Can certain games turn your TV off?

[AHarvey]

Hi all,

This is going to sound really odd but does anyone know if certain games could potentially turn the TV off while playing?

I've finally got around to getting Xbox game pass for 3 years and upgrading to Ultimate so we've been playing a lot of games recently.

I've currently playing through the Gears of War games. Completed 1 and 2 with no issues, then while playing Gears 3 my hisense TV would turn off randomly, usually several times over a few minutes, then be fine for an hour or more.

So, over the weekend, I've had the TV on testing things. Netflix/Disney for 6+ hours, no problems. RDR2 for 10 hours, no problems. Put Gears 3 back on this morning and it's shut down several times.

It's only a cheap hisense model, 4k UHD and was around £450. Managed fine with what I would say are more demanding games like RDR2 and Forza etc I've had the TV unplugged for 10 minutes, changed batteries in the remote as I know this can cause issues. Phone is in another room as that has an IR blaster on it. Only thing i can think of is that there's something in the game spazzing the TV out.

 

[something daft already!!]

Maybe someone has a universal remote and is playing tricks on you?

 

[Distracted]

Maybe HDMI-CEC is doing it (often called other things, like HDMI control for example). If you haven’t already, try turning it off in the TV menu so that the HDMI cable is only used for passing audio and video from source to the TV. If the problem persists then you know it is the TV or the cable (which you haven’t mentioned swapping). If the issue is resolved and the TV no longer turns off then you know the TV is probably fine and the issue is with the source.

Edit to add - I’ve seen resolution and refresh rate changes (especially the latter) cause TVs to go black before, flicking several times between an image and a blank screen before settling (if it ever does). The TV doesn’t turn off, as far as I’m aware, but it’s a similar issue to what you describe with the screen going off and then on several times then being fine.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

certain games could potentially turn the TV off while playing?

 

[AHarvey]

Definitely not a universal control lol

Yeah hdmi cable is the next thing to test and CEC is off already. I've noticed at the moment it's doing it every time the queen's mutant bee ride fires a bright yellow beam. And it's every time is doing it so it's got to be linked somehow.

 

[AHarvey]

I know, that's what I thought, but there's something in the game that is spazzing the TV out. Had a look and found a similar problem mentioned on Reddit for Gears 3 as well, and other people reporting it for games such as Doom Eternal, Titanfall, and a few others. One mentioned getting flashbang'd would turn his off.

I've spent 10 years trouble shooting in IT, first time I've seen something like this, and a new HDMI hasn't helped either.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

I know, that's what I thought, but there's something in the game that is spazzing the TV out. Had a look and found a similar problem mentioned on Reddit for Gears 3 as well, and other people reporting it for games such as Doom Eternal, Titanfall, and a few others. One mentioned getting flashbang'd would turn his off.

I've spent 10 years trouble shooting in IT, first time I've seen something like this, and a new HDMI hasn't helped either.

That's a very bizarre issue. Never seen anything like this before.

 

[AHarvey]

That's a very bizarre issue. Never seen anything like this before.

I know I've never seen anything like it either

Had to take a video just to show it happening as I wouldn't believe it.

https://youtu.be/hqpmDLYAo4A

 

[Distracted]

I know, that's what I thought, but there's something in the game that is spazzing the TV out. Had a look and found a similar problem mentioned on Reddit for Gears 3 as well, and other people reporting it for games such as Doom Eternal, Titanfall, and a few others. One mentioned getting flashbang'd would turn his off.

I've spent 10 years trouble shooting in IT, first time I've seen something like this, and a new HDMI hasn't helped either.

It could be an issue with a power surge. Bright flashes cause the TV to need a sudden change in power because of the illuminating backlight/pixels. Try a different plug or plugging directly to the wall if you are using an extension. Also make sure the only thing plugged in to the socket is the TV by putting the Xbox on an extension to another socket.
Obviously I don’t know for sure if this is the cause, but it’s worth trying.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

You 100% sure it's plugged in correctly? That's loosing signal from either the HDMI or power - for sure.

 

[Syore]

This is probably a wild guess, have you tried covering the IR sensor on the TV? It could be the random light flicker while playing those games that gets reflected on some surface which tells the TV to turn off?

 

[Deleted member 77746]

This is probably a wild guess, have you tried covering the IR sensor on the TV? It could be the random light flicker while playing those games that gets reflected on some surface which tells the TV to turn off?

Good shout!

 

[TheVoice]

Try unplugging any other connected devices, just leave the console connected.Also try turning HDR off.

Does your TV show those logos every time you turn it on? I'm wondering whether something is causing it to crash.

 

[AHarvey]

Yeah, I'd unplugged the USB harddrive, and the digital out for the TV. the only thing running is the sky+ box and the TV from that outlet. All the consoles/printer are on a separate one as we only use one at a time.

Covering IR sensor, when it first started doing it there was a mug in front of it and I had to move that to turn it back on, but could try it again.

I've finished Gears 3 now, even with the on/off issue, moved onto Gears 4 and had 7 hours on that, no issues with it turning off since.

I will look at HDR and maybe buying a brand new HDMI cable just to be safe, then replay Gears 3 when I have chance, it's annoying me I've not been able to figure it out