# Solved: Hum on TV from DVD player



## topazbest (Aug 25, 2003)

Purchased a new dvd player...it hooks up to flat screen with av cables...tv gives load hum at low volume when dvd engaged. How do I fix this?


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## cwwozniak (Nov 29, 2005)

topazbest said:


> with av cables


Do you mean basic left and right channel analog audio and some kind of analog video cables?



topazbest said:


> load hum


Did you mean loud hum?



topazbest said:


> when dvd engaged


Do you mean that you get the hum as soon as you select the DVD player on the TV or only when there is a DVD actually playing?

Are the player and TV running from the same AC mains outlet or outlet strip? If not, try to test them from the same outlet or outlet strip.

If the TV or player do not have a polarized (can only plug in one way) power plugs, try reversing one of them.


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## topazbest (Aug 25, 2003)

They hook to tv with the MINI plugs supplied by dvd player ( yellow, white, and red.). Loud hum commences when the DVD player is turned on, before the DVD even plays.At low volume, the hum is very noticeable on the TV. I tried plugging the dvd player into a different outlet, but still have the loud hum?


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## cwwozniak (Nov 29, 2005)

Try turning on the player with just the yellow plugs connected between the player and TV. If there is no hum, I would suspect the electronics in the player is faulty.


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## topazbest (Aug 25, 2003)

OK....with just the yellow plugs connected, there is no hum....Whats the workaround on this? This is a brand new player...anything low tech, like wrapping in Tin foil...kinda wits end. Hate to junk a new player because of hum...


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## cwwozniak (Nov 29, 2005)

One last test would be to connect the red and white (right and left audio channels) plugs of the cable to the TV, but leave them disconnected at the DVD player. If there is no hum, the hum is most likely coming from the audio jack outputs of player. A bad power supply in the player could be the culprit.

If it is a new player, shouldn't it have some type of warranty?


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

If you're lucky it's just the RCA cable. Try replacing it with another one. 

These cables are actually pretty lower end of market production. The male center ring of any of their plugs can easily touch the female shield ring there, the moment you make connection. That causes the hum on the audio side.

There's RCA cables and RCA cables and the really cheap ones are prone to be most troublesome, oftennot fitting properly and having poor contact points.

I got around that issue once (before dishing out for a new better quality one) by tweaking the connections, i.e. pushing the plugs not all the way in but just to the point of getting audio and not yet getting hum. But it's annoying and troublesome since, having to consider both ends of source and receiver, you sometimes fiddle four of them and i'lll be the last one that's the culprit.

If this doesn't resolve it but if your TV didn't show that problem with the same cable and some other input source, the fault lies with the DVD player. That could, as Chuck suggests, be due to a faulty power supply in there, a bad ground loop or simply it being equipped with equally bad contact RCA sockets.

at which point it's time to take it back if you still can.


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## topazbest (Aug 25, 2003)

Found an interesting workaround...albeit not a perfect solution. I connected only the yellow and white cables and left the red cable disconnected. NO HUM...just guessing this operates at mono and maybe lost any stereo effect...but sound is fine. Thoughts..?.and thanks again for the time!!


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## cwwozniak (Nov 29, 2005)

The red cable is typically the right audio channel, so you are only getting the left channel sound. This may cause some strange audio issues for some scenes being played and someone is talking mostly through the right channel. You may barely hear them. You may want to check if the DVD player has a mono audio playback mode.

Is there any reason you are not considering a warranty repair or replacement if the player is new?


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## buffoon (Jul 16, 2008)

.............and you might try connecting (just) the red plugs exactly where the white ones now are (red to white, both sides). If you get the hum then, it's the cable (red=right channel).


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## topazbest (Aug 25, 2003)

The player is a black Friday....$9.00. So looks like one of those " disposable" units. Thanks for the help...


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