TV Screen Is Blank or Showing Black Screen: Solutions

While watching your favorite movie flick or show on your TV, the TV screen suddenly goes black without warning.

You check to be sure that there’s no power outage and it’s not a special effect from whatever show or movie you may be watching. However, the TV screen still stays blank while the sound is still on.

When this happens, it could mean a myriad of issues. The good thing is that some of these issues can be fixed by you with the tiniest effort. However, others may require a bit more probing from an experienced professional.

If your TV screen is blank or showing black screen, keep reading this post to see what it means and things you can do to resolve it.

Possible Reasons Why The TV Screen Goes Blank or Black

If your TV screen goes blank all of a sudden, below are some possible reasons why it happened:

Connections are loose
Backlight problems
Power supply board failure
“Sleep Timer” is turned on
TV panel problem
Other peculiar problems

1. Connections are loose

One of the most common causes of the TV screen going blank are loose connections. The first thing you need to do is to check the power source and TV connection.

Also, check the connection between the TV and other electronics like the cable box, DVD player, and other auxiliary devices.

In many cases, inactive power sources, as well as loose connections, are the chief causes of your blank and unresponsive TV.

2. Backlight problems

Usually common among LCD TVs, backlights are responsible for illuminating the images on a TV screen. So, if your LCD TV is experiencing a blank screen issue, the problem may be from the backlight. Due to this, you will be unable to see anything on your screen.

The best solution to LCD TV backlight problems would be to change it altogether. Because not too many people are aware of this issue, we recommend getting help from an experienced professional.

However, if you recently purchased the TV, then you can probably have it changed as long as it is still covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.

3. Power supply board failure

Several factors are responsible for a TV screen going blank all of a sudden. However, one popular cause is a power supply board failure.

Generally, a television can have multiple power supply boards along with a T-con board including other internal parts.

Even though these components can be intimidating to the average person, they’re quite simple and easy to fix for a professional.

4. “Sleep Timer” is turned on

Perhaps you or someone else at home inadvertently turned on the sleep timer of your TV thereby causing it to go off unexpectedly.

This is a simple issue that you can resolve on your own. All you need to do is go to the “Setup” or “Settings” menu of your TV and switch off the sleep timer settings there.

5. TV screen or panel problem

A more severe cause of your TV screen going blank is if the TV panel or the screen itself is faulty. In this case, you will have to decide if buying a new panel will suffice or you’ll be better off buying a new TV instead.

If you’re using an old TV, then we recommend buying a new TV which will come with newer features.

6. Other peculiar problems

If none of the reasons given above are responsible for the blank screen on your TV, then it may have a peculiar problem native only to certain TV brands. An experienced professional will be able to diagnose and resolve the issue for you.

For instance, certain TV brands come with capacitors that, when faulty, can lead to the TV going blank or not powering up.

Solutions to Blank TV Screen Problem

If your TV screen goes blank or dark, here are a few ways you can troubleshoot it:

Turn off power saver mode
Get a new HDMI cable
Diagnose the power and connections
Get the TV’s power board replaced

Turn off power saver mode

Sometimes, the problem may not be as difficult as anticipated. That’s why it is important to check the basics first whenever you experience your TV screen going blank.

Now, some TVs come with power saver features that automatically turn off the screen. This, however, doesn’t affect the TV audio as you’ll still hear the sounds coming from the unit.

So, be sure to check if your TV comes with power saver mode or energy saver mode; turn it off if it has.

Get a new HDMI cable

At times, it may not be the TV that is the problem but an external component such as the HDMI cable. So, if you have an extra cable, try swapping it for the one there currently.

It may be possible the current HDMI cable has shorted or has another defect that is causing the issue.

Diagnose the power and connections

Another way to resolve the blank TV screen problem is by checking or diagnosing the TV’s power and its connections. You want to be sure that everything is in place and that there are no loose connections.

Once you’ve confirmed this, do the following:

Turn off the TV and unplug it from the power source
Wait for about 30 minutes and then plug the TV back into its power source
Press and hold the power button for a few seconds
Now, release the button and switch the TV back on

You can also try to check if the problem is from the cable box or other electronics connected to the TV by swapping the connection from one device to another.

Get the TV’s power board replaced

If you have tried all three methods above and the TV screen still remains blank, then you may have to consider getting its power board replaced.

This might be a rather complicated task on paper but in truth, it is a fix, that anyone, with little to no experience, can perform at home.

However, bear in mind that the board’s model number and the methods you will need to use will differ significantly from TV to TV. To replace the TV’s power board, you will need:

A new power board for the TV
A soft towel or cloth (to protect the TV’s screen)
A Philips-head screwdriver (screwdriver size may depend on the TV’s size)
A container where you can safely keep the screws you’re going to remove

Now, start by laying the TV face down and unscrewing it.

Open the back and look for the fuses on the TV (usually five of them).

If you notice that a fuse has blown, you must have it replaced as it could be the main cause of the issue rather than the power board itself. If that isn’t the case, keep reading.

Examine the wires connected to the board and have them detached.

Next, use the screwdriver to take out the screws holding the power board.

Remove the old power board and fix the new one in place.

Screw the new board carefully but firmly and reconnect the wires and cables.

Place the cover of the TV back and screw it properly.

Lastly, turn on the TV and examine it to confirm that the replacement has resolved the issue.

Conclusion

We hope this post has given you all you need in solving your blank TV screen problem. Remember, you don’t have to get it fixed on your own.

If the entire process still looks like rocket science to you, an experienced professional technician can be called in to get it done fast and avoid possible further damage.

And sometimes, getting a new TV might be the best solution, especially if the one you have is currently old or outdated.

TV Screen Is Blank or Showing Black Screen: Solutions 2