On 28-Nov-2005, "miamicuse" wrote:

If I unplug the cable to the VHS player but plug it into the TV directly,
there is no current.

No current where? - at the TV or out of the short coax coming out of the
VCR? If the latter, it might be the current is coming in the cable from
outside. Otherwise, you might have a problem inside your VCR.

Try grounding the cable at the splitter - the case of the splitter should
be grounded so you just have to connect a line to a good ground. See if
that draws off the current you feel. It could be that the outside cable
is not at the same ground potential as your house. If you have wiring in
the attic that is grounded at a junction box or box for a switch, you could
attach to that - I don't know if that is acceptable as far as electrical
codes go, but would be suitable for a test. The power in the cable should
be pretty low, so codes might not be a problem - someone who knows will
probably chime in.

BTW - the other stuff you mentioned suggests it isn't a problem with
your electrical system and VCR/DVD/TV hardware having different polarities
or that your electrical outlets are wired backwards.

Mike