[kwoolner]

Hi,

I have a Toshiba SD-400 Tivo/DVD (purchased in 2003) with lifetime service, and upgraded via Weaknees to 300 GB (when the original factory hard drive failed). I recently relocated and after unpacking and hooking up the Toshiba at my new home, the unit would not output DVD video. I could still hear audio, but there was no video signal. I had a spare DVD player, so I could have lived with that by itself.

However, now, a couple of weeks later, the video from the Tivo has gone out too. Same problem -- audio is fine, and from the sound I can tell that the unit is still responding to input from the remote, but no video signal is reaching the television.

I've tried all of the video outputs on the back of the unit. I tried opening up the box and reseating all the cables, but that didn't help either. It seems like something in the video circuitry has failed, although the rest of the unit is fine.

Ideally I'd like to both preserve my existing recordings and the lifetime service on this unit. And contacting Toshiba for repair seems unlikely to succeed at one or the other. Any ideas on how to proceed (other than filing a claim with the moving company, which I am doing), or how I can fix the problem otherwise?

Thanks,
Keith

 

[RoyK]

Check the I/P (interlaced/progressive) switch on the back of the box.

 

[kwoolner]

Thanks for the suggestion, RoyK.

Unfortunately, changing to interlaced had no effect. And in any event, this unit has been connected to the same TV successfully with progressive set to on for 4 years prior to being moved.

The timeline has been:

2003-July 2007 -- Progressive DVD + Tivo video output is fine
early August '07-- After moving, DVD video fails, Tivo video OK. (same TV as before)
late August '07 -- Tivo video fails too. (same TV as before)

Any other ideas, or suggestions on repairs?

Keith

 

[k_nov]

I think I have a similar issue. Did yours quit all of a sudden or go out slowly?

Mine began with just a sync problem on the DVD player where the image was scrolling horizontally. The Tivo portion was fine for a while and then whenever I would reboot the unit it too would begin scrolling.

I managed to correct it by switching the video setting from 4:3 to 16:9 aspect ratio and then back to 4:3. However today I ran into a similar issue but the aspect ratio swap doesn't work at all. I can still see video, but it's scrolling horizontally across the screen. Sound works fine too.

I agree that it is likely something to do with the video output circuitry because it still records just fine. I may eventually bust into myself but I'm going to search around the forums a little first.

 

[osborn4]

I am now having this problem. The TIVO was unplugged (with no shutdown) when we rearranged our room for a gaming party.

When we reconnected everything, the TIVO was working. We had it connect for updates, just to make sure that was working (and because it had missed a day or two). And that was working. It was applying the updates, so we put the TIVO on standby and turned the TV off.

When we went back to the Tivo, we could get sound but no picture (composite hook ups). So we tried coax (never used before), and we don't get anything on channel 3 or 4.

Any suggestions? Should I try an s-video cable? (I'd have to buy one).

This is with a standard def TV.

Thanks.

 

[osborn4]

This is really odd. The RF connector isn't working at all (channel 3 or 4). It does work as a cable signal pass through, if the Tivo is in standby.

If I unplug the Tivo and plug it back in, it comes up and we can get video through the composite video. The RF still doesn't work and I haven't had any luck with the s-video.

However, if the Tivo goes to standby, I lose the picture to the composite video. Unpluging/replugging seems to bring it back.

Any ideas? I'm going to try to not have the TIVO go to standby and see if that helps.

Thanks.

 

[osborn4]

More information.

We did put the machine in standby and when I brought it out of standby, by pressing the Tivo button, the Tivo menu appeared on the screen and then disappeared.

Sounding more like a software problem than a hardware problem.

 

[osborn4]

I really hope this can get worked out. Not financially situated to replace it. And this thing has lifetime, so I need it to keep cranking.

 

[osborn4]

Well, the family is getting use to just leaving the TIVO "on" and not putting it in standby, so that is working.

I guess I'll just have to hope that this fixes itself over time, like my USB WiFi adapter problem from a few months ago.

 

[tniccum]

I have exactly the same problem, seemed to start after we moved to a new house and the tivo was unplugged for a few days. If i put it in standby, then take out of standby, i see a flash of live video for 1 or 2 seconds, then nothing. If i go into DVD mode, no video. We try to leave it on, but we seem to hit the standby button once a week. The only way to fix seems to be to unplug TiVo and plug it back in. Any help most appreciated.

 

[bedelman]

Which outputs are you using on the SD-H400? If I recall correctly -- There's a small black switch on the back of the box which sets the boot-up video output to either use the component outputs or the composite/s-video outputs. The "progressive" key on the remote will toggle this for you -- but I suspect that the small switch has become moved to the other position.

I don't exactly recall the labels for the positions on the switch though -- but I am absolutely sure that it is there.

Edit: I see in the earlier posts to this thread that the switch is mentioned. It is labeled "I/P". You want it on "I" if you're using composite or s-video output and on "P" if you're using the component outputs.

 

[tniccum]

AWESOME! That did the trick. The i/p switch was in the p position. Must have gotten bumped during the move. Thanks.