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Someone who is an avid Tv enthusiast should know the details of the dos and don’ts of color test mode and how one can prevent it. But, other than that, most people are not meant to know what to do when their Tv is stuck in color in test mode.
It surely is a hassle because it can happen due to multiple reasons, and in some of them, it is not even your fault.
You could be casually watching after an exhausting day of work, then suddenly you are seeing that random colors are popping on your screen instead of your preferred channel.
A colleague of mine faced this twice and after multiple thorough inspections and research, we managed to solve it.
Thus, I will also be assisting you in this issue with my experience, so hang tight!
What is the color test mode?
Color test mode is when your tv has gotten some sort of malfunction. This could be due to its settings, surroundings, or even cable management. The color test mode can vary from Tv to Tv. It can appear as multiple colors showing at the same time or it could one color at a time also.
What you are seeing can also look visually distorted. By visually distorted, I mean the channel isn’t appearing in the right colors. Another way of comprehending is seeing multiple fragments and rays of colors that look pretty misaligned (You will know once you see them).
It is probable that your Tv isn’t even on color test mode but you seem to be convinced that it is. So, these are the cues in knowing if your TV has gotten stuck in color test mode or not.
Burning Question: What do the different colors mean? (Red, Green, Blue, or more)
After you’re 100% sure that your tv is stuck in color test mode, then you need to know that the colors which are popping on your screen are not appearing for no reason. All of the colors give speak about the issues and your TV’s manual could tell you a few things. But, so will I.
- If it shows just green, then you probably don’t have the cable attached to the Tv properly, or the multi-plug has malfunctioned.
- If it shows plain black, then it could be that your whole LED panel has become defective and you need to inspect your T-con board.
- If it shows purple or pink or both, then know that magnetic devices are probably near your Tv, and it is causing electromagnetic interferences.
- If it shows red and a few other colors, then your tv is probably going under a purity check mode, or it can be told as burning mode based on the Tv you’re using.
- If it shows Blue, then you need to check your input devices, check to see if they are correctly plugged in or not. It could be a gaming console, DVD player, or set-top box.
How can you fix your Tv if it’s stuck in color test mode?
Now that you are well informed about the reasons and how it appears. Let us go through the fixes.
Stand by button
Let us start off with the most essential step to solve this issue. You are seeing that your monitor is showing multiple colors and it is in burning mode. Now, what you can do is first get your remote.
Press the power button for 5-10 seconds. It’ll be on standby. Then after that, press the power button again. Hopefully, your Tv should get back to its usual state.
If this doesn’t work with the remote, then do the same process now by pressing the home button on the TV.
Service Mode
If your Tv is going through multiple colors, then it is likely that it is on service mode. It can happen because there is some form of issue in showing the regular images.
To fix:
What you can do is reset your EEPROM, basically wiping off the memory stored in your TV and then applying the default settings. When your TV is in service mode then it won’t show any settings to get back to the default state.
So, turn off your tv from the plug then press the home button on your tv for 15-30 seconds then turn it on. This setting should evidently differ from TVs so I hope you have your manual near.
Broadcast signal Issue
While you are worrying your whole life out over this issue, knowing that your Tv is faulty when the problem isn’t actually even on your Tv, but rather it is coming from an external device that is connected to your Tv.
It could be a loose connection from the set-top box or your PlayStation. The issue could arise from even Tv antennas, the antennas might be redundant but it is probably causing signal interferences that have led to the Tv to default in Color test mode.
So, if you are watching Tv through an antenna then simply adjust it to a place where there isn’t any interference or if it’s staying redundant then simply remove it.
Cable Attachment Issue
This is the easiest of all the troubleshooting methods. Your Tv might be in color test mode because the wiring and cable management are not done right.
The connection from the power outlet to the multiplug may not be adequately connected which may be causing constant power surges. It also could come from a faulty power cable or the multiplug as well, so I’d suggest you get a new power cable and a multiplug.
Self-test mode
It also may be likely that your Tv has gotten into self mode from all the issues I have mentioned above. It is basically when your TV starts to find out the problems all by itself, and often your Tv may be stuck in self-test mode. So, then you need to switch it off manually.
To fix:
Just like a lot of the other settings, switching off the self-test mode will also differ from TV. I’ll tell you about Samsungs TVs,
- Go to the settings through the remote or the Tv buttons.
- Go to general and then select manager.
- After that, go to usage mode then it may ask for a Pin code.
- The default pin is 1000 and if it doesn’t work then contact your retailer.
- After that, your Tv should get back to its default state.
Faulty T-con Board
This falls under the technical problems because it is like your Tv has a faulty T-con board. A T-con board may become faulty due to the Tv getting too old. You will require to take out your Tv and start working on it completely.
I don’t recommend approaching for this because you may end up ruining other parts of your TV. It is better to hire a technician for this, but even then it doesn’t seem worth it because eventually, you will be needing to change your TV.
How can you test your monitor with an external device or software?
You could be in a state where you have realized that your TV might be stuck in color test mode. So, to troubleshoot all the external/visible issues that could arise while playing your TV, you could try the Monitor and TV test. It is a test where you will get to test uniformity, color distances, gradients, sharpness, gamma, and also other things like defective pixels and response time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Eprom?
Its abbreviation is Electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. Eprom’s work as bytes of data which is the ROM. It carries small ounces of data that can be reset to put the TV in its primary state. It can be erased and programmed all within electricity.
Will keeping devices that have magnets affect my Tv experience?
Yes, absolutely. Magnet is infamous for creating electromagnetic interferences. The modern speakers are a bit better but if you are using that old speaker then it is likely that the colors will look distorted once you are using the TV and the speakers at the same.
What is the aging mode?
The aging mode is similar to the color test mode. On aging, you will also see that red, green, and blue colors are popping on your screen. The usual way to fix this problem is by holding the power buttons for 5-10 seconds.
Will unplugging my TV reset it back to its default state?
No, it doesn’t. You are basically turning it off and back on again. What usually happens to reset is either you have to configure it through the factory settings through the remote or the tv buttons, or you may require to hold buttons then switch it off and on. Again, this process also varies from TVs.
What are SMPTE color bars?
SMPTE colors bars are basically seven color bars that are vertically placed and every color shows a different issue on a TV. To understand the issue on your TV, if you see a color missing, then the problem which that colors state is what is going wrong on your TV.
Wrap Up!
Thus, this concludes all the issues and precautions I could suggest to you if you have your TV stuck in color test mode. This issue can arise to anyone and I have explained things in such a way so that you understand clearly and concisely even if you are not someone who is tech-savvy or into TVs.
You should go through the troubleshooting steps serially but first after having full clarity on the issue. Start off, by switching off holding the power button for a specific amount of seconds then go through the steps based on your understanding.
So, I hope you are good to go in this matter and I’m sure you will be able to assist others in this matter as well.