With so many devices and remotes, it can be hard to keep track of them all. All of the buttons, menus, and cryptic acronyms on Samsung TVs and the remotes that operate them can be confusing to navigate and understand. Fortunately, it’s not as complicated as it seems.
Learn how to change the input on your Samsung TV in this article.
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Why Are There Very Few Articles Online About This Subject?
There isn’t much written about the Samsung TV input/source problem. Most people find solutions wherever they can, implement them, and then forget about them.
There’s a massive installation problem with X-Com, but nobody online can help — even the publisher doesn’t. Do you have to trawl the forums for the one kind soul who has uploaded a solution?
There is a very similar problem with Samsung TVs. You can find a few solutions online, and your best bet is to search the forums, try one solution, fail, try another, fail, and so on until you figure it out. This article includes all the known solutions to the problems, including those related to the recent 4K smart edition.
Hopefully, Samsung will stick to the most recent source/input method and stop changing it, or at the very least, make the source/input solution a little clearer in their future TV operating manuals.
How to Change the Source for Your Samsung TV
Your Samsung TV has a variety of inputs. These are also called sources when you use the menu. There’s a good chance that you have more than one input or source. There are many people who own a USB input and a HDMI port, for instance. You can also select your video and audio inputs separately.
As an example, let’s suppose you have your PlayStation connected to your HDMI and your external hard drive connected to your USB. Audio can be piped in from your external hard drive while the visual is piped in from your PlayStation. There is nothing unusual about this either. Some people play console games while listening to podcasts on their TV instead of playing video games.
Method 1 – The Source Button
On some Samsung TVs, the remote has a “Source” button. A Samsung TV may only be able to change its source this way in some cases. Some TVs allow you to access the source menu only by pressing the source button or by plugging something into the TV so that it appears automatically.
Method 2 – Plug Something into Your TV While It Is on
Methods like this are fairly self-explanatory. Connect your device to one of the input ports of your TV while it is turned on. This will usually result in the input/source menu appearing on its own. When you plug something into your TV, it will automatically switch to that source.
When your games console is turned on and plugged into your TV, your TV will most likely switch right to that console’s feed. Additionally, if your games console was already plugged into the TV, and then you turned it on, the TV would automatically switch to the console’s feed. The TV may also be set up on your console’s feed when you turn on your console, then turn on your TV.
Method 3 – Source Is Selectable via the Menu
Often, especially with modern TVs, you can simply select the source from the regular menu.
- A combination of simultaneous button presses on your TV or your remote will start the menu.
- Select Source from the menu once it appears.
- In the next window, you will see all the sources and inputs that your TV has, and you may even see if any connections are missing.
Inputs can also be labeled if you wish, which is just another way to rename them. You can only use it if you have two of something, such as the same two gaming consoles for whatever reason. There is usually a menu for labeling/renaming your inputs. The Samsung Q7, for example, requires you to press up after selecting the input.
Change the Input on Your Samsung Q7 Qled UHD 4k Smart TV
- Press the Home button on your remote control. The bottom of the screen usually displays a menu bar when you do this.
- Scroll over to Source on the menu and click it.
- You can select your input and rename these sources here, if desired. The edit option will appear when you select the input icon and press up. HDMI sources can be edited, but apps cannot be renamed.
TV Sources and Their Meanings
Digital formats can be received by TVs from a variety of devices and cables. It is for this reason that the Source/Input menu can be lengthy. In this article, we won’t go into complete detail, just enough to help you decide what source is right for you.
- HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface and is the industry standard for video and audio. HDMI1, HDMI2, etc., on the Source menu refer to a specific HDMI port on the back or side of the TV. On most TVs, these are clearly labeled.
- Universal Serial Bus is the acronym for Universal Serial Bus. There are USB ports on many TVs that allow you to connect flash drives, etc.
- Radio Corporation of America, the company that designed it, uses it for audio, composite video, and component video connections, such as DVD players
- The AV or Composite Video connection is an older analog video connection. Retro gaming equipment, DVD players, and other equipment from the past.
Conclusion
Changing the source on certain Samsung TVs can be a hassle. It appears that Samsung TVs are becoming more standardized in regards to changing the Source/Input, hopefully that continues.
Did our suggestions work, or did you find another way to change the input on your Samsung TV? We’d love to hear what you think in the comments.