Got me a set of tires a couple months ago, and to sweeten the pot Michelin threw in a free DVD player. A JVC XV-N3, to be exact. That’s cool; it’s about time to add an alternative to my VCR. Anyways, the player finally came in last week. I was all ecxited about getting free stuff in the mail, so I was happy for an hour or so.
Until I tried to hook the thing up. My television is like 15 years old, but perfectly servicable (well, I don’t have a manual. Or a remote. But hey! Don’t need 'em). There’s a pair of jacks in the back clearly labeled “video audio input.” The DVD player has a set of video and audio output jacks. OK, there’s two audio outs and only one audio in on the TV, but I can live without stereo for the time being. So I plug in each end of all the patch cords I can, and turn on the player.
At which point, according to the instructions, I’m supposed to see some kind of DVD set-up screen. Only I don’t. Still see the six o’clock news. I jigger wires around, and turn things on and off, and unhook the antenna. Nothing. I find a button on the front of the TV that’s labeled “TV/AV” (“Eureka!” I think for about three seconds). I push it. A bunch of times. Nothing.
I also unhook the VCR (which I know works) from the antenna jack, and patch its A/V out into the TV A/V jacks. This doesn’t work either, which seems to imply that it’s the TV at fault, not the DVD.
All right then. Any suggestions? For instance, can I buy something that will convert the A/V into an antenna signal, something like that? I hate to buy a brand new TV (especially if I’m overlooking something stupid).
Does your vcr have a/v in? If so maybe you could plug the dvd into the vcr. Then put the vcr on a/v and the tv on channel 3 (assuming thats what the vcr uses).
You have to change the TV channel to “line IN”, usually located below channel two. If you have a channel display on the screen it usually looks like “L1” instead of the channel number.
You may have to try manually “tuning” channels 3 or 4, depending which are used in your locale, if your TV is capable of that, although even a 15 y/o TV shouldn’t be that tricky.
First and foremost, though, you need to ensure that the DVD payer is actually turning “on.” It may have been damaged in transit. Without a “setup screen” appearing on your screen, this may be difficult, but not impossible. If you have a DVD movie, pop it in and watch the control panel on the DVD player as it scrolls through the various “pages” or indices towards it’s “main” page.
If the DVD does appear to be working correctly, then try manually tuning channels 3 or 4 (again, assuming that your TV has that capability). If not, then netscape’s suggestion would be my next step.
Try those out an let us know what happens. If none of those work, get us some more info about your TV make and model, as well.
I tried retuning the TV to channels 2, 3, and 4, but no luck. I can’t figure out how to tune to a “line in” channel (the TV has an autotune feature, but it doesn’t pick up on an L1 [if it has such a thing], and I can’t add it manually 'cause I have no remote).
However, I tried netscape’s suggestion and that worked! I had actually tried jacking to the VCR A/V before, but I didn’t realize I needed to retune the VCR to pick up the line in (which I guess is a Duh!, but I just assumed the existance of an A/V signal would somehow magically override the antenna signal). Looks like I’m in business. Thanks for your help!
Netscape’s plan will “work” until you try watching a copy protected movie, then you will get very poor video. What you need is a rf converter box, about 15 bucks or so a Walmart.
I thought the macrovison only messed up the recording?
Maybe it will mess with the vcr’s tuner but from what I remember of backing up movies on vhs the copy protection only messed the recording, when you were watching it while it was being backed up the picture was fine. This was vcr a/v to vcr a/v to tv channel 3 I did. Never tried it with dvds because thats what decss is for. So maybe dvds are different.
If your TV has a set of input jacks then the TV and/or remote should have a button to switch input from the antenna to the jacks. It’s usually marked VIDEO or INPUT.
