Recently we moved, and ever since, I can't get my DVD player and VCR to hook up properly with the RF modulator. Every time I try to use the VCR, the DVD player screen acts all fuzzy. Usually it clears up after a while, but it's annoying and isn't the way it should be. Also, I can't really look at the channels by using the VCR's channel changer. Hardly any will show up and most are fuzzy. (The VCR has some red and blue snow while trying to play videos, too. That's annoying, but it's not like the problems I'm having with the DVD player.)
Last night I was trying again to get things to go in the right way, and I pulled out the yellow video cord for the DVD player while it was turned on. When I plugged it back in, I was suddenly getting B&W fuzz instead of color fuzz. And that hasn't cleared up yet. I don't think it's the antenna/arial, because I went and got the new one from the living room to try and it made no difference whatsoever. It's like the DVD player isn't even recognizing any arial at all. I'm wondering if the port that the arial goes in on the modulator has a short or something.
Weird DVD/VCR problem
Wed, 03/01/2006 - 00:32
#1
Weird DVD/VCR problem
Hmm. Can you be more specific about how you have everythign wired?
I have the cable going from the modulator to the TV plugging into the VCR, and the antenna plugged below that. The red, yellow, and white cords are plugged into the DVD player and the modulator. And to get a picture on the VCR, I now have to take a short ariel that came with the TV and plug that into the TV, and I'm sure I didn't have to do that before. The DVD player won't work right if I'm using the VCR, so to use the DVD player I have to take out the short ariel on the TV and plug in the cable from the modulator again, and I have to put the normal ariel into the modulator.
My first instict says your modulator has bitten the dust.
Here's a good troubleshooting step:
Plug the yellow/red/white cords from the DVD player to the input on the modulator. Plug the RF cord to the Out of the Modulator directly to the RF IN on the TV (bypass the VCR).
Since you're using a modulator, is it safe to assume your TV only has 1 RF input and no yellow/red/white inputs?
Test it and post back. If it is the modulator, don't run out and buy a new one just yet. I have a few suggestions for you that will help simplify your setup and let you stop flipping cables everytime you switch devices.
I tried what you suggested, but that didn't work. Setting it up like that is how I get the DVD player to work, but then the VCR won't. Last night I was able to get the VCR to work by having the modulator cable plugged into both the TV and the VCR, and then the normal ariel plugged into the VCR, just like it was before there was a DVD player. But then the DVD player wouldn't work, so I had to undo that to use the DVD player.
I have also tried setting up my dvd player to my vcr. All I can get is sound no video. I am so frustrated. I evedn called the cable company to ask for help and they do not know what is happening. If anyone can shed some light to this, It would be greatly appreciated.
Karen Bulmer