Toshiba HD-A1 HDMI Issue

MattFilion · 05-14-2006, 09:28 AM

I bought the HD-A1 yesterday and tried hooking it up to my Samsung HLS5686 TV and I am not able to get a signal through the HDMI Interface. I get a signal through component video and my HD Cable box works fine with the HDMI interface.
Has anyone else experienced this problem with either this DVD player or TV?

Michael Cucka · 05-14-2006, 09:43 AM

Not really a problem, but an annoyance...

The player defaults to component output when first setup - you need to change the output to HDMI thru the remote - then all will be well!

MattFilion · 05-14-2006, 12:37 PM

I have done that via the "v. output" button and I am still not getting a signal. I have used three different HDMI cables and still no luck. As noted in the original post, the TV gets a signal via HDMI from my cable box so there is something screwy with the HDMI signal from the DVD Player. I have read people having similar problems when hooking up HDMI to DVI cables and they have to keep switching from Component to HDMI on the DVD player to get a signal. I have tried this and it did not work. The weird thing is when I unplug the HDMI and plug it back in the TV will start searching for a signal but eventually notes that no signal was found.

Rob_HD · 05-15-2006, 06:07 AM

Leave the TV on, then power the A1 on.

If you are sure that you have HDMI output selected, you can also pop a disc in the tray.

To test if HDMI is selected - turn off the display - you should then see "HDMI Error 1" on the front of the A1, since it can no longer see the display's HDMI interface, and so is reporting no HDMI display is present.

Once you have picture working over HDMI, make sure that you are using 1080i as your output, for best results.

MattFilion · 05-15-2006, 07:22 AM

Rob HD,

I did what you noted with the following results:

Before I turn the DVD player on, I can only select Component 1, and Component 2 sources on my TV since I have the DVD player and an Xbox hooked up to those interfaces at all times via the Component jacks. Once the DVD player was turned on, the HDMI 1 became a selectable source on the TV as well.
I made sure that "HDMI" appeared on the front panel of the DVD player and then put a DVD and started to play it. The TV went from "No Signal" to "Not Supported Format" to "Searching for Signal" and then finally to "No Signal" again.
I turned the TV off but left the DVD player on and did not get an HDMI error message on the DVD Player.
My biggest concern is that the Toshiba is not compatible with my Samsung TV. Have you heard anything that would confirm this?

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Michael TLV · 05-15-2006, 09:32 AM

Greetings

May very well be a Catch 22 scenario you have there. Player needs to see an active hdmi signal at the start ... to work ... TV needs to see an HDMI signal at the start to work ...

Contact Samsung about the issue ... and Toshiba. See what they say ...

REgards

MattFilion · 05-15-2006, 03:07 PM

As usual, Toshiba Tech support is useless. The first comment I received was "wow this unit has alot of wires". They have no idea what the problem might be.
I did find out that the DVD player's HDMI is version 1.1 and the TV's is version 1.2. Could this be the issue? If it is, how do you get around this?

Phil Menard · 05-15-2006, 07:46 PM

I had to be patient and use the remote as Michael suggested first time out. I use the Samsung HLR5668 with the Toshiba via HDMI (only) and it works flawlessly now. My Samsung "sees" all inputs that are connected whether they are on or not. And the Samsung will display the equivalent of "not connected" when the Toshiba switches between HD-DVD and standard DVD, but is perfectly fine after a second or two.

Steve Schaffer · 05-15-2006, 09:16 PM

I called Toshiba tech support on an unrelated issue (I had a question about the ethernet connection) and had a good experience--got a real human being on the first try who transferred me to an HD-A1 specialist who picked up after only 20 seconds on hold. After resolving my question I asked about firmware updates and was told the primary thing they were working on was the HDMI handshake.

MattFilion · 05-15-2006, 10:52 PM

Cannot say that I had the same experience. The people I spoke to had no clue what the issue could be. I am sure they are busy with the HDMI issues because 90% of the problem posts have been about it. Most people have been able to resolve it but me. I am starting to feel like there is something really obvious that I am missing.
After doing everything everyone has told me to do I still don't get a singal. I have done the following with the noted results:

1. Swtiched from HDMI to component on the remote via the v. output button about 20 times and finally let it stay on HDMI.
Result: The "no signal" message on my TV never changed.

2. Unplugged my HDMI cable from the DVD player and plugged it back in (approx. 10 times):
Result: Everytime I uplugged it I got a "check signal cable" and when I plugged it back in I got a "searching for signal" and then eventually a "no signal" message.
3. I unplugged the TV and the DVD player, hooked up the HDMI to both and then plugged both units back in.
Result: No Signal
4. I turned the TV and or DVD player on/off several time.
Result: Each time the TV would search for a signal but still "No Signal".

5. Used three different HDMI cables.
Result: No signal.

As you can tell I am really trying to make this work but I am to the point that this unit should not be this tricky to just get a signal. Given the price of quality HDMI cables I cannot believe they are so difficult to work with. I was thinking about just being content with component but that rules out up converting old DVD's.
I am going to take the unit back to the store tomorrow and try and hook it up to my same model TV there and see what happens.

If anyone else can think of anything let me know.

Ryan-G · 05-16-2006, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattFilion

As usual, Toshiba Tech support is useless. The first comment I received was "wow this unit has alot of wires".

Is this like the HTF's version of "Famous Last Words"? Definitely ranks up there for one of the funniest things I've read in a while.