Bright House Networks is dedicated to providing the highest quality service to your home. Occasionally you may experience a reception problem. You may be able to correct some of these problems on your own by following these tips and troubleshooting solutions:

Cable Service

1. I'm not getting a picture or any sound.
2. There is interference or snowy reception on some channels.
3. My high definition picture does not fit on my television screen or appears distorted.
4. My high definition program has a green picture.
5. I am having audio problems with my cable service.
6. On demand services are not allowing me to order, rewind or fast forward.
7. My set top box continuously turns off or resets.
8. My set top box does not display or loses the program guide data.
9. If a service call is the only solution, help us serve you better.

I'm not getting a picture or any sound.

• Check the TV, VCR and set top box to make sure all are connected correctly, plugged in and powered on.
• If the TV, VCR or set top box is plugged into an electrical outlet controlled by a wall switch make sure the wall switch is in the “on” position.
• A power surge may have tripped a circuit breaker. Check to see if other electrical items in the room are working properly. 
• If you have a set top box, make sure that the Time or Channel is displayed on the front panel.
  If not, check to see if the set top box is plugged into a working electrical outlet.
• If your home had a cable amplifier installed, check to see if the amplifier lost power. The charger that powers a house amplifier often gets unplugged from the wall electrical outlet or turned off by a light switch. The amplifier is usually in the attic or on the side of the house where all the cables meet. It's a gray box about 3 inches by 5 inches in size which your cables all plug into and if powered, should display a small triangular light on the device's front or face. If the light is not on, check to see if the charger is unplugged or turned off by a light switch. The charger should be located next to the amplifier or next to a cable outlet in the house.
• Press the TV/VIDEO switch or button on your TV.
• A power failure or neighborhood construction may have caused the problem. If power was lost momentarily on a set top box, when the power is restored, the TV may not have tuned to Channel 4. Tune the TV to Channel 4 to see if the service has returned to normal.

Back to questions

There is interference or snowy reception on some channels.

• Make sure all cable connections are hand-tight. Off air signals often find their way into the cable through loose connections which can cause interference. Loose connections can cause digital channels to break up or freeze.
• If your TV menu has a STD/HRC/IRC setting, select STD. An incorrect setting can cause reception problems.
• Check to see if your TV and/or VCR is tuned to Channel 4.
• Check to see if the reception problem is on one or several channels. If only one channel is affected, the problem may be at the TV station.
• Check to see if the reception problem is on one or several TVs. If only one TV is affected, make sure all the connections are secure.
• Have you installed any new equipment recently such as a stereo receiver or DVD? The addition of a component to your home theatre system could have easily loosened a cable. Be sure all cables are connected and are finger-tight.
• If you can't tune to the desired channel, make sure the channel is not blocked by parental control.
• Are you using a surge protector? Surge protectors have three frequent problems:
  • Surge protectors sometimes do not pass the entire signal to the set top box.
  • The devices can allow off air interference.
  • They can prevent the cable service from working correctly.
• If you have connected the cable to the surge protector rather than directly to the set top box, this may be the problem. Instead, try connecting the surge protector between the set top box and your TV/VCR. For example, the routing should be: wall to set top box to surge protector to TV/VCR.
• Bright House Networks offers Panamax Surge Protectors that have minimal impact on your signal.  Click here to order .
• The TV only receives channels up to Channel 13. Check your TV for a menu option or a switch labeled Antenna/CATV. Switch to CATV. If you have an older TV that stops at Channel 13, you may only be able to use your VCR to receive all basic and standard channels. If this is the case, tune the TV to Channel 4, turn on the VCR and change channels with the VCR.

  
  Back to questions

  My High Definition picture does not fit on my television screen or appears distorted.

  1. Turn off the power on your digital set top box and ensure your HD television set is powered on.
  
  2. Press down the GUIDE and INFO button on the front panel of the digital set top box until the following screen displays:
      If the display on the front of the digital set top box shows SD wait approximately 30 seconds until it changes to HD.
  
  

  3. Press “A ” on your remote control to enter the HDTV SETUP WIZARD.
  The following screen will display:
  
  

  4. Press “A ” on your remote again to continue.
  The following screen will display:
  
  

  5. Press “B ” on your remote for advanced setup.
  The following screen will display:
  
  

  6. Press “A” or “B” to select the appropriate screen size for your television.

• “A” standard screen size (4:3 ratio). For standard TV's choose this option.
• “B” widescreen (16:9 ratio). Setting for most high definition TV's.
  
  The following screen will display:
  
  

  7. Press “A” to continue. To configure the picture format, follow these steps:   

• If the screen is viewable press “SEL ” on your remote.          
• If nothing shows up or the screen is unreadable press “B ” on your remote.
  
  Continue these two steps 6 times to test all picture formats and complete setup.
  
  8. The following screen will display with a green dot next to all formats that are viewable.
  
  

  9. Press the “Exit ” button on your remote when complete.
  The following screen will display:
  
  

  10. Turn on the power  to the digital set top box.
  
  11. Press the “SETTINGS” button on your remote two times. This will take you to the GENERAL SETTINGS screen.
  
  12. Scroll down, using the remote, to “SET: PICTURE FORMAT”, and press “SEL”.
  
  13. Scroll down to “PASS_THROUGH”. The following screen should be displayed:
  
  

  14. Press the “A” button on your remote to accept the change.
  
  15. Press “Exit ” on your remote to view your TV.
  
  

  Back to questions

  My High Definition program has a green picture.

  Check the HDTV's input assignment ( R G B or YPrPb). Switch the selection in the TV menu to see if the full color is restored. If the menu does not provide both RGB and YprPb options, check to make sure the cables are connected properly. If the color is not restored, call Customer Care.

  
  Back to questions

  I am having audio problems with my cable service.

  • Check to make sure the SAP function of the TV, VCR, or set top box has been turned "OFF."
  • Check your TV's menu to see that your "Closed Caption" settings are turned off if you are not intending to use the option. If you are intending to use "Closed Caption" select a different setting such as CC1 or CC2, the "Text" settings often bring up the "black box" in the center of the viewing screen.
  • Make sure the TV volume is not set at the maximum level while the set top box volume is turned down. Both volumes should be at mid level.
  • The set top box remote has the ability to operate the volume of the TV or set top box. To select the volume for the TV or set top box, first make sure the TV can be turned on or off with the remote. If you have not programmed your remote for volume control, check the remote control instructions. If the sound does not seem to be in stereo, check the stereo source to make sure it is the left and right audio output of the set top box. The left and right set top box outputs provide stereo; the digital audio output provides surround sound.
  • If the sound does not seem to be in surround sound, be sure that your surround sound source is the digital audio output of the set top box. NOTE: The connection is coaxial NOT optical. A digital stereo receiver is required.
  • If the surround sound is connected properly but you are not receiving surround sound, then the program you are viewing may not be broadcasted in surround sound. Scroll through other digital channels to see if other programs are in surround sound. Many programs are not broadcasted in surround sound.

  
  Back to questions

  On demand services are not allowing me to order, rewind or fast forward.

  • Make sure your remote is switched to VOD instead of VCR.

    Photo A   Photo B   If the switch on your remote matches the one in the circle in Photo A, press the button until the LED at the top of the remote lights up RED   If the switch on your remote matches the one in the circle in Photo B, flip the down to the VOD position.

    
    
  • If your on demand purchase is experiencing problems such as the audio or video is breaking up or the set top box is freezing, and you have checked the connections, try resetting or rebooting the set top box.
  • Steps for resetting or rebooting the set top box:
    1. Press and hold the volume up, volume down, and info button simultaneously on the face of the set top box until the time disappears from the display.
    2. The set top box will cycle for a few moments before the current time is restored. Sometimes the set top box will automatically turn itself on once the current time displays. If not, press the power button.
    3. An "Explorer" screen will display followed by a message “Loading Data” if your television and set top box are powered on before the rebooting sequence is finished.
    4. Once the set top box has finished resetting itself, you should be returned to regular programming and your problems should be resolved. If not, try resetting the set top box one more time.

  Back to questions

  My set top box continuously turns off or resets.

  • Make sure the set top box is connected to a good power source; loss of power and power fluctuations may cause the set top box to reset or reboot.
  • Make sure the power cord is securely connected to the back of the set top box.

  Back to questions

  My set top box does not display or loses the program guide data.

   Try resetting or rebooting the set top box:

  1. Press and hold the volume up, volume down, and info button simultaneously on the face of the set top box until the time disappears from the display.
  2. The set top box will cycle for a few moments before the current time is restored. Sometimes the set top box will automatically turn itself on once the current time displays. If not, press the power button.
  3. An "Explorer" screen will display followed by a message “Loading Data” if your television and set top box are powered on before the rebooting sequence is finished.
  4. Once the set top box has finished resetting itself, you should be returned to regular programming and your problems should be resolved. If not, try resetting the set top box one more time.

  Back to questions

  If a service call is the only solution, help us serve you better.
  
  If you are unable to resolve your problem using these trouble shooting tips, you may need to schedule a service call. Before calling our Customer Care department, check: 

  • To make sure you subscribe to the service you are not receiving
  • To ensure that someone age 18 or older will be home at the time of the service call, and will be able to stay for the duration of the visit.
  
  

  Be sure to provide the appropriate phone number where you can be reached in case our technician needs to speak with you before his arrival.

  Back to questions