Q. I’m having a hard time hearing the sound from my TV. It got so bad that I connected a sound bar to the TV just so I could hear anything. Any idea why the TV speakers would be a problem? — Cynthia, Marina Del Rey, California. 

It appears that you’re getting a clear audio signal from your streaming, cable or satellite TV service, which is why the sound isn’t an issue when you connect your set to your sound bar. So the problem is likely with your television.

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There are several things you can do to check your set’s audio connection and sound level. Sony.com’s Troubleshooting page has some useful tips and they are:

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For starters, turn up the volume of your TV. If you can’t hear anything at all, make sure the set isn’t set on Mute. If you simply aren’t getting a proper volume level, then let’s go to the next step, which is…

Making sure there are no headphones connected to your TV. Having headphones connected to your set can cause the same lack of sound as hitting the Mute button.

If you still don’t have a solution, then click on the Menu on your TV’s remote control and go to the Audio or Sound setting. Then, make sure the Multichannel sound feature is set at Stereo.

If the show you’re watching is in stereo but your TV is not set for stereo, the sound could come from just one speaker, which would explain the low volume.

Still having a problem? Then, go back to the Sound/Audio feature in the Menu and make sure the Speakers setting is turned to On.

After taking the above steps, if you still are having a sound issue, make sure all your connections from your set-top to your TV are secure.

And, try connecting a different set-top to your TV to see if that makes a difference. You could be having a sound issue with a cable set-top, for instance, so try connecting a DVD or Blu-ray player to see if the sound level improves.

If you still don’t have sound coming from your TV’s speakers at this point, you basically have two options. Connect your TV to a stereo or Surround Sound system or bring your TV in for a repair.

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Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

— Phillip Swann