It looks like we have two people today that are having problems resulting from the same source; cables. A faulty cable or connection can do all kinds of weird things to your set. So keep that in mind the next time you have a video related problem that’s isolated on a particular player.

Have a question about DVD’s, Blu-rays or anything regarding home theaters? Send in your questions to:dvddoctor@joblo.com

Dear dvddoctor, After seeking answers to a question for many months including calling the manufacture’s I was hoping you may be able to answer my question. Having had the Xbox 360 HD-DVD add on for some time I decided to upgrade my TV to the Philips 42PFL7603D as I was getting screen judder from my 3 year old Toshiba LCD TV, I assumed because the screen was not 24hz compatible which I believe is the rate that HD-DVD’s and Blu-ray use. Having bought the new TV and really loving it I have noticed that I still seem to get screen judder although not to the extent that I used too, I not sure if it is something to do with the Xbox 360’s Hz output rate for 24hz films although upscaled DVD’s also judder or what it is. The Xbox 360 does not have an option to change the output Hz but I thought I would be covered as the TV supports 1080p 24HZ, 25Hz, 30Hz, 50Hz and 60Hz. As HD-DVD lost the format war and I’m loving HD content I’m thinking or Blu-ray but will I still suffer these judder issues as they are driving me crazy and in the end will probably put me off in adopting the format (other than region-coding). In anticipation of your response - Neil

In keeping with Occam ’s razor; make sure your video cable is connected properly and tightly. If so, then it looks like there’s a problem with your connection. It’s rare that a screen judder comes from the source of the video (a player or game system) and even more rare that it’s coming from the display. The first thing I would do is replace the cable. The cables that come with all video game systems are pretty cheap anyway, so if they get kinked, or if the connector gets loose, it can cause all kinds of problems with your display. If you do that and it doesn’t work, check the input and output connections on your TV and system. If they’re cracked or scratched, it will cause problems. The HZ measurement on players or TV’s wouldn’t cause a judder unless there was a drastic difference, which there isn’t with your X-Box and TV. If you replace your cables, check the connections and you still see the screen judder, you may have something askew within your player. Unfortunately, fixing those problems can sometimes cost more than replacing the whole unit.

Hi guys, I love these columns btw. They’re the only informative blog on dvds and blu rays I’ve found lately. Several months ago I purchased a Sharp blu ray player on Ebay, It was used but honestly, it was such a good deal. It works fine, the blu rays I play on it look great. My only complaint is that a thin line will scroll down the screen. It lasts for less than a minute, and happens every ten minutes or so. It bothered me in the beginning but now I’m used to it. I bought that maxwell blu ray cleaner and it didn’t really work. And Sharp was completely useless on customer support. Any suggestions? I can’t return it. But I’m happy to have gotten a blu ray player at half it’s retail price. I’ve thought of just buying another player when they’re cheaper and just selling this one down the line. Thanks again. Jan marc Q

Much like Neil up above, you have a cable problem. I had this exact thing several years ago where a thin, black line would appear in the middle of my screen. It turned out that the video cable I was using was internally damaged and I didn’t know it. So whatever video cable you’re using, replace it. It doesn’t have to be an expensive cable, just get a clean one that’s never been used. If there’s a problem with one of your connectors, try using a different video source (use HDMI instead of Component, or vice versa).