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Not your typical Xbox problem

The Otaku SuppositoryThe Otaku Suppository BawstanNew EnglandRegistered User regular
edited December 2008 in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
So I seem to be encountering a rather strange problem with my Xbox. I have audio clear as a bell. But no video. Whatsoever. I noticed last night that certain parts of CoD weren't rendering right. Like watching a video camera trying to record at night. Anyway, I unplugged everything and I mean everything and let it sit a while. I plugged everything back and tried again. Still no video, only video. I tried with both a disc in the tray and an empty tray.

I'm tempted to blame the AV cable. But I wanted to get some outside opinion. If the TV had a faulty video input I assume the TV wouldn't show a picture if I turned it to cable tv right? I wish I had another device to test this with like a DVD player but I don't.

So I guess the big question is, has anyone ever had their AV cable crap out on their Xbox? This is the first time I've ever heard of something like this if that is in fact the case.

The Otaku Suppository on

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    ZackSchillingZackSchilling Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    First some info is needed. How did you connect? I'll assume not SCART or VGA. So was it:

    Composite: The yellow jack.
    or
    Component: The red/green/blue jacks

    Have you checked the HDTV/TV switch on the cable?

    And this statement: "Like watching a video camera trying to record at night". What does that mean? Like night vision, everything was green, or like video noise, there were randomly colored pixels shimmering across the screen? Missing polygons? Black or white boxy snow? Help us help you.

    My best guess is that it's not the cable, but who knows, you didn't give enough info.

    ZackSchilling on
    ghost-robot.jpg
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    ElJeffeElJeffe Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited November 2008
    SOP for debugging this sort of thing:

    If you have multiple inputs on the TV of that type, try them all in turn. If it's the same problem consistently, it's not the input on the TV.

    If you have another means of connecting the 360 (composite instead of component, etc), try that. If the problem persists, it's not the cable.

    If you can, plug your 360 into a different TV. If the problem persists, it's not the TV.

    And so on. Narrow down the source of the problem. Then we can help you better.

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
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    The Otaku SuppositoryThe Otaku Suppository Bawstan New EnglandRegistered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Yeah sorry I guess I should've given more info.

    It is composite (the yellow jack), I checked the HD/TV switch and it is correctly set to TV (I've had this thing for over a year so I don't know how it would have changed anyway) and what I meant by my statement was that darker colors seemed to be rendering as green and darker shades of green. With very grainy textures. I turned it off at that point, but judging by what I've read I prolly would have seen missing polygons and black and white dots start to appear as well.

    I tried all the inputs on the TV so I think it is safe to say it is not the TV. I don't have another means of connecting it nor do I have another TV.

    I'm pretty sure now it's not the cable. In fact it would seem the GPU is fried. Which is great because there are no red rings and Microsoft's 3 year warranty only covers red-ring issues.

    The Otaku Suppository on
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    NovaRevNovaRev Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I would guess that the GPU has fried as well. I had pretty much the exact same problem with my 360 and my first thought was also that the AV cable was bad, but after trying a couple different cables and inputs on the TV it became clear that the problem was with the 360 itself. Which was super-awesome, because I had just received it back from Microsoft (it had broken with the three red lights issue) a whole week earlier. :x

    Luckily I was still under warranty as the thing had only managed to last a week, but it sounds like you're not anymore. I hope you can get Microsoft to waive a repair fee, because this is clearly an issue of bad hardware.

    NovaRev on
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    ZackSchillingZackSchilling Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    You could always do the towel trick.

    1.) Remove your HD.
    2.) Start up a game with a 3D intro sequence, something that will get the console really cookin'.
    3.) Wrap entire console in a thick towel or blanket.
    4.) Red ring
    5.) ???
    6.) Profit!
    This is warranty fraud and a terrible idea that may burn down your home.

    ZackSchilling on
    ghost-robot.jpg
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    ben0207ben0207 Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I didn't even need a game in there to fix mine, so I doubt you need to one to break it :)

    ben0207 on
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    lilBlilB Registered User regular
    edited December 2008
    ZackSchilling wrote: »
    You could always do the towel trick.

    1.) Remove your HD.
    2.) Start up a game with a 3D intro sequence, something that will get the console really cookin'.
    3.) Wrap entire console in a thick towel or blanket.
    4.) Red ring
    5.) ???
    6.) Profit!
    This is warranty fraud and a terrible idea that may burn down your home.

    lol... Underpants Gnomes!

    But seriously, Cook it. Put it in a coffin. Mail it out.

    lilB on
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