Last Updated on July 12, 2022 by Markeyus Franks
Usually, a TV is stuck on one channel because of an external device issue, user error, or the TV itself? Today we will delve into the common issues why your TV is stuck on one channel.
If you run into a TV that’s stuck on one channel then don’t be alarmed. This is a common problem that can be fixed fairly quickly. Most TVs are workhorses and seldom cause any issues. In most cases it’s probably not the TV at all, it’s usually the remote control or other devices causing the problem.
Bad Remote Control
One of the first and most obvious reasons why Your TV is stuck on one channel is because of your remote controller. Either your remote controller has run out of batteries or you have a faulty remote. This should be your first troubleshooting step. If you suspect your remote has run out of batteries, then replace them and try again. In most cases, this will be the reason why your TV is stuck on one channel.
The next reason will probably be a malfunctioning remote control. If your TV is stuck on one channel, there is a good chance that it’s a malfunctioning remote. The first step to take is to replace the remote’s batteries. This will most likely fix 90% of your problems. Generally, a remote control’s battery can last for about 6 months, and oftentimes people forget to change them out.
If your remote still doesn’t work after replacing the battery then go up to your TV and try to change it manually. If you are successful, then you have a remote control problem. You can either try to factory reset your remote or replace it altogether. Please check with the remote manufacturers on how to properly reset it.
Another way to see if your remote control is working or not is to use your phone’s camera to identify the remote IR( Infrared light) light. Remote controls emit infrared lights to communicate with their corresponding TV. Simply turn your smartphone’s camera on, point your remote at the phone’s camera, and press a button. Your Phone’s camera should pick up the IR light. This may indicate that your remote control is working properly and you have a TV problem instead.
Reset Your TV
A step that people often forget is the reset their TV. Either toggle the power button, or unplug and replug it back into the wall. After the procedure is done then retry your remote control. If the remote still doesn’t work, make sure to try the manual buttons as well.
You may also need to factory reset your TV to its default settings. All TVs have this option. Simply go to the TV’s settings page and navigate to factory Reset. With some TVs, the factory reset button may be harder to find. After you perform a factory reset, if the channel still has not changed, then try to change it manually followed by using your remote control.
User Error/ Wrong Input
Make sure you don’t have your TV on a different input. When your TV is on the wrong input, then instead of hitting the channel up/down button you have to hit the input or source button to change the channel. This is a common problem that plagues TV watchers. If your TV is stuck on one channel, then this is one of the first things you need to check.
External Device Issue
Sometime you may want to check your external devices. Either you have a DVD player, Set top box, or a Gaming system, they all can malfunction causing your channel to freeze. In this case it’s the device that’s Freezing. Try toggling your device on and off and recheck.
Malfunctioning TV
Sometimes your channel freeze problem is your TV itself. Don’t feel bad, TVs break down every day. After trying everything else, it’s time to examine your TV. Before looking for a TV repair service, first, as mentioned above, try to factory reset the TV to its default settings. This may be all you need to do in order to get things running properly again. If that doesn’t work, then you can call a TV repair guy or just get another TV altogether. TVs nowadays are fairly cheap and deciding to just purchase another one could save you time and money.
Remove obstacles and interference between remote TTV sometimes if Yar remote control may have issues accessing your TV due to the fact that there’s an obstacle or some term of interference in the way. Remotes nowadays go off 06 inf-c.IE you don’t have to point at the TV directly, but some or more sensitive than others and require more of a View of the TV. So if something is blocking the remote’s line a sight you could run into a remote control problem.
Your Universal remote lost programing
If you own a universal remote control and it’s not responding to your TV after everything you have done, then it’s very possible that the remote has lost its programming. If you suspect this has occurred, then check with the remote’s manufactures to find out how to program codes for your particular TV.
Here is a list of common codes for different TVs. Please note these codes may not work with your TV. The best route to take is to check the instruction manual or contact the remote’s manufacture.
Sony: 1037, 1128, 1137, 1178
LG: 1343, 1346, 1396
Samsung: 1019, 1171, 1172, 1173
Sharp: 1138, 1176, 1177, 1214
Toshiba: 1127, 1179, 1203, 1204
Philips: 1126, 1129, 1236, 1237
Vizio: 1429, 1433, 1439
FAQ
How To reset a remote control?
Every factory reset procedure on a remote will be slightly different. We recommend checking with the remote’s manufacture for proper reset configuration. If you use a universal remote, then you can possibly follow the general reset procedure for universal remotes controls below. same factory reset procedure. Here is the most common factory reset procedure for universal remotes.
Take your batteries out of the remote control for about 3-5 minutes. Next, press every button on your remote control and make sure no light is emitting from the remote. Last, place batteries back into the remote and retry. Please note, this specific procedure will not work on every Universal remote control. If your controller reset configuration is unknown, then first try this, but if that still doesn’t work, then try to find your remote control configuration online.
