TV in black & white only

[lrw]

Hi Fellow Airstreamers,
This year TV screen comes up in black & white (not color) when we tried out a DVD. Will check it further tomorrow, but your expertise could save some frustration I'm sure.

[NJtoNC]

is it a vintage unit? vintage tv?

[SteveSueMac]

Hi there. The movie itself isn't black and white is it? I think I have a copy of Young Frankenstein in the Airstream - pure black and white.

Does the TV show color on cable or antenna channels?

[DKB_SATX]

Is the DVD connected to the TV using a component video cable?

[lrw]

Our unit is a 2007 Classic. The movie we tried was one of the Planet Earth series that is for sure color. We hooked the TV wires up matching the colors, but this is our first time doing it. We purchased this unit in Aug and had to take it in for recall work and thought it best to leave the TV at home. We're hoping to get out on our first ever camping trip in June.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by lrw

Our unit is a 2007 Classic. The movie we tried was one of the Planet Earth series that is for sure color. We hooked the TV wires up matching the colors, but this is our first time doing it. We purchased this unit in Aug and had to take it in for recall work and thought it best to leave the TV at home. We're hoping to get out on our first ever camping trip in June.

Assuming the wires are connected correctly (red/green/blue video, plus stereo audio), then the next thing to check is the setup menu on the television; it's possible that some setting or combination of settings causes the picture to look monochrome. My guess would be probably color saturation is zeroed out. Try doing a reset to return the television settings to factory default— there should be a menu option for that in the setup menu. That should return color saturation to normal levels.

[SVolk]

I have the same issue. I switched to a newer TV so I could get digital signal from the antenna. I didn't change anything else and I am certain the cables are connected correctly. I get color picture from the antenna and cable hook up, but black and white from the DVD player. Any insights out there?

[SteveSueMac]

Any success yet?


I googled DVD black and white - there are several forums out there discussing the same thing.

Found 2 common answers:

1) PAL vs NTSC discs and-or setup options on the DVD player

2) component cable wiring (unless you're using an HDMI cable, in which case, try 1 above)

But there are many other possible causes. Try that at a google search and maybe there's something there for you?

Frustrating isn't it? Hopefully something simple!

[NashBuff]

I just recently upgraded my TV as well. If yours is similar you have 5 cords to attach. The red and white ones that are together you will not use. They were for audio out which the new TV does not have.
The other 3 (yellow, red and white) yellow=green/yellow at bottom, red=red at top, white=white next down. You will not use blue and yellow in the middle.
Play DVD and go to source on TV choose AV. Should be good.
You lose the ability to use your stereo for TV and cable, etc. But DVDs will be good. Well worth it, in my opinion. Only other option is re-wire.

[AStreamNerds]

Since we don't know anything about the models of TV or DVD you have 4 main ways the cables could be connected.

1. Composite - yellow video cable probably labeled Video on the device

2. S-Video (looks kind of like a mouse connector to your PC) is hard to connect wrong but if the cable is damaged you could definitely only get black and white image.

3. Component - you have a Red cable, a Blue cable, and a Green cable. If the Blue cable is bad/disconnected you would have mostly red hues and if the Red cable is bad/disconnected you will have mostly blue hues. If both red and blue is not connected you will only have black and white image. If green is bad/disconnected you will have no picture at all.

4. HDMI - (probably not ran on a 2007 model). There is a multitude of ways the image could be if this is bad but mostly you will get no image.

Lots of times the Component cable also has a Red/White or Red/Black pair to go along with it for audio. Make sure you have not mixed the reds up - most times the video red is a little thicker than audio red...or the video cables (red/green/blue) are a grouped separate from the audio cables.

It could also be your DVD player - if you can access the rear make sure cables have not vibrated loose. If you can take it inside and test it on a different TV.

Finally, I think there is some sort of one-in/two-out amp that the cabling goes into from the DVD in order to be able to watch DVD on either TV. It could be there as well.

[lrw]

My husband figured it out how to get new TV in color, thanks to all the helpful comments.
Now he's trying to figure out how to get a bigger TV in there!! Geez.

[AStreamNerds]

Originally Posted by lrw

My husband figured it out how to get new TV in color, thanks to all the helpful comments.
Now he's trying to figure out how to get a bigger TV in there!! Geez.

What was the issue?