HDMI not working (1 Viewer)

[Steve!M]

We've been upgrading all our equipment lately. Samsung HP-R4252 plasma display, DirecTV HD DVR (looks just like the old Hughes, so I'm guessing it's also made by Hughes), and yesterday brought home a Denon AVR-3806. So far, 2 problems:

1) DVR -> HDMI -> receiver -> HDMI -> TV = no audio from receiver or TV. As far as I can tell, everything is configured correctly. I set the receiver to use the HDMI-1 input as the audio and video input for the DBS source. Now I forget where it is in the Denon's goofy menus, but there's a place to set the output to AMP or TV. Neither setting makes a difference. What could be wrong here?

2) Old Sony DVD using either the composite or S-video output (no component) connected to the receiver will result in incorrect colors. Reds come out yellow. I tried connecting the receiver to the TV with HDMI, component, and composite. Ideas?

I sure miss the old days when there was 1 option for audio connectivity and 1 option for video connectivity.

Some time later...

Hmm, after reading some other threads, it looks like the 3806 just ain't up to the task of doing everything it should be doing with HDMI. Looks like I should return it and either get a Yamaha now (I think the one that's $999 can do what I need) or wait for the 2807. Opinions?

 

[Shane Harg]

The problem with connecting cable and satellite boxes to receivers via HDMI is pretty well documented. It's not as much a problem with the receiver, it seems as it is with those goll-darned boxes. Now, I don't know where the problem lies in your case, but it will be even worse with the Yamaha, as you likely won't get picture OR sound depending on who the box you have is made by. Did you try connecting it via component and then going out via HDMI?

I have never heard of the problem you are having with the 3806 until now. You may just have a faulty receiver, although I wouldn't expect such from Denon. But the problem you are having with you DVD player certainly makes it suspect.

It is also unclear, as of yet, whether the 2807 will solve any of the HDMI woes people are having.

 

[BrianNorman]

I know that older hdmi connections didn't transmit audio. They were supposed to, but i think v1.1 fixed that. My friend has the HD tivo and has the same problem. But the picture looks great with the HDMI.

Thats why i am waiting til the new set of tivos come out from direct tv with their new system. All local channels will come down in high def instead of having to have an ext antenna. I can't wait for it.

 

[Robert_J]

Not always going to be true. Right now in the MPEG4 markets, D* is only carrying the big 4 networks. If you want WB, UPN, PAX or any of the independent digital channels you will still need an antenna. Even if D* starts carrying more local HD, the local channels may not always come to an agreement with D*. Also, D* is bit starving their signal and turning it into "HD Lite". To get the best picture an antenna will always be necessary.

-Robert

 

[Steve!M]

Rant:
Well, wouldn't it have been nice if they would've told me that at the store?! Idiots. When we first went to Circuit City many years ago, we were totally surprised at how knowledgeable the sales people were, after having so many bad experiences at Best Buy. These days though, CC is hiring the same slacker dorks that are usually found at BB.

More rant:
If it's true that HDMI on my DirecTV DVR doesn't transmit audio, then can anyone explain why they invented HDMI and put it into components if version 1.0 was only half baked? Can you imagine if the first FireWire hard drives could only write 1s but not 0s? The only sales would've been at huge superstores where the sales people con the customer into thinking that 0s are old news and 1s are the best. I spent the extra $99 for the insanely priced 1 meter Monster HDMI cable so I could run less cables between components and through the wall to the TV, not so I could run the same amount of cables as before and then go "oooooo, but doesn't the picture look better! Maybe. I can't tell."

Is this DVR (HR-10 250) considered "old"? I was given the impression that it was a pretty new item.

 

[Steve!M]

I can imagine. The skip forward (if you have the 30-second skip turned on) and backward bloops are a very pleasing part of the UI, as is the "you can't go further" timpani bong. TiVi perfected the UI and the feel and layout of the remote control.

 

[Charlie Campisi]

Quick correction. I'm sure Robert meant R15.

Steve!
The Hr10-250 is a great box. It has some limitations, but it does what it is supposed to do and does it well, albeit slowly sometimes. It is the newest, and probably the last, HD dvr, with tivo, for directv. My needs are the NFL in HD, so I am married to directv and an hd dvr presently. I also love tivo and am scared that the NFL will be in MPEG4 next year and I will have to switch to the NDS box, when it comes out. As Robert said, those who are used to tivo don't like it. Directv is still working out bugs and improving it, so there's hope that they get it right for the NDS HD dvr, but I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[BrianNorman]

Well since WB, and UPN don't broadcast in HD in AZ I have no worries about that, and PAX HA what a joke of channel. I mainly care about having the main networks so i can watch CSI, and Law and Order in HD. I am sure that by the time they actually release the new system Direct TV will make a new deal with TIVO.

 

[orestes]

Well I don't trust any sales person at any store to tell me what I should know before I go out and buy a new HDTV, or A/V Receiver. I do my homework first, which usually takes me a few months. Then, I think about all the new technology, and I don't buy any more the newest and greatest technology. For intance, take a look at what's happening with HDMI. Now you have two type of HDMIs Type-A and Type-B. Who knows if Type-C is being researched already? So if you bought a HDTV with HDMI Type-A, your unit is already obsolete.

It will be a few years before HDMI is ready for prime time. Thus, I stick with components for the time being. Who knows? Maybe when HDMI is a more mature technology, most people will be getting into UHDMI (or Universal-HDMI), which hasn't been invented yet, but it is the greatest and badest connection in the known and unknown Universe.

So do your homework before you buy anything these days, and make up your mind by writing down what you want before going to BB or CC or whatnot.

Regards,
orestes

HDMI TUTORIAL

http://www.pacificcable.com/HDMI_Tutorial.htm

 

[Charlie Campisi]

Huh? The new "system" is already in place. A number of markets are already getting their HD locals over the satellite via MPEG4 capable directv boxes. It'll probably be in 50 markets by the end of the Summer. They just don't have an HD dvr yet. The HD tivo will never be able to do MPEG4. And directv is not going to have a new agreement with tivo for an MPEG4 capable hd dvr, not when they are developing their own HD dvr, as Robert said. (Using the term "own" loosely since the actual company is NDS, another Murdoch entity.) Directv will continue to support the tivos that are in place, but they won't ever be able to decode the MPEG4 channels.

 

[Steve!M]

I don't trust a lot of what they say either ("this TV does 1280x1280", "I could hear the difference these Monster power conditioners make", etc.). As far as doing homework, well, we're impulse buyers. At least for the Samsung we looked at it once, went home and read reviews, then bought it a few weeks later. I'm also used to buying computer equipment, where the new technologies always work completely from the start, not half-baked like HDMI seems to be at this point.

We also went with an antenna for local channels rather than paying DirecTV for something we can get for free, and we won't lose them during storms (or at least I hope not).

So should I stick with the 3806? I still haven't figure out why the DVD video was the wrong color.

 

[Steve_Blazer]

I bought a 3806 and didnt even try the HDMI to cable box thing after I did some research.

Stuck with component instead.
The component to HDMI output seems to work great so I managed to free up some cables!

Everything else thats connected works fine.

I checked out the specs on the 2807 and it doesnt seem like theres anything hugely better than the 3806.
It actually has less power and lesser quality components.

It does have an iPod dock .. which only really means anything if you own an iPod I guess.

I would see if you can shake out the colour issue and accept the fact that no matter what equipment you buy, HDMI and cable boxes are going to be a pain in the ass.

 

[Steve!M]

The iPod dock might be useful for us, but then probably not. OK, so I might keep the 3806 then. I'll see if a neighbor will let me borrow a DVD player to see if the problem is with our DVD player. We've thought about getting a new one, but might wait until one of the new formats wins out over the other. Stupid industry. Standards are a good thing. The audio and video industries should try it some time.

 

[LanceJ]

More and more I'm realizing why Outlaw Audio decided to stick with DVI-only switching on their new receiver. And besides, small manufacturers like they can't afford to keep making hardware changes in their gear (and possibly paying additional licensing fees everytime they implement a change when another version appears).

As Steve alluded to, less selfishness and more long-term vision would help everybody in the HT biz.

And here's a plug for this neat receiver for the surround music fans out there: this is the only receiver (so far) that has analog AND digital bass management options for its 7.1 analog input. The analog option is especially important for hi-res sources because there are no additional analog > digital > analog conversion stages (with the digital stage very probably not being in a hi-res format). FYI: The analog option has a fixed 80Hz crossover point. Lastly, as someone who grew up with receiver power meters, I know a true 65watts/channel can get VERY loud (65 X 7, all channels driven) .

Back to the original thread............

 

[Steve!M]

I found the problem with the DVD being only yellow and blue; the Pr cable wasn't fully connected to the receiver. It looked like it was, but needed a little extra push. I was trying other combinations of hookups for everything today and noticed that DirecTV also looked that way. That's what made me check the cables again.

BTW, I'm able to get sound out of the DirecTV box by going straight to the TV via HDMI. It's when I put the receiver in the middle that the sound doesn't work. Weird. Like I've said before, I can't believe the lack of completeness of this stuff compared to computer stuff. It steams my bean.

 

[LanceJ]

While looking for other info, I found these two reviews about a new Sherwood with HDMI inputs, but it wasn't anything about the receiver that bummed me out. :frowning:

HDMI woes.:frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

It sounds like this guy was convinced by someone that HDMI was the ONLY good way to hook up a monitor to his player - how many other people have been pulling their hair out over this misguided advice? Heck for someone not really into 100% Perfect visuals and don't want to deal with lots of cables, I would tell them to use an S-video connection which is very close in quality to component IMO.

This is getting ridiculous. Plus, why won't manufacturers CLEARLY state how their receivers handle HDMI??? This issue is not isolated to Sherwood either.

 

[suckerforHD]

I had the same problems with my Pioneer VSX80TXV, not until I read in fine print on the website did I realize "HDMI pass through" meant no sound out of the reciever via HDMI...Why did they rush HDMI cables and receivers out if it was not perfected????

 

[Paul Beck]

The manufacturers are not forthcoming with information when you rely on "good faith". My TV is the HP MD6580N which gives a great picture.
I just upgraded from a Yamaha RX-V2600 to the RX-V2700 because of the additional HDMI input (3 instead of the 2 on the 2600). As a DVD addict, I own a Toshiba HDXA1 HD-DVD player; Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray player; Denon 2930ci DVD player; Harman Kardon DVD-47; Oppo 970HD; Panasonic S77 DVD Player.
I used the Sima VS-HD31 Switcher for the two High Definition players connected into one of the two inputs on the 2600 and a Monoprice HDMI HDX-501 switcher for the regular DVD players. All worked with the Yamaha RX-V2600.
How with the RX-V2700 I hooked them exactly as they were with the previous RX-V2600. VOILA! nothing with anything EXCEPT the Harman Kardon DVD-47 which passed through.
I contacted YAMAHA and received (in part): "With HDMI there must be a hand shake with all devices connecting with HDMI. The YAMAHA is acting as your HDMI switching device. But when you add an external switch to the receiver, the TV has to now try to obtain the video information from 2 switching devices...... Yes, HDMI 1.2a is a better version but with the improvement and newer version of HDMI, stricter security and copywrite applications were also added which may not recognize a switch to a switch."
So after sppending and additional $400.00 to get the upgrade, which does pass through the 1080p and upgraded sound, I am left with no a/v digital inputs for equipment that worked before.
They still can answer whey the Harman Kardon 47 works with the switch but the others don't. And they should show someplace that you cannot use additional switchers for other equipment. In my case it is DVD players - but what about cable boxes and other HDMI equipment that one might want to use in the digital domain?

 

[Paul_Dunlop]

Hi

I just setup my new receiver in a new house - Denon 2307
only HDMI run to the TV

When i connected my PVR sat box to the receiver through HDMI, I DID receive sound, but in analog only - no digital sound at all

I have since run an optical cable from the sat box to the receiver and set it to be used for TV - everything is working well now

I think there was a note in the receiver manual to the effect of HDMI being video only - you might want to check

I am still happy that I only have to run 2 cables to the TV from the receiver - power and hdmi

The receiver is converting everything for me very well