The Bush BDVD 8310 was a peculiar beast—a hybrid device that functioned as a DVD player, a digital TV receiver, and a basic smart media hub. It was cost-effective but notoriously finicky about input sources. Because it wasn't a full Windows PC, Mrs. Higgins couldn't just "install drivers" or "reboot Windows." She had likely switched the input source to a mode that wasn't receiving a signal, causing the screen to sleep.
Most users never read deep enough to find these. Here are three "Easter eggs" from the Bush BDVD 8310 manual: Bush Bdvd 8310 User Manual
Getting Started with the Bush BDVD8310 : A User's Guide The Bush BDVD8310 The Bush BDVD 8310 was a peculiar beast—a
Stops playback; press twice to reset the disc to the beginning. a digital TV receiver