When you try to play a video on a Samsung TV and encounter issues such as no sound, distorted audio, or a black screen, you’re not alone. These problems usually appear when the TV can’t correctly process the audio or video stream, and in most cases the cause is codec incompatibility.
File extensions like .avi or .mp4 don’t tell the full story. They only indicate the container format — a kind of wrapper that can include different types of video and audio data. Whether the file actually plays depends on the codecs used to encode that data. For instance, an .avi file may contain audio encoded in AAC, Dolby Digital Plus, or MP3, and not every Samsung TV supports all of these formats.
Codec Support on Samsung TVs
Samsung Smart TVs — especially models from 2018 to 2025 — support a broad range of video and audio formats. Streaming platforms generally use universally supported codecs to ensure compatibility. However, when you’re watching a video from a USB flash drive or external hard drive, the TV might encounter a file compressed using an unsupported codec.
That’s why understanding which codecs your TV can handle is essential for smooth playback.
Commonly Supported File Formats and Codecs (2018–2026 Samsung TVs)
| File Extension | Supported Video Codecs | Supported Audio Codecs |
|---|---|---|
.avi | H.264, MPEG-4, Motion JPEG | AAC, MP3, WMA, AC3, HE-AAC, Dolby Digital+, OPUS, G.711 |
.mp4, .mov | H.264, HEVC, MPEG-4, AV1 | Same as above |
.mkv | H.264, HEVC, MPEG-4, Motion JPEG | Same as above |
.wmv, .asf | WMV9, VC-1 | WMA formats |
.ts, .trp, .tp | H.264, HEVC, MPEG-2 | Dolby Digital, AAC, MPEG |
.webm | VP8, VP9, AV1 | Vorbis |
.vob, .mpg, .mpeg, .vro, .m2ts, .mts | MPEG-2, H.264, HEVC | Dolby Digital, MPEG |
.3gp, .flv | H.263, H.264 | AAC, MP3 |
.rmvb | RV30/40 | RealAudio 6 |
Codec Limitations on Samsung TVs (2018–2025)
Although support is broad, Samsung TVs have some notable limitations — especially in models released after 2018:
- Video:
- H.264 (FHD): Supports Level 4.2 (FMO/ASO/RS not supported)
- H.264 (UHD): Level 5.1 supported (up to 4K resolution)
- HEVC (FHD): Level 4.1
- HEVC (UHD): Level 5.2, with resolution changes supported up to 4K
- HEVC (8K): Level 6.1 (for 8K models only)
- VC-1 Advanced Profile: Not supported
- MVC: Only partial support
- GMC (Global Motion Compensation): Levels 2+ not supported
- Audio:
- DTS: Not supported on most newer models
- WMA 1: Not supported
- WMA 10 Pro: Supported up to 5.1 channels, but not lossless
- AMR, QCELP: Not supported
- Dolby Digital Plus (DD+): 5.1 channels supported
- Sampling rates: Up to 48 kHz, depending on codec
Codec Compatibility and USB Playback on Samsung TVs
Codec support on Samsung TVs has changed noticeably over time, and this directly affects how video files are played. Models released before 2018, especially those from 2015 to 2017, supported a wider range of audio formats, including DTS Core, LBR, HD MA, and HD HRA. Because of this, they handled more file types, particularly DivX videos with DTS soundtracks. From 2018 onward, many Samsung models no longer support DTS, which can lead to problems when playing high-quality movie rips or Blu-ray backups.
This becomes most apparent when using a USB flash drive or external hard drive. Streaming services such as Netflix or YouTube use formats that are fully compatible with Samsung smart TVs, so playback is usually trouble-free. Local files are different: the TV must decode both video and audio on its own. If a file contains unsupported codecs, playback may fail, sound may be missing or distorted, or the screen may remain black.
To ensure smooth playback, it’s best to prepare files with compatibility in mind. Common containers like .mp4 or .mkv work well, along with widely supported video codecs such as H.264 or HEVC and audio formats like AAC or Dolby Digital. If a file doesn’t play correctly, converting it to a supported format often resolves the issue. Understanding these limitations makes it easier to avoid playback problems and enjoy your media from a USB device without frustration.
