# HELP! My TV just stopped working!! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282 "2005-01-18T01:50:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/1 "2005-01-18T01:50:21Z")
Anybody here know much about television sets? I have a 32" RCA TruFlat television that I purchased in July 2004. About a half hour ago, I was in the kitchen doing something and when I came back to the living room, the tv was off. I tried to turn it on with the remote. Nothing. I tried with the front controls. Nothing. I looked into the “troubleshooting” section of the manual to no avail (one of the suggestions for “tv will not turn on” is to check the “parental controls” in the menu …how would I do this if IT WON’T EVEN TURN ON??). It also suggested that I unplug it for a couple of minutes and try it again. I did that and when I plugged it back in, it made the sound like it turned on, but then it was the same as before. I know the power works because the front power button glows periodically. Nothing else seems to work. Can anybody give me ideas as to what could be wrong? I’m definitely calling customer support tomorrow, but I’d like to see if any of the informed dopers here have any ideas on what I could tell them. I guess the real question is …why did this happen on 24 night??? Luckily we have another small tv that we can use, but damn this is annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Gfab912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a9a28c/32.png) [@Gfab912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfab912)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/2 "2005-01-18T03:06:04Z")
I could be wrong but it sounds to me like there’s something wrong with the infared sensor. Unplug the TV and take the batteries out of the remote and plug the TV back in and see what happens. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/3 "2005-01-18T03:09:57Z")
Still nothing ☹ I can hear a really light high-pitched whine every couple of seconds when I replug in the television. Almost as if it’s trying to work, but can’t get it done. Also, anyone in customer service at a certain electronics store (has the initials C.C.) know if I could bitch and get a new set? My warranty went out last month and I lost the form, but if I bitched up enough of a storm, think it would work? ---
**Author:** ![Gfab912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a9a28c/32.png) [@Gfab912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfab912)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/4 "2005-01-18T03:26:42Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > Still nothing ☹ > > I can hear a really light high-pitched whine every couple of seconds when I replug in the television. Almost as if it’s trying to work, but can’t get it done. Also, anyone in customer service at a certain electronics store (has the initials C.C.) know if I could bitch and get a new set? My warranty went out last month and I lost the form, but if I bitched up enough of a storm, think it would work? That sounds like old “Murphy’s Law” to me. I personally still think its the infared sensor. You probably have one of those crazy SONY univeral remotes that go blinky after a while. You’ll just have to play with the on-set power button to get the TV back on. SONY’s products are usually well-built that why I’m going with the sensor. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Can_Handle_the_Truth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/5 "2005-01-18T03:59:34Z")
**It’s the End of the World!** :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/6 "2005-01-18T04:05:28Z")
Try replacing the batteries in the remote (or just press the “On” button on the TV itself). If not, it’s new TV time, alas. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/7 "2005-01-18T04:08:53Z")
Can you see the number of the channel? Are you using a cable or universal remote? In fact do you have Cable/Sattelite? It sounds like you’re on Input to me. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/8 "2005-01-18T04:21:58Z")
I’m using normal cable, straight from the wall jack. Works on the smaller television just fine. As for the channel numbers, I can’t see anything on the screen - it looks like it’s not even on with the exception of the blinking green light on the power button. And damn straight it’s the end of the world, I paid good money for this motherfucker 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/9 "2005-01-18T04:27:52Z")
Try smacking the shit out of the TV. I have a 32" Sony that’s been giving me problems lately and voilence seems to be the only common language it and I both speak. (works for a while, goes out during incredible football catch, then re-occurs -repeat smacking the shit out of it here.) ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/10 "2005-01-18T04:29:47Z")
Look at your TV remote and hit the ‘input’ button. What happened? ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/11 "2005-01-18T04:34:54Z")
If that didn’t work unscrew the cable and see if you get a blue screen or (unlikely for your new TV) snow, if you get a blue screen/snow Cable is the likey suspect. ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/12 "2005-01-18T04:35:09Z")
Me? ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/13 "2005-01-18T04:36:13Z")
I don’t think my remote will reach **interface2x’s** house, but …ok. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/14 "2005-01-18T04:38:03Z")
> [@Rooves](#): > > Me? :smack: I was talking to **interface2x** ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/15 "2005-01-18T04:41:31Z")
> [@Rooves](#): > > Try smacking the shit out of the TV. > > I have a 32" Sony that’s been giving me problems lately and voilence seems to be the only common language it and I both speak. (works for a while, goes out during incredible football catch, then re-occurs -repeat smacking the shit out of it here.) OOC, what’s the problem with yours? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/16 "2005-01-18T06:53:32Z")
Percussive maintenance is discouraged, unless you’d like an expensive doorstop. Modern sets cram many functions into a minimum of integrated circuits, and they aren’t as forgiving as the old tube type sets. You could be lucky in that a sacrificial component has gone bad in response to a power line surge, it could also be a common problem that the local TV shop has already been apprised of via service bulletin, or you might already have an expensive doorstop. I’d vote for a stop at the place of purchase and see what they diagnose the problem to be. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/17 "2005-01-18T12:12:03Z")
Your remote probably has a bunch of buttons labeled ‘TV’, ‘VCR’, ‘cable’, etc… Try pushing the button marked ‘TV’, then turning on your television with the remote (it took two trips to the shop before someone mentioned this was why my TV wasn’t working last year…). ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/18 "2005-01-18T12:57:24Z")
by **Stuffy** > [@](#): > > OOC, what’s the problem with yours? My TV, which is about 8yrs old, just recently started acting up. The picture completely goes out and I have to get up and smack the side of it, at which point the picture reappears. I’ve already checked the connections so I’m guessing that either there’s a loose component inside or there’s something in there that’s almost dead. I have no idea what it looks like in there. My wife seems to think that this is an acceptable lifespan for a TV (8yrs) but I don’t considering that I have older tvs that still work wonderfully. ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/19 "2005-01-18T13:04:37Z")
It sounds to me like the tube died on you. It is getting power, but the tube doesn’t fire up. This would explain the high-pitched noise as well. If a good bang on the side doesn’t solve it, you will need to have it replaced/fixed. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282/20 "2005-01-18T13:44:25Z")
Yeah, it sounds like the tube tries to fire up but just can’t get it going. Looks like a call to RCA and a stop to get a copy of my receipt tonight. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-tv-just-stopped-working/285282.md?page=2)