With technological advancement, online streaming services are becoming more popular today. But cable TV will always remain an excellent alternative given the internet costs. As much as it’s impossible to troubleshoot any disruption on online streaming platforms, cable TV has that allowance.
It’s common to experience interference while watching programs on any TV channel. The disruptions range from blurry images, no sound, and distorted image size which are common. These problems may arise from poor signal transmission or faulty cables.
Whereas some problems need an expert to fix, you can solve others through simple adjustments and DVR recording. This post has nine proven tips and tricks to help you troubleshoot your cable TV before calling for an expert’s help.
What to Do If Your Cable TV Does Not Connect to the Internet?
The beauty of technological advancement is how it can make what seems impossible, possible. Regardless of whether you don’t have a smart or android TV, you can upgrade your cable tv to have an internet connection.
A coax cable can send enough data to support TV and internet service. Your only requirement to increase the speed is to invest in more bandwidth. You can work with the best cable providers for excellent results. This is because they have the ability to offer internet and cable services through the same network. Besides, you might save more as the best cable providers usually offer better discounts when combining these services.
Troubleshooting Cable TV Manually (Internet Problems Excluded)
1. Ensure Your Cable Box is On
The cable box converts digital signals and decodes them before displaying them on your screen. It also sends signals to the DVR for TV recording to help you watch programs later.
If your cable TV indicates no signal on the screen, ensure the box is on by pressing the power button.
Most cable boxes have power on and off indicators. When red, the power is off, while when green, it is on. If you can’t locate the power button, use the box remote control to switch it on.
2. Reboot Your Cable Box
Rebooting helps you to reset the cable box to its connection to the cable. Your TV can be blank or display poor-quality images. This happens when signals to your cable grow weak due to obstruction and poor network.
Your cable box receives signals better as it reboots. You can reboot your box in the following steps.
- Unplug the box from the outlet
- Allow it to rest for 45 seconds
- Connect it back to the wall outlet
- Tap the on-off button to ensure it is on
Some boxes are difficult to unplug, especially if mounted behind the wall. However, you can use the circuit breaker to reboot them without dismantling or unplugging them from the outlet but you will need to exert more effort.
3. Replace Your Old Cable Box
Most electronic gadgets have a lifespan beyond which they cease to function or work poorly. A cable box lasts for 5-7 years. If you observe it functioning poorly after this period, replace it. Note that a cable box can fail before its lifespan ends due to other factors like dust and moisture.
Check out for the following signs to detect a faulty cable box:
- Good sound quality but static pictures which do not correspond to the sound
- Poor loading of programs
- Blurry images on your screen
- Your screen goes blank periodically
- Poor signal reception with occasional black screen
You should contact your provider to help you check if the box is faulty before replacing it.
4. Unplug and Plug HDMI Cable
The high-definition multimedia interface cable (HDMI) helps in signal transmission. Your TV set receives audio and video signals through HDMI cables. If your screen is blank or has poor sound picture coordination, your cable might be loose or faulty.
You can rectify this problem by plugging out the cable briefly before plugging it in again. Doing this helps restore signal flow for quality sound and pictures on your screen.
Before plugging out your HDMI cable, ensure you have done the following:
- Switch off your TV and DVR recorder
- Switch off the cable box
- Unplug all cables and let them rest for about 90 seconds
- Connect back the cables
- Switch on the cable box and TV and confirm they are functioning well
Note that disconnecting cables while the cable box or DVR for TV is on may lead to short-circuiting.
5. Connect Your Cable to a Different HDMI Port
Your TV comes with many HDMI ports. If you connect your cable to a faulty port, it will fail to transmit signals leading to a blank screen. You can resolve this hitch by changing the port. The common ports are labeled A, B, C, D, and E or 1,2,3.
Avoid connecting your cable to the HDMI ARC port when changing the port because it is meant for sound transmission only.
You can change the port in three steps:
- Switch off the TV
- Disconnect the HDMI cable
- Connect it to another port
- Switch on the TV
6. Examine the Input Source and Ensure it is Sound
If you switch your TV on and realize it is not relaying any signal, the problem might be at the input source. Different connections in your TV play different functions. Therefore, ensure you connect the cable to the right input.
The major inputs on your TV set are HDMI input, ARC, and SCART. You should always connect your cable to HDMI in or out but not ARC. The HDMI input relays both audio and video signals and is the most commonly used.
You can adjust the input source to your television in two ways:
Manually
- Start by switching on your TV and pressing the menu button
- Search for the input source by pressing the volume adjustment button
- Select the input source on your screen
Using your remote
- Ensure you press the power button on your remote control
- Navigate the buttons on the remote control and tap on the source button
- Select the input source from the options on your screen
7. Change Your HDMI Cable
When pictures on your screen become distorted, blurry, sparkling, or smaller than usual, consider changing your HDMI cable. The above features result from damaged pins in the cable leading to signal transmission interference.
To solve this problem, buy a new cable and replace the faulty one on the correct port.
8. Restore Your Cable Box to Factory Settings
Like the human brain, your cable TV can get exhausted from data accumulation. This slows down its functioning and may cause an abnormal shutdown.
You can boost signal transmission by freeing up space in your device. The best way is by factory reset, which deletes all installed apps and data you downloaded.
However, you should note that restoring factory settings causes a permanent loss of information. You can avoid this by cloud backup for any important data.
9. Restart Your TV
Poor signal transmission can lead to a blank screen or no sound. When you restart your cable TV, signal transmission improves to give you quality pictures and sound. This is another significant tip you can leverage when troubleshooting your cable TV.
Final Thoughts
Restarting your TV, rebooting your cable box, using a DVR recorder, and changing the HDMI cable are some tips you can leverage when you have a problem with a cable TV. Take advantage of the above-mentioned tips if you want to solve various problems with your cable TV.
This, however, should not replace the role of experts and repairing your device. If the hitches persist, consult your supplier or technician for advice