Quote:
I have my old Sharp VCR hooked up to my 990 at Video 4 input--just the analog R and L audio and the single video cable. (There's no dgital or composite or S-video output from this old guy.)
Actually, that single video cable is composite.
Quote:
Of course, to use the 990's on-screen menus, I have a hook-up to the TV via composite cables. Apparently that's the only way to watch anything that comes through the analog video inputs also, right? At least, to find a signal from the VCR at all, that's what I have to use. Okay--no problem.
I assume you are using component video to the TV (three cables with red, blue, and green connectors). Is that correct?
Quote:
When the power of the VCR is ON, I get the television CABLE signal that passes through the VCR just fine. AND I can also use the 990's on-screen menu function just fine--but with a TV image behind it. The latter is weird, but no biggie.
This is all correct. The 990 can overlay its menus onto any composite or s-video input. If you have a component video input, it replaces the incoming video signal with a black screen and draws the menu on that.
Quote:
Now we start getting to the problem. If I turn the VCR power OFF and try to use the 990's on-screen menus, I get a horizontaly-split video screen, with the menu in the top half and nothing but noise in the bottom.

By experimenting, I've found that the screen is always split when the VCR power is off and I'm usng the 990's composite output. The 990's messages always show in the top half of the screen, and the bottom half is noise.

So this part of the problem MUST have something to do with the 990, since the VCR has no power when this happens. Something about having an analog input (the VCR) that's sending nothing to the 990's composite output, maybe?
Does this happen when any input is selected, or just when you have the 990 on Video4? If it's just when Video4 is selected, it's possible that the VCR's "off" state is a standby mode that is producing some sort of signal still and generating some confusion.

Also, what do you have "VIDEO" set to in Video4's setup menu? Is it set to "Composite"?

Another question: what other video sources are connected to the 990, and how do they behave?
_________________________
gonk
HT Basics | HDMI FAQ | Pics | Remote Files | Art Show
Reviews: Index | 990 | speakers | BDP-93