Help! What Is Wrong with My Philips DVDR985?

Joe Schmoe · 09-17-02, 08:50 PM

I bought the Philips DVDR985 DVD recorder brand new about 3 months ago. Now it's having a problem staying in standby mode. Is it just a defective unit or is there something I'm missing?

What's weird is it only happens while there's something connected to "antenna in" on the back. I have basic cable plugged in there. After turning off the unit, it will come back on for 2 seconds every time the minute on the clock advances. The clock on the LCD goes blank, and the red standby light changes to green like it's turning on. After 2 seconds, it turns red again and the clock returns on the LCD.

This continues to happen every 60 seconds unless you disconnect the cable plugged into "antenna in" for a few moments and then plug it back in. Afterward, the unit stays in standby mode. If nothing is plugged into "antenna in," the unit stays in standby mode when it should (but then you can't record TV shows).

I've never had this problem with a VCR nor any of my devices that go into standby mode rather than turning off. I'm sure it's just a defective unit, right? Philips had me run a diagnostic test on it and it passed. What does that mean if the darn thing keeps turning itself on?

10-20-02, 02:13 AM

return it now

Steve Phillips · 10-21-02, 01:06 PM

Never happened with mine.

Joe Schmoe · 10-21-02, 11:39 PM

Thanks. I figured it was screwed up. Since I posted this, I changed a setting on the system which leaves the LCD dark when the unit is off. The unit stays off until it comes on to record something set by the timer. Not ideal, but I bought this unit online, and it took several months to get a receipt from the etailer.

Another oddity with it is the main screen always shows the timer recording time set at the wrong time. For instance, I set it to record every Monday at 9:00, but the set time on the main menu displays Tuesday at 10:14. And even though it shows the wrong time, it records correctly at 9:00 on Monday. Weird.

09-17-02, 08:50 PM	#1
Joe Schmoe Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 713	Help! What Is Wrong with My Philips DVDR985? I bought the Philips DVDR985 DVD recorder brand new about 3 months ago. Now it's having a problem staying in standby mode. Is it just a defective unit or is there something I'm missing? What's weird is it only happens while there's something connected to "antenna in" on the back. I have basic cable plugged in there. After turning off the unit, it will come back on for 2 seconds every time the minute on the clock advances. The clock on the LCD goes blank, and the red standby light changes to green like it's turning on. After 2 seconds, it turns red again and the clock returns on the LCD. This continues to happen every 60 seconds unless you disconnect the cable plugged into "antenna in" for a few moments and then plug it back in. Afterward, the unit stays in standby mode. If nothing is plugged into "antenna in," the unit stays in standby mode when it should (but then you can't record TV shows). I've never had this problem with a VCR nor any of my devices that go into standby mode rather than turning off. I'm sure it's just a defective unit, right? Philips had me run a diagnostic test on it and it passed. What does that mean if the darn thing keeps turning itself on?

10-20-02, 02:13 AM	#2
punkass1276 Guest Posts: n/a	return it now

10-21-02, 01:06 PM	#3
Steve Phillips DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 1,446	Never happened with mine.

10-21-02, 11:39 PM	#4
Joe Schmoe Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 713	Thanks. I figured it was screwed up. Since I posted this, I changed a setting on the system which leaves the LCD dark when the unit is off. The unit stays off until it comes on to record something set by the timer. Not ideal, but I bought this unit online, and it took several months to get a receipt from the etailer. Another oddity with it is the main screen always shows the timer recording time set at the wrong time. For instance, I set it to record every Monday at 9:00, but the set time on the main menu displays Tuesday at 10:14. And even though it shows the wrong time, it records correctly at 9:00 on Monday. Weird.