HDMI Trouble

limashaynut

I am having some trouble with my HT, and I blelieve it can be traced either to the HDMI or the Directv reciever itself. The list of my equipment is in my signature, the following is how it is hooked up.

Directv HD receiver---HDMI---Denon 3806---HDMI---Sony TV

Directv HD receiver---Component---Sony TV

Sony DVD---HDMI---Denon 3806---HDMI---Sony TV

Sony DVDR---Composite---Denon 3806---HDMI---Sony TV

JVC VHS---Composite---Denon 3806---HDMI---Sony TV

This is how everything is hooked up, and I use the Denon to 'upconvert' and feed all of the signals to the TV by way of HDMI cable. The only exception to this is that I do have a extra connection to the TV from the HD receiver that is made by the component output from the HD receiver. I have not used this however untill now, previously I had always watched the TV (Directv) throught the HDMI connection.

While there had been a couple of times that the HDMI feed had been a little 'bitchy', I never really had any problems with it. Every so often it would seem to not want to feed the signal, but turning it off and back on, or switching the source on the Denon, and then back to the HD receiver feed would always clear it up.

Well now I can not feed a signal from the HD receiver to the TV by HDMI at all, every time you do, the HD receiver begins to restart. The lights for the resolution on the front of the HD receiver will flash through several times, and then it will try to reset itself, like it was just starting up during the initial installation.

Everything else works just fine, and all other sources WILL feed to the TV by HDMI. Also the HD receiver will work fine when you switch the TV over to the Component feed and watch it that way.

I hope all of that makes sense, in a nutshell, everything works except the 'interaction' of the HDMI from the HD receiver to the TV. What do you think? Any ideas?

As I understand it, there is copyright software that is used with HDMI applications so that digital copys can not be made.
I can only see three things that could have a problem (in this order)...
HD receiver
Deonon 3806
Sony TV

limashaynut

Come on, no one has any ideas?

okiepolkie

If I read everything right, everything works fine throught the receiver to the television, except the sat receiver. Since this is the case, I would guess it would be a problem with the satelite receiver.

unc2701

yep looks lie the Sat has decided that it doesn't trust your denon. I believe that they can encode in the signal what devices they "trust" and somehow your denon is off the list, but I'd try a direct HDMI to the TV to test this out.

mantis

Right now hardly any Dss receiver or Cablebox will pass though any receiver HDMI video switching. Shame 2 as I have run into this so many times. We stopped selling HDMI switching until all the companies decide to play nice together. THe New Comcast Motorla HDMI series 2 is suppost to pass but I have had no such luck. Most DVD players will pass.

You should run any HDMI or DVI sources directly to the Monitor/Projector/Plasma etc.

THe safest way to do video switching is Component. This is a great way to get it done and the video quality alot of times is better due to the source doing a better job processing the signal then the Monitor.

It's the damn Industry never agreeing on one way to do things. This is why we have a thousand different connections and ways to wire one system. HDMI should be the future with a one connection digital for everything. I pprey for the day they get that to do. Actually only the Idea of HDMI do I perfer. DVI was a way better connection with the computer design connection. You can screw in the connection without it falling out. HDMI with the higher end heavier cables , if you move it the wrong way, it falls the hell out. S-video all over again.

Dan

Willow

I would say the HD receiver, I would also try hooking up the receiver directly with the TV via HDMI.
All this hype about DVI/HDMI...seems nothing but troubles, I tried it and I prefer component over it, call me old fashion.....

limashaynut

Thanks for the feedback, I am going to try all of these sugestions, but just have not had a chance to do so yet. I am also going to bring another HD receiver over from my fathers house to try as well. My gut feeling is that the problem is with the Directv HD receiver itself, the reason I believe this is that it keeps tryinng to reset itself, and download info for startup, as if you were just hooking it up for the first time. BTW, the same set up that is now giving me problems now, has worked just fine for months previous to now, it only started this a couple of days ago, something has changed.

LuSh

The reason you're having problems is simple. As it stands right now any receiver that does HDMI switching and or upconversion uses HDMI/HDCP protcol 1.1, most digital satelite/cable boxes use 1.0. HDMI is not backwards compatible. An HDMI repeater (your Denon) needs a 1.1 HDMI link to it in order to work. If a source is 1.0 it won't acknowledge the signal. You might find your see "HDCP protcol Error" displayed on the TV itself.

This problem will worsen further as HDMI 1.2 and 1.3 are around the corner and none of the version's will be backwards compatible. Firmware is out of the question because the entire chipset has to be replaced in most cases. Your display device has no repeater function therefore it can communicate to your source with no problems. HDMI/HDCP is an industry NIGHTMARE and if people knew the real reasons as to why it was created they'd throw the idea out entirely. Having said that you can run component video in from sources and if your receiver upconverts or upscales then you can run a single HDMI wire out to your TV in order to cut down on the wires. This is a benefit for custom installers.

I hope this helps you understand.

limashaynut

Last night I got home ready to trace down the problem with my HDMI feed from the HD receiver. I had planned on switching the HDMI around so that it would go straight from the HD receiver to the TV. I also had one of my fathers HD receivers to switch out with mine, this way I could tell if it was only mine that was not working properly.

Low and behold, I turned on my HT, and the feed from my HD receiver via HDMI was now working perfectly. I tried turning everything on and off, switching sources, channels, ect., to see if I could get it to malfunction as before, but it worked perfectly. I ended up leaving well enough alone, and did NOT switch anything out, or change any of the HDMI hookups.

Remember, my setup had worked just fine since November, and only went on the blink two days ago. During those two days, nothing I did could get it to feed a signal via HDMI to the HDMI input on the TV. The HD receiver would try and reset itself every time you turned on that input. Now out of the blue, everything is working as it did before.

I guess I will not look a gift horse in the mouth!

BTW: Thanks to all who gave me some feedback.