# Bright picture on TV causes static noise

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-picture-on-tv-causes-static-noise/435363>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 28, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-picture-on-tv-causes-static-noise/435363 "2008-01-28T21:03:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sadrobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@sadrobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sadrobot)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-picture-on-tv-causes-static-noise/435363/1 "2008-01-28T21:03:35Z")

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I have Cox cable tv and on one channel whenever there is a bright white image on the screen I hear a loud burst of static.  
I only have one TV so I can’t determine if the problem is with my equipment or the cable signal itself.

I don’t really care about getting it fixed, but I’m curious as to what might be causing the static.

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**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-picture-on-tv-causes-static-noise/435363/2 "2008-01-28T21:14:43Z")

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I don’t know, but mine does this too.

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**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-picture-on-tv-causes-static-noise/435363/3 "2008-01-28T21:20:27Z")

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This used to happen on one of my old TVs. Usually on TBS, it seemed.

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-picture-on-tv-causes-static-noise/435363/4 "2008-01-28T21:28:47Z")

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I used to get this on my old tv, from the '70s. Any bright white area, especially if there’s type in it.

Time to get yourself a new set.

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**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-picture-on-tv-causes-static-noise/435363/5 "2008-01-28T22:09:16Z")

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This is known as “overmodulation” and occurs when the video gain is set too high on the equipment at the cable company. When the video levels peak at over 100% it causes distortion which bleeds over into the audio. (Simplified explanation)

Most newer TV’s can compensate somewhat for this, but not always.

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**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-picture-on-tv-causes-static-noise/435363/6 "2008-01-28T22:33:40Z")

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Try googling for “sync buzz”.