One of the most frustrating problems users face with Sony TV is screen flickering. The issue could appear as a subtle flicker during dark scenes or a persistent distortion that makes watching TV unbearable. Understanding these causes and knowing how to address them is important to restoring your TV’s performance and ensuring a seamless entertainment experience.
How to Fix Sony TV Flickering
When your Sony TV starts flickering, there are several fixes you can try before seeking professional help. These solutions have proven effective for many users and are easy to implement.
1. Power Cycle Method
This is often the simplest and most effective solution for screen flickering:
1. Turn off your Sony TV using the remote control.
2. Unplug the TV from the power outlet.
3. Wait for about 60 seconds.
4. Press and hold the power button on the TV itself for 30 seconds while it’s unplugged.
5. Plug the TV back into the wall socket (avoid using a power strip).
6. Turn on the TV and check if the flickering has stopped.
2. Adjusting Picture Settings
If the power cycle doesn’t work, try adjusting your TV’s picture settings:
1. Access the settings menu (usually by pressing the “Home” or “Menu” button on your remote).
2. Navigate to “Display & Sound” or “Picture” settings.
Try the following adjustments:
- Set “Random Noise Reduction” to off.
- Lower the brightness and backlight settings.
- Set “Advanced Contrast Enhancer” to low or off.
- Change “Digital Noise Reduction” and “Random Noise Reduction” from Auto to High.
- Decrease “Sharpness” to around 50.
- Change “Reality Creation” from Auto to Manual and decrease the Resolution value.
3. Check HDMI Connections
Loose or faulty HDMI cables can cause screen flickering:
- Unplug all HDMI cables from your TV.
- Carefully reinsert each cable, ensuring a secure connection.
- If the problem persists, try using different HDMI cables to rule out cable issues.
4. Update the TV Software
Ensure your Sony TV is running the latest software version:
- Navigate to your Home Page
- Locate and click the Help Icon at the top right panel
- Select the Customer Support option
- Scroll down until you find Software Update, highlight it and press Ok on your remote
- Follow the on screen prompt to install the latest update
- If an update is available, install it and check if the flickering issue is resolved.
5. Picture Mode Adjustments
Adjusting your Sony TV’s picture mode can significantly improve your viewing experience and potentially resolve flickering issues. Here’s how to optimize your picture settings:
- Press the “Home” or “Menu” button on your remote control.
- Navigate to “Settings” > “Picture Mode”.
Sony TVs offer various preset picture modes, including:
- Standard
- Cinema
- Sports
- Vivid
- Custom
For the best overall performance, set the Picture Mode to “Custom”. This allows for more granular control over individual settings.
Fine-tuning Picture Settings
Once in Custom mode, adjust the following settings:
- Brightness: Lower this setting if the screen appears too bright.
- Contrast: Set to around 90 for optimal performance5.
- Black Level: Leave this at the default setting.
- Gamma: Set to 0 for a balanced picture5.
- Advanced Contrast Enhancer: Set to “Off” to reduce flickering.
- Black Adjust: Set to “Off” to minimize flickering in dark scenes.
Noise Reduction Settings
- Set Random Noise Reduction to “Auto”
- Set Digital Noise Reduction to “Auto”
- Set Smooth Gradation to “Low”
Motion Settings
- Navigate to the Motion settings
- Set Motionflow to “Custom”
- Adjust Smoothness to a lower setting
- Set Clearness to “Low” to prevent the screen from becoming too dark5
Disable Auto Picture Mode
To maintain your custom settings:
- Find “Auto Picture Mode” in the settings
- Set it to “Off” to prevent the TV from automatically changing picture modes
6. Sony TV Factory Reset
If all the above solutions fail to work, then you may need to return your TV to its default setting.
Note that this will not only erase your customised setting but your data as well. So be sure that you have any important information backed up or saved somewhere.
1. Press the HOME button on your remote.
2. Navigate to Settings > System > About > Reset > Factory data reset.
3. Select Erase everything and confirm by choosing Yes.
4. If a PIN is set, enter it when prompted.
After the Reset your TV will restart and display the Initial Setup Wizard. Reconfigure your settings, reconnect to Wi-Fi, and log in to your accounts as needed.
Final Thoughts
Sony TV flickering can be frustrating, but with the right troubleshooting steps, it’s often easy to resolve. From quick fixes like power cycling and adjusting picture settings to advanced solutions like factory resets, you can restore your TV’s performance. If all else fails, Sony’s professional support is always available.
