# Cable TV Freeze Frame **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 28, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-tv-freeze-frame/587100 "2011-06-28T03:45:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-tv-freeze-frame/587100/1 "2011-06-28T03:45:46Z")
I wonder if anyone can explain this strange glitch to me. Occasionally, when my cable company is doing what I assume is maintenance and upgrading in the early morning whatever I am viewing will stop, literally. It’s as if I hit pause on the remote except I’m not watching a video. Resetting the cable box by unplugging it fixes the problem. My cable box isn’t a DVR and I don’t have TiVo, so I’d like to know how this glitch happens. Anyone have any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![longPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@longPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longPath)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-tv-freeze-frame/587100/2 "2011-06-28T09:55:44Z")
I can tell you that many DVRs and digital cable boxes will show a frozen frame if you disconnect the cable feed. In the old days, (and for folks who still have analog cable, like me), loosing the cable means a screen full of “snow”. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-tv-freeze-frame/587100/3 "2011-06-28T13:27:05Z")
a digital tv or cable box or tuner will display the last good frame it has until it is replaced by a new frame.