The standby light on a Sony television indicates when the television is turned on and operating, or turned off and in "standby" mode. However, this light also serves a secondary function: indicating when there is a problem with the television by flashing. When you see your Sony TV's standby light flashing, there are two reset options that can be performed to resolve whatever issue it's indicating – a power reset and a factory reset. If a power reset, firmware update and factory reset fail to resolve the issue, contact Sony technical support so they can advise on options for repair.
Power Reset vs. Factory Reset
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A power reset is a soft reset that does not erase your TV's settings but can resolve some issues that cause your TV to not behave properly. A factory reset, on the other hand, completely resets your TV in a way that erases your personalized settings and calibrations. Sony warns that there is no way to recover these settings – you will have to re-enter them, just as you did when you first set up the television.
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Perform a Power Reset
To perform a power reset, first turn off your television and unplug it from the electrical outlet. If you're using a surge protector or power strip, disconnect the television from the strip itself. Only by disconnecting the power cord from the outlet can you ensure no power reaches the TV during the power cycle.
Leave the television without power for at least 60 seconds. This gives the television enough time for all components to power down during the power cycle. You can then plug the television back into the electrical outlet. If you're using a surge protector or power strip, Sony warns you should plug the television directly into the wall outlet instead. The surge protector may otherwise interfere with the power-up cycle, especially if it is old or damaged.
After you plug the TV back up, you can turn on the TV again. If you still see your Sony TV's standby light flashing, you can try updating the television's firmware since this can solve the issue without having to undo all your personalized settings. Otherwise, you'll need to do a factory reset.
Perform a Factory Reset
If you need to perform a factory reset, first turn on the television. Press and hold either the "Reset" or up arrow button on the remote control. Press and release the "Power" button on the front of the television, while keeping the "Reset" or up arrow button on the remote depressed. Release the "Reset" or up arrow button.
Allow the television to reset after the "Reset" message appears on the screen. Make no adjustments to the television for at least one minute after the reset has completed. This is to allow the television time to finish auto-configuration and initial set up.
After the reset completes, turn off the television and unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet. Wait ten seconds and then plug the television back into the electrical outlet and turn on the TV. Follow all on-screen instructions to complete setup. These are the instructions displayed the first time you set up the television, for configuring channels, menu language, time, display properties and more.