If you’ve ever asked the question “My TV says no signal but everything is plugged in… what could have happened?” don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Hundreds, if not thousands of Americans run into this problem more often than not.
And sometimes, the solution is a lot easier and more understandable than what we thought.
If TV Says No Signal even everything is plugged in do the following:
- First check the input if you’re on the right input
- Next, test the cables and see if they’re still working
- Interchange both ends of the cables and test
- If that still doesn’t solve it, reset both your TV and your cable box.
Don’t beat yourself up if you’re not sure of what the solution is. That’s what this guide is here for!
We will teach you the complete troubleshooting steps in case your TV says no signal but the cable box is on!
Understanding What a No Signal Problem Is
In a nutshell, this error simply means that your service (cable or satellite) isn’t able to display shows and movies.
You can either get the signal that says “no signal,” or you can see a dark black screen or a blue screen.
It might be a problem with the service provider, or with the hardware that you have – and that’s what we’ll try to discuss and dissect in this guide!
This brings us to our next question, which is…
What Are the Reasons Why My TV Says No Signal but Everything is Plugged in Coaxial?
When this happens, some people automatically get to thinking that the problem is with their televisions.
They do so without even looking at different possible scenarios.
Most people forget the following reasons on why they see the no signal error.
Incorrect Source or Input
The first and the most common problem, in which people experience the “no signal” problem is when the source or the input is not correct.
To demonstrate, if you have your cable TV set in input 2 and you’re currently at input 1, then you wouldn’t really be able to watch cable.
This is because your cable is set or plugged at the incorrect source or input.
Problem with the Ports or Cable and/or Antenna
Everything has a lifespan – even our cables, the ports on our devices, even antennas.
Sometimes, when we’re just enjoying, we tend to forget the composition of what we’re using. In this context, we forget that our televisions are joined together by cables to bring us the service we need.
Therefore, they wear out and grow broken over time. It’s a natural thing, that’s why you need to check your cables, TV ports, and other parts like this every now and then.
Moreover, it could be because of the cables not being attached correctly. There might be some loose ends, disallowing them to produce the content you’re paying for.
Cable Box or Satellite Overload
Resetting or power cycling has done tremendous jobs in the tech universe. Power cycling can even go as important as powering a nuclear missile – it works wonders!
There are times when our satellite dishes or our cable boxes overload with information, causing them not to function properly.
Heavy Rain or Bad Weather
Traditional means of watching television requires the use of a fragile antenna.
In today’s time, that idea isn’t trashed! As a matter of fact, some companies use satellites because of the quality of service they give versus cable.
And because of that, the dilemma with bad weather doesn’t keep them safe. It’s one of the culprits on why you’re troubled about the “no signal” error you see on your television.
These are the most customary causes of the no signal error on our television sets. It’s the last thing you want to see on a good day!
But, with all these reasons, would we be able to fix the problem?
Is there a solution for us to be able to get rid of the no signal error on the television? Or is it the end of our television?
Fortunately, not – our TVs getting this error doesn’t necessarily mean the end for them.
What to Do When My TV Says No Signal but Everything is Plugged In?
Now that you know some of the most sensible reasons why your television is putting up with that error, let’s get onto the most accurate ways on how you can fix it.
If your TV says no signal but your cable box is on, and you’re still getting that annoying error, here’s the complete guide to getting it fixed.
Step 1: Check the Input or Source of the TV
First things first, double-check if the source or the input of your television is correct.
Some remote controls have it as [SOURCE], while some have it as [INPUT]. Ensure that the cable is plugged into the correct input and the TV is now at the correct input.
Now, turn the television off temporarily and let it sit until the time you have to turn it back on.
Step 2: Assess the Condition of Your Cables and Plugs and Double-Check Connection
It could be a problem with the cables, they could be incorrectly plugged; the insides of the cables might have been corroded; they could have already be worn out, etc.
Most people don’t realize that cables have short lifespans; and that they get broken at the most unexpected times.
What you need to do is to ensure that your cables are connected and plugged tight and securely.
In addition to that, it’s also worth checking if the ports/jacks are in their finest condition. There are cases where it gets ruptured, and that’s where the problem might be.
Step 3: Check for Service Outages
We know that weather, especially on satellite TV, can influence the quality of your service.
So, if a storm had just passed, if it was snowing hard – or if there’s a huge gush of wind blowing, it could be part of the reasons why.
It could have messed up the reception, or it could have damaged the hardware of our providers.
Well, in this scenario, what we need to do is to ask our providers for any service outages. When you give them a call, tell them about the time you experienced it for them to check on the status.
Chances are if there’s an outage, they’d already immediately know what you’re calling about.
We never know, we might not just be the only one experiencing the error! It could be nationwide!
Step 4: Reset the TV and the Cable Box
Lastly, we’d have to reset both the TV and the cable box.
Remember you had your television turned off during the first step? In this step, we have to turn it back on again.
Now, there are instances at this point where the TV’s original state would come back; it would come back like nothing bad ever happened.
However, that’s a rare occasion. Upon turning it back on, you’d have to reset both the TV and the cable box.
You can easily reset your TV by turning it off for about three (3) to five (5) minutes. To be able to reset the cable box, unplug it from the wall or remove the power cord from the back.
Keep it like that for two (2) to three (3) minutes. Power it back on by letting electricity run through it. That’s how you reset a cable box.
Now, by this time, you should have already fixed the issue. You should already have a solution to your inquiry of my TV says no signal but everything is plugged in coaxial.
I Did Everything, But It’s Still Not Working, What Should I Do?
So, you did everything. You tried every step of the way but you’re still not able to get anything out of it – what should you do?
No, you don’t throw your television out the window, nor should you break it intentionally.
Contact the tech team of your service provider and tell them that you’ve completed the necessary troubleshooting steps, but you’re still experiencing the problem.
What Would They Do?
Now, you might ask this question. After you’ve done all the troubleshooting steps, what else could they do?
These experts have their own “troubleshooting.” They would ask you a couple of questions, and you should truthfully answer.
Then, they would arrive at their conclusion on what happened, and what needs to be done in order to resolve this issue.
Conclusion
As you can see, you don’t need an expert to run to your house immediately, you can perform these simple and basic troubleshooting steps to see if it’s something you can fix on your own.
We can all relate to the feeling of seeing an error on our televisions, but it’s part of life. In fact, millions of people per day get errors of this kind – deal with it using knowledge, not frustration!
So, the next time you ask the question: why does my TV say no signal but everything is plugged in? You would already know what to do!
Do you have other solutions or fixes you want to share with us? Let us know!
Read Next: Learn how to fix DIRECTV no signal Issue in easy steps!
Kevin has over five years of experience working in various Tech startups and providing Technical solutions. He has contributed to many Tech publications and websites.