A flickering TV screen is one of the most irritating problems you can experience with your television. The constant flashing or pulsing of your screen can range from a subtle annoyance to a completely unwatchable display. Whether your TV flickers occasionally or constantly, the good news is that screen flickering is usually fixable, and professional repair services can diagnose and resolve the underlying cause.
Screen flickering can manifest in different ways. You might notice the entire screen flashing on and off rapidly, brightness levels fluctuating without explanation, horizontal or vertical flickering lines, flickering that occurs only with specific content or inputs, or intermittent flickering that comes and goes. Each type of flickering can point to different underlying causes.
Several factors can cause a TV screen to flicker. One of the most common causes is a loose or damaged cable connection. HDMI cables, in particular, can cause flickering if they’re not properly seated, damaged, or of poor quality. Before assuming a hardware problem with your TV, try reseating all cables firmly, using a different HDMI cable, testing a different HDMI port, or trying a different input source.
Input device issues can also cause flickering. Sometimes the problem isn’t your TV at all but rather the device connected to it. A cable box, gaming console, or streaming device might be outputting an unstable signal. To test this, disconnect all external devices and see if the flickering persists with just the TV’s built-in tuner or apps.
However, if the flickering continues regardless of input source or occurs even on the TV’s menu screens, you’re likely dealing with a hardware problem within the TV itself. The backlight system is a frequent culprit for flickering issues. Modern LED TVs use backlights controlled by an inverter board or LED driver board. If these components are failing or have damaged capacitors, they can cause the backlight to flicker, resulting in visible screen pulsing.
Power supply problems can also cause flickering. The power supply board converts electrical current from your outlet into the various voltages needed by your TV’s components. If this board has failing capacitors or damaged circuits, it can deliver unstable power that causes flickering. This type of flickering often worsens over time and might be accompanied by difficulty turning the TV on.
The T-con board can cause flickering issues as well, particularly flickering that appears as horizontal or vertical lines or patterns rather than overall brightness changes. A failing T-con board might need replacement to resolve the flickering.
Mainboard issues, particularly with video processing components, can cause flickering, especially with specific content types or resolutions. If your flickering is worse with 4K content or certain apps, the mainboard might be the issue.
In some cases, flickering is caused by overheating. TVs generate heat during operation, and if ventilation is blocked or internal components are covered in dust, overheating can cause various problems including flickering. Ensuring your TV has adequate ventilation and is free from dust can sometimes resolve minor flickering.
Software or firmware glitches can cause flickering in smart TVs. If your TV’s software is outdated or has become corrupted, it might cause display issues. Updating your TV’s firmware or performing a factory reset can sometimes resolve software-related flickering.
Professional repair services approach flickering issues systematically. They test with multiple input sources to rule out external causes, inspect all cable connections, examine the power supply board for failing capacitors, test the backlight system and LED driver board, check the T-con board for issues, assess the mainboard, verify that the TV has adequate cooling and ventilation, and update firmware if software issues are suspected.
The cost to fix a flickering TV screen depends on the root cause. If it’s simply a cable or connection issue, the fix might be free or cost only a service call fee. Power supply board repair or capacitor replacement typically costs KES 3,000 to KES 8,000, LED driver or inverter board replacement ranges from KES 5,000 to KES 12,000, and T-con or mainboard replacement costs vary based on your TV model but typically fall within previously mentioned ranges.
Most flickering issues are repairable and cost-effective to fix, especially compared to replacing your television entirely.