When your system just stops working and if it looks like a cable problem, what's the best way to start troubleshooting - especially when you're a bit clueless about which cable goes where?
I wish I could offer better answers but the best I can think of right now is to disconnect it, take out all the cables and re-connect everything all over again.
If the whole thing's not turning on, check your power. If that doesn't help, then disconnect each component in turn, and see if you can isolate the problem area. If you have some spare good cables, then swap those cables in and if the problem goes away, swap the old ones back one at a time until you've isolated the bad cable. I'm kind of assuming you don't have a cable tester available.
Buy a cable tester, that's the quickest way. Swapping them into different ports is kind of senseless if something stopped working and you haven't touched the cords since the installation.
gofar99 Messages: 1955 Registered: May 2010 Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
Hi, The first clue is did both channels stop working. If so the it is a piece of equipment that stopped working. If only one channel is not working then try swapping things from right to left and see if the problem moves to the alternate channel when something is swapped. Just do one pair at a time though. For example both input cables from a phono. Both speaker sets. etc If everything stopped working then it may be as simple as a power cord (if it uses detachable ones) being loose or has come off. Possibly a fuse. Also it could be a bad outlet. Try plugging everything into another outlet.
IMO cables seldom fail without giving warning and like I said only in one channel at a time.
Buy a cable tester, that's the quickest way. Swapping them into different ports is kind of senseless if something stopped working and you haven't touched the cords since the installation.
I have never owned a cable tester and I think this is the right time to get one. It can be frustrating when a system isn't working and one is clueless.
Now that I think about it, a cable tester should have been my first idea too. I had a similar problem a couple of years ago and that's how I resolved it.
There are just some tools that you should never be without at home. A cable tester is one of them. It will save you tons of frustration when you're in a situation like this.
THanks for all your help guys. I managed to find out what the problem was, but in the future, I'm definitely getting a cable tester. Would have saved me lots of time.
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