Don’t know how to stop Sky Q box buzzing? Well, this guide covers everything!
The leading cause of noises from your Sky Q receiver is the internal cooling fan, which can produce buzzing and vibrations.
When your Sky Q is under heavy utilisation, the cooling fan’s RPM increases, making your receiver louder.
To stop the buzzing on your Sky Q box, you must first cool down the machine to ensure that the cooling fan is not spinning too fast and causing weird noises. In addition, the buzzing might be coming from the outlet, so you must also inspect the power source.
Let’s unwrap more!
Why is My Sky Q Box Buzzing?
There are not many causes related to a Sky box buzzing sound. It’s the internal cooling fan or the power equipment.
The “buzzing” sound may also be caused by a vibration from the Sky Q to the surface on which it is positioned or from a malfunctioning electrical outlet or power strip.
This is why it’s fundamental to identify what’s causing the buzzing on your Sky Q receiver before troubleshooting.
So, step closer to the Sky Q box and identify whether the buzzing is from the box or the cables/outlet on the back.
When you have a better idea of what’s causing the issue, jump into the troubleshooting!
How to Stop Sky Q Box Buzzing in Easy Steps?
1. Cool Down the Sky Q TV Box!
The primary cause for buzzing on your Sky Q TV box is the internal fan, whose speed increases when the machine is under pressure.
This ultimately leads to overheating, at this point, the fan will be spinning at its maximum RPM, causing the Sky box to vibrate and produce the buzzing!
- So, unplug the Sky Q TV box from the power supply!
Wait 5 minutes for the internal components to cool down and reconnect the Sky Q to the power outlet.
Then turn on the TV box and wait a few minutes to check whether the buzzing will be there.
If yes, your Sky Q TV box is probably still overheating, so let’s continue reading further…
2. Clean the Ventilation Openings
As we’ve clarified, the buzzing sound comes when the Sky Box fan running constantly, which is at a high RPM, primarily caused by overheating.
When the ventilation openings on the Sky Q TV box are clogged, in combination with warm ambient air, the machine is likely to overheat.
This is why we strongly recommend cleaning the ventilation openings on your Sky Q box from dust accumulation or anything clogging the airflow.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to clean your Sky Q TV box:
- Acquire a dry cloth and an old toothbrush.
- Optional: Acquire a can of compressed air.
- Power off and disconnect the Sky Q TV box.
- On the back, locate the ventilation openings.
- Use the toothbrush to unclog any dust or dirt.
- Then, using the dry cloth, wipe everything left.
- Also, clean the bottom of the Sky Q TV box.
If you’ve removed a lot of dust from the vents on your Sky Q box, you may have solved the overheating problem.
So, reconnect and turn on your Sky Q TV box when ready and test whether the buzzing sound will re-appear.
Tip: Jump into streaming to utilise some Sky Q resources, which will quickly help you determine whether the TV box is buzzing!
3. Move the Sky Q to a Better Spot
Another way to stop the buzzing sounds from the Sky Q box is to relocate the machine to a spot that will help reduce the internal temperatures.
The vibrations and buzzing from the TV box fan and stiff surfaces or enclosed spaces might contribute to higher Sky Q HW temperatures!
If your Sky Q box is positioned on a carpet or other soft surface, we recommend relocating the TV box somewhere flat.
Also, the Sky Q box must not be near heat conductors and behind the TV since the heat from the TV might transfer to the Sky Q box.
If the buzzing continues even when the Sky Q box is in a different location, continue reading!
4. Check the Sky Q TV Box Wiring
It’s time to check the Sky Q TV box power supply since the buzzing might not be from the box; the sound might be coming from the wires.
There are two possibilities for buzzing from the TV box wires–the power adapter/outlet or a connected AUX audio device.
Wall Outlet Buzzing
If your Sky Q box is buzzing from the power outlet, stop the power from the main A/C breaker and unplug the cable.
If you’re using a power strip or adapter, it’s crucial to remove the divider from the setup and plug your Sky Q TV box directly into the electrical outlet.
Also, you need to inspect the power cable, adapter, and connectors for any damage, which may explain why the wiring is buzzing.
Audio Jack Buzzing
Another possibility for buzzing from your Sky Q box is a fault with the connection of an audio device to your TV, such as a soundbar.
The HDMI connection typically doesn’t “buzz,” but if you have a device connection via AUX Jack, wiggle the connector to determine the buzzing’s origin.
Tip: Test whether your Sky Q box is buzzing without any audio output devices connected!
5. Switch to Another Power Source
Connect the Sky Q box to another proven-to-work electrical outlet to completely exclude the possibility of a faulty power source.
If the buzzing sounds were due to a malfunction in the wall outlet, the noise would be gone when you connect the Sky Q box somewhere else.
Remember, connect the Sky Q box directly to the outlet without any devices in between that can impact the power supply or buzz themselves.
Note: If the noise is still there, the buzzing comes from the Sky Q box, and the issue is not from the power source.
6. Implement Additional Box Cooling
Well, if it turns out that the buzzing sounds are coming from the Sky Q box’s internal cooling fan, you need to find a way to keep the TV box cool.
When the internal temperatures are not that high, the cooling fan will operate at a lower RPM, stopping the box from buzzing and vibrating.
We’ve prepared a couple of good techniques to keep your Sky Q box cool…
Ventilate the Environment
The number one factor for Sky Q’s overheating and loud buzzing noise is the environmental air temperature.
When it’s hot inside, the Sky Q box will reach a higher internal temperature, which will cause high-speed fan spinning, vibration, and buzzing.
Lift the Box of the Surface!
The Sky Q box has a kind of plastic feet on its own, but they are too short, and the bottom part of the machine is commonly in contact with the surface.
This happens when the Sky Q is on a stiff surface, such as a carpet, so we recommend using any object to lift the box off the surface.
When the box is not in contact with the surface below, the heat cannot spread under the box, which will lower the internal temperatures.
Tip: Use a small cardboard box!
Lower the Sky Resolution
Another way to decrease the Sky Q box utilisation and overheating is to lower the resolution of the Sky Q box.
You can do so from the Settings and then Audio Visual.
Feel free to test if the buzzing noise will disappear when you switch to a lower resolution, which uses fewer resources.
Use an External Cooling Fan
If nothing helps, your Sky Q box is overheating and buzzing, then you must implement another way to cool down the box.
One of the most effective methods is to turn on a fan to blow against the back of the Sky Q box, which will cool down the hardware and ultimately stop the buzzing.
Need More Help?
If the Sky Q buzzing won’t stop, overheating or not, a specialist must check the box, so the next step is to contact Sky Support.
They will further diagnose the buzzing problem and assist you.
Quick Recap:
Thus this is how to stop the Sky Q box from buzzing. First, cool down the box to ensure that the noise is not coming from the internal fan and implement cooling measures against overheating.
Also, check the Sky box wiring and whether the buzzing is not coming from the power source.
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Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.