It looks like you are sitting on the couch in the TV lounge and ready to watch your favorite program on your Element TV. But unfortunately, your TV hasn’t turned on yet as all you can see is a black screen only.
If this is the problem, there is no need to Worry! This article will guide you through troubleshooting your Element TV for the Black Screen Issue.
The black screen in the Element TV can be due to many reasons. Below you will find a list of possible reasons for this issue.
- The power cable is damaged.
- The power supply to the TV insufficient
- Firmware is outdated
- The sleep timer or the power saving mode is on
- The HDMI port is not working
- The circuit boards have malfunctioned
- The backlight array and the panel are not working
- The power, the inverter, and the T-CON boards have malfunctioned
You can also check your Element TV remote to inquire if it is working correctly.
If you want to know more about Element TV issues, you can read it here. Now we will look into different ways of fixing the black screen issue.
Element TV Black Screen – Basic Troubleshooting
First were are going to try some basic troubleshooting to eliminate the most common issues that usually cause black screen problems.
1. Check Power Cable
It may be possible that the issue is with the power connection. You need to ensure that:
- The power cable is properly plugged in.
- The power cable is not damaged, and if you find any, changing your power cable will work for you.
2. Ensure Adequate Power Supply
The power provided to the TV may be insufficient.
For example, if the TV requires 220 V to work but the voltage supplied to the TV is lower. In this case, the TV screen will be black, and this low voltage can also damage the TV.
Use the following two methods to check the issue.
CHECK THE POWER SUPPLY: You need to unplug the TV and make sure that the power supply to the TV is adequate. You can use a voltage tester or a Multimeter to check the voltage at the source. Once you are sure that the power is adequate, connect the cord to the TV and turn it on.
CHANGE THE SOCKET: The socket you are using to power the TV may have malfunctioned and not be providing the required power. Plugging the TV into another socket can fix the issue.
3. Power Cycle your TV
Sometimes power cycling the TV can resolve the black screen issue. This method is also called ‘Soft Reset’ or ‘Power Reset.’ Following are the steps to Power Cycle your TV.
- Press the power button once to ensure that the TV is powered off
- Unplug the power plug from the socket and leave it unplugged for 4 – 5 minutes.
- Hold the power button of the TV for 30 seconds. This will Reset your TV and fully drain any residual power.
- Now leave the power button and plug the power cord back.
- Turn on the TV and check if the picture on the TV screen shows up.
4. Factory Reset the TV
Another way to troubleshoot the TV is to factory reset it. The factory will restore any electronic device to its original settings.
This method removes any changes made by the user and resets the software to the original manufacturer’s settings. To factory reset, follow the below process.
USING THE RESET BUTTON / PINHOLE ON TV: Some Element TVs have a Reset Button or a Pinhole on their back. Turn on the TV, and Press & hold the Reset Button / Pinhole for 30 seconds. This will reset the TV to its factory settings.
USING THE REMOTE CONTROL: Reset using the menu option differs from model to mode. Depending on your TV menu option, follow one of the three paths below:
PATH 1:
- Press the Menu button on the remote control
- Select TV Settings and then select General
- Select Restore Default
PATH 2:
- Press the Home button on the remote
- Select Settings and then select Device and Software
- Select Factory Reset
Path 3:
- Press the Settings button and then go to System
- Now select Advanced System Settings, then select Factory Reset
- Click on Factory Reset Everything
Note: Input ‘0000’, if it asks for a pin code in Path A or B. You can also check your TV model manual if none of these reset methods work.
5. Update TV Firmware
Smart TVs get regular updates, and the black screen may be due to an older firmware version. To update the firmware of your TV, follow the below steps.
UPDATE USING INTERNET
- Turn on the Element TV and ensure that the TV is connected to Wifi.
- Press the Home button on the remote control
- Select the TV Settings from the main menu
- Select the Support and Software update option
- In some other models of the Element TV, the update option is in the ‘General >Software Update menu.
- Click on Update option. The software update will begin.
UPDATE USING A USB DRIVE: To update using a USB device, you need to contact Element customer support to get the URL for the firmware. Use the following steps for the update:
- Download the firmware from the URL provided by customer support to your computer.
- Format a USB and copy the firmware onto it
- Connect the USB drive to the TV
- Using the remote control, choose the settings tab and then select General
- In the menu list, select Software Update USB. Now the TV starts reading the USB
- From the USB, find the firmware file and update.
6. Disable Sleep Timer
One reason for the black screen can be the sleep timer. If someone has set the sleep timer ON, the TV will turn off and display a black screen. You might take this as a malfunction.
To disable the sleep timer, follow the below steps:
- Press the home button on the TV remote
- Select Settings from the home menu
- Now select Sleep Timer under the Time option to turn it On/Off
- Using the arrows, change it to Off to disable the sleep timer.
7. Disable Power Saving Mode
Another reason for the black screen may be that the TV is in power-saving mode . Disabling power saving mode will resolve this issue. You need to follow the below steps.
- Press the home button on your TV remote
- From the home screen, select Settings
- Select the Power Saving Mode from the settings option
- Finally, change the power saving mode to Off to disable power saving mode.
8. Remove all External Devices
Sometimes, external devices also interrupt the normal working of your Element TV.
Let us try removing any external devices to ensure the issue is not because of them. Unplug all the external devices from the TV, one by one, and check the TV screen.
9. Switch the HDMI Port
Sometimes the problem is with the HDMI cable or the HDMI port.
Inspect the HDMI cable for damage, and changing the cable will resolve the issue if you see any sign of wear & tear.
Another way is to change the HDMI port. Plug the HDMI cable into a different port and change the input port from the TV settings. To do so, use the following steps:
- Press the Source button from the TV remote
- Choose the HDMI input (port number) to which you have connected the cable
- You will have to press it a few times until you reach the correct port number.
10. Select a Different Input Mode
It is possible that changing the input mode may resolve the issue if the current input source is not working.
If you are using the live TV mode, you can change it to HDMI or any other mode to check. Use the following steps to change the input mode:
- Press the Source button on your remote
- Select a different input mode by pressing the source button a few times
- Once you reach the correct source, you will see an image on the screen.
Advanced Troubleshooting
If, after using the basic troubleshooting techniques described above, the screen of the Element TV is still the same, you need to try some advanced troubleshooting techniques to resolve the issue.
To apply these troubleshooting techniques, you will need some basic tools and a DIY skillset. If you are not sure what you are doing, you can take help from a qualified repair guy.
1. Open the Back Cover & Inspect the Circuit Boards
The first step in looking for any damage to the hardware is inspecting the circuit boards. Follow the below steps to perform this.
OPENING THE BACK COVER
- Unmount the TV from the wall and carefully place it on a mat or soft surface.
- Remove all screws from the parameter of the back cover.
- Now remove two screws from the center section of the back cover.
- Make sure you have removed all the screws, and lift the back cover to open it.
INSPECT ANY LOOSE CONNECTIONS: After removing the back cover, you can see some cables connected from the boards to the screen.
The first step that you need to perform is to check for any loose or broken connections. This can be one of the reasons for the black screen on your Element TV.
INSPECTING THE CAPACITORS: In electronic boards, capacitors are generally prone to damage due to fluctuations in the voltage.
A slight increase in the voltage can blow the capacitors. The capacitor can also leak due to voltage fluctuations. Both the blowing and leakage of the capacitor cause the head of the capacitor to bulge out.
Check for the capacitors and see if their heads are flat or bulging out. If any capacitor is bulging out, it needs a replacement. Replacing the damaged capacitor will resolve your Black Screen issue.
CHANGING THE DAMAGED CAPACITOR
- You will need a soldering iron and solder wire to change the capacitor
- Use the soldering iron to remove the capacitor from the board. If it does not pull out, do not force it
- Buy a new capacitor with the same ratings as the damaged capacitor. The ratings are written on the side of each capacitor.
- To install the new capacitor, put the capacitor in place of the older one.
- Bend back the leads and carefully clip them so that only a tiny part of the legs is protruding
- Solder the leads to finish the process
Note: If you are not familiar with or used to soldering, do not perform the steps on your own. You can ask someone more experienced in electronics repair to do this.
INSPECTING THE BOARD BURNS: Another reason for the black screen can be a burnt board. The board may be burnt due to the short-circuiting of its elements.
Short-circuiting of any board component increases its temperature, due to which it blows or melts. This can leave burn marks on the circuit board, which can even be seen with the unaided eye. Seek any burn marks around the different components.
The short-circuited components have a distinct smell of burning. Smelling the circuit board for burning odour can help identify any short-circuited elements.
If any board component is burnt, follow the steps described above to change the capacitor or take the TV to the repair center.
2. Check the Backlight LED Array
There is a possibility that the backlight array (or LED array) of the TV is not working. To check your backlight array, follow the method given below:
- Turn on the TV
- Take a flashlight and bring it very close to the TV screen
- Carefully observe if there is any image formed on the screen
- If you see any image or text appearing on the TV, it may be because of the damaged backlight
- This damaged backlight is the reason for your black TV screen and its time to replace it
3. Check the Panel for any Damage
There is a possibility that your TV is having this issue because of the physical damage to its LED or LCD panel. For example, a crack due to some impact or pressure.
To check the panel, first, make sure the TV is off and then closely inspect the panel from the front side. The panel is damaged if you see any vertical or horizontal crack lines or decolorization at the edges.
Another way is to open the TV from the backside and inspect the panel internally.
4. Replace Power Board
The power board is one of the main components of your TV that converts the 220V supply to different voltage levels for different components of the TV. If it is damaged, your TV will show a black screen.
In case of a power board failure, you will have to replace it with a new one.
To check if the powerboard is faulty, take a multimeter, check voltages at different outlet connections, and compare them with that written adjacent to the connection on the board.
5. Replace the Inverter Board
A screen inverter is a small board in LCD TVs which provides power from the main power board to the LCD screen. It converts the Direct current to Alternating current.
First, you need to check if your inverter board has malfunctioned. For this, use the steps described for checking the backlight array from the front using the flashlight. If you see a dim image on the screen and the backlight array is also functioning, that means the inverter board is bad.
In that case you will have to replace the inverter board with a new compatible one.
6. Replace T-CON Board
A T-CON board generates the horizontal and vertical timing signals for the panel. It also provides the bias and enabling signals to the panel. In this way, it controls the video processing on the LCD screen.
One of the main signs of a T-CON board malfunction is that you will see half image on the screen, and the other half is black since there are two T-CON boards on your TV, each controlling half of the screen.
If your T-CON board is bad, you will have to replace it with a new one. T-CON boards are also available for all models, like the power board and inverter board.
You can order the T-CON board online. Other circuit boards can also be ordered from different online websites.
Contact Element Customer Support
Element provides different options to its customers in case they need help. If your problem persists, you can always contact customer support using one of the following methods:
- A dedicated resource page for FAQs and common issues.
- A help page where you can raise your query by filling out a form
- Contact Number (for US Customers Only) 888-842-3577
You can also use the quick chat option available on the help and the resource page for immediate assistance.
Things to Keep in Mind
While working with the electronic boards of the TV you need to keep several things in mind.
- Make sure that the TV is powered off.
- Use the voltage tester or multimeter to check if any static voltage is present in the TV circuit boards before touching them.
- Use an antistatic wrist strap to keep yourself safe from any static voltage.
- Be careful while working with the capacitor and other electronic components, as they hold a charge even after you unplug the TV.
Black Screen on Element TV-Summary
Troubleshooting Element TV for Black Screen is not a single-step process. There are many possible reasons for the Black screen, and this article describes them one by one.
Most of the time, your TV screen is black due to minor hardware or software issues, and you can get your TV working again with basic troubleshooting. In case the problem is with the hardware, you will have to either replace the damaged parts or take your TV to service center for repair.
