# Why does my TV keeping shutting off? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 19, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595 "2004-12-19T02:52:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/1 "2004-12-19T02:52:09Z")
I have a Phillips TV (it’s about 2-3 years old) in the den. When you first turn it on, it will shut off after a few seconds. The screen goes black, but the “on” indicator light stays on. I have to turn it “off” and turn it on again. This may take 7-8 times to get the thing to stay on. Sometimes, after being on for several hours, it’ll shut “off” and I have to go through the routine again. Any clues? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/2 "2004-12-19T05:50:00Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Any clues? None here. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/3 "2004-12-19T06:03:40Z")
[Could someone in your house have one of these?](http://www.tvbgone.com/home.php) Any new gadgets? New electronics? New neighbors? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/4 "2004-12-19T13:53:33Z")
> [@Scruloose](#): > > [Could someone in your house have one of these?](http://www.tvbgone.com/home.php) > > Any new gadgets? New electronics? New neighbors? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/5 "2004-12-19T15:47:49Z")
Dying batteries in the remote? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/6 "2004-12-19T18:02:03Z")
Screen saver? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/7 "2004-12-19T18:14:40Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I have a Phillips TV (it’s about 2-3 years old) in the den. When you first turn it on, it will shut off after a few seconds. The screen goes black, but the “on” indicator light stays on. I have to turn it “off” and turn it on again. This may take 7-8 times to get the thing to stay on. Sometimes, after being on for several hours, it’ll shut “off” and I have to go through the routine again. > > Any clues? Unplug it from the AC power and let it sit unplugged for at least an hour. Plug it back in and see if this behavior continues. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/8 "2004-12-19T18:15:07Z")
Look at it this way: Our smart assed answers are keeping the OP on the front page until someone who reallys knows his shit can come along and be of real help. Nah. I’m not that altruistic. I did it just for the smart asseryness of it! (Hope you get a real answer someday.) ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/9 "2004-12-19T18:56:56Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I have a Phillips TV (it’s about 2-3 years old) in the den. When you first turn it on, it will shut off after a few seconds. The screen goes black, but the “on” indicator light stays on. I have to turn it “off” and turn it on again. This may take 7-8 times to get the thing to stay on. Sometimes, after being on for several hours, it’ll shut “off” and I have to go through the routine again. Any clues? Is it an “instant on” TV? If so it should show a picture immediately. If it is not an “instant on” it will take time to warm up the electron gun. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/10 "2004-12-19T18:59:31Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Look at it this way: > > Our smart assed answers are keeping the OP on the front page until someone who reallys knows his shit can come along and be of real help. > Nah. I’m not that altruistic. I did it just for the smart asseryness of it! > (Hope you get a real answer someday.) My suggestions wasn’t a smart assed answer. The logic in modern TVs can get confused and stay in that state until power is pulled and they are left to sit a bit, then plugged in again. Not sure why this works, but occasionally it does. MBS’s problem sounds like a power supply issue of some kind that will require repair (or more likely replacement) to solve. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/11 "2004-12-19T19:19:16Z")
> [@PinGear](#): > > Is it an “instant on” TV? If so it should show a picture immediately. > If it is not an “instant on” it will take time to warm up the electron gun. It is an instant on set. **Astro** : I’ll try that. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-tv-keeping-shutting-off/280595/12 "2004-12-20T00:50:57Z")
Sorry, Astro. But look at our time stamps, won’t you? I obviously wasn’t meaning you.