there's a faint high pitched whine or buzz coming from the back of the tv, only when it's on

— asked by Riley

Quick answer: That's coil whine from the power supply board. It's common in LED TVs and is caused by electrical components vibrating at a high frequency.

Diagnosis

That's coil whine from the power supply board. It's common in LED TVs and is caused by electrical components vibrating at a high frequency. It's often more noticeable when the screen is very bright or showing a specific color.

How to Fix It

First, make sure the TV is plugged directly into a wall outlet, not a power strip or surge protector. Sometimes a poor-quality strip can cause noise in the power supply. If it's in a wall outlet, try a different outlet in the room to see if the buzz changes.

If That Didn't Work

Go into the TV's picture settings and try lowering the 'Backlight' level. High brightness demands more power, which can increase the whine. If lowering it from 100 to 80 makes the noise go away, you've confirmed the source.

Heads Up

While annoying, coil whine is rarely a sign of imminent failure. However, if the buzz ever changes to a loud hum, crackle, or you smell ozone, unplug the TV immediately. That indicates a failing component that could be a fire risk.

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