Sylvania SRCD227/Shuts off when video tape inserted?

Our Sylvania SRCD 227 has gone flukey. When a video (either blank or recorded) is inserted, it palys for a couple of seconds, ejects and then shuts off. We have read the owners manual 3 times looking for clues as to what, if anything is pre set to make this happen. The DVD works fine. Do you think it is a magnetism thing? We really are NOT looking forward to carrying this monster down 2 flights of stairs when in reality it is something that can be fixed by pushing some buttons.