The 10 Most Common TV Problems That Aren't

Image : http://www.flickr.com

In this report we will concentrate on the "problems" seen by customers with their equipment. We see these kinds of things all the time here in the shop, and hopefully this information will save you an unnecessary trip to the shop.

Problem # 1: Can't get channels above channel 13 Your TV is in the "air" mode. To remedy this problem, you must either autoprogram your TV, or set your unit to the cable mode in the menu.

Problem # 2: Channels won't change, can only get 1 channel This is similar to problem #1. Your TV needs to be autoprogrammed again using the menu.

Problem # 3: TV has a funny looking menu, looks like an ad This unit is in what is called the "demo" mode. Contact the manufacturer and if they are of no help, call us and we'll be happy to walk you through the process of getting rid of it.

Problem # 4: There's a black box blocking the picture We see this all the time. You TV has been accidentally placed into the closed caption mode. To clear this problem, bring up the menu and turn the closed captions off.

Problem # 5: I can't view certain channels on my TV This is usually a password or parental lock problem. If you have forgotten your password, you may be able to access the menu by using the factory default password that you'll find in your owner's manual. If this doesn't work, then you may have to contact the manufacturer for help.

Problem # 6: I don't have sound on some channels, spanish or the weather report on others This is another one we see a lot of. You unit is in the SAP or separate audio program mode. Access the menu and set the audio to normal, standard, or stereo.

Problem # 7: My TV just quit working This could indeed be a real problem, but maybe not. If you have cats or small dogs, do they hang out behind the TV a lot? If so, check and see if they have damaged the power cord or pulled it just far enough out of the wall to allow it to lose contact with the wall outlet. If this is not the case, carefully move the set out from the wall and smell the carpets and look at the back of the set for signs of wetness. If you find this, your pet is urinating into the set and has caused your unit to shut down. Unplug it and take it to the shop as soon as you can.

Problem # 8: No picture, all I get is snow The first thing to do here is to verify that everything is hooked up properly, and that the signal source you want to watch hasn't been changed. If you find no problem here, then you may have a cable box problem, or your satellite provider is down. Contact your company for details on any problem you might be having and don't forget to log on to their website for current information if you can't get through by phone.

Problem # 9: My remote doesn't work verify this by checking to see if you can turn on the set with the panel mounted power button. If this works and the set operates normally, then all you may need to do is change the batteries in the remote to restore operation.

Problem # 10: My TV doesn't work right since my son/daughter started playing with it Kids seem to have a real understanding of electronic gear, and some of them (my son included) love to monkey around with the menus. Some of them will even add their own passwords and setup their own access codes. It's rare that they can do any real harm so make sure that they tell you what they've done so you'll be able to enjoy your own programs.

I hope this list of the things we see everyday will help you to enjoy you TV a lot more, and save you money and time. Thank you and have a great day!

By W. Braverman

Recommend : LED television TV buying guide

LCD TV Problems - How You Can Fix Them Fast

Image : http://www.flickr.com

There are many reasons you could be having problems with your LCD TV. The thing to remember is that these things are microprocessor based, just like your computer. That means that at the first sign of trouble you should do the same thing you do with your computer; reboot it! That's right, if your LCD TV is dead ir unresponsive, turn it off with the remote or power button, wait about 10 seconds, then unplug it from the wall. After about 1 minute, plug the power back in and turn the TV on again. With any luck, your TV is now fixed. The next thing that causes problems with all new TVs, not just LCDs is the HDMI connection.

You see, HDMI is a fantastic way to get high definition video, but it's so good that the content providers were worried their stuff would end up out on the Internet in pure form, easy to copy and distribute. To prevent such an occurrence, a copy protection scheme called High Density Copy Protection (HDCP) was developed. This is an electronic data handshake system where the source and display devices have to recognize each other and agree that it's okay to send video. If there is no handshake, or the process gets corrupted in some way, poof, no more video. This problem was extremely prevalent in the early days of HDMI, but has been steadily improving since about the end of 2007 or early 2008.

If you are having problems with your TV, it may actually be an HDMI related issue. Here are some of the problems you might encounter.

Problem 1: No Picture
If you see, or rather don't see this, then shut everything down and then restart the system. Make sure all the connections are in place first. Look at the screen. If you see a resolution notice chances are the DDC line has communicated between source and sink. Good news for you! The problem is likely video related.

Problem 2: Flashes, No Audio, Pink Screen
No audio accompanied by a pink screen is usually indicative of a DDC communication problem. What's that mean for you? To check this, power up the system while all the HDMI cables are connected. If possible, try using shorter cables. Here you need to see if the system works at all. If for some reason the system still fails to come on, try using different inputs. You may find that your cable box will work and your DVD may not or vice versa. This can happen because of stray capacitance on the DDC line inside the HDMI cable. This may actually be caused by the hardware itself. If you think it may be, try getting a DDC line conditioner. Normally, these types of problems completely go away when conditioning is introduced.

Problem 3: Sparkles in the Picture
This is normally a video data transmission problem. Typically data transmission problems with HDMI are cable related. It could be that the cable is underperforming due to its length. This is especially common with cheap cables. Remember the HDMI spec says cable length should not exceed 10 meters. Shortening the cable should improve the signal integrity. Another possibility in this situation is a bad connector. HDMI connectors are notoriously fickle anyway.Try a new cable at each position along the signal path.

Symptom 4: Picture Comes On, Then Goes Off
Typically, this is caused by one of two things. The first is when one or more of the video TMDS channels has a high bit error rate or is not working at all. Next is when the DDC line doesn't quite make it. In that case, the HDCP is not getting a new refresh key. Buy a in a better quality cable with larger wire. When it comes to wire gauge, smaller gauge equals bigger wire diameter. Hence 20 gauge is larger diameter than 24 gauge.

If you're having LCD TV problems, check these things before you call a TV repair company. In many cases you can easily fix the problem yourself without spending a fortune.

Recommend : TV buying guide LED television

Polaroid Digital Camera Problems You Should Know About Before You Buy

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Polaroid digital camera problems have overwhelmed consumers and the manufacturer. The Polaroid a520M was a camera that Polaroid probably wishes they never released to the public. This camera had underexposed images when you were not using the flash. Then when you used the flash, the pictures were overexposed. The viewing screen was difficult to see in a dimly lit room. The background images were out of focus when you had the subject in focus. The list goes on with this particular camera. There were a few positive things about the camera, but not enough for Polaroid to keep the camera on the shelf.

Then came the Polaroid digital camera problems with the x530. A Hong Kong company under the Polaroid name produced the camera and the image quality was deplorable. Consumers were quick to judge this particular camera. Digital cameras are not easy to make, but if you do not use the technology available, you will have problems and dissatisfied customers. This camera was also recalled and pulled from the store shelf. Anyone that had this camera was issued a refund. Next, Polaroid produced the awkward looking PDC-3000. This camera was not only awkward looking it delivered poor picture quality.

When looking for today's digital cameras, one has to practice scanning and comparing reviews and specifications on all digital cameras. Even companies with a unique reputation in photography can produce a camera that will not make it the world of photography. Polaroid digital camera problems are long and drawn out. The digital cameras mentioned have since been taken off the shelves, but you still need to read any reviews of other cameras to see if it is what you need. Always compare digital cameras with a checklist to see what camera will be the best for your needs.

Friends Link : LED television TV buying guide