TiVo Output Picture Dark

[orrees]

Recently the picture from my TiVo has become very dark, it's as if a sheet of smoked glass has been placed in front of the TV screen. The dark picture is present on all TiVo setup screens as well as the recorded programmes.

The Tivo is about 5 years old and is working perfectly in all other respects.

Anyone any ideas? Is this a sign that the hard disk is about to give up the ghost, or is it some more sinister failure about to descend on my beloved TiVo?

[mikerr]

It's a sign someone has turned down the contrast on your TV :)

Seriously, never seen that for a failing disk/PSU/tivo , so do the usual
restart, check/change scarts or even try using the tivo's RF output...

[blindlemon]

That doesn't sound like a typical symptom of a failing hard drive, although corruption in the parameters sent to the RGB output converter could theoretically cause something like that.

Is the picture dark on both the RF and SCART outputs?

[Benedict]

Sounds like a loose/dirty scart connection to me.

Have you tried unplugging/pluggeng them in again and pushing them firmly home?

[orrees]

Thanks for those suggestions guys, I know it's not the contrast on the TV - the picture is fine if a TiVo recording is not being viewed.

I'll check the scart lead for cleanliness and connectivity. Thanks for the tip about checking the RF output.

I'll let you know the result when I've checked everything.

[Glostagal]

I am having the same problem. I went away for 6 days and when I came back, my TiVo is showing a dark screen. I know it is not my TV (DVDs look great).

Does anyone have any idea? is it hard drive or motherboard (gasp) or something else?

[Glostagal]

Hi again, when I made the previous post, I only saw the original posting - I didn't see everyone else's replies.

I will check everything you suggested; however, I don't recognize scart - is it inside the TiVo box? yikes....

[TCM2007]

No, it's a connector we use in Europe.