Video Asylum

Posted by David Aiken (A) on November 17, 2007 at 13:03:51

In Reply to: RE: HDMI cable interface problems posted by Visitor on November 16, 2007 at 14:42:54

It sounds like a handshake problem.

You say "Sometimes when I turn both units on the system works and other times I have to unplug the Denon, remove the cable from the TV, turn the TV on and off or any combination of these things until it works."

Is there something different about the times when you turn both on and it works to when you turn both on and it doesn't work? Does the order in which you turn them on make a difference, or does the length of the time between turning one on and the other on make a difference? If you can identify a sequence and timing for successfully switching things on, you've got the problem licked and if you can get a universal remote which allows you to specify switch on order and delays, then you can program the turn on sequence to ensure that you get it right all of the time.

The other thing that may help is passing the HDMI signal through a receiver or switching device. I have a problem with a direct HDMI connection between my OTA set top box and my Loewe LCD TV. If I pass the signal direct, the Loewe does not pick up the audio though it does that quite happily from a different model set top box from the same manufacturer. If I connect the set top box to a receiver, the receiver happily takes the audio and that works fine for me since it allows me to use HDMI from my Denon 2910 DVD player also since the Loewe only has one HDMI input. I can also get the receiver to successfully pass the audio from the set top box to the TV via HDMI. So, putting a device like a receiver between your player and your TV may also solve the problem. Receivers are expensive but a simpler and cheaper device like a powered HDMI switching box might also solve the problem. You definitely want to try before you buy, whether that be a receiver or switching box.

If none of the above help, then the only remaining solution is the one that really makes you shudder and that's replacing either the player or the TV if you want to use HDMI.

Sadly handshake problems sometimes come down to the simple inability of 2 specific components to get along with each other. Each may work perfectly well with any other device you pair it with but one single combination can be a problem. That's what seems to be the case with my set top box and my TV. I'd been contemplating the receiver upgrade anyway and the fact that it solved that problem was simply another factor in its favour. I probably wouldn't buy a receiver just to solve the problem but I would consider a HDMI switching box if I couldn't find a reliable turn on sequence to solve the problem.



David Aiken