Insignia Fire TV Black Screen With Sound? (Quick Fix!)

We understand how confusing the Insignia Fire TV black screen with sound could be, but don’t assume the worst just yet.

The black screen with sound could be appearing due to a variety of different issues, and some of them include:

Don’t worry–in this quick guide, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step troubleshooting to help you diagnose and resolve the issue momentarily.

Let’s get into it…

Insignia Fire TV Black Screen With Sound – Quick Solutions!

📍Note: Have you tried unplugging the Insignia Fire TV from the power outlet for 60 seconds?

1. Try to Change the Source

The first and easiest step is to try changing the source of your Insignia Fire TV, which will show you whether the display is working or not.

To change the source, just use the built-in “Input” button on the back TV panel.

When you press the button once, the source menu should appear. 

If you can see the “Source” menu, this means that the TV screen is working well, and you are most likely viewing an input from a connected device.

Try to change the source by using your remote and select the “FIRE TV” source to start viewing the default view of the Insignia Fire TV.

2. Inspect the TV HDMI Input

If you see a picture when you’re viewing the “FIRE TV” source, but one of your HDMI inputs is only showing a black screen with sound, it’s the HDMI connection.

Your Insignia Fire TV has 3 HDMI input ports (e.g., HDMI 1, HDMI 2, and HDMI 3), so you must test with a different HDMI port on your TV.

If you still see a black screen with sound, restart the input device or test with a replacement HDMI cable.

The bottom line here is that the problem is not with your TV.

📍Note: It’s crucial to use one of the video-dedicated HDMI ports on your Insignia Fire TV and avoid using the HDMI-ARC port for video transferring devices.

3. Unplug Connected Devices

Well, if you’re seeing a black screen with sound on your Insignia Fire TV, even when viewing the  “FIRE TV” source, connected devices could still be responsible.

So, here at ZontSound, we always recommend unplugging everything except the power cable of your Insignia Fire TV.

This way, you’ll eliminate the possibility of connected devices interfering with the picture of your Insignia Fire TV and accurately pinpoint the culprit for your black screen.

💡Tip: If the black screen disappears, start reconnecting your external devices one by one to diagnose where the problem comes from.

4. Try via External Input Device

If you see a black screen with sound when viewing the “FIRE TV” input source, maybe there is a software-related bug or glitch with the TV. 

That’s why the next step is to try using your Insignia Fire TV just as a monitor, and determine if the screen is not working or it’s a software-side problem.

To do so, connect an HDMI device to one of the HDMI ports on the TV and use the “Input” button to switch to the correct HDMI port.

If you can see the picture on the external input, but not on the “FIRE TV” input source, jump to the next step and try to enter the “Recovery Mode”.

5. Try to Enter Recovery Mode

Another thing to try when the Insignia Fire TV black screen has sound but no picture is to try entering “Android Recovery Mode”.

The recovery mode of your Insignia Fire TV is a hidden menu that provides you with a range of troubleshooting options, such as clearing the cache and factory reset.

However, the idea here is not to use these options, but rather to check whether the hidden tab will appear on the screen.

To enter the “Android Recovery Mode”, locate the built-in Power button on the TV panel and hold it continuously.

While holding, unplug the TV from the power, and after about 10 seconds, reconnect the TV, while still holding the Power button.

There are two outcomes here:

💡Tip: If you can see the hidden recovery menu, try the “wipe data/factory reset” option!

6. Test for a Backlight Failure

If you can’t even see the “Android Recovery Mode”, there is probably a hardware failure with your Insignia Fire TV.

To justify what exactly is wrong, you can perform the so-called “flashlight method” to identify whether the TV’s blacklight is failing.

To do so, dim the room as much as you can, and use the flashlight of your phone from close proximity to the TV screen and observe closely:

In both cases, you’ll need to service your TV.

7. Inspect Backlight Power Line (Technical)

So, if you can’t see anything on your Insignia Fire TV even with the flashlight, this means that the backlight of your Fire TV is not receiving power.

This could either be because of a disconnected power line or because of a blown capacitor.

If you’re good with electronics, we can help you check what it is!

⚠️Warning: Opening your Insignia Fire TV instantly voids the warranty!

Step #1: Open the Back Panel

Here are the steps to open the Insignia Fire TV back panel safely:

1. Start by disconnecting the power to the Insignia Fire TV. Then lay the TV face down on a soft surface like your couch or carpet.
2. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove all screws around the perimeter. Don’t forget the screws near the HDMI and power input area.
3. Gently pry open the back using a plastic spudger or fingernails, starting from one corner. Work your way around. Avoid metal tools to prevent damage.
   

When ready, lift off the back panel, but be careful around the edges!

Step #2: Identify the TV Boards

The next step is to identify which boards you’re looking at.

This will help you identify which of the ribbon cable connections to inspect and reconnect.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Power Board	Converts AC to DC, powering the backlight & mainboard.	Usually on the left side looking at the TV right way up.
Mainboard	Handles the HDMI input, the Fire TV OS, sound, and image signal.	Usually on the right side, where HDMI ports are.
T-Con Board	Sends a video signal to the Insignia Fire TV panel.	Usually under a metal shield, center-bottom.
Backlight Line	Goes from Power Board → Panel via T-Con or direct cable.	Thin or thick ribbon, depending on the design.

Step #3: Check the Power Line

The Insignia Fire TV black screen with sound means that the Power Board is sending power to the TV Mainboard.

However, the black screen means that the Backlight Line or the T-Con Board is not receiving power from the main board.

Your mission is to inspect whether the ribbon cable from the Power Board is plugged into the T-Con Board and whether the Backlight Power Line is intact.

If you need to, disconnect ALL ribbon cables and reconnect them.

When ready, reassemble the TV by following the instructions in reverse and test the black screen.

📍Note: If everything looks intact, but your TV still shows a black screen, chances are that the problem is due to a blown capacitor on the Power Board or Mainboard.