Winter in Northern Ontario means snow glare streaming through windows, cold rooms affecting your TV's performance, and fumbling with remotes while wearing mittens. If your TV's been acting up since the temperature dropped, these quick fixes will get you back to enjoying hockey night without the headaches.
☀️ Fix Snow Glare on Your Screen
That bright winter sun reflecting off the snow can make your TV unwatchable during the day. Here's how to fight back:
Adjust Your TV's Picture Settings
- Increase brightness — bump it up 10-20% during daylight hours
- Enable "Vivid" or "Dynamic" mode — these boost contrast to fight glare
- Turn on ambient light sensor — if your TV has one, it auto-adjusts for room brightness
Physical Solutions
- Anti-glare screen protectors — stick-on films that reduce reflections without dimming the picture
- Tilt your wall mount — angling the TV down slightly can redirect glare away from your eyes
- Blackout curtains — the nuclear option, but effective for serious glare problems
💡 Quick tip: Most TVs have a "Day" and "Night" picture preset. Switch between them instead of manually adjusting every time.
🔊 Soundbar Pairing Problems? Try This
Cold weather can cause connection hiccups between your TV and soundbar. If your audio's cutting out or not syncing:
Quick Fixes
- Power cycle both devices — unplug TV and soundbar for 30 seconds, then plug back in (TV first, then soundbar)
- Re-pair Bluetooth — go to TV settings → Sound → Bluetooth, forget the soundbar, then pair again
- Check HDMI ARC/eARC — make sure the cable is in the correct HDMI port (usually labeled "ARC")
- Update firmware — both TV and soundbar may have updates that fix connection bugs
Dialogue Still Muddy?
Most soundbars have a "dialogue enhancement" or "clear voice" mode buried in the settings. This boosts speech frequencies so you can hear what's being said over hockey commentary and kids playing.
🗣️ Set Up Bilingual Voice Control
Smart TVs with Google Assistant or Alexa can understand both French and English—perfect for mixed-language households across Northern Ontario. Here's how to set it up:
For Google Assistant TVs
- Press the microphone button on your remote
- Say "Open Assistant settings"
- Select Languages → Add a language
- Choose Français (Canada) as your second language
- Now you can speak in either language without switching settings
For Alexa-Enabled TVs
- Open the Alexa app on your phone
- Go to Settings → Device Settings → Select your TV
- Tap Language → Choose English/French (Canada)
- Alexa will now respond to commands in both languages
💬 Cochrane family: "The kids speak to the TV in French, I use English—it just works now. No more fighting over settings!"
✅ Winter TV Health Checklist
- □Clean the screen with a microfiber cloth (dust shows more in winter light)
- □Check all HDMI connections are snug (cold can loosen cables)
- □Update TV firmware for latest bug fixes
- □Replace remote batteries (cold drains them faster)
- □Test soundbar connection and re-pair if needed
Need TV Accessories?
From anti-glare screen protectors to replacement remotes and HDMI cables, we've got the accessories to keep your TV running smoothly all winter.
Shipping: $29 for 32" TVs | Accessories ship flat-rate $15 | Free pickup in Iroquois Falls