My TV has sound but no picture

"I connected my TV to my player, but my TV has sound but no picture. What should I do?" If you didn't manage to fix this issue, and you are sure that everything is fine with both the player and the TV, consider replacing the RCA cable as the yellow pin might be faulty (shorted). 

Note: Before you replace the RCA cable, test it on another device.

Your TV turns on but no picture or sound? Sometimes, all you need to do in order to get picture on your TV is to restart it, i.e. turn it off and back on after a few minutes.

If you didn't get picture after restarting the TV, check out the other solutions.

Note: You can also do a "power reset" of the TV, which involves unplugging it from power socket and presssing and holding the power button for at least 10 seconds. Afterwards, plug the TV back in the power outlet and turn it on.

Your TV turns on but no picture or sound? Every TV has more than one input sources (e.g. HDMI 1, HDMI 2, VGA, Scart, etc.). So, for example, if your device is plugged in the HDMI 1 port and you set the HDMI 2 port as an input source, you will get a no-signal message on the TV.

To resolve this, you need to set the HDMI 1 port as an input source, by pressing the "Source" button on the TV's remote control, or on the TV itself.

Your TV or cable box needs the antenna, so that you can watch TV channels. Check if the antenna is plugged in the TV or the cable box, as you might have unplugged in accidentally. If it wasn't already plugged in, make sure that you plug it in, firmly and your TV picture problems should be resolved.

If the cable box is the reason for the no picture or sound on TV issue, and you tried everything else to fix it but you didn't manage to, buy a new cable box or ask the cable operator to replace it for you.

If your DVD/Blu-ray player is connected to the TV through an RCA cable (see the screenshot below), and the tv has sound but no picture, make sure that the pins are connected correctly on both ends, to the TV's RCA slot and the DVD/Blu-ray player. The yellow pin carries the video signal and should be plugged in the yellow ports on both ends (the TV and the player), whereas the red and white pins carry the audio signal (left and right speaker).

If your TV has sound but no picture, or no sound nor picture, and If you are sure that the TV has malfunctioned, and you have tried everything else to fix it, including replacing its display, but without success, consider buying a new TV.

Maybe a software-related issue on the computer prevents you from getting picture on the TV. In this case, restarting the computer should fix the issue.

If you use a DVI adapter to connect your Mac OS device to the TV, and you have exhausted all the options to get picture on the TV, but unsuccessfully, consider replacing the DVI adapter, which you can find in any Apple store.

When you connect a TV to the computer, it will be treated either as Display 1 (if you connect it to the main VGA/DVI port) or Display 2 (if you connect it to the HDMI port). If Display 2 is disabled on the computer, you TV won't get picture.

To enable the Display 2, follow the steps below:

1. Right-click anywhere on the desktop and select Display Settings.
2. Click Detect so that you are 100% sure that the computer detects the TV,
3. Then, click on Computer only and select Duplicate, Extend or Projector only (i.e. to see picture only on Display 2, i.e. the TV).

Note: If your computer doesn't detect the TV, check out the other solutions.

Maybe a software-related issue on behalf of the mobile device is the reason for you being unable to get picture on the TV. Try restarting the mobile device and then reconnecting it to the TV.

Maybe the cable operator you are subscribed to has some technical difficulties. Before you call them and tell them that there is no picture on TV, wait for up to 30 minutes as they might resolve it.

No picture on tv, nor sound? Maybe your TV doesn't have picture because you forgot to turn it on. All you need to do is to turn it on and the TV should start working, i.e. you should see picture on the screen.

"I want to play a movie, but my TV has sound but no picture. What should I do?" If you try to play an MP4 movie on a DVD player which doesn't support MP4, you won't be able to see any picture of the TV. Make sure that the movie you are trying to watch is converted to a format which will be supported by your player.

Note: Famous converters include ConvertXtoDVD, Any Video Converter, etc.

Maybe the channel you are trying to watch is not part of the subscription plan you are subscribed to. If you want to watch that channel, you need to update the current subscription plan.

Maybe there is a hardware-related issue with the graphic card of your computer or the port (HDMI, VGA, DVI, etc.). If you have tried all the other, more common solutions, but none of them worked, take your computer/laptop to a repair shop.

If you have exhausted all the options and you failed to resolve this problem, consider resetting the mobile device to its factory settings. Before you reset it, make sure to back up all your personal data (photos, videos, sounds, and other important documents) as you might lose them in the process.

See the don't know how to reset my device guide, if you are not sure how to reset your mobile device.

Maybe the connection between the mobile device and the TV wasn't established properly. Try disconnecting the mobile device from and reconnecting it to the TV after a few seconds.

If you tried everything else to fix the cable, but nothing worked, consider replacing the DVI cable, because the cable might be broken.

Note: Before you buy a new DVI cable, test the old one on another TV.

Maybe your mobile device and the TV are not compatible. To test this, try connecting the mobile device to another TV. If the other TV recognizes the mobile device, that means that your device is working properly.

If you use a VGA adapter to connect your Mac OS device to the TV, and you have exhausted all the options to get picture on the TV, but unsuccessfully, consider replacing the VGA adapter, which you can find in any Apple store.

One way of how to fix a TV with no sound but picture is by changing the display resolution. Maybe the TV doesn't support the computer's display resolution. Try changing the resolution, with the TV connected to the computer.

Here is what you need to do in order to change the display resolution:

1. Click the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
2. Click the Displays icon.
3. Click the Default for display check-box.

Note: If you see more than one resolution listed, select a resolution and refresh rate. If the display turns off when you change the resolution, press the escape key to undo the change.

Maybe the channel you are trying to watch is currently offline. Try switching the channel first. If this works, all you need to do is to wait for the cable TV operator to fix the channel that is offline.

If you can't watch any channel, check out the other solutions.

Maybe you forgot to turn on the computer, or wake it up from the sleep/hybernate mode. If this is the case, your TV will have picture once you turn on the computer.

If your Panasonic TV doesn't have sound and you are not sure what to do, contact Panasonic's customer support team, which you can reach if you dial the following number: +1 800-211-7262.

If you didn't manage to reach them by dialling the above-mentioned number, contact them online on their website (click here to visit it).

If you connected the TV and the computer with a VGA cable, make sure that the VGA cable is firmly plugged in on both ends in order to get picture on the TV.

If you have exhausted all the options to get picture on the TV, but unsuccessfully, buy a new HDMI cable, as your HDMI cable might be broken.

Before you buy a new HDMI cable, try plugging in another, fully functional HDMI cable to the TV. If the issue persists, i.e. you still can't get picture on the TV, the HDMI cable is not broken.

Maybe the port in which the HDMI cable is plugged in doesn't work properly, due to a physical damage of some kind. Try plugging in the HDMI cable in another port on the TV.

Note: If that didn't work, check out the other solutions.

If you have made sure that the DVD/Blu-ray player is the reason behind you being unable to get picture on the TV, and you tried to fix it (and took it to a repair shop), but without success, consider buying a new player.

If watch TV channels through a cable box and the TV screen goes blank randomly, consider turning off the cable box and turning it back on after a few minutes.

If you watch channels through a cable box, try unplugging it from the power cord and plugging it back in after a few minutes. By doing this, you will reset the cable box and your TV should get picture.

Maybe the graphic card driver is damaged, by a virus or another third-party software. All you need to do is to reinstall the driver. Firstly uninstall the already installed driver (see the don't know how to uninstall a program guide) and then download and install a new one.

See the don't know how to download and install drivers guide, if you are not sure how to download and install drivers.

By putting your computer to sleep and waking it up again, you will make the computer search for (and detect) your TV again.

If your Samsung TV doesn't have picture and you are not sure what to do, contact Samsung's customer service, which you can reach through the following number: +1 800-726-7864.

Also, if you didn't manage to reach them by dialling the above-mentioned number, you can contact them online through their website (click here to visit it).

If you fall behind with paying the bill, the cable operator will restrict your access to the TV channels it offers, i.e. scramble them. To unscramble them, all you have to do is to pay the bill.

If the cable operator provided you with a conditional access module (CAM), you need to plug it in the TV's CI slot so that you can unscramble the TV channels and watch them.

When you plug the CAM in the TV, make sure to insert it in the correct direction. If you are not sure about the direction in which the CAM should be plugged in the CI slot, consult the TV's manual or ask the cable guy to plug it in, instead.

Maybe the operator made some changes to the channels' frequencies. If the antenna is firmly plugged in on both ends, yours and the cable operator's, all you need to do is to (re-)scan for channels.

Note: If you are not sure how to scan for channels, consult the TV's / cable box's manual. If the issue persists, check out the other solutions.

Maybe there is no picture on the TV, because the TV doesn't support the audio format of the TV channels. For example, if your TV (usually older ones) supports the mpeg2 format only, it won't support most of the TV channels as they are in the mpeg4 format.

In this situation, you have two options:

1. Connecting a cable box to the TV and watching the TV channels through it.
2. Buying a new TV.

Maybe there is no picture on the TV, because the cable box doesn't support the audio format of the TV channels. For example, if your cable box (usually older ones) supports the mpeg2 format only, it won't support most of the TV channels as they are in the mpeg4 format.

In this extremely rare case, you can either buy a new cable box or a new TV.

If you set the cable box's slot as an input source on the TV, and you see a "No signal" message, it is possible that the cable box is turned off. All you need to do is to turn it on and you should be able to watch TV channels.

Maybe the mobile device is turned off (e.g. its battery is drained, or you forgot to turn it on) or is asleep. All you need to do is to turn on (or unlock) the mobile device and you should see picture on the TV.

Maybe the DVD player or the Blu-ray player is turned off. All you need to do is to turn it on, and you should see picture on the TV.

If your TV doesn't have picture and you are not sure what to do, contact Sony's customer support team, which you can reach if you dial the following number: +1 800-222-7669.

If you didn't manage to reach them by dialling the above-mentioned number, you can contact them online on their website (click here to visit it).

If your LG TV doesn't have picture and you are not sure what course of action to take, contact LG's customer service, by dialling the following number: +1 800-243-0000.

Another way to contact them is by paying them a visit through their website (click here to visit it).

If your TV doesn't have picture and you are not exactly sure what to do, contact Philips's customer support team, by dialling the following number: +1 888-744-5477.

If you didn't manage to reach them by dialling the above-mentioned number, contact them online on their website (click here to visit it).

If your TV doesn't have picture and you are not sure what to do, you can get in touch with Toshiba's customer support team, by dialling the following number: +1 800-457-7777.

If you didn't manage to reach them through the above-mentioned number, contact them online on their website (click here to visit it).

If your Vizio TV doesn't have picture, contact Vizio's customer support staff, which you can reach if you dial the following number: +1 855-833-3221.

If you didn't manage to reach them by dialling the above-mentioned number, you can contact them online on their website (click here to visit it).

If your TV doesn't have picture and you are not sure what to do, contact Micromax's customer support team, which you can reach if you dial the following number: +1 860-500-8286.

Another way to reach them is online, on their website (click here to visit it).

If your TV doesn't have picture and you are not sure what to do, contact your device manufacturer's customer support team, which you can get on their website, the instructions manual, etc.

Also, you can contact them online, through their website, provided that they have one.

Maybe restarting the player is all you need to get the picture back. To restart the player, you can either turn it off and back on after a few seconds or unplug its power cable directly from the power outlet.

If your TV doesn't have picture when you try to watch a movie through a DVD/Bluray player, it is possible that the player can't read the video because its format is not supported by the player. To help the player "read" the movie, you need to convert the movie using a converter (e.g. ConvertXtoDVD).

Note: Try playing another movies, for which you are sure that are fully playable. If you still can't get picture, it is possible that there is something wrong with the player or the cable(s).

Consider this option a last resort and only if you are sure that the TV and the computer's hardware components are functioning properly, and the cables are not shorted. Before you reset your computer, make sure to make a backup of your personal data (photos, music, videos and other invaluable documents).

See the don't know how to install an operating system guide to learn how to (re)install your computer's operating system, safely.

If you don't have the appropriate graphic card driver installed on the computer, you might experience video-related issues when you connect the computer to your TV.

See the don't know how to download and install drivers guide to learn how to find and install the appropriate computer drivers.

Maybe the HDMI port(s) on the sender (e.g. a computer) and/or the receiver (TV) is (are) dirty and as a result of this, there is no picture and/or sound to the TV.
Try cleaning the HDMI ports using a small toothpick to remove dust lumps, if any, and then pour some rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol on a small piece of cotton and clean the ports until you remove all the dust.

If you use a desktop computer and you have done everything to make the TV recognize the computer, but nothing worked, consider replacing the graphic card. Go to a computer store and take the computer with you, so that the shop assistants can help you find an appropriate graphic card.

If your TV doesn't get picture, or the screen goes blank randomly, it's possible that the DVI cable is loosely plugged in either in the computer or in the TV (or both). Make sure that the cable is firmly plugged in.

If the mobile device's HDMI port is dirty, it might not fully recognize the HDMI cable. In this case, all you need to do is to clean the device's HDMI port and the TV should be able to recognize it. You can clean the HDMI port with a toothpick, or using a small piece of cotton with some isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol on it.

Maybe the screenshare software/app became unresponsive or started misbehaving. To make it responsive again, you need to restart it, by closing it and opening it again.

See the don't know how to close (quit) programs/applications guide, if you are not sure how to fully close (quit) programs/apps.

Maybe the issue is in the screenshare software/app, due to misconfiguration, virus, etc. Try reinstalling the screenshare software/app and the issue should be resolved.

Firstly, you need to uninstall the software/app (see the don't know how to uninstall program/application guide). Then, you need to go to website of the software/app (or search for it from your mobile device in Android's Google Play, or iOS's App Store), download and install the software app.

Maybe the latest update of the screenshare software/app you are using contains the fix for this problem. Check for updates and update the software/app, if an update is available.

If you tried everything else to fix the cable, but nothing worked, consider replacing the VGA cable, because the cable might be broken.

Note: Before you buy a new VGA cable, test the old one on another TV.