My tv works great if I’m watching satellite tv. The problem arises when I try and stream Netflix or any other service. The tv will randomly restart. I’ve done all the recommend things (restart, factory reset, etc). I chatted with the technical support and nothing was resolved. I even took it back just in case I got a faulty one, but the problem continued with the replacement. The only resolution the chat came up with was to send a service tech to the house to look at it. I don’t know what that’s going to accomplish as it is completely random. Has anyone else had this problem?
Random reboots that only happen when you launch a built-in streaming app almost always come down to one of three things:
#What’s really failingWhy it only shows up in Netflix/Prime/etc.Typical fix1Buggy or outdated firmware in the TV’s “smart” boardStreaming apps exercise the CPU/GPU, DRM chip and network stack, while satellite TV uses none of thatManually force a firmware update or sideload the latest image; if the model is new and every unit does it, push the brand for a patch 2Power- or heat-related instability on the main boardThe CPU pulls more current and runs hotter when decoding 4K HDR streamsUse a different wall outlet (no power bar), add ventilation space, test with the back cover’s service-mode fan running (if the set has one) 3App crashes that cascade into a system rebootA corrupt cache or incompatible version of the Netflix/Prime app can take down the OSClear cache / reinstall each app, or do a Smart Hub reset (Samsung) / Roku OS reinstall / Google TV “Erase & Reset”
How to narrow it down in ten minutes
Tell us the exact brand & model year. Different brands hide key options (e.g., Samsung › Settings › Support › Software Update; TCL Google TV › Settings › System › About › System update).
Update the TV’s firmware manually. Don’t rely on “Auto-update”. Download the file from the support site onto a USB stick and force-flash it. Several owners report that a manual re-flash stopped the reboot loop when streaming .
Reset only the smart platform, not the whole TV. Samsung: Settings › Support › Self-Diagnosis › Reset Smart Hub TCL/Hisense Roku: Settings › System › Advanced system settings › Factory reset › Reset TV audio & picture settings This wipes the app cache but keeps your satellite input and picture settings intact.
Bypass the smart board for a night. Plug in a Fire TV Stick, Roku, Apple TV or Chromecast and stream the same shows.
If the external streamer never reboots, your TV’s hardware is fine and you’re fighting a firmware/app bug—keep the streamer or press the manufacturer for an update.
If the TV still reboots, the main board or power board is flaky under load and a technician can diagnose it (they’ll hook up a service jig and read crash logs).
Rule out bad power. Move the TV’s plug to a different outlet on another circuit, skip the surge bar, or put a UPS with voltage read-out in line. Marginal voltage sag shows up first under high CPU load.
Check temperature. After a crash, feel the back—too hot to keep your hand on means the set isn’t ventilating. Pull it 10 cm off the wall, blow a desk fan at the vents and see if the reboots disappear.
When to let the service tech in
If you:
Flashed the latest firmware (or confirmed you’re already on it),
Did a smart-platform reset, and
Still get reboots even with an external streaming stick,
then the main (logic) board or power supply is defective. Because you swapped the TV once already, it’s probably a bad batch of boards, not “something in your house”. A tech visit is useful—they’ll bring a known-good board or PSU and swap until the crashes stop, then report the failed part back to the manufacturer for a design fix.
Quick sanity check
Is your set on Netflix’s “no longer supported after Dec 1 2024” list? Older 2013-era smart TVs lost Netflix support recently and can behave erratically instead of showing a clean error . If so, an external streamer is the permanent cure.
Next step: reply with your TV’s exact model number and the firmware version shown in settings, plus whether using a Fire Stick / Roku tonight avoids the crash. With that info we can tell you whether there’s a known firmware patch or a specific board revision that fixes the issue.
