How to Troubleshoot PS5 Screen Cutting Off Intermittently

by Rian

Because the issue is primarily based on HDMI and the integration of HDMI on PS5, there doesn’t seem to be a solid answer. So the purpose of the post is in documenting what I found and sharing a fix, though not the most ideal, I used. Perhaps Sony may be able to create a firmware update one day that remedies HDMI issues. However, it does seem to affect all consoles, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, alike.

Symptoms

The setup I had at the time was straightforward: from TV, connected to speakers via HDMI ARC, and connected to HDMI switch, from HDMI switch, connected other input sources such as PS5. I’ve never had any issues with the HDMI switch when used for the streaming boxes or cable boxes, so I assumed the setup would work for PS5 as well.

After the setup, the TV screen would started to go blank intermittently for few seconds. I couldn’t find what could be the cause of it, only that it happens so irregularly, perhaps once or twice every 30 minutes. My TV didn’t say it lost signal, and PS5 kept playing during those blank screen moments.

Fix and Some Thoughts

I’ll get straight to the fix I used and worked — connect the PS5 to TV directly with HDMI 2.1 cable (for 4K at 120Hz). I believe the problem primarily comes from HDMI switch breaking the negotiated HDMI protocols between the TV and the PS5. PS5 and current generation consoles all support 4K, HDR, VRR, at maximum 120Hz. Each platform supports it. However, not all contents are designed to be played at the highest available settings, and breaking the negotiation (or handshake) seems to be what causes the blackout. I wager VRR is partly at blame here, just as many online discussions seem to suggest.

When I had the PS5 connected via HDMI switch, the console often displayed the range of VRR at 48Hz to 60, instead of 120, what is available on TV. The cable was also rated for 4K at 120Hz as well. It seemed off that I had to unplug and plug it back in for it to negotiate properly. HDMI CEC also did not turn on any of the devices when the PS5 turned on. I might even go so far as to suggest there is compatibility issue between the HDMI switch and PS5. But as to what kind of compatibility and what spec I should look out for, I’m not entirely sure.

If the TV and PS5 are already connected via properly rated cable, I’m afraid the best course of action would be to disable VRR from both. These are all relatively new technologies coming to home, and frankly, I haven’t seen VRR being so important outside of gaming consoles yet. Both TVs and consoles are receiving related updates. What irks me is the HDMI switch. For the life of me, I cannot find a switch that does what the spec says without hiccups.