My TV has been acting up lately and I’m growing increasingly frustrated. When I turn it on, the logo appears then the screen goes black. I’ve done some research and discovered that there are several possible reasons for this issue. I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned, along with tips and tricks for fixing the problem.
Your TV screen suddenly going black after briefly showing the logo could be caused by a failing backlight or LED, power supply problems, a software issue, or a faulty T-con board. You can solve some of the issues with a hard reset or a firmware flash, while others require you to replace some parts.
| Problem | Cause | Details |
|---|---|---|
| TV screen goes black after logo | Failing Backlights or LEDs | TV’s sound will still work, and images may be visible with a strong flashlight on the screen. Fixing this issue requires replacing the faulty backlights or LED strips. |
| Power Supply Problems | Uneven power supply or overheating power supply unit can cause the screen to go black. Fixing this issue requires replacing the faulty power supply. A temporary troubleshooting step involves placing a cooling fan behind the TV. | |
| Faulty T-Con Board | A faulty T-Con board can cause a black screen, double images, distorted display, full white display, or black and white lines across the screen. Fixing this issue requires replacing the T-Con board, which is best done by a professional technician. | |
| Firmware Problems | Firmware issues can cause various problems, including the TV screen going black. Two possible fixes include: 1) removing all power from the TV for at least 60 seconds to reset the components, and 2) updating the firmware by downloading the latest version from the manufacturer’s website, copying it to a flash drive, and |
Table of Contents
Black TV Screen Due To Failing Backlights Or LEDs
A pretty common cause of a black TV screen is when the backlight or LED strips start failing. The TV screen could be black right from the start (i.e., it never seems to come on at all), or it could take a few seconds or even minutes before the screen goes black.
When your backlight or LEDs fail, you will notice two things:
- Your TV’s sound will still work. Since the backlight or LEDs have nothing to do with the TV’s general functionality, it will still function in every other way except that you won’t see anything on the screen.
- If you shine a strong flashlight onto your TV screen while it should be showing something, you should be able to see the black and grey outlines of the images it should be showing. That’s because the image is actually still being drawn on the screen; it just isn’t lit up for you to be able to see it.
Older flat-screen TV models used backlights consisting of vacuum tubes, similar to old lightbulbs. These bulbs or tubes have very limited lifetimes and may die anytime, causing the backlight to grow dim or die completely.
Newer TVs replaced the backlight with LED strips. They last longer, have a much smaller size, use less power, and are cheaper to manufacture. When a single LED or an LED strip dies, it could also cause the entire screen to go black.
Sometimes the backlight can function just long enough for the TV to briefly show an image when it’s still cool, but the moment it starts to warm up, the lights die out, and you are left staring at a black screen.
Fixing Faulty Backlights And LEDs
The only way to fix a backlight or LEDs is to replace the components. On older TVs, this is simply a process of finding the right replacement tube or tubes and putting it in there. With LEDs, since there are so many, it’s slightly more complicated, and you will need a multimeter and, sometimes, a soldering iron to replace it.
Power Supply Problems Could Cause Black TV Screens
In this context, the phrase “power supply problems” could refer to many different things, all related to the supply of power to the components.
The first is that there could be an uneven supply of power to the TV’s components, causing the screen to go black occasionally. Secondly, the power supply unit inside the TV could either be acting up or overheating, rendering it incapable of providing the required electrical current to all of the components.
Especially in the case of overheating, the power supply could provide enough power to start up the TV (letting it show the logo) until it gets too warm and cuts the supply of power.
Fixing Power Supply Problems
A faulty power supply must be replaced; there’s no way to get around it. You can do this yourself if you’re handy with some electronic tools and if you can find a replacement part, but you can also take the TV to a professional technician to replace it for you.
If the problem is caused by overheating, you should be able to get your TV to continue working for at least a bit longer by placing a cooling fan behind the TV, pointed straight at the location of the power supply. This is not a fix, though, and it’s recommended as a troubleshooting step, not as a way to avoid replacing the power supply
Faulty T-Con Boards Can Also Cause Black Screens
The T-Con board, also known as the control board, is the smallest circuit board inside your TV. Its job is to manage the horizontal and vertical timing panel signals for your TV’s display.
A faulty T-Con board has a few possible symptoms, including:
- Screen going black
- Double images
- Distorted display
- A full white display
- Black and white lines positioned either vertically or horizontally across the screen
If your TV started displaying any of the other problems before the screen started to go black, that is an almost sure indication of a faulty T-Con board.
Fixing A Faulty T-Con Board
T-Con boards cannot be fixed (at least, not by average home users). They need to be replaced. Replacing a T-Con board is easy once you’ve managed to get a replacement.
Generally speaking, it’s best to take your TV to an appliance repair shop. These professionals know how to test for a faulty T-Con board, and they know where to find replacement parts and how to replace components in case something goes wrong.
A Black TV Screen Because Of Firmware Problems
TVs, particularly smart TVs, are controlled by a special type of software programmed into one of the chips on the TV. If something goes wrong with this software (called “firmware”), you will experience a wide range of problems, including the possibility of the TV screen going black after a while.
Fixing Firmware Problems
There are two main things that you could try if you suspect that the problem might be software- or firmware-related.
Remove All Power From The TV
Software or firmware issues can often be cleared by unplugging your TV from the wall power socket and keeping it unplugged for at least 60 seconds. This resets many of the power-hungry components and allows them to get a “fresh start” when you switch your TV on again.
Try Updating The Firmware
Most TV manufacturers have pages on their websites where you can download updated firmware for your TV model. Copy the downloaded firmware to a flash drive and insert it into the TV’s USB port while it’s still switched off. When you plug the TV back in and switch it on, it should find the flash drive with the firmware installer and install the firmware.
New firmware often fixes bugs in the older versions, so it’s often a good idea to install new, updated firmware from time to time anyway. This will minimize the number of bugs you may encounter with your TV.
Conclusion
Depending on the exact cause of the problem and your level of expertise, the problem of a TV screen going black after showing the logo could be incredibly easy or ridiculously difficult to fix. Now that you know what could cause the problem, you should also be able to determine if it’s something that you may want to try and fix yourself or if you should get the pros to do so instead.
Read more: TV stuck on setup
