When the Vizio TV HDMI ports are not working, the source of the problem may not be straightforward. For example, the cable connections are loose, or you have not selected the correct source on your TV.
Furthermore, you may have a damaged cable, or your TV has a different issue altogether.
From my research, these are the most common reasons why Vizio HDMI ports are not working:
- The HDMI cable is not HDCP compliant.
- Your Vizio TV software version is out-of-date.
- The HDMI port is broken.
Ideally, when HDMI ports stopped working, you may not know whether the issue is your Vizio TV, external device, or the cable itself.
Therefore, consider troubleshooting the problem to find a solution.
How to fix Vizio TV HDMI ports that are not working
There are different ways to fix HDMI ports that aren’t working on Vizio TVs. They include:
1. Disconnect and reconnect the HDMI cable
A straightforward way to reset Vizio HDMI ports is to disconnect and reconnect the HDMI cable.
Remove the HDMI cable from the back of your Vizio TV and the external device you have connected. Then, reconnect the cable to the external device first and finish connecting it to your TV.
Once done, see if it has fixed the issue.
2. Check the ends of the HDMI cable
When using an HDMI cable, you must ensure you have tightly fitted the ends of the cable to the TV and external device. That is crucial because sometimes HDMI connections do not fit tightly and can slip out.
If this issue occurs often, you must buy self-locking HDMI or locks for HDMI cables.
3. Check your TV’s input
You must ensure your TV is on the correct input if Vizio TV shows no signal, but everything is plugged in. Here is a step-by-step guide.
- Check the back of your Vizio TV. You will see a number for each HDMI input (usually from 1 to 5).
- If you have connected to HDMI 1, press the input key on your Vizio remote.
- Use the arrow key to select HDMI 1.
- If connected to HDMI 3, select HDMI 3.
Generally, ensure you select the correct input for the device you want to use.
That is because some devices can only use specific channel inputs and requires you to tune your TV to that input to receive a signal or to get your Vizio TV to recognize HDMI input.
4. Use a different HDMI port
Try using the HDMI cable in a different HDMI port and select the new source or input using your remote. For example, if you had connected to HDMI 1, connect your cable to HDMI 2.
You will know that the HDMI 1 port has a problem If the second port (HDMI 2), external device, and HDMI cable work, but you still get an issue when you connect to HDMI 1.
In that case, request for a service from Vizio.
5. Check your hardware
The hardware required to connect to a Vizio TV includes the HDMI cord, the TV itself, and an external device (including a cable box, gaming console, Blu-Ray, etc.).
First, check to ensure that your hardware has no problem. For example, make sure the device is on. You might have to update it if necessary.
Also, if you have a damaged HDMI cord, replace it with a new one.
Generally, if one of the hardware components has an issue, none of the HDMI ports will work.
6. Use a different HDMI cord
Using a different HDMI cord helps determine whether the original cord has a problem. Therefore, get or buy a new HDMI cable and connect both ends.
If your TV works, the original cable has an issue and replacing it is necessary. But if it fails, the problem could be your TV or external device.
7. Connect a different external device
Connecting a different external device determines whether you have an issue with the HDMI cable, port, or the initial external device.
For example, if you connect a new external device to all the ports and it works, the original device has an issue that requires fixing.
But your Vizio TV has a problem if the two devices fail on all the ports. In that case, contact Vizio to validate your warranty and request repairs.
8. Check HDMI cable HDCP compliance
Your HDMI cable must be HDCP compliant to communicate with your Vizio TV. If the cable is not HDCP compliant, you will encounter many issues, including the inability to watch movies or play video games.
You will know that the HDMI cord is HDCP compliant if it has an HDCP certification label. Also, you can visit HDMI.org and search for the brand of the HDMI cable.
If the brand is not available, the cable is not compliant.
9. Check HDCP and HDMI compatibility
Some Vizio TVs have four ports that allow you to connect to external devices. The four ports are HDCP 2.2-compliant.
However, the HDMI 1 port qualifies as HDMI 2.0. Therefore, the HDMI 1 port can play videos in 4K HDR without issues. But the problem occurs with the other three HDMI ports.
The other three HDMI ports can handle a 4K signal but not HDR, meaning you will see an irregular picture if you play videos in a 4K HDR. HDCP 2.2 is not backwards compatible.
Therefore, you need a device with the same HDCP 2.2 version to play protected 4K content. Furthermore, HDCP 2.2 is incompatible with standard HDMI cables because they support maximum transfer resolutions of 720p and 1080i.
It would help if you also had a high-speed HDMI cable, a requirement of HDCP 2.2.
10. Troubleshoot HDMI to DVI
You can connect your Vizio TV to a computer. But when using a computer to only display video to your TV, you require an HDMI to DVI cable or HDMI-DVI adapter.
The adapter should connect from the DVI port on your computer to the HDMI port on Vizio TV.
Also, if you want to get video and audio when connecting your computer to Vizio TV, you must connect the DVI port from the computer to the HDMI port on the TV. But to do this use an HDMI to DVI cable and a separate audio cable.
However, if you use an HDMI to DVI adapter, Vizio TV will register that you are sending audio over the connection. As a result, the TV will disable the separate audio port.
Are your HDMI ports working now?
When you have an HDMI issue with your Vizio TV, it can be challenging to pinpoint the source. However, you can try troubleshooting each step to find the source of the problem.
For example, ensure the HDMI cable is not loose on both ends. Or, use a different HDMI port or buy a new HDMI cable if the old one is broken or damaged.
Also, you must ensure your TV is on the correct input and that your HDMI cord is HDCP compliant.