Your Philips television keeps turning on and off in a loop. It’s annoying and definitely worrisome.

Before panicking, let’s explore this common issue with Philips TVs and the various solutions available to you.

Here’s Why Your Philips TV Turns On and Off in a Loop

Apart from a software update, this phenomenon may have various causes: residual electrical charge in the TV, an issue with the EasyLink (HDMI-CEC) option, a malfunction of the internal software, or a problem with the power cord.

1. Restart Your Philips TV

If you notice that your Philips TV isn’t functioning normally, you can resolve the issue by restarting it.

To perform an electrical restart:

  • Turn off your TV.
  • Unplug it from the power outlet and wait for about 60 seconds.
  • Plug your TV back in and turn it on using your remote control.

This electrical reset will help fix malfunctions related to residual electricity accumulated inside your TV, which may cause various problems.

2. Disable EasyLink (HDMI-CEC)

The EasyLink feature can cause issues with your TV.

However, in some cases, such as interruptions or non-recognition of connected devices, you will need to disable this option.

Using your remote control:

  • Press the Home button on your remote.
  • Go to “Setup” and then to “TV Settings”.
  • Click on “EasyLink” and set the option to Off.
  • Confirm by pressing OK.

3. Check the Power Cord

The unexpected on and off cycles of your Philips TV may be due to a power issue.

A problem with the power cord, power strip, or wall outlet

First, you need to check the continuity of the power cord. If the cable has a continuity defect, it can cause unexpected on and off cycles.

Use a multimeter and follow the procedure described here to check the continuity of power cords, extension cords, or power strips:

  • Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet and, using a multimeter, test the continuity of conductivity. Set the multimeter to “continuity test” mode for this purpose.
  • The multimeter will beep if the cable is working properly.
  • If the multimeter does not emit a sound, the cable is severed somewhere and needs to be replaced.
  • Repeat the operation with all cables (power strip, extension cord, etc.) between your TV and the wall outlet.

If the cable has no discontinuity and the electrical connection is correct, you must check for a short circuit using the multimeter:

  • Touch the multimeter probes to the prongs of the plug; if the multimeter emits a sound (beep), the cord is defective and must be replaced.
  • Perform the same procedure with the extension cord and power strip, if necessary.

After these tests, if needed, replace the faulty cables. This should solve the on and off issues.

4. Turn Off Eco Mode

Your Philips TV is equipped with an energy-saving mode that may cause it to turn off after a certain period of inactivity.

To disable this mode, navigate to your Philips TV’s settings by pressing the home button on your remote control and then clicking on the gear icon in the top right corner of the home screen.

Select Eco Settings and disable all available options on this page, which include:

  • Energy saver.
  • Screen off.
  • Light sensor.
  • Sleep timer.

On some models, you can access these settings directly by pressing the green button on your remote control when your TV is on.

5. Disable the Timer

The timer’s function is to automatically put your TV on standby after 4 hours if no user interaction has been detected.

To disable this feature, you have two options:

  • Go to the eco settings and click on Sleep Timer. Then adjust the slider bar value to 0.
  • Some recent models allow you to access the option via the green button on the remote control. From there, select Automatic Shutdown and confirm with OK.

6. Your Philips TV Overheats

Is your Philips TV getting hot when it’s on? That’s completely normal. However, it’s worrisome if you notice it overheating more than usual.

A location to review or an object blocking air vents

Some points to check:

  • The vents should be clean and dust-free. Nothing should obstruct them. If this is the case, clean them with a small brush.
  • Your TV should be kept away, as much as possible, from heat sources like heaters or fireplaces.
  • Do not place your TV in front of a window, as sunlight through the glass will intensify the overheating of your TV.
  • Ventilation around your TV should be optimized.

Note that in any case, overheating will accelerate your TV’s aging and cause damage.

7. Update Your Philips TV

Your TV’s software may be faulty and cause malfunctions. Regular updates are necessary. If the update has not been done automatically, you can do it manually:

  1. Insert the USB stick into your computer and format it to FAT32. To do this, right-click on the USB stick in File Explorer and select “Format.”
  2. Open your web browser and go to the dedicated support page on the Philips website.
  3. Enter your TV model number in the search bar.
  4. Click on Software Updates to access the software version number.
  5. Check the current software version on your TV and make sure the version available on the site is higher than the one installed on your TV. If so, download the software file and unzip it.
  6. Turn off your TV and insert the USB stick into one of your TV’s USB ports.
  7. Turn on your TV. The software update screen should appear automatically. If it doesn’t, go to your TV’s settings and select Software Update to start the update.

Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed with the update. Don’t forget to remove the USB drive once the update is completed.

Your TV’s software update is now complete!

If your TV is connected to the internet, follow the procedure below:

  • Navigate to Home > Settings > Update Software, and confirm with OK.
  • Select Internet, then confirm with the OK button.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions.
  • Once the update is complete, the TV will go into standby mode before automatically turning back on.

To avoid firmware-related issues, it’s best to enable automatic software updates.

8. Reset your Philips TV

Resetting your Philips TV can also resolve many issues. There are two methods: electrical reset, also known as “electrical reset,” and factory reset.

The electrical reset, as we have seen, will clear the TV’s memory without erasing your settings.

Factory reset

If the “electrical reset” procedure did not solve the problems, you will need to reset your Philips TV and return to factory settings:

Press the Home button on your remote control. Then, navigate to the menu: Settings > Device Preferences > Factory Reset. Next, enter your PIN (8888 or 4725 if you haven’t changed it yet).

On newer models, default settings will be reset in this way:

  • Press Home, then navigate to Settings > TV Settings > Reinstall TV.
  • Confirm with OK.

Note that a factory reset will delete all configurations, channel lists, settings, and data you have saved on your TV, making it like new.

9. Use your Warranty

Like all electronic products, your Philips TV comes with a two-year legal warranty from the date of purchase.

In case of non-conformity, such as random power on and off, you can assert your rights with your dealer after trying everything we’ve mentioned earlier.

Philips also provides a “manufacturer’s warranty” that covers your TV against defects in parts and workmanship.

So, if the power on/off issue is due to a faulty power cord, a connector on the TV, an internal component, etc., you can contact Philips for repair or replacement.

If the defect is due to non-conformity, you have the right to have your TV repaired or replaced at no cost directly by your dealer.

10. Check the capacitors on the Motherboard

This and the following section are reserved for electronics experts, specialized TV technicians, or curious adventurers in TV disassembly (out of warranty, of course).

Be aware: If you open and repair your TV yourself while it is still under warranty, the warranty will be void and you will not be able to claim it. Only Philips-authorized or specialized technicians can repair your TV under warranty.

In this type of failure, you can check the capacitors on the electronic board inside your Philips TV by opening the device:

  • Place your TV on a flat surface with the screen against the support.
  • Gently remove the back cover.
  • The electronic board and capacitors will be visible.
  • Check if they are swollen. If they are, it suggests they are out of service and need to be replaced.

Now, it’s up to you to decide whether to replace them yourself (if your TV is no longer under warranty) or have it done by an expert, which we strongly recommend.

To replace them yourself, you will need a multimeter, a soldering iron, solder, desoldering braid, small pliers, wire cutters, and, of course, new capacitors of the same voltage.

IMPORTANT: UNPLUG your TV to avoid an electric shock before opening and repairing your TV.

  1. Unsolder the legs of the swollen capacitor on the back of the electronic board.
  2. Remove the swollen capacitor and put the new one in its place.
  3. Be careful to observe the polarity (look at the markings on the capacitor and on the motherboard).
  4. Trim the legs to the correct length.
  5. Carefully solder the legs to the back of the motherboard.
  6. Put the board back in place and replace the back cover.

Test.

There you have it! You have repaired your television, which will hopefully last for several more years and only cost a few dollars, along with some patience and a bit of time.

11. Replace the Motherboard

This section is again for TV disassembly experts, like the one above, with the same warranty recommendations as in Chapter 10.

The motherboard is the base that houses the various input/output connectors (SCART, HDMI ports, RCA, antenna, USB port, etc.) of your television, and it is essential. In simple terms, it converts the electrical signal into an image.

In case of malfunction, pixelation, stuttering image, no display, etc., it may be necessary to replace it.

IMPORTANT: TURN OFF and UNPLUG your television to avoid an electric shock while repairing your TV.

  1. Carefully remove the back cover.
  2. Take a photo of the motherboard in place to help with reassembling the new one.
  3. Disconnect the various components and ribbon cables.
  4. Remove the motherboard by unscrewing the screws.
  5. Visually check that the various components and solder joints are intact (swollen capacitor, burn marks, broken or dry solder joints, etc.)
  6. Place the new motherboard and reconnect the various components using the photo you took earlier as a reference.
  7. Put the back cover back on and screw it into place. (Make sure to put all the screws back in!)

And there you have it!

To Summarize

The startup and looping shutdown problems of your Philips television can be easily resolved by checking various points from the connection to the firmware of your television.

However, in some rarer cases, the problem may be internal and therefore require a more technical repair of your television. A simple repair, but it is recommended to have it done by a specialized technician, especially if your television is still under warranty.