No picture or a flickering picture? Check the HDMI cable
On a 4K TV, the HDMI cable is one of the most common causes of picture problems. The Aero outputs a 4K signal to a 4K TV, and a cable without enough bandwidth to carry it can cause:
- no picture at all, with the TV reporting “no signal”
- a picture that cuts out intermittently
- flickering, or sparkly interference across the screen
- certain live channels failing to play (with an error such as ETV 6900) while apps like Netflix work normally
Use the supplied cable
Use the HDMI cable that came in the Aero’s box. It is a Premium High Speed cable rated for 18 Gbps, which supports the Aero’s 4K output at 60 Hz. If the problem appears with a different cable, switching back to the supplied one is the quickest test.
Choosing a replacement or longer cable
The cable needs to match your TV. Older HDMI cables – anything from the HDMI 1.4 era, including cables labelled just “High Speed” – don’t have the full bandwidth a 4K signal needs. With one of these between the Aero and a 4K TV, the Aero can fall back to 4K at a lower frame rate, and because UK live channels play at 50 frames per second they can then fail to play even though apps still work. (On an HD TV, the Aero outputs 1080p, which older cables carry without trouble.)
If you’re buying a replacement or a longer cable for a 4K TV, choose one certified Premium High Speed (18Gbps) – often sold as “HDMI 2.0” or “4K 60Hz”. Ultra High Speed (48Gbps) cables also work.
Still having trouble?
Try a different HDMI port on the TV, making sure the TV is switched to that input. If the picture problems continue with the supplied cable in a known-good port, get in touch and we’ll dig deeper.