TV

Are the cables in your living room creating a jungle? Don't worry – we'll help you untangle things so that Digital Television makes sense. Just pick the category that describes your problem, and we'll guide you through it – step-by-step.

Back Print Article

Quick Fixes for TV Picture Problems

Last Updated: Wed, 09 Jan 2013 > Related Articles

161 rated this

Summary

Black screen, blue screen, snow or tiling? Learn quick troubleshooting steps for your TV picture problem.

Solution

TV picture problems often have a simple cause and solution that you can easily take care of at home. In the table below, we'll learn more about the problem you're experiencing. Follow the links and we'll guide you to specific fixes for your problem.

	Distorted Picture
I am experiencing: Lines, ghosting, grainy or snowy picture, tiles or tiling, poor color, pinched or stretched picture, black bars on the top or sides of my display, or unwanted text on my screen from Closed Captioning.
My cable signal comes through:			Or, my problem is:
A Cox Cable Box	No Cable Box	A CableCARD	Black Bars on Screen, Stretched or Pinched Picture, Aspect Ratio is Wrong	Text During Programs, Foreign Language Captions, Closed Captioning Problems
No Picture
I am experiencing: Black or blue screen on my TV instead of normal play. Note: A signal interruption may be caused by something as simple as a missed payment. As a first troubleshooting step, double check to make sure that your bill has been paid. Want to view your bill or make a payment online?
My cable signal comes through:
A Cox Cable Box	No Cable Box			A CableCARD