The sleek design, wide range of streaming channels, and great picture quality of TCL Roku TVs have brought them toe-to-toe with leading TV manufacturing brands. However, they are not without the occasional imperfection.
What if the screen of your TCL Roku TV blacks out in the middle of a movie? Right at the part where the protagonist was about to deliver the knockout punch.
While the screen remains blank, audio delivery may continue, letting you hear the protagonist’s clichè follow-up victory monologue. If you’ve had a similar experience, you’re in the right place.
A blacked-out TCL Roku TV screen can result from a poor cable connection, a system software glitch, or faulty hardware that has affected your TV screen’s lighting.
You can fix the blacked-out screen by yourself. Keep reading to learn how to return pictures to your TCL Roku TV screen.
What Causes Screen Blackouts?
Several things can cause your TCL Roku TV to have screen blackouts with continued audio production. In this section, we’ll get into each of them.
1. System Glitches
System glitches are temporary faults or malfunctions on your smart TV. They occur due to corrupt settings, minor bugs in the system, errors with the TV OS, or other software defects.
A system glitch can present on your TV as flickering images, temporary screen blackouts, or data loss.
2. Poor Cable Connection
The connection may be poor if you are transmitting from a media player (or other source devices) to your TV with a video cable.
A loose cable connection can result in screen blackouts whenever the connection is unstable. You may also experience screen blackouts if your cable or connector ports are faulty.
3. Hardware Issues
Hardware issues include faults in the TV’s physical components, such as a faulty LED backlight or a failed inverter.
Backlights light up the TV screen, so if the screen stays dark while the TV speakers emit audio, there is a chance that the TV’s backlights have failed. On the other hand, inverters supply power to the backlights.
If any of these components are faulty, they can cause your TV screen to black out.
Below are steps to help you determine if there are issues with your TV backlight or inverter board.
- If you use an AVR hub, reboot it and see if the problem persists.
- Next, wait till it’s dark or darken the room yourself and power on the TV.
- Shine a flashlight onto the screen at an angle.
- If you see a dim image, the problem is with your inverter board.
- If you can’t see any images, you must replace your backlight lamp.
How To Fix Screen Blackouts on TCL TVs
1. Restart the TV
A restart (or reboot) gives your TV time to rest and cool any overheating parts.
It can eliminate low-level bugs and fix minor system glitches that your TV may have developed while it was turned on.
Follow the steps below to restart your TCL Roku TV.
Step 1: Press the Home button on the remote.
Step 2: Go to Settings > System > Power
Step 3: Navigate to System Restart and select Restart.
Step 4: Press OK to confirm.
NOTE: The system restart may take a few minutes, so be patient.
Alternatively, you can try a soft reset (power cycling). Simply unplug the TV from the power outlet (while the TV is still powered on). Let it sit for a minute and then replug.
2. Initiate a Factory Reset
A factory reset disables all custom settings and downloads you’ve made, taking the TV back to its original factory settings. It will disable any corrupt settings that may be causing issues with your TV screen.
There are two ways to factory reset your TCL TV. They include:
- Going through the Settings menu
- Initiating a hard reset
Since your TCL Roku TV screen is blacked out, it will be impossible to see and navigate through the Settings menu. You’ll have to carry out a hard reset instead.
Follow the steps below to initiate a factory reset on your blacked-out TV.
Step 1: Find the Reset button on the TV.
It is a hole labeled ‘Reset’ and located on the back or side of the TV — where the connector ports are.
Step 2: Press and hold the Reset button. Use a sharp pointed object, like a straightened paper clip or a toothpick.
Step 3: The screen will go off when you push the button. Hold the button for about 15 seconds until the screen displays the Roku logo.
Step 4: Release the reset button and wait for the reset cycle to be complete.
Step 5: Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process.
3. Replace the Connector Cable or Port
Before replacing faulty connector cables and ports on your TV or source device, conduct a test to find out which one needs a replacement.
Follow the steps below to troubleshoot your video connection:
Step 1: Unplug the video cable from the TCL Roku TV and connect it to another display device.
If the blackout persists on the new display device, your cable is bad and needs a replacement. However, if the display device shows video, the problem is not with the cable.
Step 2: Unplug your current source device and connect the TCL Roku TV to another source (i.e., DVD player).
If the TCL Roku TV screen displays pictures, the problem is from the ports on your former source device. However, if the TV’s screen remains blacked out, the connector port on your TCL Roku TV is faulty.
You can order new video cables online or get a technician to fix the faulty ports on your TV or source device.
4. Replace Broken Backlights
If you have determined that your TCL Roku TV’s LED backlight is faulty, the next step is to have it replaced.
We advise against playing around with the internal components of your TV. Getting a professional to replace the broken backlight (or inverter panel) is best.
However, if you’d like to replace the backlight yourself, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Unplug the TV from the wall socket.
Step 2: Remove the screws on the TV’s back cover.
Step 3: Unscrew and remove the Wi-Fi board.
Step 4: Remove the scan drive board covers.
Step 5: Remove the bezel.
Step 6: Run a thin piece of plastic along the edges of the panel to ensure all the adhesive is removed.
Step 7: Use suction cups to lift and remove the panel from the chassis gently.
Step 8: Remove the filter frame pieces around the TV.
Step 9: Tape the filters together on one edge and remove them from the chassis.
Step 10: Disconnect and remove the faulty LCD backlight strips from the chassis.
Step 11: Install the replacement strips. Use double-sided tape to hold them firmly to the chassis.
Step 12: Connect the replacement strips to the wires on the chassis.
Step 13: Install the screws to hold the LED strips in place.
Step 14: Replace the filter, panel, bezel, and all the other parts until the TV is whole again.
NOTE: TV inverter panels are relatively expensive. If the inverter is faulty, the wisest decision is to replace the TV.
FAQ
How Do I Fix My TV When the Screen Goes Black and There is No Sound?
If your TCL Roku TV blacks out and the audio stops, the first thing to do is check the indicator bulb. If the indicator light is on, your TV is powered on but possibly facing a loose connection, software issues, or wrong input settings.
Perform a soft reset to get rid of system bugs or software glitches. While the TV is still on, unplug it from the wall socket, wait 30 seconds and then plug it back in.
If your video connection (i.e., HDMI and VGA) is loose, a slight pull on the cable can disrupt the handshake. Ensure your cables are plugged firmly into their ports. Also, look out for faulty connector ports and torn cables.
If your TV comes with multiple connectivity options, ensure that its input source is set to the connector you’re using at any moment. If the TCL Roku TV is set to the wrong source, it will not receive or display signals from your source device.
All connected input devices are displayed on the Roku home screen on your TV. Use the TCL Roku remote to switch input sources.
Press the Home button. Navigate through the home page to find your input source. Press OK.
Gabriella ‘Diogo is a content writer with a vested interest in tech hardware and equipment. She shares her knowledge and processes in an easy-to-grasp, lighthearted style. When she’s not testing or researching device performance, you’ll find her writing short stories or rewatching episodes of her favorite sitcoms.