External input flaky on Mitsubishi VS-414R big screen

Jag_Man653 · Post by **Jag_Man653** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 11:18 am

The VCR plugs into Ext3, while the DVD player plugs into Ext1. Both are the RCA style connectors. While watching a tape on the VCR it will frequently drop the video (and sometimes the sound as I recall). I've found that if I move the VCR over to Ext1 the tape will play fine, so it's not the VCR. What could be causing this? Is it something I could fix, e.g., by replacing the connectors in the TV? Don't want to call a repairman as is thing will be retired as soon as the HDTV scene clears up enough to make a decision on a replacement.

TIA

Ed

zaphod7501 · Post by **zaphod7501** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:23 pm

I don't have any Mits manuals at home so I need to ask a couple of questions.
About how old is the set?
Does Picture-in-Picture work OK?
Have you tried Ext2 (usually on the front behind a door)?

Connectors would be easy to diagnose since touching the cables would cause symptoms to come and go as pressure was applied.

Post by **The Robman** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:40 pm

If you're keeping this set as a "stop gap", if you're unable to resolve the issue that you described, you could always use a video selector to plug both devices into EXT1. I just searched ebay using this search and found that you can get a remote controlled switcher for about 20 before shipping.

whompus · Post by **whompus** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:44 am

You may even be able to run the dvd player through the vcr so they are both on ext1 depending on what the dvd player is.

underquark · Post by **underquark** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 2:26 am

whompus wrote:You may even be able to run the dvd player through the vcr so they are both on ext1 depending on what the dvd player is.

Or both through a cheap 2-1 splitter as it's unlikely that you'll want to watch a DVD and a video at the same time (you're not still recording to VCR are you?). Personally, I'd go for the AV selector as a)it's cheap (surely less than the cost of a repair), b)it's more functional, c)you don't know what you'll be buying next (although it is likely that it will have several inputs) and d)you can always sell it again. I can't vouch for the quality of the $20 units over, say, a Hitachi at twice the price.

Jag_Man653 · Post by **Jag_Man653** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 10:31 am

zaphod7501 wrote:I don't have any Mits manuals at home so I need to ask a couple of questions.
About how old is the set?
Does Picture-in-Picture work OK?
Have you tried Ext2 (usually on the front behind a door)?

Connectors would be easy to diagnose since touching the cables would cause symptoms to come and go as pressure was applied.

It's old... perhaps 1988. It 41", no PIP, no front panel connections.

Thanks.

Ed

Jag_Man653 · Post by **Jag_Man653** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 10:31 am

The Robman wrote:If you're keeping this set as a "stop gap", if you're unable to resolve the issue that you described, you could always use a video selector to plug both devices into EXT1. I just searched ebay using this search and found that you can get a remote controlled switcher for about 20 before shipping.

Great idea. Thanks!

Ed

Jag_Man653 · Post by **Jag_Man653** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 10:34 am

whompus wrote:You may even be able to run the dvd player through the vcr so they are both on ext1 depending on what the dvd player is.

Never occured to me. You mean plug the vcr into the good TV input,
then plug the dvd as an input through to the VCR?

Thanks.

Ed

Jag_Man653 · Post by **Jag_Man653** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 10:38 am

underquark wrote:
whompus wrote:You may even be able to run the dvd player through the vcr so they are both on ext1 depending on what the dvd player is.
Or both through a cheap 2-1 splitter as it's unlikely that you'll want to watch a DVD and a video at the same time (you're not still recording to VCR are you?). Personally, I'd go for the AV selector as a)it's cheap (surely less than the cost of a repair), b)it's more functional, c)you don't know what you'll be buying next (although it is likely that it will have several inputs) and d)you can always sell it again. I can't vouch for the quality of the $20 units over, say, a Hitachi at twice the price.

The 2-1 spliter is the same device Rob refers to a video selector, and you later refer to as AV selector, right?

About the only recording we do on the VCR is to roll over something from
the TiVo box... and that is not often.

Thnaks

Ed

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:25 pm

Hooking up a DVD as input to a VCR is not likely to work as the DVD output will be protected by Macrovision, which will cause the VCR to not be able to read the signal correctly.

whompus · Post by **whompus** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 3:36 pm

The macrovision is why I said depends on your dvd player. I have found that many players have a hidden menu to turn of macrovision or can be hacked to turn it off.

If you dont mind telling what is the brand and model # of the dvd player?

I have a philips, sampo, apex, and a sanyo that all work hooked to a vcr. 2 of them are hacked 1 has hidden menu and other (the philips dvp 642) works through vcr out of the box. There are even many that to get to the hidden menu an ofa or pronto remote is the only way without having a service remote that is hard to find and costly if can find.

underquark · Post by **underquark** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 3:55 pm

Jag_Man653 wrote:The 2-1 spliter is the same device Rob refers to a video selector, and you later refer to as AV selector, right?

No, you can get 2-into-1 and 3-into 1 fixed splitters (like Y-connectors) so that multiple sources combine into one feed. As long as only one device is sending a signal then the TV gets just the one signal.

A switch (aka AV selector) is one step up from this as it allows you to select the source even when more than one may be sending a signal.

My next TV will probably have 2 or 3 SCART and 1 or 2 component inputs. For the time being I make do with a manual AV selector as the kids can't accidentally switch it from the remote control. Into it I feed a DVD player, VCR, "Toppy" (Topfield TF5800PVR), Digital terrestrial receiver (DVB-T), DVD recorder and a Pac-Man/Galaxian/etc. games console. The DVD recorder, DVB-T and VCR are on the same input and the others are on separate inputs.

Jag_Man653 · Post by **Jag_Man653** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:35 pm

whompus wrote:

If you dont mind telling what is the brand and model # of the dvd player?

It's a Pioneer DV-525.

Ed

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:54 pm

Jag_Man653 wrote:It's a Pioneer DV-525.

I believe the Pioneer DV-525 needs a hardware mod for it to be MV-free. I don't happen to know what the mod is because I bought mine pre-modded.

whompus · Post by **whompus** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 8:05 pm

Robman could very well be right. I have been told the region free steps also disable mv but dont know anyone with one to be sure.

If you hook it to vcr and have problems try this.
1. Turn the player on without a disc in it or disk tray out

2. On the remote control, press 'Setup'

3. Use right arrow to select 'General'

4. Use down arrow to select 'Basic'

5. Press 'Enter' on the remote control

6. Press 'Display' on the remote control You should see the region code and OSD version that the player is set to

7. Press 'Condition/Memory'

8. Press '1', '2', '3', '4', '5' or '6' to change the region code of the player The text will disappear

9. Press ' Display ' on the remote to control the region

10. Press 'Setup' on the remote to exit. Play the disc

The problem with this would be it has to be done each time where with a hardware mod it is for good.