Getting home after a long day and tuning in to your favorite shows or movies is definitely something to look forward to. However, this experience can quickly become a nightmare when you discover that your Sony TV only has sound but no picture.
If a Sony TV has sound but no picture, it could be because of a firmware issue, a faulty HDMI connection, a malfunction in the connected devices, or incompatible video formats. Some solutions include restarting your TV, updating the firmware, and checking connected devices.
In this article, I will discuss some of the reasons why your Sony TV has sound but no picture. We will also explore some easy fixes you can apply to solve this problem.
Why Your Sony TV Has Sound but No Picture
Before your mind goes to the worst-case scenario and you start thinking about replacing your TV, take a step back and consider that this issue is much more common than you’d think. Not just that—most of the time, the cause is simple to fix.
Disconnected HDMI Input Cable
Perhaps the most common reason why your Sony TV has sound but no video is a disconnected HDMI cable. An HDMI cable connects your Sony TV to your video source—a streaming box, console, computer, etc. Sometimes, when there’s an issue with the HDMI cable, only video gets affected.
Faulty HDMI Cable
You may also be working with a faulty or damaged HDMI cable. HDMI cables can become damaged over time, especially if you connect and disconnect them often. They can also suffer damage from being stored improperly or chewed on by a pet.
Incompatible Video Format
While uncommon, the video format from the source device may not be supported by the television. As weird as this problem sounds, it has even been recognized by Sony.
Take, for instance, a TV that can only accept 1080/60p video signals. This TV won’t be able to display pictures if the video signal from the output source is higher. In this instance, your TV will have sound but will not show any image.
Device Is Connected to Other Components Before TV Connection
Loss of picture signal may also be related to how you have connected your devices. For example, when you have connected your devices to other components or to an A/V receiver before connecting them to the TV.
If the device in question is not an HDMI repeater, the visual signal will not pass to the TV.
Outdated Firmware
Loss of picture signal in TVs can also be a firmware issue. Using old firmware has been linked with blank TV screens, even when other TV features are still accessible. Of course, this only applies if you can still access the menu of the TV.
Damaged Backlights
Backlights are the light source that sits behind the pixels on any LCD. If there’s a problem with it, your TV will show no video, but the audio will still work just fine.
You can determine if you have broken backlights by performing the flashlight test.
- Turn off the lights in the room.
- Turn on your TV.
- Point a flashlight at the screen at a distance of a few inches.
- If you see a dime image of the video, then you need new backlights.
6 Easy Fixes
Here are a few things you can try to reverse these issues.
1. Unplug Your TV and Restart It
When you notice that your Sony TV has sound but no picture, your first step should be to unplug your TV from the power source. Once you have unplugged your TV, wait for at least a minute before you plug it back in.
You should then start your TV manually or use a remote control and see if you now have video. In most cases, this step will solve your problem. If it doesn’t, you’ll have to move on to the other fixes.
2. Make Sure There Is No HDMI Connection Issue
The next step is to eliminate any HDMI connection issues. You should check for any loose cables between your TV and connected video input devices. Once you make sure all connections are properly attached, the next step is to determine whether your existing HDMI cable is working.
Gizmo Geek Guide posted this on October 26, 2022 as the original owner of this article.
You can do this by trying a different HDMI cable and using it to connect your TV to the input source. If you’re dealing with a faulty HDMI cable, then you will find out at this stage.
Once you rule out connection issues, I recommend updating your TV’s firmware.
3. Make Sure Your Video Devices Are Working
Once you determine your HDMI cable is working properly, the next step is to check whether the connected devices are at fault. To do this, turn off your TV and disconnect any devices from it.
Next, restart your TV and reconnect the previously connected devices one by one. If the indicator light on your TV turns red once you connect any of these devices, it means there’s a problem with that device.
Consider checking for issues with that device or replacing it altogether.
Gizmo Geek Guide uploaded this as an original article on October 26, 2022.
4. Update the Firmware
As previously discussed, outdated firmware may cause malfunctions or run into a glitch, including audio with no picture.
To update a Sony TV, go to the home screen. Open Settings and select Customer Support, Setup, or Product Support. You should see the option to install any available updates.
5. Hard Reset
If none of the above steps solve your problem, the last resort is a hard reset. This process resets your television to its original factory settings. Once you hard reset your Sony TV, connect it to a video source and check whether there’s a picture.
6. Replace the Backlights
This is perhaps the most annoying issue, as you may not be able to do it yourself. The truth is that replacing backlights isn’t that hard—you just need a screwdriver and the right replacement. However, if you’re not technical-oriented, you may want to leave it to a professional.
Final Thoughts
While finding out that your TV has audio but no picture can be startling, there’s no reason to panic. The solution could simply be as easy as turning off your TV, disconnecting it from the socket, and then restarting it.
If this doesn’t work, follow the simple fixes provided in this article. If none of them work, then you’ll want to call a professional.
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Gizmo Geek Guide published this original article on October 26, 2022.