Taped show not showing up on TV screen

C

Cardinal Creek

Guest
My Toshiba VCR is the SD-296KU model. With my usual skill, I pressed a
button that made the thing either NOT tape a program at all or NOT
make it show up on the TV screen. Here's my setup: I used the cable
remote to change channels, that's working ok. I use the remote for an
Insignia TV for turning the TV on and off, change volume, that's
working ok. I use the Toshiba remote to tape programs and that seems
to be working--I can see the numbers increase as the program is taped.
Before this problem, all I had to do was press the "Video" button on
the TV remote, press "Play" on the VCR remote, and I would be able to
watch the taped program. I'm sure there is some button I shouldn't
have pressed and I'm hoping someone can help me so that I won't have
to pay the Geek Squad $100 to come out and fix it. Any ideas? I hope
I've given you enough info.
 
Cardinal Creek wrote:

My Toshiba VCR is the SD-296KU model. With my usual skill, I pressed a
button that made the thing either NOT tape a program at all or NOT
make it show up on the TV screen. Here's my setup: I used the cable
remote to change channels, that's working ok. I use the remote for an
Insignia TV for turning the TV on and off, change volume, that's
working ok. I use the Toshiba remote to tape programs and that seems
to be working--I can see the numbers increase as the program is taped.
Before this problem, all I had to do was press the "Video" button on
the TV remote, press "Play" on the VCR remote, and I would be able to
watch the taped program. I'm sure there is some button I shouldn't
have pressed and I'm hoping someone can help me so that I won't have
to pay the Geek Squad $100 to come out and fix it. Any ideas? I hope
I've given you enough info.
Click to expand...
Does a channel tuned with your VCR show on the TV? If so, pressing "PLAY"
on the VCR's remote should replace the tuned program with the program being
played back. If not, find out why you can't get the VCR tuned program to
appear on your TV. That will solve your playback problem, too.
 
Does a channel tuned with your VCR show on the TV? If so,
pressing "PLAY" on the VCR's remote should replace the tuned
program with the program being played back. If not, find out why
you can't get the VCR tuned program to appear on your TV. That
will solve your playback problem, too.
Click to expand...
Absolutely correct, in principle.

I'm also puzzled how changing the /cable channel/ lets you select the
channel to record on the VCR. Unless you have a video output from the cable
converter feeding the VCR, you need to select the channel to record on the
VCR itself.
 
On 16/03/2010 10:39 PM, William Sommerwerck wrote:
Does a channel tuned with your VCR show on the TV? If so,
pressing "PLAY" on the VCR's remote should replace the tuned
program with the program being played back. If not, find out why
you can't get the VCR tuned program to appear on your TV. That
will solve your playback problem, too.

Absolutely correct, in principle.

I'm also puzzled how changing the /cable channel/ lets you select the
channel to record on the VCR. Unless you have a video output from the cable
converter feeding the VCR, you need to select the channel to record on the
VCR itself.
Click to expand...
You probably still have to selected the right channel - being the video
input - on the VCR. Conceivably the VCR is usually 'tuned' to its video
input, and the OP has inadvertently changed that. The result, if there's
no antenna input, or the selected channel is not tuned to a broadast
channel, will either be a recording of static, or a blank screen on
playback, depending on the VCR.

Either way, the increasing numbers on the front panel likely indicate
nothing more than the passage of time, and not that a real signal is
being recorded.

Sylvia.
 
On Mar 16, 4:12 am, Cardinal Creek <cardinalcreek...@gmail.com> wrote:
My Toshiba VCR is the SD-296KU model. With my usual skill, I pressed a
button that made the thing either NOT tape a program at all or NOT
make it show up on the TV screen. Here's my setup: I used the cable
remote to change channels, that's working ok. I use the remote for an
Insignia TV for turning the TV on and off, change volume, that's
working ok. I use the Toshiba remote to tape programs and that seems
to be working--I can see the numbers increase as the program is taped.
Before this problem, all I had to do was press the "Video" button on
the TV remote, press "Play" on the VCR remote, and I would be able to
watch the taped program. I'm sure there is some button I shouldn't
have pressed and I'm hoping someone can help me so that I won't have
to pay the Geek Squad $100 to come out and fix it. Any ideas? I hope
I've given you enough info.
Click to expand...
a few checks.
1. set the tv to the video channel, and play a known good tape - what
happens? Any sound ?pic?
2. if playback is OK - leave the tv on the video channel, and stop the
tape, what do you see? if you are hoping to record from cable, you
should see the cable programme going through the video. If not, you
need to check the cable box is wired to the vcr's AV input ,and then
you select that input (usually called 0, AV, input, line, or EXT) on
the vcr.

Post back with results and we'll take it from there.
-regards
B
 
The only thing that lets me see something on the TV is the HDMI
selection on the TV remote. The only thing that changes the channels
is the cable remote--pressing numbers on the TV and VCR remotes
doesn't do anything-the show on the screen stays the same. The wiring
is the same as it was the day the VCR was installed several months
ago. The tape is fairly new and everything was doing fine before I
started pressing buttons to find out how to change the clock. So far,
any taping I've done is taping a show that is on the screen at the
moment--have not tried to program a show to be taped later. If we can
get back to just instant taping that will be ok. Taping at this
produces only a black screen.

Some things I've noticed on the VCR remote--the only buttons that work
are the playing, stopping, forward and backward buttons, the rec/otr
button and the input button. None of the other buttons bring up
anything on screen, including the setup button, which is the first
step in programming and probably in setting the clock. Cannot bring up
an menus. I'm wondering if the remote and/or the the VCR is/are
defective.

When the cable guy tried to help me (he got me to the HDMI button), he
had me press the VCR, TV, and Cable buttons on the cable remote, then
turn power off, then back on.

In my own meagre defense: for 5 or 10 years I've had TV's with VCR's
attached. Got a separate VCR when one of those TV VCR's failed. So far
I've had to rely on Geek Squad to get me set up, but not even that guy
could get it so that ALL of these functions could be done with one
remote.

I am grateful for any help you can give me.
 
On Mar 16, 9:33 pm, Cardinal Creek <cardinalcreek...@gmail.com> wrote:
The only thing that lets me see something on the TV is the HDMI
selection on the TV remote. The only thing that changes the channels
is the cable remote--pressing numbers on the TV and VCR remotes
doesn't do anything-the show on the screen stays the same. The wiring
is the same as it was the day the VCR was installed several months
ago. The tape is fairly new and everything was doing fine before I
started pressing buttons to find out how to change the clock. So far,
any taping I've done is taping a show that is on the screen at the
moment--have not tried to program a show to be taped later. If we can
get back to just instant taping that will be ok. Taping at this
produces only a black screen.

Some things I've noticed on the VCR remote--the only buttons that work
are the playing, stopping, forward and backward buttons, the rec/otr
button and the input button. None of the other buttons bring up
anything on screen, including the setup button, which is the first
step in programming and probably in setting the clock. Cannot bring up
an menus. I'm wondering if the remote and/or the the VCR is/are
defective.

When the cable guy tried to help me (he got me to the HDMI button), he
had me press the VCR, TV, and Cable buttons on the cable remote, then
turn power off, then back on.

In my own meagre defense: for 5 or 10 years I've had TV's with VCR's
attached. Got a separate VCR when one of those TV VCR's failed. So far
I've had to rely on Geek Squad to get me set up, but not even that guy
could get it so that ALL of these functions could be done with one
remote.

I am grateful for any help you can give me.
Click to expand...
Admit defeat, and read a book. Maybe one on VCRs.

There are so many variations on hooking up a piece of multimedia
equipment now days that it's hard to guess what to check. If you
could describe how it is hooked up, it would help greatly. Also maybe
the model of the connected equipment (Television, cable box, vcr, dvd
player, &c...), so that we may look in the user manuals.

J
 
I'm afraid you're going to have to sit down and /learn/ exactly how this
equipment works. If the self-proclaimed experts <grin> in this group can't
figure out what's going on, you'll have to put out some effort on your own.
 
On 17/03/2010 10:54 PM, William Sommerwerck wrote:
I'm afraid you're going to have to sit down and /learn/ exactly how this
equipment works. If the self-proclaimed experts<grin> in this group can't
figure out what's going on, you'll have to put out some effort on your own.
Click to expand...
The OP may never get it. Some people have blind-spots.

My mother, not otherwise unintelligent, could never understand how the
VCR could record a TV program when the TV itself was away being repaired.

Sylvia.
 
I'm afraid you're going to have to sit down and /learn/ exactly
how this equipment works. If the self-proclaimed experts<grin
in this group can't figure out what's going on, you'll have to put
out some effort on your own.

The OP may never get it. Some people have blind-spots. My mother,
not otherwise unintelligent, could never understand how the VCR
could record a TV program when the TV itself was away being repaired.
Click to expand...
Did the explanation that the VCR had its own little TV receiver inside it
make any sense to her? It should have.

My father -- who was of ordinary intelligence -- could not understand the
phonograph-record metaphor when I tried to explain how a hard drive worked.
 
On 17/03/2010 11:04 PM, William Sommerwerck wrote:
I'm afraid you're going to have to sit down and /learn/ exactly
how this equipment works. If the self-proclaimed experts<grin
in this group can't figure out what's going on, you'll have to put
out some effort on your own.

The OP may never get it. Some people have blind-spots. My mother,
not otherwise unintelligent, could never understand how the VCR
could record a TV program when the TV itself was away being repaired.

Did the explanation that the VCR had its own little TV receiver inside it
make any sense to her? It should have.
Click to expand...
I never expressed it quite that way. But I certainly tried to explain
the concept of a tuner and recording the signal coming from it.

She seemed to find the idea slippery. I think she just about got it when
I explained it to her - but the next time the television needed
repairing (which it frequently did), she'd raise the same doubts.

Sylvia.
 
Did the explanation that the VCR had its own little TV receiver
inside it make any sense to her? It should have.

I never expressed it quite that way. But I certainly tried to explain
the concept of a tuner and recording the signal coming from it.

She seemed to find the idea slippery. I think she just about got
it when I explained it to her - but the next time the television needed
repairing (which it frequently did), she'd raise the same doubts.
Click to expand...
In fairness... About 12 years ago I was working on COM Apps documentation at
Microsoft. One of the people in that section was a German conputer scientist
who was one the few people I've ever met who was smarter than I. On several
occasions he explained some of the theory involved in their work, and I was
at a complete loss. I couldn't begin to grasp it. I had no idea what he was
talking about.

Perhaps it was all bilge, though I doubt it. It was probably that he wasn't
explaining it very well.
 
On Mar 17, 5:45 am, "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgee...@comcast.net>
wrote:
Did the explanation that the VCR had its own little TV receiver
inside it make any sense to her? It should have.
I never expressed it quite that way. But I certainly tried to explain
the concept of a tuner and recording the signal coming from it.
She seemed to find the idea slippery. I think she just about got
it when I explained it to her - but the next time the television needed
repairing (which it frequently did), she'd raise the same doubts.

In fairness... About 12 years ago I was working on COM Apps documentation at
Microsoft. One of the people in that section was a German conputer scientist
who was one the few people I've ever met who was smarter than I. On several
occasions he explained some of the theory involved in their work, and I was
at a complete loss. I couldn't begin to grasp it. I had no idea what he was
talking about.

Perhaps it was all bilge, though I doubt it. It was probably that he wasn't
explaining it very well.
Click to expand...
I have found that "if a person cannot explain something to another
reasonably intelligent person, they don't understand it themselves."
 
Cardinal Creek wrote:

The only thing that lets me see something on the TV is the HDMI
selection on the TV remote. The only thing that changes the channels
is the cable remote--pressing numbers on the TV and VCR remotes
doesn't do anything-the show on the screen stays the same. The wiring
is the same as it was the day the VCR was installed several months
ago. The tape is fairly new and everything was doing fine before I
started pressing buttons to find out how to change the clock. So far,
any taping I've done is taping a show that is on the screen at the
moment--have not tried to program a show to be taped later. If we can
get back to just instant taping that will be ok. Taping at this
produces only a black screen.
Click to expand...
[...snip]

Blindly pressing buttons. No wonder something is amiss. Methinks it is
time you tell us *precisely* how you have everything wired - and why.
 
Blindly pressing buttons. No wonder something is amiss.
Methinks it is time you tell us *precisely* how you have
everything wired -- and why.
Click to expand...
This isn't meant to sound rude or nasty... But if the OP knew how and why,
he probably wouldn't be asking for help.

My audio system controller (a Parasound C2), has only one direct-analog 7.1
input, and no provision whatever for external processors. So I added three
dbx 400X switchers (Front, Side, Rear), with the Front unit rewired to
permit a given tape deck output to feed its own input. *

I can now switch in or out just about anything -- but the setup is
horrendously complex. As a result, I had to write a set of instructions
(!!!) to remind me how to use the switchers!

* The change was required because I wanted any of the inputs (CD FM LP),
which went to the tape-deck outputs, to be able to feed any of the hall
synthesizers, which were connected to the tape-deck inputs. I nearly went
crazy and blind trying to unscramble the maze-like schematic. I had to find
and unsolder the interlocks that prevented same-deck feedback.
 
On Mar 17, 5:33 am, Cardinal Creek <cardinalcreek...@gmail.com> wrote:
The only thing that lets me see something on the TV is the HDMI
selection on the TV remote. The only thing that changes the channels
is the cable remote--pressing numbers on the TV and VCR remotes
doesn't do anything-the show on the screen stays the same. The wiring
is the same as it was the day the VCR was installed several months
ago. The tape is fairly new and everything was doing fine before I
started pressing buttons to find out how to change the clock. So far,
any taping I've done is taping a show that is on the screen at the
moment--have not tried to program a show to be taped later. If we can
get back to just instant taping that will be ok. Taping at this
produces only a black screen.

Some things I've noticed on the VCR remote--the only buttons that work
are the playing, stopping, forward and backward buttons, the rec/otr
button and the input button. None of the other buttons bring up
anything on screen, including the setup button, which is the first
step in programming and probably in setting the clock. Cannot bring up
an menus. I'm wondering if the remote and/or the the VCR is/are
defective.

When the cable guy tried to help me (he got me to the HDMI button), he
had me press the VCR, TV, and Cable buttons on the cable remote, then
turn power off, then back on.

In my own meagre defense: for 5 or 10 years I've had TV's with VCR's
attached. Got a separate VCR when one of those TV VCR's failed. So far
I've had to rely on Geek Squad to get me set up, but not even that guy
could get it so that ALL of these functions could be done with one
remote.

I am grateful for any help you can give me.
Click to expand...
none of what you posted above in your last response will help us to
help you, as it does not respond to any of the checklist points I made
in my last post in this thread. The only way you're going to resolve
this permanently is by being systematic and eliminating various
possibilities.
check the setup out, carry out the simple checks mentioned before and
we'll try and solve it.
-B
 
On 18/03/2010 3:27 AM, Robert Macy wrote:
On Mar 17, 5:45 am, "William Sommerwerck"<grizzledgee...@comcast.net
wrote:
Did the explanation that the VCR had its own little TV receiver
inside it make any sense to her? It should have.
I never expressed it quite that way. But I certainly tried to explain
the concept of a tuner and recording the signal coming from it.
She seemed to find the idea slippery. I think she just about got
it when I explained it to her - but the next time the television needed
repairing (which it frequently did), she'd raise the same doubts.

In fairness... About 12 years ago I was working on COM Apps documentation at
Microsoft. One of the people in that section was a German conputer scientist
who was one the few people I've ever met who was smarter than I. On several
occasions he explained some of the theory involved in their work, and I was
at a complete loss. I couldn't begin to grasp it. I had no idea what he was
talking about.

Perhaps it was all bilge, though I doubt it. It was probably that he wasn't
explaining it very well.

I have found that "if a person cannot explain something to another
reasonably intelligent person, they don't understand it themselves."
Click to expand...
That's only true up to a point. Complicated ideas may require
significant background knowledge before they can be understood.

Sylvia.
 
On Mar 17, 3:59 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.at.this.address> wrote:
On 18/03/2010 3:27 AM, Robert Macy wrote:



On Mar 17, 5:45 am, "William Sommerwerck"<grizzledgee...@comcast.net
wrote:
Did the explanation that the VCR had its own little TV receiver
inside it make any sense to her? It should have.
I never expressed it quite that way. But I certainly tried to explain
the concept of a tuner and recording the signal coming from it.
She seemed to find the idea slippery. I think she just about got
it when I explained it to her - but the next time the television needed
repairing (which it frequently did), she'd raise the same doubts.

In fairness... About 12 years ago I was working on COM Apps documentation at
Microsoft. One of the people in that section was a German conputer scientist
who was one the few people I've ever met who was smarter than I. On several
occasions he explained some of the theory involved in their work, and I was
at a complete loss. I couldn't begin to grasp it. I had no idea what he was
talking about.

Perhaps it was all bilge, though I doubt it. It was probably that he wasn't
explaining it very well.

I have found that "if a person cannot explain something to another
reasonably intelligent person, they don't understand it themselves."

That's only true up to a point. Complicated ideas may require
significant background knowledge before they can be understood.

Sylvia.
Click to expand...
I think a large part of explaining a concept to someone is the amount
of effort that someone wants to put into understanding it. I can be
as dumb as a knob in an area, but if I put enough time and effort into
it, I will eventually understand it. However, without the initial
building blocks, the amount of time and effort could be well beyond
the scope of reality. In which case the op might starve to death
before learning to fish on his/her own (to use the old analogy).
-J
 
On Mar 16, 8:33 pm, Cardinal Creek <cardinalcreek...@gmail.com> wrote:
The only thing that lets me see something on the TV is the HDMI
selection on the TV remote. The only thing that changes the channels
is the cable remote--pressing numbers on the TV and VCR remotes
doesn't do anything-the show on the screen stays the same. The wiring
is the same as it was the day the VCR was installed several months
ago. The tape is fairly new and everything was doing fine before I
started pressing buttons to find out how to change the clock. So far,
any taping I've done is taping a show that is on the screen at the
moment--have not tried to program a show to be taped later. If we can
get back to just instant taping that will be ok. Taping at this
produces only a black screen.

Some things I've noticed on the VCR remote--the only buttons that work
are the playing, stopping, forward and backward buttons, the rec/otr
button and the input button. None of the other buttons bring up
anything on screen, including the setup button, which is the first
step in programming and probably in setting the clock. Cannot bring up
an menus. I'm wondering if the remote and/or the the VCR is/are
defective.

When the cable guy tried to help me (he got me to the HDMI button), he
had me press the VCR, TV, and Cable buttons on the cable remote, then
turn power off, then back on.

In my own meagre defense: for 5 or 10 years I've had TV's with VCR's
attached. Got a separate VCR when one of those TV VCR's failed. So far
I've had to rely on Geek Squad to get me set up, but not even that guy
could get it so that ALL of these functions could be done with one
remote.

I am grateful for any help you can give me.
Click to expand...
Is there some teenage kid living nearby that could come to your house
and try to figure it out. Maybe you could give them some cookies &
milk/pop/beer/whiskey in return? Kids these days can be much more
adept at solving problems like this than us adults.
 
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