Sony high definition televisions stand on the cutting edge of home entertainment, with designs and models that help set the standard for the industry. An HDTV can thus sometimes be a little intimidating when something goes wrong. The good news is that many HDTV problems can be solved with a few basic troubleshooting steps that should clear the problem right up. If you know what they are, they will save you a lot of time and effort.
Instructions
1. Conduct some basic troubleshooting steps applicable to all TVs. Check the cable connections to your DVD player or stereo system and make sure they're firm. Put fresh batteries in the remote if it's not working and make sure it has a clear line of sight to the set. Adjust the antenna to get better reception if you're experiencing snow or ghosted images. Sony HDTVs aren't the only sets that have these problems, but they can be solved much the same way as they could with any set.
2. Check the aspect ratio on your Sony HDTV by pushing the "Wide" or "Aspect" buttons. HDTVs are often in widescreen, emulating the 16:9 ratio of movie screens rather than the 4:3 ratio of older TV screens. Accordingly, you may see black bars on either side of your screen, or the image may appear distorted or cut off. The black bars are usually normal--there to keep the program in its original aspect. For distortion or a cut-off image--or if you'd rather watch a 4:3 show using the total amount of screen--keep pushing the "Wide" button until it cycles through to the aspect ratio you want.
3. Push the "Menu" button and then either the "Channel" icon or the "Parent" icon, followed by the "+" button. This lets you turn on a channel that you don't seem to be receiving. Sony HDTVs allow you to shut off certain stations or programs you don't want to watch. Accessing the "Channel" option or "Parent" option will let you turn them on again quickly.
4. Press the "Menu" button, then the "Channel" button, then the "+" button if your Sony HDTV is stuck on one channel. Scroll over to the "Channel Fix" setting and turn it off. The setting is used in conjunction with a VCR or cable box, letting you turn the channels on either of those components instead of on the TV.
5. Adjust odd colors, brightness or dimness by pushing the "Menu" button, selecting the "Video" option and hitting the "+" button. That lets you alter the various color settings to suit your tastes. Sony HDTVs also have a default setting in the Video controls. After you hit the "+" button, push the "Reset" button: it will return the HDTV to its standardized factory settings.
6. Get rid of an intrusive black box by pushing the "Menu" button, then the "Setup" button, then the "+" button. Scroll down to "Caption Vision" and turn it to the "off" setting. The black box carries closed captioning text for the hearing impaired. When the closed captioning setting is turned off, the box will no longer appear.
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