The sudden flickering of your Panasonic Plasma screen can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know the cause. A Plasma TV is a major investment and fixing it will cost significantly more than chump change.
Before you panic, read this article through. We’ll walk you through all the reasons and eventualities that could lead to the problem and how to troubleshoot them. Very rarely will you need to get it fixed for a technical problem. Let’s begin!
How do I fix my Panasonic Plasma TV screen flickering?
Turn the Panasonic Plasma Screen Off and On Again
It might seem simplistic but it usually works. Turn your TV off, wait a few minutes, then turn it on again. A restart is usually all it needs to adjust to its regular calibrations. However, this method only takes you so far. If the flickering TV is a regular occurrence, the ‘off & on’ method will work initially till the situation worsens. Try to figure out what’s wrong with it so you can come up with a permanent fix.
Get the Plasma Off the Wall
A step further from the off-and-on, simply unplug your TV and wait the customary five minutes before plugging it back in. The idea is to help the system readjust or do any hard reset it has to do internally before you turn it on again. Make sure the TV gets its five minutes of rest before you plug it in again and check if the problem has been resolved.
Take a Look at Your Cables
One thing many people ignore or don’t think is as important to consider is the cables connected to their TVs. Gaming devices, CD players, and various HDMI cables all bring some sort of connectivity feed to your TV. If they are damaged, not plugged properly, or unplugged entirely, they can lead to a flickering screen.
Boken or damaged cables aren’t always visible to the naked eye. Sometimes, the damage is internal, and you can’t detect it. To test for damaged cables, unplug each one at a time to see which one stops the flickering when disconnected. Once you identify which cable is the culprit, find a replacement as soon as possible.
You can also localize the problem. Does the TV flicker when you’re trying to play a game or watch cable TV? Once you identify where exactly the TV starts giving you trouble, you’ll be able to find the problem in the relevant cables.
Fortunately, replacement cables are readily available and cost little. So, for convenience, replace them as soon as possible.
Check the Video Source on Your TV
Maybe the problem isn’t with your TV at all. Often, when you’re trying to catch the latest episode of your favorite cable network show or want to catch up to the latest hit on Netflix, you’ll notice the stream won’t load properly, and the picture quality will be grainy. Sometimes, it stops entirely, and the screen starts to flicker.
That’s not your Panasonic Plasma’s fault; the problem lies with the source of the broadcast.
Corrupted frames from your broadcaster or streaming service can make the screen flicker. There isn’t much you can do about it but complain to the service provider, or restart your devices and hope that resolves the problem.
Fix the Room’s Lighting
This is where we get into the science behind TV screens. They are built with various filters, electrodes, and liquid crystals that form the pictures you see and the screen is constantly flickering to change between these filters to accommodate the color and display changes with the changing screen. The flickering is happening so fast it is undetectable to the naked eye. Sort of like flipbook animation. The only way you can see the cartoon move is because the pages flip so fast that you don’t really see the pages moving.
Sometimes, extreme lighting in the room can make the flickering more obvious to the naked eye. Try adjusting the light from bright to dark till you hit the sweet spot. You can also play with the TV’s brightness settings to see if the issue is maybe that it’s too bright, or too dim. The difference will be noticeable right away.
Check for Internal Hardware Issues
If all of the above fails, then chances are your Panasonic Plasma has internal hardware issues. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to fix these hardware problems on your own unless you’re a trained professional. We don’t recommend you even try, so don’t hop on YouTube and DIY this fix.
The reason is if your TV is still under warranty, the dealership should be able to fix it for you for a minimal fee or even for free. But if you open the TV or try to fix it yourself, you won’t be able to claim a warranty.
Check Your Internet Connection
A lot of our TV watching these days requires an internet connection. The flickering or the TV stuck in standby could be a result of bad connectivity. Check your router to see if it’s performing adequately. Restart the router, then try connecting it again to see if that makes a difference.
The location of your router also matters. If it’s too far away, the TV won’t be its first priority of connectivity. Moving it too close might mess with older TV signals. A middle ground is always best for optimum connectivity.
Update TV Firmware
Smart TVs require software updates periodically so they can adjust to new data and provide optimum performance. If your Panasonic Plasma screen is flickering, it is a direct result of your TV not having been upgraded.
To update your smart TV, go to your TV Settings and find the Update Software option. Wait for the update to install completely before you shut the TV down, wait five to ten minutes, and turn it back on again. This should resolve your problem.
Turn the Energy Efficiency Off
Electricity consumption goes up with the size of your television. A lot of people use the Energy Efficiency option to reduce the amount of electricity being used. This can also affect the performance because larger TVs like Panasonic Plasma require that consumption to give you the best possible picture quality.
Turn the Energy Efficiency option off and see if that makes a difference.
