@breathe26 That means your LED screen is not lighting up properly. Throw out the TV and purchase a new one.
@breathe26 wrote:we did take a flashlight pointed to the screen and can see an extremely faint working image there.
That sounds like the backlight has failed. Depending on the system used, it's either an array of LED lights (either fed from the edges or from the rear), or it's a florescent light (one or more tubes). I've had that happen occasionally on a laptop, and have seen it happen with a TV as well. Unless the TV is a really large screen, it's likely less expensive to simply replace it, rather than getting it repaired. But you might look locally for a service shop that could give you an estimate on a repair cost.
But even 4K TVs can be had for pretty low prices nowadays. I use a 40" Samsung 4K TV as my secondary display when I'm teleworking. I also have a Roku Premiere connected, as well as my OTA antenna, so it does triple duty. I think I paid less than $250 for that TV. I also have a 40" 1080p Vizio TV that I bought for my parents home. It was about $150. Prices certainly climb with screen size.
@atc98092 No real "tv repairmen" anymore. It's kind of pointless to spend $200 to fix a TV when you can buy a new one for the same price if not less. Electronics are disposable now a days.
@Vakko wrote:No real "tv repairmen" anymore.
Sure there are. Not like there used to be, sure. As to the cost, I covered that pretty well. It's all dependent on the screen size of the current TV, and what an equivalent TV would cost new.
@atc98092 I am in CT. I haven't seen a TV repair shop since the late 80's or 90's. Even computer shops are hard to come by. My buddy closed up his show 10 years ago. It's a hard sell to tell a customer $500 to fix there computer when a new one is cheaper.
Could very well be a backlight issue. Seem to go out a little earlier on the TCL models from reading various postings here and online. These are basically just little LED strips, not very expensive. (https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=tcl+rokutv+backlight&_sac...). Just to give you an idea what they look like. Can certainly order from other online sites after you know your model number.
Not too difficult to replace for the ordinary user. Some models require a little more disassembly than others to access the strips. Once you get the bevel off, just have to deal with a few little adhesive glue strips and remove different layers of screens and filters until you get to the LED strip lights. Plenty of Youtube videos for different TCL models to give you an idea if you want to see if comfortable with attempting home repair. A phillips head screwdriver and a credit card for prying and cutting through the slightly tacky glue strips are really only tools you need.
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If you can use your flashlight and see enough to navigate around and launch something to play (or OTA/antenna) and are able to hear audio, then you can reasonably conclude a backlight issue.