Isn’t it knackering when you notice your Virgin Media picture breaking up? It’s frustrating, yes, and a lot of people often misinterpret this as a sign that their tellies are already faulty.
Today’s your lucky day, because, in this guide, we’ll talk about everything about it. We’ll discuss the reasons why it happens.
Not only that, but we’ll also give you the complete list of steps on what to do to fix it!
If your TV picture is breaking up, first check if there are network-wide known issues running currently. Then, check the connection of the HDMI cable from your box to your telly. After that, examine the coaxial cable to see if there are crimping or frayed parts. Check if the cable box is still in its optimum condition.
There’s a handful of reasons why your Virgin Media TV picture keeps breaking up.
Luckily, the causes of it are usually the common ones, and good news for you – they’re fixable!
Why Does My Picture Keep Breaking Up?
Many Virgin Media TV users filed reports about getting this experience. But here are the common culprits behind this terrible experience:
- Region-wide network outage
- HDMI/wiring problems connecting to the telly
- Frayed, crimped, and damaged coaxial cable
- Faulty, old, or broken box
So, now that we know what the common causes are, let’s get to the process of fixing it!
Virgin Media Picture Breaking Up – Complete Fix Steps
Our tutorial won’t be a general one like the others you’ll find online. Instead, we’ll pinpoint all the possible causes and try to resolve them in the best ways we can!
The goal is to solve it without the need to spend time identifying what the issue is!
Step #1: Is There a Network Outage?
Before performing several troubleshooting steps, check if the problem is on the side of the provider.
Every now and then, Virgin Media – as well as other service providers – carry out system maintenance processes to further develop and enhance the experience of their clients.
So, what you want to do before anything else is to check if there’s a problem with Virgin Media’s services.
You have a few options to check this out, they include:
- Running a service test via the My Virgin media Page
- Contacting Virgin Media’s customer support team
Should there be no known outage or system maintenance, you’re ready for the next step, which is…
Step #2: Check Your TV’s Compatibility
The collection of devices Virgin Media is offering has a couple of technical requirements. For a better picture, their experts recommend using a TV that has at least a 60 Hz refresh rate.
This would give you a smooth and seamless experience when watching your favourite shows, titles, and movies!
You can check the refresh rate of your telly by checking its specifications! It’ll usually be shown alongside the inches/dimensions of the screen.
NOTE: The majority of smart TVs today run at a minimum of 60 Hz. Mid-range to high-range tellies would be at 144 Hz.
So, don’t worry too much about this especially if you just purchased your TV within the last three (3) years.
Step #3: Ensure the Cables/Wires Connections
After that, the next thing you want to do is to make sure that all cables, wires, or other types of connections are plugged in properly to their respective ports.
In this case, though, what would matter most would be the HDMI cable. So, double-check the HDMI cable and assess if it’s plugged in properly.
- Unplug the HDMI cable on both ends (back of the TV and the receiver).
- Take a good look at it and see if there are crumpled or frayed parts.
- Connect both ends back to their respective places properly.
NOTE: Make sure that you seal it in by twisting the arms, connecting and hooking them up securely.
Step #4: Examine the Coaxial Cable
The next thing you want to do is to check the coaxial cable.
In this step, we wouldn’t just be looking for frayed, cut, sliced up, or damaged parts on the cable – we’ll have to check it completely.
You can test your coaxial cable using a coax cable tester. Using it is easy:
- Remove the coaxial cable that’s connected to your box.
- Once the port is empty, plug the coax tester into the port.
- Wait for a total of 20 seconds for the results.
The tester will display values if there is any kind of activity coming from the port. Otherwise, it wouldn’t give you anything. This way, you’ll know if the coaxial cable/port is the one at fault.
Step #5: Power Cycle Your Virgin Media Box
Last, but most definitely not least – and most definitely not the easiest, is to check if your Virgin Media cable box is still in good condition.
Here are the guided steps you need to do to examine your box:
- Power cycle the box by unplugging it from power for one (1) to two (2) minutes.
- While unplugged, remove all connections and cables from it.
- Wait for the box to reinitialize completely.
Rebooting or restarting it would usually be the answer to all the known minor problems. So, the picture quality should now be on point!
Once you’re done with these steps, your TV picture should be back up and working again! The disruptions in the picture are usually caused by cables and wires.
But there are a few instances where the cause would be out of your control (e.g., network outage, broken or damaged box).
TV Picture is Still Breaking Up, What’s Next?
Are you sure that you’ve followed the 5-step process we outlined above? If you are, and if the problem is persistent, the next thing you want to do is to contact Virgin Media’s technical support team.
They’re the experts when it comes to this matter.
Although contacting them won’t guarantee that the issue will be gone without them doing anything, they’re the ones in the best position to tell you what the next best move is.
Do I Need to Replace My TV or My Box?
This is something that requires expert assistance. When you contact Virgin Media and you tell them about this issue, they’ll know for sure if the one at fault is the telly or the box.
They’ll perform advanced troubleshooting steps to arrive at the conclusion of what needs to be fixed or replaced.
Don’t worry, they’re trained professionals. They’ll definitely be able to give you aid in identifying what the cause is and how you can resolve it.
To fix the disruption on your telly’s picture, first, check if there’s a known outage or maintenance in your area. Then, check if your TV is compatible with the requirements of Virgin Media for HD viewing. After that, check the HDMI and coaxial cables/connections, and finally, assess the status or condition of your box.
Read Next: How to Make a Complaint to Virgin Media?
Conclusion
Loads of people jump to the conclusion that they need a new telly. When, in fact, they’re still not sure what’s causing this problem!
So, the next time you find your Virgin Media picture breaking up, go back to this guide and check in the problem by yourself.
We made this guide as detailed as possible so, even if you’re not technically well-versed, you’ll be able to follow.
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.