Sometimes the Fire TV Cube will start flashing. There are many different reasons why this might be happening, but it is hard to know which it is and how to fix it. This short guide should help you identify why your Fire TV is flashing and what you should do about it.
A Fire TV Cube will flash on your screen if there is a compatibility issue with your TV or your HDMI cable. The device itself can also flash a yellow color, meaning that there is an issue connecting to the internet, a notification or an update required. A solid yellow light means it is overheating.
These issues are generally easy to fix, which I will guide you through below.
Fire TV Cube Keeps Flashing
There are two ways your Fire TV Cube could be flashing. Either it is causing the TV screen to flash, or the device itself is flashing. First I will explain the issue of the screen flashing.
The TV screen will flash if the display signal has been compromised. The signal coming from the Fire TV Cube is incompatible with the TV or the cable and you therefore have a black screen flickering on your display. This is because the TV is making up for the bad signal with a blank screen.
Change the HDMI Cable
One way to fix this is to change the HDMI cable. Many cheap HDMI cables simply can’t keep up with transferring a large amount of data. This is mostly the case with 4K TVs.
The Fire Cube detects the maximum display capabilities of your TV and will automatically send a compatible signal. For example, if your TV has a 1080p resolution, the Fire TV will set its own resolution to 1080p. If you have a 4K TV, the Fire TV will send across a 4K display signal, because it always sends through the best signal your TV can handle.
However, even though the Fire TV Cube and your TV both support 4K, some people forget that the HDMI cable also needs to support 4K. It also may not be enough to simply find a cable with 4K on the label. Some users have found better success with HDMI 2.1 cables, which can transfer 48Gbps of data and can also support 8K.
These cables don’t have to cost you a small fortune either. You can find a reasonably priced HDMI 2.1 cable here.
Check the HDMI Port
Before you buy a new HDMI cable, try plugging your current cable into different HDMI ports in your TV. Most of the time, the HDMI ports on your TV will have different functions or different properties. Some are labelled ‘better’ or ‘best’ to guide you to which ones can support larger signals.
If there are no labels, you may need to refer to your user manual to work out which port to use. As a general rule, 4K HDMI cables should be plugged into ‘4K’ or ‘UHD’ (Ultra HD) HDMI ports.
If you do have different HDMI ports, it may just be that you plugged the Fire TV into the wrong one.
Change the Resolution or Frame Rate
If you’re not interested in the 4K aspect of the Fire TV Cube, you can always manually adjust the display output to suit your current HDMI cable or TV. You can change this by following the pathway below.
Home > Settings > Display and Sounds > Resolution
You will need to change the settings here from ‘Auto’ to the resolution of your choice. Some people have had success with 1080p, but you should play around with multiple settings to see what works for your TV.
In regards to frame rate, the standard is usually 60fps. But you can also try different frame rates to find one that solves the issue. However, it normally should match the frame rate of your TV. Below is the pathway to changing the frame rate on your Fire TV.
Home > Settings > Display and Sounds > Display > Match Original Frame Rate > On
If the flashing is not coming from your TV display, but the Fire Cube itself, refer to the next section for some possible causes.
Fire TV Cube Keeps Flashing Yellow/Orange
If there is a yellow or orange light flashing on the Fire TV Cube, there may be one of many things causing it.
Network Issues
One of the most common issues to cause a flashing yellow light is that the internet connection has failed. If this is the case, you may have noticed that your streaming services are not working. You can check the internet connection through the following pathway.
Home > Settings > Network
Here you can find your network and press the ‘Play/Pause’ button on your remote to test the connection. There could be a number of issues causing a network error, but you should always start by restarting all devices.
Turn off your Fire TV, modem and router and disconnect them all from the wall. After one minute, plug them back in to reconnect the network.
If this still doesn’t work, try moving your modem closer to the Fire TV. Sometimes if they are in separate rooms or in a large house, the signal can be weak by the time it reaches the Fire TV Cube. You should also check that your internet is working on other devices, such as a laptop.
Alexa Notifications
Another common cause for the yellow light is that you have a notification from Alexa, assuming you have the Alexa app installed on the Fire TV.
These can include any of the following notifications.
- An Amazon package has been delivered.
- You have a reminder.
- Your echo device is offline.
- You have an unread message from Alexa.
Once you attend to the notification, the yellow light should go away. Some people like this feature, but if you don’t want it on the Fire TV, you can easily disable it in the Alexa app. This can be done through the following steps.
Home > Your Apps and Games > See All > Alexa
Once you have selected the Alexa app, you will need to select the ‘Menu’ button (three lines). In this menu, follow these steps below.
Menu > Settings > Notifications > Amazon Shopping > Recommendations and Deals > Disable
Uninstalling the app altogether would let you know for certain whether it was Alexa causing the yellow light to flash, but most people like using the Alexa voice control.
Update Required
The other possibility is that your Fire TV Cube needs an update or needs to restart to finalise an update. Therefore, begin by restarting your device.
If the yellow light is still flashing, check for the latest update. The Fire TV should automatically download firmware updates, so it may just be a case of installing it. Follow the steps below to manually download or install your update.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on April 24, 2021.
Home > Settings > Device > About > System Update
Once you have restarted your Fire TV once again, the yellow light should be gone.
Fire TV Cube Has Yellow Light
Sometimes the Fire TV Cube may have a solid yellow light. If this is the case, it is likely that the device is overheating and needs to shut down. In this time you might find that your Fire TV is unresponsive. This is because it takes time for the unit to cool down, and it needs to be switched off for it to do so.
You should wait at least 10 minutes before attempting to turn on your Fire TV again. If it is still unresponsive, wait another 10 minutes. To ensure it does not overheat again when you turn it on, try leaving it off overnight.
Below are a few common reasons why your Fire TV Cube may have overheated.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on April 24, 2021.
- The device is in direct sunlight for an extended period of time.
- The device is enclosed within a glass TV cabinet.
- The device is in close proximity to other devices.
Once you have determined the reason your Fire TV Cube overheated, you can move it to a safer location.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on April 24, 2021.