In this report we will concentrate on the "problems" seen by customers with their equipment. We see these kinds of things all the time here in the shop, and hopefully this information will save you an unnecessary trip to the shop.

Problem # 1: Can't get channels above channel 13 Your TV is in the "air" mode. To remedy this problem, you must either autoprogram your TV, or set your unit to the cable mode in the menu.

Problem # 2: Channels won't change, can only get 1 channel This is similar to problem #1. Your TV needs to be autoprogrammed again using the menu.

Problem # 3: TV has a funny looking menu, looks like an ad This unit is in what is called the "demo" mode. Contact the manufacturer and if they are of no help, call us and we'll be happy to walk you through the process of getting rid of it.

Problem # 4: There's a black box blocking the picture We see this all the time. You TV has been accidentally placed into the closed caption mode. To clear this problem, bring up the menu and turn the closed captions off.

Problem # 5: I can't view certain channels on my TV This is usually a password or parental lock problem. If you have forgotten your password, you may be able to access the menu by using the factory default password that you'll find in your owner's manual. If this doesn't work, then you may have to contact the manufacturer for help.

Problem # 6: I don't have sound on some channels, spanish or the weather report on others This is another one we see a lot of. You unit is in the SAP or separate audio program mode. Access the menu and set the audio to normal, standard, or stereo.

Problem # 7: My TV just quit working This could indeed be a real problem, but maybe not. If you have cats or small dogs, do they hang out behind the TV a lot? If so, check and see if they have damaged the power cord or pulled it just far enough out of the wall to allow it to lose contact with the wall outlet. If this is not the case, carefully move the set out from the wall and smell the carpets and look at the back of the set for signs of wetness. If you find this, your pet is urinating into the set and has caused your unit to shut down. Unplug it and take it to the shop as soon as you can.

Problem # 8: No picture, all I get is snow The first thing to do here is to verify that everything is hooked up properly, and that the signal source you want to watch hasn't been changed. If you find no problem here, then you may have a cable box problem, or your satellite provider is down. Contact your company for details on any problem you might be having and don't forget to log on to their website for current information if you can't get through by phone.

Problem # 9: My remote doesn't work verify this by checking to see if you can turn on the set with the panel mounted power button. If this works and the set operates normally, then all you may need to do is change the batteries in the remote to restore operation.

Problem # 10: My TV doesn't work right since my son/daughter started playing with it Kids seem to have a real understanding of electronic gear, and some of them (my son included) love to monkey around with the menus. Some of them will even add their own passwords and setup their own access codes. It's rare that they can do any real harm so make sure that they tell you what they've done so you'll be able to enjoy your own programs.

I hope this list of the things we see everyday will help you to enjoy you TV a lot more, and save you money and time. Thank you and have a great day!

By W. Braverman