with the YouTube app on Samsung TV; and 4) I have no problem with the Acorn app on Samsung TV.

The senior engineer listened, agreed that rebooting every 5 days was an unacceptable solution, and said a more senior engineer would contact me within 24 hours. Amazingly, they actually called back the next day. The more senior engineer agreed that the Netflix app was buggy, and said they would work with Netflix to get a new one, which he thought would be available within one month (that would be January 2017). I will believe it when I see it.

If this TV was a computer I would know exactly what was wrong with it. I know very little about TVs, but I have 25 years experience with computers, so if it was a computer I would guess it had a cache problem and the cache was filling up as days go by and not being cleared out. This would explain why it works OK for 2 days, then slowly works less and less, after which unplugging it for 5 minutes works - could it be clearing the Netflix cache? I find nothing online that specifically mentions a cache.

Why only the Netflix app has this problem, and not Hulu and YouTube and Acorn, I couldn't say. Perhaps those apps are written to clear the cache upon closing? Just guessing.

At my last job we had a problem with some fax server software where the software would stop working on an end user's PC if there were more than 99 files stored in the TEMP folder. I installed software that the cleared the TEMP folder every time the users logged in, and presto chango! The fax software never misbehaved again. This is what makes me think there might be a cache problem with the Samsung Netflix app. As I said, I am not a TV expert, but it seems like a logical idea.

I have read on several of these forums that turning off "Instant On" solves the problem. Netflix Tech Support never suggested this. I have just turned it off. I will let you know in 5 days if that solves the problem.

 

[Ddr3917]

oes Netflix app on Samsung smart TV not work. get black screen. Samsung no help with 5 resets. all other apps work. Wi-if not problem. Help?

I have encountered this numerous times. Believe it or not, I fix it by UNPLUGGING the TV from the power source for a few minutes then plugging back in, turning on, Netflix resets. I have found if I exit Netflix via EXIT Netflix instead of just backing out with remote button, I've solved the problem with Netflix black screen no longer happening anymore. So I believe it's more an issue with how the app is closed than with smart hub or the app itself.

 

[Maeve1956]

Update: Today is the fifth day since I turned off "Instant On" and the problem I reported above has not reoccurred. I must therefore conclude that turning off "Instant On" on my Samsung TV resolves the problem.

Apparently Samsung and Netflix tech support do not know this, because they never recommended this as a fix. Should I tell them?

I did have a strange problem with Netflix and fast-forwarding/rewinding on the third day, but it may or not be related. After fast forwarding 5 frames, I hit the "Play" button and it didn't stop fast forwarding. In fact, it just kept fast forwarding. The only way I could stop it was to Exit from the program I was watching. I tried rewinding, and it wouldn't stop rewinding if I pushed the "Play" button, just kept rewinding. If I exited Netflix and tried again, it kept doing the same thing. I turned off the TV, waited a few minutes, went back into Netflix, and it continued to happen. I was using the Smart Remote, so I switched to the Standard Remote, and had the same problem. I then switched to my Logitech Universal Remote, and had the same problem. So I turned the TV off and went to bed. 12 hours later when I turned on the TV, the problem had gone away. I cannot explain this. It has NEVER happened before. Maybe it's a coincidence. Maybe not.

 

[Maeve1956]

oes Netflix app on Samsung smart TV not work. get black screen. Samsung no help with 5 resets. all other apps work. Wi-if not problem. Help?

I have encountered this numerous times. Believe it or not, I fix it by UNPLUGGING the TV from the power source for a few minutes then plugging back in, turning on, Netflix resets. I have found if I exit Netflix via EXIT Netflix instead of just backing out with remote button, I've solved the problem with Netflix black screen no longer happening anymore. So I believe it's more an issue with how the app is closed than with smart hub or the app itself.

Yes, this works, but I refuse to keep unplugging my $1500 TV every 5 days for the rest of my life. For that much money, I should not have to do that. I do not have to do that on the $250 TV in my bedroom.

 

[danskyhawk]

Hey, just hold down the power button while the tv turns off and back on, the hard reset will close out the apps. Netflix will work again, guaranteed.

Thank you! This worked.

 

[Maeve1956]

Hey, just hold down the power button while the tv turns off and back on, the hard reset will close out the apps. Netflix will work again, guaranteed.

Thank you! This worked.

I believe you, and thanks for the tip. But I am not going to do that several times a day for years and years. A TV should work without having to play these kinds of games every time you turn it on or off, particularly a very expensive TV.

 

[Chris_2216]

Just an FYI, out of the blue Netflix and Amazon Prime wouldn't stream on my Samsung Smart TV. I found this thread and eventually discovered the unplug it step. I incorrectly assumed powering it off with the remote was adequate (which didn't fix it). After unplugging it and restarting, both Netfix and Amazon work correctly again. Thanks all for posting. I'm sure this was faster than waiting on hold....

Thanks Bill. UNPLUGGING and plugging back in worked after reloading the app didn't. Seems like Samsung or the apps for it have some bugs being worked out. Every once in a while I have to reload Netflix or Amazon. This time unplugging the TV did the trick. Wish there was a way to hard restart without unplugging it though.

 

[danskyhawk]

Just an FYI, out of the blue Netflix and Amazon Prime wouldn't stream on my Samsung Smart TV. I found this thread and eventually discovered the unplug it step. I incorrectly assumed powering it off with the remote was adequate (which didn't fix it). After unplugging it and restarting, both Netfix and Amazon work correctly again. Thanks all for posting. I'm sure this was faster than waiting on hold....

Thanks Bill. UNPLUGGING and plugging back in worked after reloading the app didn't. Seems like Samsung or the apps for it have some bugs being worked out. Every once in a while I have to reload Netflix or Amazon. This time unplugging the TV did the trick. Wish there was a way to hard restart without unplugging it though.

I believe a permanent solution would be to safely exit the netflix app after watching a show or before switching to another app. You have to hit the back button all the way until you get to the profiles menu. There is a button on the right that says Exit.