Sony is known for offering excellent gadgets at a premium price, and their TV models certainly don’t fail to meet the expectations. Like other electronic appliances, however, Sony TVs sometimes have problems, such as a black screen.
Your Sony TV’s black screen might be caused by power problems, hardware malfunctions, faulty wirings, and an enabled Picture Reset mode. To fix this, you can reboot your Sony TV, check your cables, and disable the Picture Reset mode. If the problem persists, contact Sony’s Customer Service.
Having a black screen on a premium TV can be frustrating, so I listed reasons why this happens, along with some quick fixes.
Why Your Sony TV Shows a Black Screen
Any television shows a black screen when turned off, so the first step is to check if it’s turned on. Typically, Sony TVs have an LED indicator light along their bezels to tell you they’re on standby.
Turning your TV should disable this light as you leave your TV running.
If the LED indicator light is off, but you’ve tried opening your TV through its remote or power button, then you may be having a malfunctioning TV for one of these reasons:
There’s a Problem With Power
To turn on, TVs need power from your remote’s batteries or electricity from your wall socket.
While it’s still possible to turn on your TV without a remote, it won’t function without power from your wall socket, so the rule of thumb is to check that it’s not loose or without electricity first. This is also the most common reason your Sony TV’s screen remains black.
Alternatively, you may be trying to turn your TV on with a remote with dead batteries. Check if their batteries still have power by trying it on other electronics, or simply replace them with a fresh set.
You Encountered a Hardware Malfunction
Sony TVs run on complex components to deliver a premium watching experience. However, more hardware components can also mean more chances of failure, and your black TV screen may result from that.
Your Sony TV may suffer from faulty firmware, motherboard, driver board, or other components.
Typically, these hardware malfunctions are too complex for ordinary users to fix, so I suggest calling Sony’s customer support for hardware troubleshooting and repair.
Your HDMI Cable or Power Cord Is Faulty
Your Sony TV’s power cord delivers electricity from the source (usually a wall socket) for it to function. Kinks, knots, and tears may develop from prolonged use, affecting its capacity to relay power to your TV.
On the other hand, your HDMI cord transmits audio and video between your Sony TV and other devices such as your laptop, digital converter box, or DVD player. Like your power cord, damage can also make it less effective in delivering video feeds, resulting in a black screen.
The Picture Reset Mode Is Enabled
Sony TVs have different modes depending on their model. If you see a black screen after disconnecting and reconnecting your TV from a power source and turning it on, your TV might perform panel calibration when Picture Reset Mode is enabled.
According to Sony, Panel Calibration enhances dark scenes, improves your TV screen’s overall clarity, and reduces image retention.
Quick Fixes for Your Sony TV’s Black Screen
Some reasons for your Sony TV’s black screen have an easy fix. Below are some of them:
Reboot Your Sony TV
Rebooting your Sony TV with a black screen can be challenging if you try to follow the usual route (accessing the menu with your remote). Fortunately, Sony came up with a failsafe in case this happens.
There are two ways you can reboot your TV with a black screen: the power cycle method or manual factory reset (only for Google TV or Android TV).
The Power Cycle method is one of the safest ways to troubleshoot your Sony TV since it won’t delete your information or damage your TV’s components. Below are the steps to do this:
- Leave your TV unplugged for 30 seconds.
- Plug it back into an outlet.
- Use the Power button if the TV doesn’t start on its own.
Alternatively, you can do a manual factory reset if you own an Android TV or Google TV. You can check this video for the instructions:
Gizmo Geek Guide posted this on November 1, 2022 as the original owner of this article.
Check Your HDMI Cables or Power Cord
As mentioned, kinks, knots, and tears from your HDMI cable or power cord can cause a black screen on your Sony TV.
While you can simply change your damaged HDMI cables, changing your power cord can be tricky, so it would be best to opt for prevention. Moreover, the National Fire Protection Association points out that faulty electrical wiring is one of the most common causes of fire.
If your HDMI cables need replacing, I suggest choosing a high-speed HDMI cord. Since they can give you resolutions of up to 4K and 60 Hz, they’re the perfect balance between budget and performance. I’ve linked here some of my recommendations from Amazon.com.
Disable Picture Reset Mode
To disable your Sony TV’s Picture Reset Mode, follow the steps below. Note that you can only do these if you can access your TV screen and remote.
- Open the Settings menu. For 2019 models or newer, press the Quick Settings button on your remote and click on the Settings icon. You can use the Home button on the remote for older models and click the Settings icon.
- Go to Retail Mode Settings and select Off. Note that you can access the Retail Mode Settings on different menu options depending on your TV mode. Some models need you to click on “System” or “Device Preference” first.
Final Thoughts
Sony TVs have excellent features and durability for their price, but this doesn’t make them faultless. Fortunately, these problems, such as a black screen, have some quick fixes you can do on your own.
Gizmo Geek Guide uploaded this as an original article on November 1, 2022.
However, if the black screen persists even after trying the methods listed, you should contact Sony’s Customer Service for consultation and repair.
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Gizmo Geek Guide published this original article on November 1, 2022.