One day, when I tried to tune in to the local news channel, I was surprised to find that the channel was no longer there.
This happened on my cable TV setup that uses a coaxial cable to get the signal to my TV, unlike most TV receivers of today.
I had to find out what happened to the channel, so to do that, I went on the internet and called up my cable provider as well.
This guide has compiled everything that I found online and what I learned from talking to my cable provider so that you can find your missing channels on your Vizio TV.
To get back your missing channels on a Vizio TV, run a channel scan. If it doesn’t work, reset the tuner or get it replaced.
The first step to getting all your channels back is to make sure you are on the correct TV input.
Put your TV in TV or cable input mode and check your menu to see if the cable option is selected.
Press the input button on the remote to see what input you are currently on.
Press the button again to scroll through the inputs until you highlight the cable option.
Wait for it to change to that input.
The next thing you can do is to run the channel scan again.
I’d advise you to run a channel scan once every month.
Providers will change channel numbers or even remove channels outright, so scanning again is a good choice.
To run a channel scan:
If this doesn’t work, do a power cycle on the TV.
If you get a message that says No Channels in Master List, try these steps:
As time goes on, your cable provider will shift the channels around between the many plans they offer.
Contact your cable provider to ensure the channel you are missing is in the package you have subscribed to.
If not, ask them to upgrade your plan to one that does have the channel you need.
Updating the firmware your TV runs on can add new features to the TV.
Your cable provider may have moved the channel to a frequency that your TV’s current firmware cannot tune to.
To update your TV’s firmware, first, get hold of a USB drive.
You have successfully updated the firmware for your Vizio TV.
Next, check if the missing channels are back after running a channel scan again.
The FCC has set up a station finder so that you can find the latest channel numbers for all cable TV channels.
Enter your ZIP code and find the channel station you are missing.
Then, tune your TV to that channel.
It doesn’t need to be the exact number and can be plus or minus some tenths.
For example, if the station channel is 24, you can tune the TV to 24.1 or 24.3 to get your channel.
If you don’t have a cable box but are running the cable directly from the wall to the TV, maybe it’s time to get a dedicated cable box.
Cable providers have almost completely started to encrypt their channels.
This means that it would be impossible to tune to the channel with a direct connection without the cable box decrypting the channels for you.
You won’t be able to receive encrypted signals if your coaxial cable comes direct from the wall, and a cable box can help you with that.
Resetting the tuner is a great option if all the other methods have been duds for you.
To reset the tuner, you have to factory reset your Vizio TV.
Remember that a factory reset can remove all the settings from your TV.
To factory reset your Vizio TV:
When the TV restarts after the factory reset, try tuning to your channels again and see if the missing ones are back.
If the issue persists after a factory reset, it’s time to get your Tuner replaced.
Most Vizio TVs have tuners inbuilt to the mainboard.
So replacing the mainboard is the only true solution.
I’d advise you to consult a local TV specialist for this since sourcing the correct parts and working on the TV itself needs a professional touch.
If the TV still can’t display your missing channels, contact your cable operator’s support team.
Tell them what you have tried and what your issue was.
They might recommend more fixes or send a technician to check on your equipment if they feel the need to.
After you successfully get your channel back, the next thing you should think about is getting a new universal remote.
If you have AV receivers along with your TV and have remotes for all of them, it just becomes cluttered.
There are universal remotes that work best with Vizio, and all of them are packed with features you thought you never needed.
First, find the channel number with the station finder.
Then go to the Settings menu and highlight Partial Channel search.
Choose the type of channel you want to add from that menu and enter the range to start and end the scan.
Next, input a range between the channel number you found earlier and Click Start.
Let the scan finish and check if you can find the channel after.
To fix this, turn on the TV and press the Menu button.
While on the menu, navigate to the Cable or Antenna menu.
Select Auto search and let the search finish.
Restart the TV and check if you can change channels.
Look for physical buttons on the TV itself.
There should be a button labeled Menu towards the bottom.
Press the button to open the menu.
Turn off the TV by pressing the power button on the body of the TV.
Wait for a few minutes before turning it back on to finish the reboot.
RobotPoweredHome.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. © 2024 Robot Powered Home | Privacy Policy