The TV isn't working

[Highlands John]

The TV is fine, you've just pressed all the buttons randomly on the remote and now I have to set it back and re-tune all the channels.
It seems the more options you give guests on the TV the more likely they wont be able to get it to work, even though we've put detailed instructions in the rooms.
We put Roku sticks in all our rooms to give guests streaming access, the number of people complaining the TV doesn't work has definitely increased since then.
There's a brilliant sketch in "Family Guy" that always makes me laugh because of the above, Peter Griffin is playing around with the TV remote and says "Someone has pressed the Source button on the TV remote, now we're going to have to throw the TV out and buy a new one".

 

[JimBoone]

So true, I've often wondered if I could put glue on all the buttons except for on-off, volume and channel, but alas the TV still has buttons too.

 

[Highlands John]

Case in point. People just went out for the afternoon, passing shot before leaving "The TV in our room isn't working, it says there's no signal".
Maybe that's because you've flipped it over to analogue, we haven't had an analogue TV signal in the UK for about 3 years, as you're British I'd hope you'd know that.
The TV is fine, it's the bit between the remote and the screen that's causing the problem.

 

[Arks]

My new routine is to always check all the TVs before the guests arrive, so at least on arrival the TV will work.
My cable TV carrier recently notified me that starting in August all TVs on their system must have a digital cable box. Currently my TVs with digital tuners can receive the basic 85 channels with no box.
At first I was disgusted. Those boxes rent for $3/month, each (they won't sell them, only rent), and I have 14 TVs! But then I got one of the new boxes. They are magnificent! The box is about the size of 2 packs of cigarettes side-by-side, it can receive signals from the remote without need for direct line of sight, so I can hang the box out of sight behind the TV, and best of all, the remote control is as simple as can be.
NO SOURCE BUTTON! I set the source with the remote that came with TV, then store that remote away. The cable box remote only has TV ON/OFF, Volume, Mute, Channel UP/DOWN, and number buttons to input channels directly. So simple!

Or at least it would be simple, except I also recently installed Roku on the TVs, so I'll have to put the old remote with the source button in there, but I'll zip-tie it to the Roku remote, with laminated instructions attached for those savvy enough to change input to HDMI2 to watch Netflix on Roku, then switch back to HDMI1 for regular TV. So, I'm not "there" yet, but better off than I was.
Generally, people who would watch Netflix are savvy enough to handle the source switching, and those who just watch regular TV will never touch the Roku setup...I hope!!

 

[Highlands John]

My new routine is to always check all the TVs before the guests arrive, so at least on arrival the TV will work.
My cable TV carrier recently notified me that starting in August all TVs on their system must have a digital cable box. Currently my TVs with digital tuners can receive the basic 85 channels with no box.
At first I was disgusted. Those boxes rent for $3/month, each (they won't sell them, only rent), and I have 14 TVs! But then I got one of the new boxes. They are magnificent! The box is about the size of 2 packs of cigarettes side-by-side, it can receive signals from the remote without need for direct line of sight, so I can hang the box out of sight behind the TV, and best of all, the remote control is as simple as can be.
NO SOURCE BUTTON! I set the source with the remote that came with TV, then store that remote away. The cable box remote only has TV ON/OFF, Volume, Mute, Channel UP/DOWN, and number buttons to input channels directly. So simple!

Or at least it would be simple, except I also recently installed Roku on the TVs, so I'll have to put the old remote with the source button in there, but I'll zip-tie it to the Roku remote, with laminated instructions attached for those savvy enough to change input to HDMI2 to watch Netflix on Roku, then switch back to HDMI1 for regular TV. So, I'm not "there" yet, but better off than I was.
Generally, people who would watch Netflix are savvy enough to handle the source switching, and those who just watch regular TV will never touch the Roku setup...I hope!!.

Generally, people who would watch Netflix are savvy enough to handle the source switching, and those who just watch regular TV will never touch the Roku setup...I hope!!

agree on that one.
Some of ours TVs will let you disable certain types of "source" in the settings, so they don't appear on the menu, but annoyingly none of them will let you switch off the analogue TV option, which we don't have anymore and is the one thing that catches most people out.

 

[user 26]

I am sorry ... I am that guest ... but I wouldn't say the tv is broken. I would say "I've messed up the remote."
Apparently, I totally screw up the tv remote at home all the time. I don't know how. Sometimes I turn it on and it says no signal. How can this be? I press ALL ON as instructed. I am constantly accused of messing around with all the buttons. I don't know how it happens. I just want to watch the same things on demand or live shows ... cupcake wars, flipping shows, barnwood builders. I don't press 'all the buttons' ... really I don't. I admit I have next to no vision in one eye still and might be pressing something I shouldn't and I'm easy to blame.
I'd like to blame the cats or dogs, but I know it isn't them.

 

[Aussie Innkeeper]

I have to explain to guests that the remote for changing the channels is not going to work if they have something blocking the cable box receiver. Duh.

 

[Copperhead]

I was that person, I am getting better. But like SS I would not state it was the TV because I know it is something I did!
We put in Roku's last fall when our cable company did the same as Arks. We decided to pull the cable plug and have not looked back.
We haven't had many quests state there is a problem (either the TV or their ability) and have had more people tell us that they have also made the switch or have been thinking about doing so.
I feel this issue will become less and less as people make the switch.

 

[Alaska's Capital Inn]

My new routine is to always check all the TVs before the guests arrive, so at least on arrival the TV will work.
My cable TV carrier recently notified me that starting in August all TVs on their system must have a digital cable box. Currently my TVs with digital tuners can receive the basic 85 channels with no box.
At first I was disgusted. Those boxes rent for $3/month, each (they won't sell them, only rent), and I have 14 TVs! But then I got one of the new boxes. They are magnificent! The box is about the size of 2 packs of cigarettes side-by-side, it can receive signals from the remote without need for direct line of sight, so I can hang the box out of sight behind the TV, and best of all, the remote control is as simple as can be.
NO SOURCE BUTTON! I set the source with the remote that came with TV, then store that remote away. The cable box remote only has TV ON/OFF, Volume, Mute, Channel UP/DOWN, and number buttons to input channels directly. So simple!

Or at least it would be simple, except I also recently installed Roku on the TVs, so I'll have to put the old remote with the source button in there, but I'll zip-tie it to the Roku remote, with laminated instructions attached for those savvy enough to change input to HDMI2 to watch Netflix on Roku, then switch back to HDMI1 for regular TV. So, I'm not "there" yet, but better off than I was.
Generally, people who would watch Netflix are savvy enough to handle the source switching, and those who just watch regular TV will never touch the Roku setup...I hope!!.

At first I was disgusted. Those boxes rent for $3/month, each (they won't sell them, only rent), and I have 14 TVs! But then I got one of the new boxes. They are magnificent! The box is about the size of 2 packs of cigarettes side-by-side, it can receive signals from the remote without need for direct line of sight, so I can hang the box out of sight behind the TV, and best of all, the remote control is as simple as can be.

Ours are $9.00 per mo ea and the size of a 100 pacs of smokes. We get the 2nd hand crap, the larger cities get the new stuff.

 

[gillumhouse]

I am sorry ... I am that guest ... but I wouldn't say the tv is broken. I would say "I've messed up the remote."
Apparently, I totally screw up the tv remote at home all the time. I don't know how. Sometimes I turn it on and it says no signal. How can this be? I press ALL ON as instructed. I am constantly accused of messing around with all the buttons. I don't know how it happens. I just want to watch the same things on demand or live shows ... cupcake wars, flipping shows, barnwood builders. I don't press 'all the buttons' ... really I don't. I admit I have next to no vision in one eye still and might be pressing something I shouldn't and I'm easy to blame.
I'd like to blame the cats or dogs, but I know it isn't them..

[h3]
It may be the HD. With my cable, if I put in 33 (s/b weather channel) I get no signal. Hit the channel up one click. On ours that puts it at 33.1 and voila - the weather channel.[/h3]

 

[user 26]

What is Roku?

 

[Lee2014]

The TV is fine. It didn't break, switch the light switch back on….

 

[Highlands John]

What is Roku?.

It's a small stick device that plugs into the HDMI port on the TV, connects to your wi-fi and gives access to many online streaming services, such as netflix and TV catchup services.
Goo gle "roku stick".

 

[Copperhead]

The TV is fine. It didn't break, switch the light switch back on…..

The TV is fine. It didn't break, switch the light switch back on….

I have 2 TV's that are plugged into a socket controlled by a light switch. We purchased switch covers for them but the new covers have one side cut exposing the switch and some smaller fingers can slip in and turn off the switch. So defeats the purpose of having the cover as we know that some people can't resist!

 

[Lee2014]

The TV is fine. It didn't break, switch the light switch back on…..

The TV is fine. It didn't break, switch the light switch back on….

I have 2 TV's that are plugged into a socket controlled by a light switch. We purchased switch covers for them but the new covers have one side cut exposing the switch and some smaller fingers can slip in and turn off the switch. So defeats the purpose of having the cover as we know that some people can't resist!
.

The TV is fine. It didn't break, switch the light switch back on….

I have 2 TV's that are plugged into a socket controlled by a light switch. We purchased switch covers for them but the new covers have one side cut exposing the switch and some smaller fingers can slip in and turn off the switch. So defeats the purpose of having the cover as we know that some people can't resist!

It's the old "Don't do this" and that's just what they do first….. Thanks Adam and Eve…..

 

[Copperhead]

The TV is fine. It didn't break, switch the light switch back on…..

The TV is fine. It didn't break, switch the light switch back on….

I have 2 TV's that are plugged into a socket controlled by a light switch. We purchased switch covers for them but the new covers have one side cut exposing the switch and some smaller fingers can slip in and turn off the switch. So defeats the purpose of having the cover as we know that some people can't resist!
.

The TV is fine. It didn't break, switch the light switch back on….

I have 2 TV's that are plugged into a socket controlled by a light switch. We purchased switch covers for them but the new covers have one side cut exposing the switch and some smaller fingers can slip in and turn off the switch. So defeats the purpose of having the cover as we know that some people can't resist!

It's the old "Don't do this" and that's just what they do first….. Thanks Adam and Eve…..

.