Why does my Galaxy S5 crash when using an MHL adapter?

[AC Question]

Galaxy S5 crashes using MHL adapter

Hello! I recently bought an MHL-HDMI adapter for my Galaxy S5. I bought one and later found out it was for S4, so I bought a 2nd making sure it was for S5.

I have the adapter connected to an external power source, connect adapter to phone, but once I connect the HDMI to the MHL adapter, my phone crashes and just starts/restarts over and over again.

I tried two different HDTVs, one LG and one Samsung. Tried powering everything down, then connecting cables. No such luck.

Am I doing something wrong, or have I managed to buy to lemon adapters?

Thanks!

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Galaxy S5 crashes using MHL adapter

Welcome to Android Central! Might just be a lemon--see if you can exchange or return it.

 

[Rukbat]

Re: Galaxy S5 crashes using MHL adapter

Most of the cheaper MHL adapters are kind of "lemon scented" in one way or another. One reason Samsung can charge what they do for theirs is that it works.

Of course with the S5, you can just use the Chromecast app and a Chromecast adapter on the TV to mirror the phone screen to the TV. It's cheap (about $30 normally, sometimes on sale for as little as $20) and it works.

 

[ozaral]

I have conclusively validated, in my case, that this is directly related to the Android 5.1.1 update that went OTA with T-Mobile recently. Noticed the exact same MHL/HDMI Cable Reboot Loop issue with my Samsung Galaxy S5. Did an experiment with my wife's S5 (yes she was willing to sacrifice in the interests of computer science). Verified that my 3rd party MHL/HDMI cable worked fine with Android 5.0. As soon as her phone upgraded to Android 5.1.1, the reboot loop triggers as soon as you connect the MHL cable to the HDMI input with a powered on TV.

Samsung gave me a boiler plate response, to try safe mode / factory reset / phone reboot. All of those suggestions were useless.

Google shot me down claiming that I need to take it up with Samsung, as it is their "highly customized phone" that merits them owning the issue.

Only T-Mobile pulled through with some level of intelligence on this. They at least acknowledged that they have gotten numerous calls on this, and took my detailed bug report.

I personally blame Google. The end sum game is that it is their OS with their update. Yes, Samsung and T-Mobile clearly neglected testing the MHL output before making the update available, but it is the oversight on the OS development that should be blamed here.

I hate to say it, but as much as I am a fan of Samsung and Android, and push back on Apple device, this would either never happen on an iPhone, or if it did, it would be resolved within two weeks.

Shame, considering the business potential of the MHL port for presentations.

Don't waste your time on cables. You are most likely fine on 3rd party cables. I have proven the issue to be directly correlated to the update.

Good luck, and hopefully a resolution will be posted here soon (at the least news that Samsung or Android will be pushing an update/patch).

 

[cliffclaventoo]

Re: Galaxy S5 crashes using MHL adapter

To say that apple doesnt have bugs is completely wrong. Do you remember what happened with maps? They had the eifel tower in london! Atleast tmobile sends out a new phone, apple said sorry.
Its a fixable problem but just request a new phone from tmobile

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[fabian santos]

Has anyone with a T-Mobile S5 had any luck with a OS update?

 

[Mailot17]

I have conclusively validated, in my case, that this is directly related to the Android 5.1.1 update that went OTA with T-Mobile recently. Noticed the exact same MHL/HDMI Cable Reboot Loop issue with my Samsung Galaxy S5. Did an experiment with my wife's S5 (yes she was willing to sacrifice in the interests of computer science). Verified that my 3rd party MHL/HDMI cable worked fine with Android 5.0. As soon as her phone upgraded to Android 5.1.1, the reboot loop triggers as soon as you connect the MHL cable to the HDMI input with a powered on TV.

Samsung gave me a boiler plate response, to try safe mode / factory reset / phone reboot. All of those suggestions were useless.

Google shot me down claiming that I need to take it up with Samsung, as it is their "highly customized phone" that merits them owning the issue.

Only T-Mobile pulled through with some level of intelligence on this. They at least acknowledged that they have gotten numerous calls on this, and took my detailed bug report.

I personally blame Google. The end sum game is that it is their OS with their update. Yes, Samsung and T-Mobile clearly neglected testing the MHL output before making the update available, but it is the oversight on the OS development that should be blamed here.

I hate to say it, but as much as I am a fan of Samsung and Android, and push back on Apple device, this would either never happen on an iPhone, or if it did, it would be resolved within two weeks.

Shame, considering the business potential of the MHL port for presentations.

Don't waste your time on cables. You are most likely fine on 3rd party cables. I have proven the issue to be directly correlated to the update.

Good luck, and hopefully a resolution will be posted here soon (at the least news that Samsung or Android will be pushing an update/patch).

 

[Mailot17]

Just updated today and I think it has been the worst decision to this date

 

[Mailot17]

It definitely is the update

 

[Mailot17]

Na brother

 

[maronsp]

I am having the same issues since the OTA update. I own two Samsung Galaxy S5 and only experience this issue on the T-Mobile 5.1.1 update.
The other device an International Galaxy S5 is on 5.0 and no problems there.

 

[Guest1213]

I bought my brother a Galaxy S5 and he has been experiencing the same problem. We checked his phone and he has version 5.1.1. Mine is an older version and I never experienced that issue.

 

[GRR49428]

I just applied a new software update from T-Mobile that fixed this problem on my S5.