DVR/DVD player hook-up
 

OK, I've read every manual I can find, and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

I just got digital cable, with DVR (meaning cable box) not long ago. How do I get my DVD player into the system? I know it should be easy (in fact, until the other day I thought I had already accomplished it) but I'm missing something.

Then again, my DVD player (which worked just fine previously and is not that old---have gone through them like crazy) MIGHT not be working. So even if I'm doing it correctly I wouldn't know because nothing plays on the TV.

Argh...anyone have any simple suggestions as to hook-up, before I go out and buy a new DVD player only to find I was just stupid, after all?

I can't help you, but a few years ago, when our microwave stopped working, we bought another one. Only to find out that the first microwave was just fine. There was just not enough voltage in the outlet. We needed a new electrical service panel. The old one was corroded inside from water infiltration. A trip to town hall to pull a permit, one electrician, $1200, and one inspection later, we were just fine. Whee!

Hard to know exactly without more details--but there are two basic ways to do this. One or both might work depending on what you have.

1. You have [at least] two appropriate inputs on your TV. Plug the cable box in one and the DVD in the other. Use your TV remote to switch from Input1 to Input2.

2. Your cable box is, I assume, already plugged in and working? If it has an external or aux jack you can plug your DVD player into that. In this case the cable box remote will have a switch to go between the cable TV and the aux input.


If you have choices, your best quality input is HDMI (note: don't pay a lot for a cable!); after that is Component (three separate plugs, red, green, & blue); then S-Video; then composite.

Yes, the cable box is working. I thought I had hooked the DVD player into the box: when I lifted up the box to see which holes the red/white/yellow thingy was in I think it shocked me!

OK, so there is the regular hook-up cable, AND the red/white/yellow? I"m so confused. Perhaps I should revisit this when I am home.

Thanks guys!

If by "regular hookup cable" you mean the "cable tv" kind of cable, black (most often) with a copper wire poking out of the center and a collar to screw into the jac, that's coax. A lot of DVD players etc. will have that as well as the red/white/yellow. (That's the composite video + 2 audio channels.) You can use either one with whatever hookup you have. Quality will be better if you use the red/white/yellow.

Yeah, I knew it was a coaxial, I just didn't know what to do with it. (That sounds funny.)

So it's one or the other? And the red/white/yellow goes into the cable box, not the TV?

I suppose you could plug in both, though there wouldn't be much point.

You can plug it into to the cable box or the TV if you have the available jacks. I'd go for the TV if you can--running it through one more box will cut down the signal quality somewhat.

OK, thanks sleeve. I'll try it when I get home. :)

PS...I'm starting to think my DVD player is shot. I've been through like 4 of them in 6 years. grumble grumble.

MEANWHILE, IN MY SICK MIND

:lol2:

Well if THAT's going on when I get home I'm leaving.

This is a perfect illustration of

(Props to LJ though... I wouldn't have illustrated it.)

That is such a great rule. Sometimes I kick myself. "What's that?" you say? "You hold back?"

Anyway, it's always something. I started looking at the hookups. I think it might be my DVD player, because the timer will run for a little while after I start the DVD then it says "root." WTF is root? So I find the manual, look in troubleshooting. Nothing about root. So I realize I was looking at the manual for my old DVD player. I look up my DVD player on the internet, find the guide, pull up the pdf, and forgot that something is wrong with my Adobe and pdfs only stay up for a minute or so before it crashes.

So I guess I have to uninstall and reinstall Adobe. Reboot. Get online. Find the manual. Hope it says wtf "root" means, and then I'll know if I need a new DVD player, or I am, as originally pondered, stupid.

There was nothing in the manual about it. I went to the manufacturer and asked the online help. They'll notify me if someone answers.

I found this online - I know NOTHING about these things though.

I saw that, that doesn't tell me anything about why that word is coming up on the LED display, I'm guessing the answer will be connected to that. Thanks.

is there a dvd in the tray?
if so, what happens when you switch it?

I've tried 4 different dvds, just in case.

I just changed it again, and it played for a couple seconds, then displayed "root."

I think it's broken, but I'll wait to see what answers I get at their website.

This will be like my 5th dvd player in as many years. wtf? Is that normal?

Find a teenage on street. They'll have it fixed pronto!!!

Sounds like it could be an electrical issue - take the dvd to work and see if it works there.

Hey wait - didn't you say it shocked you at one point when you plugged something in? That could be a short. dunno ????

At this point I think you need a bigger hammer.

Three inputs are the best.

Yeah, but appropriate?

When you're in love, anything is negotiable.

Alcohol helps.

Mother of god, why the fuck do they make these things so goddam difficult? I can read, I'm not stupid, I used to test electronics for christ fucking sakes, and I can't figure out how the fuck to get my DVD player (and I got a new mother fucker) to fucking work with the fucking motherfucker DVR box or TV. The directions are ridiculous, they don't even try for integration. Just tell me: Put fucking yellow wire in fucking yellow hole on this fucking unit. Turn the fucking TV to channel fuck...voila, you have a movie. Not "available s video cunt sucker HD motherfucker, only if fucking ps cable has 9 pieces of lasagna, then to find other coaxial if you need it you go to the box with which you have loved and lost, and t-table 6 remoted the output of the input next to the cuntputt of the TV. In 6 days, check to see if light p4554e3w lights up: if so, meat and potatoes for dinner with your movie is suggested in light of all other cables."

Yeah, I'm pissed. I've called in the expert ex. I HATE when I can't do crap myself.

But there's always a good side: ex and housemate got a dog at the pound, who I will get to meet for the first time. Her name is STELLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

I would almost be willing to travel to your house to hook it up and then leave again immediately, just to bask in the live version of that rant.

:p

It was one of my favorite rants ever! Better in person, though.

Guess what? Couldn't get it to work through the DVR (I had set it up right!) so it's hooked into the TV, then I had to dig out the old TV remote and use the aux button. Sheesh.

I watched the first two episodes of Dexter. I like it.

The dog is a sweetheart. Lab mix...very playful but not obnoxious. She's a year old.