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The Causes of a Flickering, Freezing, and Broken TV Picture

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There’s nothing worse than settling down to watch your favourite film, TV finale, or big match only to have your screen freeze, block, or pixelate. Whether you have an issue with your cabling or you’re suffering from poor signal, there are many different issues that can lead to a broken TV picture. Luckily, there are also lots of different fixes! Read on to find out what might be causing your problem and how you can resolve it.

Hardware Problems

If your picture tends to freeze or break, you could be having an issue with some of the hardware in your setup. Check that none of your cable connections or aerial plugs are loose or damaged, as this can cause your picture to drop out.

How do I fix it?

Look for any damaged connections or bent cables. Once you’ve identified where the problem is, the solution is as easy as replacing the broken part. If the problem is inside your TV, a qualified repair service should be able to diagnose and fix the issue. Using too many aerial amplifiers or splitters can also lead to too much or too little signal reaching your TV so removing these could solve your problem.


If your digital TV picture breaks up every time your lights come on or your washing machine starts up, it sounds like you might be having trouble with electrical interference. This sort of interference is most often caused by placing aerial connectors too close to electrical mains leads or by using poor quality aerials or cabling.

How do I fix it?

You can avoid any electrical interference problems by making sure you use high quality aerial flylead cables to connect your aerial and receiver. If possible, keep connectors away from mains leads and keep the number of joins, connectors, and adapters in your system to a minimum, as these can weaken your signal and allow interference.

Bad Weather

Most of us have experienced problems with our TV picture during bad weather conditions. Wind, rain, and snow can all disturb aerials and interrupt signal, while the high pressure associated with hot weather can also affect reception.

How do I fix it?

Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do about the weather! If you’re having repeated problems however, a local engineer should be able to give you some aerial placement recommendations that can lessen the impact of different weather conditions.  

Poor Signal

If you’ve checked that all your hardware is working fine and you’re not experiencing any interference from other electrical equipment, the main culprit for a broken picture is usually low signal or poor reception. Most often indicated by your picture breaking up into squares (also known as ‘pixelating’), poor signal can be caused by a coverage issue or a problem with your aerial. Most TV sets or systems will have a signal strength meter that you can check to see if this is your problem.

How do I fix it?

You should be able to check coverage for your area online. If your coverage is fine but you’re still having consistent issues with signal, your best bet is to contact a professional aerial installer. A professional installer will be able to safely check that your aerial hasn’t become dislodged or damaged, replace it if it has, or suggest the best options for improving signal based on your specific geographical location and circumstances.

29 Jan, 18



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