# DVD player is playing/get no picture? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 14, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286 "2004-06-14T14:36:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/1 "2004-06-14T14:36:16Z")
The thing seems immune to my technical prowess (i.e., pressing buttons randomly and swearing). Counter is running, chapter number illuminated, etc., but all I get is the regular TV picture. Would be eternally grateful for any general suggestions/ background info! It’s a Phillips, btw. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/2 "2004-06-14T14:43:43Z")
How’s the DVD player hooked up to the TV? Through another appliance, like a VCR? Through a switch-box? Or through the red/white/yellow A/V cable hook-ups? ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/3 "2004-06-14T14:48:29Z")
Oh, I might as well expand while I’m waiting for you to reply. 1.) If you’re hooked through the VCR (IE : the DVD player’s A/V cables hook into the VCR, which then goes into the TV) - Obviously, make sure the VCR is on, try the TV/Video button on your remote - some VCRs also require you to be on a specific TV channel. 2.) Switch-box - Make sure the switcher is on the right input-channel. (Switchboxes are nifty little devices - they take in multiple sets of A/V cables, and allow you to select which set goes into the TV with the click of a button.) 3.) Direct Connect A/V Cables to TV - Your TV will have an Auxiliary Input Select of some kind. “Antenna” or the like on older models, occasionally. Mine has “Input Select”, as I recall. Check the remote for something that sounds similar. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/4 "2004-06-14T14:49:33Z")
Through a VCR. Though there’s also some kind of little converter box thing I had to buy when I got the DVD player (?) Ach, sorry. I shouldn’t have asked for consultation until I had the lowdown on my own system better. :o ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/5 "2004-06-14T14:52:49Z")
The converter box puzzles me. In any case, since you’re coming through the VCR, make sure everything’s set up as if you were about to play a tape in the VCR… (right channel, power on, etc.) and instead of hitting play on the VCR remote, hit TV/Video. ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/6 "2004-06-14T14:53:40Z")
My wife _always_ forgets to switch the TV input to “Line”. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/7 "2004-06-14T14:59:31Z")
maybe you need to set your TV to watch VID or S-VID to see the DVD. After we have a power failure, we need to reset the TV so it reads the S-VID channel instead of VID ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/8 "2004-06-14T15:00:43Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > In any case, since you’re coming through the VCR, make sure everything’s set up as if you were about to play a tape in the VCR… (right channel, power on, etc.) and instead of hitting play on the VCR remote, hit TV/Video. Right. I’ll check the TV/Video button again when I go home tonight, but I’m pretty sure I checked that when I was trying to figure out what button I accidentally pushed to throw it off. See, I put a DVD in that I had just received from Netflix. Did all I usually do, and it started fine. Then I decided I wanted to make something to eat before I sat down to watch it, so I turned it off- the DVD power and everything, and came back to it a few minutes later. That’s when I couldn’t get the picture back. Checked in case it was something with the Netflix DVD, but none of my DVDs show up now. From which I concluded I must’ve hit some button by mistake, like the one you mentioned, TV/Video. But after double-checking each and every damn button on both remotes. . . nothin. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/9 "2004-06-14T15:18:25Z")
> [@DakotaDog](#): > > My wife _always_ forgets to switch the TV input to “Line”. YMMV > [@FriarTed](#): > > maybe you need to set your TV to watch VID or S-VID to see the DVD. I don’t _think_ I’ve had to make either of these adjustments previously, but, again. . . I’ll have to check it out. (Thanks for taking the time to respond, guys. You especially, **CandidG**!) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/10 "2004-06-14T15:23:51Z")
Ok, that “converter box” is almost certainly an RF modulator. In order for it to work correctly the way you ahve things hooked up, the switch on the back of the converter should be set to channel 3. The VCR should NOT be in VCR mode (hit the TV/VCR button until “VCR” disappears from the display). And, the TV should be tuned to channel 3. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/11 "2004-06-14T15:27:15Z")
Well, I was under the mistaken impression that this was a new set-up, not a “suddenly stopped working” situation. Check all cable connections to make sure they’re firmly seated. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/12 "2004-06-14T15:32:56Z")
That’s it, an RF modulator. (What’d I say, converter?) : B Will double-check all of those things, **Q.E.D.** - thanks. **Gamera** - If that was your impression, it’s because I didn’t 'splain the scenario at the beginning! :o ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/13 "2004-06-14T15:43:37Z")
If you still get no joy, try plugging the DVD straight into the TV (through the RF convertor). If it works, hook it back via the VCR. 90% of the time these problems are due to a loose connection somwhere and this should clear everything up. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/14 "2004-06-14T19:17:13Z")
Will check the connections, too. Thanks for the reminder, Tapioca. To be continued! ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/15 "2004-06-15T15:27:43Z")
Good consultants- Undid and reattached all of the connections after hooking player straight into the TV. Nada. Noticed one detail, though, that escaped my notice when the problem first occurred: the little red light on the RF modulator that tells when it’s receiving a signal from the A/V cable isn’t lighting up. It _always_ goes on as soon as you hit power on the DVD player. Could the problem be that I simply need a new RF modulator? (I’ll take that over a new DVD player or further problems with the wiring!) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/16 "2004-06-15T15:34:29Z")
> [@Moody Bastard](#): > > Could the problem be that I simply need a new RF modulator? (I’ll take that over a new DVD player or further problems with the wiring!) You can test it. Set the VCR up to play a tape. Once you see it playing on your TV, connect the yellow video OUT to the yellow video IN in the modulator. If you don’t see the red light go on, then the modulator is most likely bad. If it _does_ go on, then the problem is most likely the DVD player (or possible the AV cable). Swap out the AV cable to double check. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/17 "2004-06-15T16:12:47Z")
> [@Moody Bastard](#): > > Undid and reattached all of the connections after hooking player straight into the TV. Nada. Assuming the VCR is still giving you a picture, then the DVD player itself has to be the prime suspect. If you can try plugging it straight into a different TV, you’ll get your answer. New DVD players are really cheap these days ($40 for a cheap one) so why not treat youself? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/18 "2004-06-15T16:31:52Z")
> [@Tapioca Dextrin](#): > > Assuming the VCR is still giving you a picture, then the DVD player itself has to be the prime suspect. Not necessarily. You forget he’s got that RF modulator, which he only needs if TV doesn’t have baseband RCA AV inputs. In this case, I think “directly to the TV” really means “directly to the TV through the RF modulator”. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/19 "2004-06-15T16:55:03Z")
Will try that test first thing, **Q.** - thanks. **Tapioca** - unfortunately, only have the one TV. It’s good to hear players are a lot cheaper now, tho. In case I do have to go that route. Will keep you guys updated. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dvd-player-is-playing-get-no-picture/250286/20 "2004-06-18T13:05:23Z")
Final update to my valued advisers: it’s the playeh. Hooked the modulator to the VCR as per **Q.E. D.**'s suggestion and the little fucker lit up like a Christmas tree. Guess we’re heading up to Best Buy this weekend. _grumble_ Thanks to all for your guidance. Dopers rule.