[groundy]

It appears I've come across my first problem with my Aconda - though I'm not quite sure if the problem lies with the TV, DVD player, signal or cable being used.

Last night, I put on 2001: A Space Odyssey (Region 1) but every so often the picture kept cutting out and the television would revert to a black/blue screen with a "No Signal" message. I was able to bring the picture back by skipping a chapter or two but it would just go off again after a few minutes of play. Sound via Optical Digital through the Amp remained perfect even when there was no picture on the screen.

I have my DVD player (Sony S735D) connected to the Loewe via a QED Component + Sync to AV3 and the input signal on the TV set to YUV with Sync on CVBS (Composite). This is because I have the QED Sync phono connected to the DVD players Composite Video Out. I watched through Total Recall SE (Region 2) the other night with no problems whatsoever. I have also put on a few Region 1 DVD's and played them through for 10 minutes or so with no problems again. At this point I was thinking the 2001 disc must be faulty but this is not so.

So, out of curiosity, I switched the input signal from YUV with Sync on CVBS to YUV with Sync on Y and to my surprise the movie played fine without cutting out! Can anyone explain why this would be? Does it mean there is a fault on the AV3 of the Loewe or is my DVD player not capable of outputting the YUV Sync on the Composite Video Out (there is no provision to specify a Sync signal in the DVD player's setup menu)? I've tried the 2001 disc via RGB output on both the Loewe and another TV and it also plays fine throughout.

So - any ideas what could be going on?

Thanks.

** UPDATE **

I've definately narrowed the problem down to the Sync on CVBS input. Sync on Y works perfect. Sync on CVBS has no problme with Region 2 Pal DVD's. It may be an NTSC Region 1 issue but I'll have to play some Region 1 DVD's through some more to be sure. At the moment, the problem is confined to 2001: A Space Odyssey. Is this making any more sense?

Have you tried the third YUV option, auto...(something I dont recall), thats what I use with my Chord SCART...

[groundy]

I don't seem to have an Auto YUV option. The complete list of input types on my AV3 are as follows:

Autom. - CVBS/YC
CVBS
YC
YUV (Sync From CVBS)
YUV (Sync From Y)
RGB

Are you referring to the first option? If so, I had assumed this would only be automatic switching between CVBS (Composite) and YC (S-Video)? Is this what you have yours set to?

Can anyone suggest a reason as to why Sync From CVBS should be producing picture cutout only on NTSC (Region 1) DVD's? I've just tried Jurassic park Region 1 and the picture also cutout until I changed to YUV with Sync on Y. Does anyone know of a particular issue with Sync on CVBS and NTSC material? Could it be as simple as a faulty cable?

[akash]

do a search fopr my previous threads on loewes and arcam.
the problem seems to be your composite output on your dvd player. it may be sending out the correct signal
also make sure that you video detect set to auto on both the TV and your dvd player

[Skid Solo]

I have had a similar problem, with 3 region 1 disks and the following kit, Loewe Vitros, Pioneer DV545 (modified by Sevenoaks), RGB connection via QED cable.

I loose the picture at random points, just for a few a fraction of a second normally, but occasionally this will last for over a second and the no signal box is displayed on the Vitros. This happens on both Gladiator and Lethal weapon 4 on Region 1 disks. Strangely I can hear the sound from the movie just not see the picture. The QED cable is for pictures only and does not carry sound, so sound is via coaxial cable to 3802

I have also noticed that the menu on region 1 The Rock Criterion edition disk 2 does not appear. Its still there as I can select things that will then play normally, I just get the no signal display on the Vitros where the menu should be, again I can hear sound.

Its not a problem with the disks as they work fine on my Toshiba player connected to a portable TV, even the menu on the Rock appears

I am on my second DV545, with the same problem, I don’t really want to have to take the TV back to Sevenoaks unless I have to, not the easiest thing to move.

Any ideas anybody ?

The "Autom..." setting also picks up YUV, even if it is not explicit, I have the FMJ27 set to component, use a Chord RGB SCART, only connects RGB, YUV and composite for sync, and the TV set to "autom..." and it works fine...

This was the dealers sujestion...

[ReTrO]

The reason that it works with sync of Y is because the componet video sycn signal is carried in the Y. This menas that you do not need an extra 4th sync channel, unlike RGB (most commonly, though even this will work with sync of G at times).

[groundy]

Thanks for all the replies though I'm still at a loss as to what exactly is causing the problem

LOWRIDER:

I tried the Autom. - CVBS/YC setting on the Loewe AV3 but it definately did not detect any kind of YUV signal. It was displaying a CVBS composite video signal obviously from the Sync phono connection. The picture quality drop was immediatly evident so it was easy to tell that the TV was only outputting Composite using the Autom. setting. I double checked this by explicitly selecting the CVBS setting and the picture was exactly the same as on Autom. If I were you, I would put a DVD on and switch between Autom and the two YUV options as I suspect your Chord RGB Scart is displaying a CVBS Composite signal via the Scart sync pins and not YUV. I may be wrong though this was definately the case on my Aconda.

ReTrO:

I realise I don't actually need to use the Sync on CVBS setting as Sync is fine being carried in the Y. I can't notice any difference in picture quality between the two methods but was just wondering why the Sync on CVBS method was producing the aforementioned problems. I assume it should work.

Akash:

Thanks again for you help. AV3 is set to auto in terms of Pal, NTSC etc. and the DVD player auto outputs PAL or pure NTSC (it does not allow for Pal 60). I have tried matching the TV to NTSC when playing an NTSC DVD but it makes no difference. As you say, the problem sounds like it is to do with the DVD players Composite Output. I've discovered the picture also cuts out on PAL DVD's using the Sync on CVBS method.

So there you have it. Still at a loss but I'm off the opinion the DVD player is to blame.

Thanks again.

I stand corrected...

Called the lead engineer of Loewe´s dealer and told him what you said, he replied he is sure CVBS is component video, he has it written down...

So I changed to YUV and there was a slight improvement in colour and sharpness (wich I thought where already perfect)...

Thanks for your patiente with me, start the flogging... :o

[groundy]

So Lowrider - you're telling us you've been watching all your DVD's via Composite and thinking the picture quality was great?

All flogging aside though, it's an easy mistake to make, especially if a lead engineer told you CVBS was Component!!

It's surprising how good the Composite signal on the Loewe is when watching DVD with a good quality cable. I'm sure you'll appreciate the difference of Component now that you have it configured properly though.

Groundy, did you ever discover the source of the problem? I've noticed the exact same problems with Gladiator (R1) whether the DVD's connected via RGB or YUV (Sync From Y)..

Cheers!

[groundy]

Never discovered what the problem was. I just resorted to watching DVD's via YUV with Sync on Y. I've had no such problems using this method, whether it be R1 or R2 DVD's.

If you're only having problems with one disc then I would consider the disc to be at fault. Have you tried other Gladiator DVD's?

[Skid Solo]

I resolved problem on Galdiator R1 by chaning to Autom. - CVBS/YC rather than RGB, All DVD's play fine now.

However when using PS2 via DV545 I have to revert back to RBG,I assuem as the RGB enabled signal is not being sent via the PS2 though the DV545

Hope this helps

I now use YUV with sync on CVBS, and it works fine...