How to Troubleshoot a Philips Ambilight LCD TV

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"Ambilight" technology is unique to the Philips brand of LCD TVs. The company says the technology brings "ambient lighting" to the viewing experience, making the screen appear larger and relaxing viewers' eyes. If you experience problems with a Philips TV that features Ambilight, you can solve most problems with basic troubleshooting steps. To fix or adjust the Ambilight feature, access the Ambilight menu on your TV and adjust the settings.

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General Troubleshooting

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Step 1

Check for power and connectivity problems. If there is no power or indicator light, press the "Power" button to ensure that you have turned the TV on. Make sure the power cord is connected to the TV and the outlet. If it still does not work, unplug the power cord from the outlet for 60 seconds and try Power again after you reconnect. If all this fails, connect to a different electrical outlet.

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Step 2

Check for HDMI connection problems. Your screen will indicate whether this is the issue. To solve the problem, first confirm that HDMI cable is certified to work with this type of TV. Next, press "Source" on the remote control to switch to another source and then switch back to HDMI. If you still have a problem, reset the TV and the accessory device. Finally, while both the TV and the accessory are powered on, unplug and then reinsert the HDMI cable.

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Step 3

Test for common sound problems. If you cannot hear any sound from an external device, make sure the correct HDMI port is connected. Connect a DVI-HDM cable to the "HDMI 3" port. Also ensure that the audio cable is connected. It should be linked with the "DVI AUDIO IN" port. Press "Source" on the remote control and select "HDMI 3" as your source. If you cannot hear any sound from the TV speakers, make sure the volume is turned up and the "Mute" feature has not been activated. Also, check that there are no headphones connected to the TV.

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Step 4

Test for remote control problems if your TV is nonresponsive to your remote control. The probable causes are either low battery power or incorrectly installed batteries in the remote control. If your batteries have adequate power and are properly installed in the correct remote control, the indicator light on the TV should blink when you press buttons. If this does not work, unplug the TV for 60 seconds, then reconnect it.

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Step 5

Ensure you are playing videos in the correct format. If the picture is distorted in any way, press the "Format" button on the remote control and try different formats. For some DVD players and other accessories, you must adjust the format on the device itself.

Step 6

Ensure all connections are secure and correct. Make sure all component cables are inserted all the way into the correct color-coded or labeled ports on the TV. If you use an antenna and have a snowy picture, make sure the antenna is connected adequately. Otherwise, you may have a weak signal.

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Step 7

Make sure you are using the right cables to connect external devices. If you are using coaxial cables to connect an external device and have poor picture quality, try connecting with component or HDMI cables instead.

Step 8

Make sure you are connecting to channels and input sources properly if there is no picture or sound when you turn on the TV. First, ensure that you have selected the correct channel. Also, check that the TV is set to the correct source input.

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Step 9

Confirm that your remote control is compatible with all devices and the TV if you are trying to use a universal remote control. Not all brands may be compatible with one another.

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Ambilight Settings

Step 1

Press "Menu" on the remote control and select "TV Settings" and "Ambilight" on the screen to adjust Ambilight settings.

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Step 2

Select "Ambilight" to turn the feature on or off.

Step 3

Select "Brightness" to adjust Ambilight's light output.

Step 4

Select "Mode" to choose from four different Ambilight modes.

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Step 5

Select "Color" to choose from predefined Ambilight color settings or to adjust colors to your custom preferences. For custom settings, set the "Saturation" setting at high under the "Custom Color" selection when you begin your adjustment, then choose "Palette" and experiment with different numbers until you find your preference.

Step 6

Select "Balance" to adjust the Ambilight level on each side of the screen.

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