why does the TV blur when the cellphone beside it receives a message?

Answer 1

I would think some kind of wave interference or the electromagentic field of the cellphone but it is most likely wave interference because it only happens when the phone receives a message.

Answer 2

Your cell phone is also a transmitter. Even when it's just receiving, it does digital negotiations with the cell tower to be sure it's the correct phone and has adequate signal strength for a connection. Once the phone receives a text message, it needs to acknowledge receipt. If the TV is a CRT (cathode ray tube) instead of a solid state flat panel, you probably are not seeing interference with the electronic circuits. Instead, the electromagnetic fields from your phone are altering the propagation of the electron beam and causing it to miss its target or hit a neighboring target instead. Since the phone's operating frequency is so high, you see this as a blur rather than some discrete, static pattern as you would with a permanent magnet.

The strength of the incoming signal at your TV is the same no matter where your phone is.

Answer 3

Yes, it is interference. The electomagnetic field inside the TV interferes (either constructively or destructively) with the signals the cellphone is receiving to cause the TV screen blur.

Answer 4

While cell phone transmissions are higher frequency than television signals, the cell phone signals can get into circuit areas where they will be detected - rectified - and essentially demodulated in some way. This will result in frequencies in the TV band that will you will see as blurring or lines.