You got yourself a nice Toshiba TV.
You like to watch movies or TV shows on it, but it starts recently doing strange things…
For example, the screen starts to flicker, or goes black, or the colors are off, or some other crazy thing…
Then this is the right article for you.
Read on to find out:
- 7 Common Toshiba problems.
- How a Speaker Test can fix your speakers.
- How changing the Picture Settings can fix black bars.
- How to adjust the color settings to solve odd or faded colors.
- And a whole lot more…
What are common Toshiba TV problems?
Common Toshiba TV problems are ghosting, black bars, or colors that look odd. It can also be that the image quality is poor or the screen is totally black. Even the speakers can be broken.
7 Common Toshiba TV Problems And Solutions
#1: Black bars
Having black bars around the screen is very common.
For example, you see left and right on the screen 2 bars, and the image is not fully displayed. Or the shown image is so small, that all-around black bars are showing.
Then your image isn’t correctly adjusted.
You can easily change it in the menu.
Here’s how to do it on a Toshiba TV:
- Press the Menu button on your remote.
- Select Picture and press Enter.
- Scroll to Display Settings and press Enter.
- Select Picture Size and press Enter.
- Select your favorite Picture Size and press Enter.
You can also simply just press the Pic Size button on the remote to select your favorite Picture Size.
To figure out which Picture Size suits you best, simply try them out for a few days.
Dislcaimer: this is done at a Toshiba 49 inch LED TV 1080p from 2020. It’s possible you have a different TV with a different menu. If so, please check out this link to find your TV.
Check out: 11 Ways To Fix Horizontal Lines On Toshiba TV Screen
#2: Ghosting
If you notice a delay when watching tv it’s called ghosting. It can appear during fast movements.
For example, when watching sports, like American football or basketball, you should focus on the ball.
If it appears shocking or with a delay, this is ghosting.
There are several fixes for this.
Double-check the cables and connections
You can start by double-checking your cables and connections.
For example, start with HDMI cables. It can look like they are fully plugged in for the naked eye but actually they’re halfway in. Replug them back in if you’re not sure.
Also, look if there aren’t any cracks or cuts in the cables. Optionally try it with a second HDMI cable or simply replace them with new ones.
Update software
You can also check for software updates.
Here’s how to do it on a Toshiba Smart TV (fire edition) that’s connected to the internet:
- Press the Home button.
- Go to Settings.
- Go to Device & Software.
- Select About.
- Go to Install System Update.
If there’s an update, wait until it’s downloaded and installed.
For visual guidance, here’s a handy video:
#3: Bad image quality
If you don’t like the quality of the image or it simply doesn’t meet your standards, try to adjust them.
Especially if you just bought your TV it’s time to set it up properly.
For example, the image is very dark, then check the brightness settings.
Or if the colors look faded or artificial, change them in the color settings.
’’How can I do that?’’
You can do this in the Image Settings menu.
Here’s how to change it:
- Press the Menu button.
- Select Picture.
- Press Enter.
Then you’ll see a list with the following options:
- Picture Mode.
- Reset.
- Backlight.
- Contrast.
- Brightness.
- Color.
- Tint.
- Sharpness.
- Advanced Picture Settings.
- Display Settings.
Adjust every setting to your standards. This will improve the image quality as well as your TV experience.
Optionally you can change different formats. If the video you want to check has bad quality, simply change the channel to compare. It’s not always the TV that’s causing the issue.
Dislcaimer: this is done at a Toshiba 49 inch LED TV 1080p from 2020. It’s possible you have a different TV with a different menu. If so, please check out this link to find your TV.
#4: No sound
This one is classic: no sound coming from the speakers. When you experience this, no need to panic. 9 out of 10 sound issues are easy to fix.
If you don’t hear any sound, start easy: turn up the volume.
Check as well the headphone connection. When headphones are connected, the speakers are muted.
Another thing you can do is change the channel. See if the other channel does work with sound.
You can also change the source to compare. For example, go from HDMI 1 to HDMI 2. To do this press the Source button to change sources.
Still no sound? Well, maybe you accidentally pressed the Mute button from the remote. Happens to the best of us. Just press it again and see if the sound is back.
Another thing that could be the sound issue: is external devices.
Did you connect a soundbar or audio receiver to the TV? Try to disconnect them, and use the TV speakers instead. See if it works better.
Note: when you disconnect other devices turn the TV and other devices off.
Finally, you can do a Speaker Test. It’s really handy and it checks if your TV speakers are working correctly.
Here’s how to do it on a Toshiba TV:
- Press the Menu button from your remote.
- Scroll down to Get Help and select it.
- Select TV Speakers Test.
Then follow the instructions from the TV Speaker Test.
Dislcaimer: this is done at a Toshiba 49 inch LED TV 1080p from 2020. It’s possible you have a different TV with a different menu. If so, please check out this link to find your TV.
#5: Remote doesn’t work
When you are in really bad luck your TV remote doesn’t work.
But help is on the way and there are some creative solutions for this.
First, we start simple, check if nothing is in the way of the remote control sensor on the front of the TV. Remove any obstacles which are in front of the sensor and try again.
Make sure that the batteries are put incorrectly. This means that the + and – symbols are matching the + and – symbols in the battery compartment.
It can also be that the batteries are dead. Replace them with new ones then and try again.
Note: do not mix old batteries with new ones. Preferably use only new ones.
If the remote doesn’t work, you can replace it. You can try to replace it with a Universal Remote. And if you have a Toshiba Fire TV you can use this Universal Remote.
Last but not least, you could install and try the app Toshiba Smart Center. With this app, you can use your smartphone as a remote.
’’No way! This I need to try!’’
Yes, pretty cool huh?
Well, before you install the app check these things:
- The TV must be connected to the internet.
- In the TV Settings, the Virtual Remote must be turned on.
- Your phone must be connected to the same WiFi as your TV.
If this is all checked in green, try it out.
#6: Creaky noises
Creaky noises may appear when you’re watching TV or when you just turned it off. It sounds a bit like little stones falling down a pipe.
The good thing is there’s no need to worry about these creaky noises.
They happen because the internal hardware heats up and cools down when the TV is on. During these temperature changes, the internal components expand and contract and this is creating these noises.
Make sure that your TV has room to ‘breathe’. Don’t place heaters or air conditioning close to the tv. Also, make sure it’s not placed in a tight and overcrowded space.
#7: Black screen
You don’t see anything on the screen: it’s just black.
There are a few easy fixes for that. We start as always: simple and easy.
Maybe the channel is down, so start by changing the channel.
If it’s not working, try a different source or input. Maybe the incoming signal is on HDMI 2 instead of HDMI1. Press the Source or Input button on your remote and select the correct one.
If you have satellite tv with an antenna, make sure that the antenna is connected correctly. For the best picture, the signal should be strong.
It’s also possible that you only have sound and no picture. This option is there if you just want to listen, for example, to a CD.
You can change this in the Power Management settings.
Here’s how to do it:
- Press the Menu button.
- Go to Options and press Enter.
- Select Power Management.
- Go to Audio Only.
- Select OFF and press Enter.
- Press Exit to close the Menu.
Disclaimer: This is done at a Toshiba 49 inch LED TV 1080p from 2020. It’s possible you have a different TV with a different menu. If so, please check out this link to find your TV.
You might also want to know: 7 Steps To Fix A Toshiba TV That Won’t Turn On