This can be particularly frustrating when trying to zap between channels and the TV takes a long time to respond. Fortunately, there are solutions to quickly improve the performance of the TV and increase its speed. In this article, we will see why the channel change is abnormally slow et 10 easy solutions to fix this problem.
Changing channels abnormally long on my TV: the causes
Normally a TV should have a reaction time of up from less than 1 second to 3 seconds between the moment you press the remote control and the moment the channel change occurs on the screen.
So if the TV channel changes take longer, the device has an abnormal latency problem that may come from different causes, the main ones being:
- Bad wiring. Faulty or incorrectly connected wiring can cause signal transmission problems, and therefore delays when changing channels.
- Low quality signals. If you receive low quality signals, it may be difficult for your television to load channels quickly. This could be due to the wrong orientation of your antenna, low signal strength, or physical obstacles blocking the signal.
- Defective software. Faulty or outdated software can cause performance issues, including abnormally long delays when changing channels. Updating your software may resolve this issue.
- Memory problems. If your television has little available memory or too many resources are used at the same time, it may be difficult for it to perform all the tasks and therefore load the channels quickly.
- Hardware issues. Faulty components, such as circuit boards or connectors, can cause performance issues, including slowness when switching between channels.
Changing TV channels too slow: how to make it faster?
The latency between channel changes is not a fatality. There are simple solutions to reduce waiting times and regain optimal operating speed. Perform the troubleshooting steps below, one at a time and in order, to eliminate the potential cause each time and successfully diagnose the one affecting your TV.
Please note: If your entire TV is slow, i.e. when starting up, when changing sources or watching an application such as Netflix or YouTube, we invite you to read the following article instead: Slow TV, what to do?
Restart your TV
If you experience very long timeouts when changing channels, the first thing to do is to electrically restart your television. This can free up memory and fix temporary issues. To do this :
- Turn off the TV and unplug its power cord of the socket
- Wait 5 minutes, the time that the components are empty
- Reconnect the television
If you use an internet box, restart it as well. If that doesn't work, try reset the internet box in factory mode.
Also think about replace remote control batteries. Indeed, when the latter no longer has enough battery, the signal range weakens and reception may become slower. Also make sure that no nearby device is interfering with the Bluetooth or infrared signal and that the remote control is close enough to the TV (less than 5 meters if possible).
Update TV channel search
The method for update tv channels searching will depend on the make and model of your television. However, here are the general steps you will need to follow:
- Push the button " Menu " or " Settings on your remote to access your TV settings.
- Look for the option " Channels » (strings) or « Tuner (receiver) and select it.
- Select the option Auto-tune " or " Auto scan » (auto scan) to automatically scan for available channels.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to select search options (e.g. TV standard, region, etc.)
- Wait for channel search to complete. This may take a few minutes, depending on your signal reception.
- Once the search is complete, you can access all channels found using the “channels” button on your remote.
This method only works for terrestrial TV channels and does not work for pay TV channels that are provided by a cable or satellite subscription. To access these channels, you must log in to your subscription.
Check the wired connection
Make sure that all cable are properly connected and that the HDMI or coaxial cables are not damaged. If you use a antennas, check that it is correctly oriented, not damaged and that the signal is sufficient. To do this, check the bandwidth of the TV (procedure below).
If you are using an antenna to receive channels, we advise you to use an antenna instead. decoder to improve signal quality. Set-top boxes can also add additional functionality, such as live pausing and recording.
Check TV Bandwidth
To check if your TV is receiving the channel signal correctly, test bandwidth of your accommodation.
It exists several methods to test the bandwidth of TV channels, such as using a network analyzer or performing a data rate test. Here is how you can test TV channel bandwidth:
- Use a data rate test : There are websites such as Speedtest.net ou degrouptest.com which allow you to test the speed of your internet connection in real time. It is important to note that this will not give you an accurate measure of TV channel bandwidth, but will give you a general idea of your internet connection speed.
- Use a network analyzer : It is a professional equipment that can measure the bandwidth of your wired or wireless network. It can measure line length, attenuation rate, signal strength, etc. It is generally used by telecommunication technicians to check the quality of the connection.
- Use a signal level meter : This is equipment that measures the strength of the RF (Radio Frequency) signal for terrestrial television channels. It can measure analog and digital TV channels. It is generally used to check reception quality and to identify interference.
To accurately test the bandwidth of TV channels, it is best to use professional equipment and have technical skills. If you think the problem is a network fault, then you can get a qualified technician to perform these tests.
If the slow channel changing problem is caused by a weak signal, note that there are tricks to boost tv signal such as using a signal amplifier device, set-top box, choosing higher performance cables or antenna, etc. Do not hesitate to inquire with a professional in the sector near you.
Update TV software
Updating the software may fix bugs and performance issues such as slow channel changing.
Then check if a software update is available for your television and install it if necessary. To do this, connect the television to the internet network, go to the settings and look for the "update" section. If an update is pending, launch it immediately.
Note that it is best to activate the automatic update and connect the TV regularly to the Internet to avoid malfunctions.
Read also: The most famous TV problems solved
Check your network settings
Si you go through a TV decoder to watch TV and therefore by an operator (Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, Free, etc), make sure the network settings are correct and optimized for normal operation.
If you are using a WiFi connection, check that the signal is strong and stable. Otherwise, try disconnecting some devices connected to the network which can saturate the band. Also try to connect the TV to the internet box via a wired connection and therefore with an Ethernet cable. This stabilizes the connection.
Finally, still in the event that you use a WiFi connection to watch television and connect to the internet, you can use a signal repeater to improve range and signal quality.
Clean your TV's cache
Cache memory is used to store temporary information, such as string data. If the cache is full, it can slow down the loading time of the channels. To find out how to clean the cover for your TV model and brand, refer to the instructions given by the brand.
You can also free up storage space by deleting apps you don't use or by clearing the cache and disabling auto-update for apps you use. Be careful, by emptying the cache, you will have to re-enter usernames and passwords in your applications. Be sure to write them down.
If peripheral devices are connected to your TV, disconnect them. If the channel change goes back to normal, one of them may be using too many resources.
Reset your slow TV
If you have tried all the previous solutions and the problem of changing the channel too slowly persists, You can factory reset your television. This is in its settings.
This procedure will erase all errors and bugs stored in the software's memory and therefore may resolve more serious performance issues.
However, this will also erase all your personal data. We advise you to backup your important data to an external device before performing the reset. Similarly, you will need to reconfigure usernames and passwords for all applications. Make sure you have noted them down.
Check the material
It is also possible that the performance problem and therefore the long delay between channel changes comes from a Failed TV hardware component such as one of e-cards (most often motherboard or power board) or TV Receiver/Tuner in the majority of cases.
Si your whole TV is slow, the problem may also be with the remote control receiver or the connectors.
If you are not comfortable checking the components yourself or the TV is under warranty, call a qualified technician.
Call a professional
If you are unable to find the source of the problem, if you are not able to carry out the manipulations or if the problem of slowness persists, contact a professional. Note that if your television is under guarantee and the latency is considered abnormal, you should get the device repaired or replaced free of charge.
