My TV Says No Signal, But Everything Is Plugged In

Your TV says no signal, but everything is plugged in? It can be pretty frustrating, especially when watching your favorite show.

In a bid to fix it, you check the connections and cables, and it’s all secure. You even go out to check the antenna and shake it a little. Still, the TV says no signal, but everything is plugged in. What do you do?

Well, that’s what this article is for. We’ll give you possible reasons why your TV says no signal and potential fixes to explore.

Your TV says no signal, but everything is plugged in? Possible causes

There could be several reasons your TV says no signal. It could be due to hardware issues or just bad weather. Let’s take a look at these one at a time.

1. Network error

Your network regularly undergoes necessary maintenance. This maintenance may affect your signal temporarily and be why your TV says no signal. In this case, you have to wait for a while until the maintenance is over. You can check with your cable company to determine when they have this regular maintenance.

2. The satellite dish or UHF aerial may be out of position

Sometimes objects or high winds may shift your satellite dish or TV antenna. It may have been struck by falling branches or other debris. It is a very plausible reason why your TV says no signal, but everything is plugged in.

3. Rusty antenna or wire

If cables and aerials outdoors can be damaged by rain and humidity, the wires inside can be damaged by normal wear and tear. This could be why your TV says no signal, but everything is plugged in. Check that the cables and aerials are clean, rust-free, and securely attached to your TV.

4. The channel may not be airing

When a TV channel goes off-air, you may not receive a signal on your TV. Changing the station will reveal whether or not this is the case.

5. Problem with your set-top box (or cable box)

Whether you have an SD or HD box, the provider may have released new firmware and updated it in the background.

This indicates that new satellite settings have been uploaded, but the device has not fully updated the changes.

6. Faulty HDMI cable

Another reason your TV says no signal is the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cables or ports. If the connections are not securely fastened or are slipping out, the ports may sustain minor damage.

Your TV says no signal, but everything is plugged in? Working fixes

If your TV says no signal, but everything is plugged in, you should try these basic solutions first.

Turn off your gadget at the power outlet (this is the receiver, recorder, or TV that your antenna cable is connected to).
Reattach all the wires at the rear of the TV or box, ensuring they are all firmly attached (loose cables can cause signal loss). If you have a signal booster installed, consider removing it and plugging the antenna cable straight into your receiver, recorder, or TV.
Allow some time for any overheated gadgets to cool down.
Turn on your TV and receiver/recorder box.
Recalibrate your device: You can find tuning options in the Menu or Settings. If you require instructions, please consult your device’s manual.

If, after doing these and your TV still says no signal, it’s time to troubleshoot. Check out the following troubleshooting steps:

Fix 1: Check the set-top box (cable box)

Sometimes the problem could be coming from your cable box. All you need to solve this problem is to unplug the power cable and insert it again. Make sure the TV is switched off. You may also want to pull the smart card/viewing card and let the cable box cool. Do it firmly without much pressure. Later, re-insert the card with the chip facing downward, following any visible arrows. Turn on your TV and see if your show is back airing.

Fix 2: The issue with the HDMI cable or port

If there’s damage to the HDMI cable or port, it could lead to a display error on your TV. But not to worry, it’s nothing serious that a TV mechanic can’t fix if there truly is a fault. Plus, you can use an alternative HDMI port since most TVs come with more than one.

And if there isn’t damage, it could be that your HDMI cable may have slipped out of the port. Just disengage the HDMI cable and re-insert it into the new or old HDMI port.

In addition, changing your HDMI cable to the self-locking kind will help it stay more firmly in the port’s position. Your TV should start working better once this issue has been sorted.

Fix 3: High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection errors

In some instances, your TV may run into what is known as a High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) error. This anti-piracy measure prevents non-licensed devices from receiving any cable TV content. Most modern TVs are HDCP-compliant.

For example, a no-signal message will appear due to HDCP errors if you’re trying to connect a Kodi box to your cable TV using HDMI. This happens especially with higher definition displays. Removing the violating device will restore the connection.

How do I get my channels back on my TV?

When you’ve hit and pressed the auto-scan option on your TV incessantly but can’t still find any channels, don’t fret; your shows will be back on as planned. Try these solutions to bring back your channels.

Here are a few fixes for you to get your channels back:

Ensure your antenna is securely plugged in. Also, make sure the antenna is aligned in the right direction.
Double-check what channels you should be getting on your subscription plan.
Search for your TV channels manually.
Restart the TV.
Restart the cable box.
Check your tuner or decoder connection.
Ensure your coaxial cable and ports are not faulty and are properly fastened.

How to find TV channel frequency?

If you’re having trouble with your TV channels, you might need a manual scan. Before doing a manual scan, you need to know the channel number used by the transmitter and the frequency your aerial is pointed towards.

By using a frequency checker tool, you can find your frequency. Enter your postcode in the device, and it will search for defects in your area, select the transmitter you are using, and select the channel numbers or frequencies you need to retune manually.

Your channels should be back to full viewing.

How to rescan TV channels?

Scanning (or rescanning) your TV for channels is mostly an automatic process. So all you have to do to set this automated process in motion is to follow these steps. Note that while these steps are slightly different for each TV, they follow the same process. First, ensure your TV is connected to the antenna.

Press the Menu button on your remote control. If you don’t have a remote, your TV should have a built-in Menu button.
Find and select the Channel Scan option in your TV’s menu. This option is sometimes labeled Rescan, Tune, or Auto-tune.
If you can’t find the Channel Scan option, go through the TV’s Settings, Tools, Channels, or Options menu. On some TVs, you must press the Input button and go to antenna.
TV Channels scanning can take as long as 10 minutes to finish, so you would have to wait.
After the scanning is complete, your TV will continue with a broadcast or display how many channels are now available.

John Adebimitan

John follows everything happening in the tech industry, from the latest gadget launches to some of the big-name moves in the industry. He covers opinionated pieces and writes on some of the biggest names in the industry. John is also a freelance writer, so he shares articles on freelancing every now and then. email: john@tekpip.com