a different SD-H400 problem

[zanna]

Well, I'm heartbroken to log on this a.m. and see I missed the SD-H400 exchange oppurtunity. Anyway, I don't have the stuck screen. I do have an internal DVD player that doesn't work and a phone connection to tivoland that doesn't work.

Here's my question: I got a cheap external DVD player, plugged it in, used it for a few hours, then it died. I just figured this was 'cause it was cheap. Took it back to the store & exchanged it. But, lo, the same thing has happened to the new player! Is this just a coincidence, or is it possible the SD-H400 is somehow killing external players? The recording and playback on the SD-H400 are still fine...knock on wood.

[Mars]

Try buying a more expensive DVD player, say $29.95 or so.

[zanna]

dude, this one was on sale for $35, down from $45 :).

[JamieP]

The dvd player should not even be connected to the tivo. How would you suppose your sd-h400 could be killing a nearby dvd player?

My guess is, the players you are buying are just defective, or you haven't hooked them up right.

[zanna]

>The dvd player should not even be connected to the tivo.

why not? the sd-h400 is marketed as a "media server" and has input jacks for dvd, as well as everything else. my tv is old & would need $$ adapters to connect directly to dvd player.

>How would you suppose your sd-h400 could be killing a nearby dvd player?

heck if i know! secret assasination software? ;)

>My guess is, the players you are buying are just defective, or you haven't hooked them up right.

well, they work ok for a while, which made me THINK they were hooked up right, but i'm open to persuasion that they aren't.. open to anything at this point.

i bought the $29.99 model mars suggested ;) and will try it. wish me luck...

[JamieP]

>The dvd player should not even be connected to the tivo.

why not? the sd-h400 is marketed as a "media server" and has input jacks for dvd, as well as everything else. my tv is old & would need $$ adapters to connect directly to dvd player.You won't find a single input on the sd-h400 labeled as a dvd input. The only inputs are: rf, rca and s-video. The rca and s-video inputs are for use when you tune through a cablebox, and won't work correctly if you hook your dvd player up to them.

You might want to review the manual again. If you don't have it anymore, I'm told Toshiba will email it to you in pdf form.

Tell us what inputs are available on your tv and what your other equipment is and we might be able to help you figure out how to hook up another dvd player. If your tv has a single rf input and nothing more, you might need something like this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00076MQEU/ref=pd_cp_e_title/103-4281096-4059004?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=172282) to convert the composite dvd output to rf, and to switch between the tivo and dvd.

{Edit: I reviewed your post history, and see that this terrain has been covered before. AFAIK, the "tune to channel zero to get composite input" trick is undocumented and unsupported. It might work with some hw/software versions and not with others. If it works for you, great, but if it doesn't try an outboard rf modulator. That sort of product is specifically designed for your requirements, while the sd-h400 is not.}

[ashu]

It's those little SD-H400 Ninjas, I tell ya. They come out at night and kill competing products sitting on your entertainment rack.

They lost to my Humax DRT800 Smaurai recently though ... I also need a new SD-H400 disk, the current one died (after exhibiting symptoms for months, and was expected ... whew!)

[zanna]

thanks a bunch for your help :).

>AFAIK, the "tune to channel zero to get composite input" trick is undocumented and unsupported.

ohhh....

>It might work with some hw/software versions and not with others.

does it make sense that it would work for a couple weeks or a couple hours and then stop working mid-play? that's what been happened withe 1st 2 units i tried. the 3rd one fits what i think you're saying, tho -- it doesn't work at all, at least with my setup.

>If it works for you, great, but if it doesn't try an outboard rf modulator.

$$ :(. trying to avoid this, but may have to bite the bullet. problem is, looks like my sd is scheduled to die very soon anyway, according to raider68's "Toshiba sd-400" thread, so i hate to spend money when i may have to get a new unit (which i figure would have built-in dvd).

arghh.

[JamieP]

does it make sense that it would work for a couple weeks or a couple hours and then stop working mid-play? that's what been happened withe 1st 2 units i tried. the 3rd one fits what i think you're saying, tho -- it doesn't work at all, at least with my setup.I'm speculating that disks with macrovision (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrovision) copy protection (e.g. most movie DVD's) will be a problem with the signal routed through the tivo.$$ :(. trying to avoid this, but may have to bite the bullet. problem is, looks like my sd is scheduled to die very soon anyway, according to raider68's "Toshiba sd-400" thread, so i hate to spend money when i may have to get a new unit (which i figure would have built-in dvd).You should be able to get an rf modulator/switch for <$20 if you shop around. As far as "...scheduled to die soon", I've worked on several sd-h400's, and every problem I've encountered on the tivo side has been solved by a new disk with a fresh software image. That's $$'s again, but $100 should get you 4x the original recording capacity. These tivo-basic units have high resale value too, now that lifetime service is no longer available. On the dvd side, I've had the same problem you've had: the gears that move the tray in and out get stripped. I blame it on my kids that push the tray back in instead of using the open/close button. I'm now using an external dvd player too, but it's out of reach of the kids :)

[zanna]

>I'm speculating that disks with macrovision copy protection (e.g. most movie DVD's) will be a problem with the signal routed through the tivo.

no... i tried the same 2 disks on all 3 players (dunno about file protection). gotta be them toshiba ninjas ashu referred to.

thx a bunch for the RF & HD $$ info -- not as bad as i feared! on a whim, i posted a request on freecycle for an RF mod and have a lead on a free NIB one -- now that would be the cat's pajamas :) and without your suggestion i never would have asked!

[jkfishking]

Not sure if this will help but I have an SD-H400 and I routinely copy DVD's to my SD-H400 using my XBox DVD player. Here is what I do:

1. Get a subscription to NetFlix (preferably trial to save cash :p )
2. Receive DVD in the Mail
3. Hook up the A/V inputs from the XBox to the Tivo A/V Inputs
4. Change the SD-H400 input option from RF to Video
5. Play the DVD
6. Record the movie on Tivo
7. Return the movie to Netflix
8. Repeat process until you have a couple of dozen movies on Tivo and then cancel Netflix
9. When you run out of movies to watch on Tivo - repeat steps 1-8 :D

I've never had an issue with Macrovision or anything else - what I play is recorded to the Tivo drive. This also works great for travel - Xbox to Tivo to Laptop - Movies to go without the actual DVD!!

[ashu]

Way too much effort, considering the effectiveness of other DVD-extraction methods. Even that's rarely worth it ... there aren't too many movies I watch more than once, and I own most of the DVDs I want to :)