Did his Xbox mess up my TV?

Ehren222pr1

Commendable
Apr 15, 2016
5
0
1,510
Greetings

I have Sony TV set (model; KDL-32L4000) and a Deawoo VHS recorder (old style with a signal audio jack). The problem is, the VHS recorder plays sound but no picture. I know that the TV is getting a video signal from the VHS player, since I can call up the VHS player’s menu, etc. and it looks just fine. But when it’s on ‘play’ there is only snow. This is the 2nd VHS player that I’ve hooked up to this TV set and it was the same with that one as well. The whole thing started a few weeks ago when my son brought over his Xbox video games. He plugged it in and played for a while, and everything looked good to me. After he left, I went to watch a movie on the VHS player, and it gave me no picture but good sound. I tried the 2nd VHS player and it worked great for about 45 minutes, then it too went to no picture but just sound. The really weird thing is, if I fast forward (or reverse) the VHS player while it’s on ’play’, you can see the movie just fine! But as soon as you disengage the fast forward, it reverts back to a snowy picture (if you play with the tracking, you can often get a very fuzzy visual of the flic). Grasping at straws, I bought a liquid head cleaner fore the VHS player, but it did no good. What gives? Did his Xbox short out (or change) something inside my TV set?
 
Solution
Did you use the same VHS tape in both VCR's? It's possible for an old tape to degrade badly enough to start leaving physical debris behind on the read heads. Most VCR's will default to either static or a blank blue screen during playback if they can't read the tape. But they generally didn't filter during fast forwarding and rewinding. And multi-head models used different read heads for playback and fast forwarding, so one head could be too dirty to read while another was fine.

First thing I would do is clean the heads again, but also all the guides and rollers the tape passes through. If there's gunk left on those they can eventually transfer it along a tape to the read heads, as well as "poisoning" that tape for future playback. You...

Ehren222pr1

Commendable
Apr 15, 2016
5
0
1,510




Do you really think I would be posting here if I hadn't checked the yellow-white-red hookups first? And why would the VHS player suddenly stop using channel 3 if it had been using it successfully for many years?
 

Ehren222pr1

Commendable
Apr 15, 2016
5
0
1,510


The 1st VCR was playing fine until the Xbox was used. Then it quit working. The 2nd VCR played fine for about an hour. Then it too did the same thing. The exact same thing. My next step will be to put the VCRs on a new TV and see if they work. I mean, they both can't have the same exact problem. That gizmo game thing did something to my TV with all of it's weird frequencies it uses for video. That's what I think.
 

TMTOWTSAC

Estimable
Jun 27, 2015
97
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4,610
Did you use the same VHS tape in both VCR's? It's possible for an old tape to degrade badly enough to start leaving physical debris behind on the read heads. Most VCR's will default to either static or a blank blue screen during playback if they can't read the tape. But they generally didn't filter during fast forwarding and rewinding. And multi-head models used different read heads for playback and fast forwarding, so one head could be too dirty to read while another was fine.

First thing I would do is clean the heads again, but also all the guides and rollers the tape passes through. If there's gunk left on those they can eventually transfer it along a tape to the read heads, as well as "poisoning" that tape for future playback. You can use the same cleaner, or high percent rubbing alcohol. Either will be fine as long as you're not using something that'll leave fibers stuck in the head grooves.

Once it's completely dry, try a different tape than the one that won't play. Water or solvent on a tape is a quick way to poison it. You can sometimes resuscitate a dead tape by playing it the whole way through, essentially wiping it off against your VCR, then clean the VCR yet again. Best of luck.
 
Solution

Ehren222pr1

Commendable
Apr 15, 2016
5
0
1,510
Thanks for the response. Yes, I tried multiple tapes but to no avail. I also tried three different sets of wires. I'm pretty sure it's the TV because two VCRs going down by the same problem just don't sit well with logic But what are we talking about here.... digital technology, right?! I've still got my Kenwood KR-9600 amp from back in the 1970s when I was a kid. Still have my old Harmon/Kardon 330, too. And they both still work great. The next step is to get this latest VCR hook up to another TV. Then we'll know for sure. Thanks for the advice. I will clean it and try it again; One thing more... my son just reminded me that he hooked this same XBox up to this same TV a couple of years ago, and nothing krapped out then...... Sothe plot thickens. I will post again when I find out more. One way or the other,.
 

budwich

Honorable
Oct 30, 2015
205
0
11,160
what cables (setup) are you actually using. have you tried a different set of cables? Your post is very unclear as to what your actual setup is the statement about checking the "yellow-red white-hookups" and then talking about "channel 3" is confusing as the "two" do NOT work together.

Channel "settings" are only used IF the unit is connected via coax and NOT via "yellow-red-white" cabling.
 

Ehren222pr1

Commendable
Apr 15, 2016
5
0
1,510


I'm sorry, but I do not waste my time re-explaining that which I have already made myself clear on.... Pleasze READ THE ENTIRE THREAD. THEN opinionate....

"I also tried three different sets of wires." (4/16)

'The 1st VCR was playing fine until the Xbox was used. Then it quit working. The 2nd VCR played fine for about an hour. Then it too did the same thing' (4/15)

Hope these help....