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Black screen, sound still works? We fix it — in your home, across Chicagoland.

If you can hear your TV but the screen is black, dim, or only shows a faint shadow, the most common causes are a failed backlight LED strip or a T-Con (timing controller) board. Both are repairable in-home. We diagnose in your living room and give you a written quote before any work begins.

What “black screen” usually means

“Black screen” covers a few different symptoms. Before our tech arrives, it helps to know which one you’re seeing — it speeds up the diagnosis.

  • Sound plays but the picture is completely black. Shine a flashlight at the screen at an angle. If you can faintly see a picture, the backlight LEDs have failed. If you can’t see anything, it’s usually a T-Con board failure.
  • Half the screen is dark or there’s a vertical band. A failed LED backlight strip on one side. Common on Samsung Crystal UHD, TCL 5- and 6-series, and Vizio M-series after 2–4 years.
  • Picture is dim but visible. The backlight is partially failing — some strips are out, others still working. Repairable.
  • Picture shows for a second then goes black. Backlight protection circuit tripping. Usually means either the strips or the power board.
  • Black screen with vertical lines or color bars. T-Con or panel-cable seating issue. Often the cheapest repair on this list.

Try these before you call

About one in twenty black-screen calls turns out to be something the homeowner can fix in a minute. We’ll save you the trip.

  1. Power-cycle the set. Unplug for two full minutes. Hold the power button on the set itself for 30 seconds while unplugged. Plug back in. Clears the standby microcontroller and resolves a small percentage of these calls.
  2. Change the input source. Press the Input or Source button and try a different HDMI port or the built-in Smart TV menu. If the on-screen menu appears on a different input, the issue is upstream, not your TV.

What we do on the in-home visit

Our tech arrives with a flashlight, a multimeter, and a stocked set of LED-strip and T-Con parts. We open the back, test the backlight voltage rails, and confirm whether it’s strips, T-Con, or panel. The diagnosis takes 15–25 minutes. If the right LED strip or T-Con board is on the truck, we replace it the same visit. If not, we order the model-specific part on the spot and schedule a follow-up to install — no additional service-call fee.

Typical cost ranges

Backlight / LED strip repair$220 – $360
T-Con board replacement$160 – $260
Main board replacement$200 – $320

Prices include parts and labor. Final number depends on brand, size, and exact failure. We quote in writing before starting.

When repair doesn’t make sense

If the panel itself is the failure (rare, but it happens on older sets), replacement panels cost more than a new TV. We’ll tell you that on the phone before booking. Backlight and T-Con failures — which is the vast majority of black-screen calls — are very much worth fixing.

What we service

All major brands — Samsung, LG, Sony, TCL, Hisense, Vizio, Panasonic, Sharp, Philips, Insignia, Toshiba, Element. LED, OLED, QLED, mini-LED, plasma, 4K, 8K. From 32″ bedroom sets to 85″ home-theater displays.

Service area

In-home service across Chicago and every suburb within a 45-mile radius, including Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park, Naperville, Oak Park, Evanston, Schaumburg, Aurora, Joliet, and every town in between. Next-day appointments are typical.

Pick up the phone. We’ll pick up on the other end.