How to fix no signal on tv

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As part of my weekend R&R, I either watch something on TV or pick out a movie or show I had held off watching.

Last weekend, when I decided to watch some TV, the TV connection thought otherwise.

The picture suddenly stopped, and my TV’s No signal screen popped up.

My cable box remained turned on, but there was no signal coming to the TV.

I wanted to find out what’s up and prevent this from happening ever again.

I went through my cable provider’s troubleshooting guides and user forums online to find out what works best when fixing a no signal error.

This guide results from that research to let you know what you could do when your TV says there is no signal, but your cable box is still on.

To fix the no signal issue on the TV when the cable box is on, check all connections between the TV and set-top box. Also, check in with your cable providers to know if there is a service outage in your area.

What does the “No Signal” Error Mean?

A ‘No Signal’ error on your TV lets you know that the TV has stopped receiving signals from whatever input it is on.

This usually happens if the input device in question turns off, but the cable box was still turned on in my case.

Troubleshooting the issue is relatively simple and takes it easy on your schedule as well.

Why is the “No Signal” Error Happening Even with the Cable Box On?

If there is no signal even with the cable box turned on, there can be various reasons why.

It can maybe even mean that your cable provider is experiencing an outage.

But it is not far-fetched to say that your box has died, either.

Since there are quite a few probable causes for the issue, it would be better to get right to troubleshooting instead.

Check All Cables and Connections

Since the number one reason for a No signal error is, well, loss of signal, check all connections between the cable box and TV.

Check the ports and clean out any dust or dirt in them with a dry microfiber cloth or an earbud.

If your cable box uses HDMI, make sure the ends of both connectors are not bent or damaged.

If they are, get ones with gold-plated ends, like the Belkin Ultra HD HDMI cable .

This one supports 4K and high bitrate audio as well.

Replace any damaged cables or wires, including the ones that deliver power to the box and TV. This also what you do if your Digital TV keeps losing signal.

Reboot the TV and the Cable Box

The next thing you can try is to reboot the cable box.

To do this, either use your remote or the power button on the box itself.

Then, wait for a few minutes to turn it back on.

After that, reboot your TV.

Turn off your TV and wait for a few minutes to turn it back on as well.

Check If You’re Using the Correct Input Source on the TV

Another reason your TV is showing No signal is that the input mode your TV is currently on is not the one the cable box is connected to.

Try switching inputs until you see the TV.

Press the input button on your TV remote to bring up the inputs menu.

Use either the input button itself or the directional keys and check each input.

Look for Service Outages

If you’re still not getting a signal, call up your cable provider.

Ask them if there are any outages in your area, and if yes, how long it would take for a fix.

After you get off the call, and if there is an outage, the best thing you can do is to wait until the service comes back on.

Take a walk around the house, watch something online or just basically do something to while away the time while they fix the outage.

Reset the Cable Box and the TV

This step is in a similar vein to how we restarted your cable box and TV.

A restart only soft resets, which means not all settings are reverted.

On the other hand, a reset reverts almost all settings changes, except the ones the user made, to their defaults.

So trying a reset is a good choice if you couldn’t get your TV to work after trying everything else.

To reset your cable box,

1. First, turn it off.
2. Unplug the power cord from the wall and wait for at least 5 minutes.
3. Plug the cord back in and turn the box on.

To reset the TV:

1. Turn off the TV
2. Unplug the cord from the wall.
3. Wait for another 5 minutes before turning it back on again.

You can do both of these sets of steps at the same time.

Then, after a reset, see if you can get a signal from the cable box.

Contact Support

If none of these steps work out for you, you might need professional help.

Contact your cable provider’s support team and tell them your issue.

Talk to them about the circumstances you had this issue, and mention the troubleshooting steps you’ve tried.

They might ask you to try something else specific to your cable provider, or they might send someone in if they need to.

Getting Back The Cable Signal

After you get back the TV signal, check for issues with your internet.

If the cable TV connection had issues, chances are the internet would too.

If you’re on Dish TV and there’s no signal , check your receiver for a green light and try out the TV2 default channels.

Experiencing slowdowns, slower speeds, or not having enough range all over the house?

Consider buying a mesh WiFi system compatible with WiFi 6.

Mesh systems are also very useful when you start to make your first step into home automation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I reboot a smart TV?

You can either use the remote, use the switch on the TV or ask the voice assistant if you have one to reboot your TV.

Turn the TV off and on again to reboot.

Do TVs have a reset button?

Most TVs do not have a reset button.

Although there is the option to reset on the settings menu of the TV if you ever want to reset the TV.

How do I test my cable signal?

To test your cable signal, you can either use a digital signal meter or a multimeter.

Good ones are expensive, so ask a professional to do it for you if you need to get your cables tested.

How can I boost my cable signal strength?

If you have a cordless phone near the TV, shift it to somewhere else.

Also, try not to keep too many electronic devices near the set-top box.