Common AV Issues and How to Resolve Them Quickly

Even the most robust AV equipment can run into major issues that need urgent troubleshooting. This post highlights seven of the most frequent audiovisual problems you might face — and how you can usually fix them. 

1. No Signal

Something as simple as a loose cable could leave your monitor or other display device without a picture. This could also be due to a faulty splitter or matrix switcher. Without a signal, your video wall simply won’t work. 

The easiest way to fix this is to check the cable connections and input sources. The solution may be as simple as selecting HDMI2 instead of HDMI1, especially if the inputs are responsible. 

2. Flickering or Unclear Displays

The device might have a signal, but it could still refuse to present a clear image. It might flicker, have massive, unignorable artifacts, or simply not be in the right resolution. 

This is usually due to a cable issue or resolution mismatch. Switching to shielded cables could fix the former by protecting the setup from interference. Alternatively, you can simply check that you have selected the right resolution and refresh rate. 

3. Poor Synchronization

Video walls and other large-scale displays typically rely on multiple feeds playing at once, creating what appears to be a single massive image. However, power, configuration, and even network issues can stop the component videos from lining up. 

A high-quality HDMI video wall controller from a reputable provider helps coordinate displays on massive scales. The panels should also have matching firmware settings. The system itself should also have frame sync/genlock activated (if applicable). 

4. Content Not Playing

If the player doesn’t sync to a designated schedule, your video displays won’t play their content when you need it to. This is a problem if, for example, your digital signage shows timed deals. 

You can usually fix this simply by checking that your system’s date/time is correct. If the system has recently rebooted, this may have reset the clock, meaning your content might not play until hours later. 

5. No Audio

If your AV content has audio, a problem with your output device could stop it from playing — this could also be another cable issue. It’s even possible that you might have accidentally muted the audio. 

If this is the case, you can simply unmute it as you would normally; changing the output in your audio settings may similarly solve it. Alternatively, make sure your HDMI setup suits both video and audio. 

6. Network Issues

Cloud-based and network-dependent AV is growing in popularity, though this means a network issue can harm your audiovisual systems and stop you from accessing your CMS server. First, make sure the issue isn’t your Wi-Fi or internet setup. 

Restarting the system, such as your digital signage player, may help it reconnect to the network. Alternatively, check your IP settings, including your network’s discoverability. You can also begin traceroute diagnostics to identify more complex issues. 

7. Image Retention

Some screens still struggle with burn-in, especially if they display the same content all day. The easiest way to prevent this is to use screensavers or cycle through content at regular intervals.

If the problem’s already present, a pixel refresh or panel cleaning cycle should help your screen return to normal. On a more basic level, simply shutting the screen off for a while (if practical) is usually enough to fix it. 

Conclusion

Any of these problems could affect your AV setup, so make sure you’re ready to use the above techniques as necessary.