Hello,

I've been reading the board for a while but have only recently registered to post. I couldn't find the answer to this through searches.

I was wondering if anyone could help me out with a beginner-level question. I picked up a Toshiba SD1200 based on good things I heard about it. I have an older television set though, which only has the coaxial input. I tried hooking up the RCA video through my VCR, but this resulted in a wobbly, inconsistent picture.

Do I have to get a new television (not that I'm not due, mind you) to hook this up, or is there some way to work around it? Such as a converter from RCA, S-video or composite to coax; or, a way to make the VCR not bog down the picture?

(The VCR is a relatively old Funai 2-head unit.)

Many thanks for any responses.

First thing: passing it through the VCR is causing the bad signal most likely because of copy protection.

Second: I'm pretty sure that there are some component to coax converters, and I don't think they cost too much, but I don't know details, so you'll have to get those from somebody else. Little help here?

I know radio shack has a two units. One for about $25 that you switch manually and one for about $30 that swithes automatically. At least those were the prices about two years ago.

Thanks very much for the responses. I will check out Radio Shack (was going to be in the area anyway).

-e

I checked at Best Buy, no luck. Tried Radio Shack, and was told that every Radio Shack in the area was out of them. http://talk.dvdtalk.com/ubb/frown.gif

Wound up finding it at Wal-Mart, but I was disappointed at the price being so high ($30). Ack. Well, at least the player itself was a rather good buy.

on a side note .... what is the firmware of your SD-1200? I'm having problems with mine (manufactured in JANUARY 2000, you can find this date on the back of the unit) with a firmware version of 1.3 - R1 (turn on the Toshiba unit, hit ZOOM, 6, 0, 6, ZOOM) up comes a display screen showing a summary of features supported by your model DVD player, you'll see what I mean.

Don't worry, you can't change anything, thats hardware, this is just a summary of features :-) Firmware is actually the first two lines, ROM1, and ROM2

mine show
ROM1: Ver. 1.3 - R1
ROM2: Ver. 1.3

I have problems with certain movies stuttering and de-synching, in particular The Haunting, and Dark Crystal have exhibited these conditions. Also have seen American History X do it. These conditions do not always manifest themselves, just on occassion, disks are new, work fine in a Panasonic machine. SD-1200 is new too ... going to talk to Toshiba again and send it back, maybe its firmware, maybe its another flaw. *shrug*


Hopefully you're having better success. Otherwise its a wonderful unit, with great playback (crisp, clear :-)

Mike