[prepress]

This is strange. I have a DVDO iScan Duo VP, which I've been using for a few years. Four sources plug into it (cable box, LD, two BD players). The system is plugged into two Furman units: the Elite-15PFi and the SPR-20i; the Elite is plugged into the SPR, so everything is either plugged into the Elite or into the SPR directly. Last night I'd removed the C2300 preamp from my setup to change out tubes. Having done that, I put the 2300 back. But when I plugged it in, I lost my cable feed immediately. I had a blank blue screen with no sound. No pops or noises, it just . . . happened.

I'd been watching the news and was listening to what was going on. Normally nothing is on when I do something like this, but I was engaged with the news. Whether turning things off would have mattered, I don't know. Now, the Duo doesn't recognize the cable box and back-up BD inputs (at least). I get the dreaded red LED, which means no signal. Oddly, the inputs with the main BD and LD players don't have a problem. I rebooted the VP, the back-up BDP and the cable box. No joy.

I may try a few more things, but I'm already thinking about replacing the Duo if I can't resolve things soon rather than try getting it fixed because replacing it is quicker. Though discontinued, it's still available. BUT, there's the Lumagen Radiance 2124/2144. Much more money, but it would offer 4K upscaling in case my Kuro dies and I go for a 4K TV. It's supposed to be better than the Duo, but not 2X plus as good I don't think.

What I wonder is what happened exactly. It seems to have been some sort of surge or feedback which tweaked the Duo VP when the 2300 was plugged in. I might have not plugged the 2300 into the same outlet it was in before; maybe the caps I put on the unused connections of the 2300 made a difference; I don't know. Does anyone have an idea?