# LCD TV - Weird Display - Am I Screwed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lcd-tv-weird-display-am-i-screwed/432088 "2008-01-03T03:47:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lcd-tv-weird-display-am-i-screwed/432088/1 "2008-01-03T03:47:03Z")
I went from an old CRT TV and very basic cable to a brand-new Sharp Aquos HDTV. I plugged the cable coax into the coax connector on the back of the Sharp and turned it on. Instead of getting anything useful, I see a weird random pattern of colored lines, like some sort of avant garde computer art. Pushing buttons on the remote does nothing. For a moment, I hear sound, then that dies too. I don’t see any obvious damage on the outside of the box. Is this new HDTV DOA, or is it a problem with my cable? The service coming through the cable is still analog, as far as I know; my old TV was a 20-year-old Sony and I put the cable directly into the back of it without a cable “box” in between. I’d call Sharp but they are closed for the day; apparently people need help with their TVs only during working hours. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lcd-tv-weird-display-am-i-screwed/432088/2 "2008-01-03T04:11:09Z")
Check the setup. Is the HDTV set up for cable? Of course, if you can’t even get to the setup menu, you may indeed have a DOA. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lcd-tv-weird-display-am-i-screwed/432088/3 "2008-01-03T04:43:09Z")
Is your cable digital? If so, can the TV receive digital cable? If not, you’ll still need a digital cable box. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lcd-tv-weird-display-am-i-screwed/432088/4 "2008-01-03T04:43:45Z")
I don’t really know how cable works in the US, so this may be a stupid question: Is your new TV tuned to an analogue channel, or is it on a channel expecting a digital connection? Flick through the channels and see if things change. ---
**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 3, 2008, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lcd-tv-weird-display-am-i-screwed/432088/5 "2008-01-03T04:45:38Z")
You need to get a digital cable box. Or better yet, Tivo. ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lcd-tv-weird-display-am-i-screwed/432088/6 "2008-01-04T00:43:07Z")
I have contacted Sharp and sent them pictures of the screen. Based on my observations and the opinions of others I have asked, I am pretty sure that the TV was DOA. Two people have reported similar problems, but assured me that Sharp is quite responsive in fixing the problem. ☹ It’s not been a good year so far.