How to Reset My Cable Box

By Brandy Burgess

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Cable boxes are provided to customers by television service providers. The cable box picks up a digital signal issued by the cable provider, allowing you to enjoy television programming in your home. Occasionally, a cable box must be reset. Sporadic freezing of the television screen is the most common cable box problem, which can typically be fixed without a visit from a cable technician. Resetting the cable box may be necessary to resolve such minor issues.

Power Cycle

Step 1

Turn off the cable box using the power button located on the front of the device. The light on the front of the device will turn off.

Step 2

Unplug the attached power cord from the surge protector or electrical outlet. Leave the cable box unplugged for a minimum of 30 seconds.

Step 3

Plug the power cord attached to the cable box back into the surge protector or electrical outlet. Press the power button to turn the device on.

Step 4

Wait several minutes for the cable box to reconnect to the signal provided by the cable service provider. Once a connection is made, the television should return to normal programming.

Signal Strength

Step 1

Turn off the cable box using the power button located on the front of the device. The power button on the remote control can also be used to power off the cable box.

Step 2

Press the "Enter" button on the remote control immediately after powering off the cable box. This should pull up a diagnostic screen on the television.

Step 3

Locate the information in the diagnostic box that provides the In-band and Out-of-Band SNRs. If the cable box signal is working properly, the diagnostic screen should read "Good."

Step 4

Contact your cable service provider and speak to a technical assistance technician. If neither the power cycle or signal strength check solves the problem, a cable technician may need to remotely reset your cable box or schedule a home visit.

References

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