Why Your TV Keeps Turning On By Itself
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Have you ever experienced the eerie phenomenon of your TV turning itself on after a brief power outage? You're not alone! In the latest episode of the Hands-On Tech podcast, host Mikah Sargent unravels this mystery for listener Richard, who owns a TCL TV that exhibits this spooky behavior.
As it turns out, the culprit behind this seemingly haunted TV is a feature called "Fast TV Start." This setting keeps the TV in a standby mode, maintaining network connections and allowing for quick startup times. While convenient, it can also cause the TV to automatically power on when electricity is restored after an outage.
Mikah walks listeners through the steps to locate and disable the Fast TV Start feature in the TV's settings menu. He explains that this power-related setting is often found under Settings > System > Power on TCL TVs and may have similar names on other brands.
But the plot thickens! If you have devices connected to your TV via HDMI, such as a cable box, they may also be contributing to the mysterious power-ons. HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) allows connected devices to communicate and control each other, sometimes resulting in the cable box turning on when the TV powers up.
To truly exorcise the ghost in your TV, Mikah recommends checking the power-related settings on both your television and any connected devices like cable boxes. Look for options like quick start, hibernation mode, or auto power-on behavior, and adjust them according to your preferences.
As it turns out, this spooky TV behavior is not limited to TCL models. Many devices, including smart home products and lighting, have similar quick start or auto-on features that can catch users off guard. The key is to be aware of these settings and take control of your devices' power-on behavior.
For more tech tips and fascinating discussions, be sure to listen to the full episode of the Hands-On Tech podcast with Mikah Sargent. Don't let your TV's mysterious powers surprise you any longer – tune in and take control today!
