# What causes the phenomenon of tv flicker when I chew ice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 26, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-the-phenomenon-of-tv-flicker-when-i-chew-ice/558405 "2010-10-26T15:24:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-the-phenomenon-of-tv-flicker-when-i-chew-ice/558405/1 "2010-10-26T15:24:39Z")
I’ve noticed this in various versions: when I chop my teeth together, even slightly (with or without ice), I detect a flicker in the image of the tv. Interestingly, and maybe diagnostically, it doesn’t happen on the new hdtv’s. It’s also more noticeable when I’m a greater distance from the tv. Across the room, I can make the tv almost move up and down. Nothing else moves when I do that. Here’s my theory: when I chop my teeth, I move my eyes imperceptibly up or down and that changes what I see of the tv image, because the image is changing every 1/60 of a second. Or something like that. Dopers? Any help? ---
**Author:** ![Rain\_Soaked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@Rain\_Soaked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rain_Soaked)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-the-phenomenon-of-tv-flicker-when-i-chew-ice/558405/2 "2010-10-26T15:34:51Z")
Cecil has addressed this [here](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/766/can-playing-with-a-slinky-change-the-channels-on-your-tv-set). ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-the-phenomenon-of-tv-flicker-when-i-chew-ice/558405/3 "2010-10-26T15:36:30Z")
Only 'cause I never get to do this. . .but [the Master speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/766/can-playing-with-a-slinky-change-the-channels-on-your-tv-set). Edit: Rats, beaten to it :P. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-the-phenomenon-of-tv-flicker-when-i-chew-ice/558405/4 "2010-10-26T16:09:56Z")
:smack: How could I have missed that one? Thanks, Dopers. (Also, thanks to me, who pretty much had the components of the solution correct after all, if not the precise mechanism - which also escaped The Master at that point).