Help (TV/VCR question)

[Star of Penumbra]

On certain channels, the sound doesn't work. I have to watch TV through the VCR because apparently something broke or came loose somewhere, and I can't figure out how to fix it so I don't need the VCR (that's not the main question, though I'd appreciate it if somebody could help with this too).

Recently, the sound on a couple channels stopped working, either altogether or by switching to the secondary channel that keeps repeating the message that that it's done so and to switch to English/ normal audio on my TV or sattelite system (I don't have the latter). I can't figure out what the problem is. Since this happens on some channels and not others, I'm assuming that it's the station's fault and not mine.

Help?

 

[Weird Harold]

...to switch to English/ normal audio on my TV or sattelite system (I don't have the latter). I can't figure out what the problem is. Since this happens on some channels and not others, I'm assuming that it's the station's fault and not mine.

Check your TV's setup menu to see if you have it set to SAP (Second Audio Program) instead of Stereo.

Not all stations broadcast a SAP signal, so that would explain why it happens onsome stations and not on others. The SAP decoder in your TV may have gone bad which is why you get no sound instead of a spanish language dubbing.

Your VCR doesn't encode it's output with SAP so that's why it works through the VCR and not the TV tuner.

 

[Star of Penumbra]

Re: Re: Help (TV/VCR question)

Check your TV's setup menu to see if you have it set to SAP (Second Audio Program) instead of Stereo.

I tried that. I can't do it because I lost the original remote a long time ago and now I use a universal. Even thought the menu button works, I can't do anything with it because the universal lacks the requisite arrow buttons.

Not all stations broadcast a SAP signal, so that would explain why it happens on some stations and not on others. The SAP decoder in your TV may have gone bad which is why you get no sound instead of a spanish language dubbing.

Well, crap.

Your VCR doesn't encode it's output with SAP so that's why it works through the VCR and not the TV tuner.

That would explain something I discovered shortly after the original post. On the stations that the sound doens't work on, it works fine if I set the TV/VCR switch to VCR. Of course, thenI get a bunch of static and can barely see the picture.

Also, the sound has been erratic. One one of the channels the sound is now working fine, and on another, I can get the SAP with the TV/VCR switch on TV, and both on VCR.

I'm hoping this is something I can fix myself or that will work itself out, since I'm broke and nobody's hiring.

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Re: Re: Help (TV/VCR question)

I tried that. I can't do it because I lost the original remote a long time ago and now I use a universal. Even thought the menu button works, I can't do anything with it because the universal lacks the requisite arrow buttons.

There should be a "menu" button on the TV itself and secondary markings next to the channel buttons and volume buttons on the TV.

On most tvs, the channel buttons substitute for up/down arrows and volume substitutes for left/right arrows whenthe onscreenmenu function is engaged.

The volume and channel buttons onthe remote might work the same way, but the buttons onthe TV almost surely do.


What brand and model TV do you have? (The info is on a "data plate" on the back of the TV, although it might be molded into the case rather than a separate plate or sticker.)

 

[Lust Engine]

Worst case scenario is you end up contacting the manufacturer for another copy of your owners' manual.

Or even another sneaky thought would be to check on eBay, see who's selling YOUR exact model, see if they still have the manuals, slide them some extra cash to make a copy of it prior to them selling it and hopefully you can get the owners' manual info you need in order to figure out the problem. Good luck.

 

[Weird Harold]

Worst case scenario is you end up contacting the manufacturer for another copy of your owners' manual.

That's why I asked about brand & model. Withthe brand and model, Google can usually find and online copy of the owners manual and pictures of the controls.