crzyhomer

I searched around, and can't seem to find a similar thread, so I thought I'd ask.

What am I missing if I connected via S-Video from an older DVD Player (Panasonic A110) to a newer TV (Samsung 23" LCD HDTV) and all I get is a B&W picture?

The main menu of Sixth Sense is Color, but the movie and all trailers are B&W. Tried several DVDs. My PS2 plays in color fine via the exact same connection (I have a Sony S-Video switcher inline). I changed the A110 TV Type to 16:9 with no change.

The A110 works fine in my older Toshiba 36" SDEF TV without any adjustment, so I'm missing something here.

Any help would be appreciated.

X

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=425561

crzyhomer

I checked that thread out (thanks for pointing it out to me), but it doesn't seem to address the problem I am having.

Cables are fine - same cables work on the old TV and produce color.

SVideo output selection from DVD player - can't find that setting but again old TV works with current settings. 16:9 and 4:3 were the only options as far as DVD output I could see. I tried 16:9 on the new tv with no change.

I have to imagine its the DVD output given that PS2 works in color and the DVD title screen was in color (I guess the menu is not compressed/displayed the same way). I couldn't see anything about NTSC/PAL on the player, but again it works with the old TV

I don't have any component cables (I got this TV free and don't have HD cable yet), so I guess a higher level cable might work.

Any other thoughts?

Spiky

Your new player is busted. The Svideo system has everything needed for black n white TV in one wire and the color in the other wire. It's a 2 wire system. If the color is missing but the picture is otherwise correct, that 2nd wire simply isn't getting through. And if it isn't the TV and isn't the wire itself, it must be the player. Usually it's the wire with a broken connector. Try wiggling it to see if any color shows up. It could still be the wire and you are just getting lucky at times.

Oh, you mentioned a switcher. Make sure it isn't just one of the inputs on the switcher, try a couple of them.

TheAllPurposeNothing

Actually, I don't think its a hardware issue since his menus appear in color but the movie does not. If it was hardware related, nothing would appear in color.

My best guess is that something is messed up in either his TV or DVD settings.

crzyhomer-

You said that you tested a number of DVDs. Were all of the titles anamorphic, or did you try some full-screen titles or non-anamorphic LTBX titles as well? Did menus on all DVDs appear in color or just on the 6th Sense?? Did the non-anamorphic titles appear in b&w as well???

Spiky

Yeah, this really doesn't make sense, at all. I can't think of a single piece of equipment where the software or hardware would make the colors different going from a DVD menu to the movie.

TheAllPurposeNothing

I was thinking that if the 6th Sense DVD doesn't have anamorphic menus, there might be a hint to the problem.

Just waiting to hear back from crzyhomer.

crzyhomer

Hey I really appreciate the support in this, I wasn't able to look into this yesterday.

the A110 menu output (bouncing Panasonic logo, etc) were in color

All the trailers before the 6th sense menu were B&W, then the menu was in color, then the movie went to B&W.

If I changed to a PS2 game (via a switcher) things went immediately to color, and if I switched back, for about half a second the movie was in color, which makes me think its the TV, although I can't find any setting there that would help.

I tried Final Fantasy: Spirits Within and the whole thing was in B&W.

If I simply pull the cable off the TV and put it in my 36" Toshiba non-HD, its in color.

So I guess its obvious its the TV, but I don't know what it is.

Samsung 23" HDTV

I took an older DVD (Executive Decision) and its in color. I imagine given its age its non-anamorphic (I don't see any indication it is on the case).

TheAllPurposeNothing

Just hold on there one second before you go blaming the monitor. If the 36" TV takes a 4:3 signal only, you may be looking at a DVD player malfunction.

First and foremost, try playing the DVD through the PS2. Again, make sure it is set for 16X9 output. See what results you get. If it plays fine through the PS2, then the problem lies with the DVD player.

On the A110, make sure that the picture being sent to the monitor is 16X9, and not 4:3. Yes, I know you said you changed it but check again. Not exactly sure why this anomaly is ocurring, but my best guess is that it relates to the downconversion of the anamorphic image and its being sent to the monitor via s-video. The menus aren't going through this downconversion since they are likely native 4:3, and so they play normally. You're just not having the same luck with the flick or trailers, since they are being downconverted. If that doesn't work, try changing the the image setting on the "Other Settings" menu.

If you still end up with the black and white image on the DVD player and not the PS2, then look into another DVD player. For some reason, your player is not switching to 16x9 mode and is stuck in 4:3 mode, irregardless of menu setting.

If both give you b&w images during the movie, then we will need to look into the monitor settings.

My guess is that the PS2 will play the DVD fine, however.

chipmac

Also make sure the player is connected directly to the TV and not through a switcher. If you've been using a switcher or a AV receiver to switch players that enters into the mix and can cause problems.

crzyhomer

I'll look into this first thing tomorrow, just got back from a business trip. I'll post the results....