HDMI troubleshooting help

[bouche]

I recently picked up a Harman Kardon AVR 146 receiver and finally got the hdmi cables I needed to hook up my dvd player. Unfortunately, it doesn't process the HDMI signal, so I still need to connect up the digital audio separately. I'm not sure if the extra $200 is worth having true source switching. (any thoughts jaimoe? I still have the receipt!)

Anyway, I hooked the dvd up with the HDMI and I put in Battlestar Galatica. It worked! I was so happy because the last 2 weeks, I had been swapping component cables between dvd and digital cable.

However, when I went back to the dvd later, I was getting a flashing blue screen. So I tried the other HDMI cable and I'm getting the same thing.

What the hell is wrong with this picture? How do I troubleshoot this? Can an HDMI cable be incompatible? I'm really new to source switching and HDMI.

[Jared]

I had that happene when i got a new tv, and sound system, It was really easy to fix.

[bouche]

huh? how?

I just troubleshooted by plugging the hdmi into the digital cable pvr box and that works fine. so now I'm back on component with the dvd player. If I could get both working on hdmi, I wouldn't have to switch sources on the tv. Now I'm wondering, 'what is the point' unless I have a true HDMI processor.

someone has got to help me make up my mind on this receiver. I've got only a few days to decide to return it and get the other one. However, I don't understand the models.

IS the AVR 245 the next level of the same generation?

[d_rawk]

I had that happene when i got a new tv, and sound system, It was really easy to fix.

Thanks! That was super awesome helpful!

[Jared]

Maybe people would be more helpful, if the person asking for help hadn't refeard to me as a troll ,and went out of there way to insult me I'd be more then wiling to help. You never know when your going to need to ask someone for help.

pretty much, it cost me about $200 worht of HDMI and $300 of monster cables to figure out the problum, I was really throwning me off that it would work some times, then the next day not at all. I even tried calling Harman's tech support, and having hatatchi come out to my house before I relised how simple the problum was.

oh well good luck figuring it out

[Jaimoe]

Mike, go back to the store and tell them your problems. I could help if I was there. Hey, maybe I can do some digging and try to help you out next Friday at the bbq?

[bouche]

Maybe people would be more helpful, if the person asking for help hadn't refeard to me as a troll ,and went out of there way to insult me I'd be more then wiling to help. You never know when your going to need to ask someone for help.

pretty much, it cost me about $200 worht of HDMI and $300 of monster cables to figure out the problum, I was really throwning me off that it would work some times, then the next day not at all. I even tried calling Harman's tech support, and having hatatchi come out to my house before I relised how simple the problum was.

oh well good luck figuring it out

hey jared, no one refeard to you as anything. what are you gabbin' about?

off-topic, are you suggesting that you weren't trolling when you posted about the sens? that was some serious trolling man, don't deny it and don't feel insulted. YOu insulted every ottawa sens fan with that thread. I saw it, and i fuckin' HATE hockey.

are you saying that you bought hundreds of dollars of hdmi cable? As far as I know, MOnster cables are the most over price branded things since KFC. Check out Monoprice.com and I think you'll save hundreds of dollars.

[bouche]

Mike, go back to the store and tell them your problems. I could help if I was there. Hey, maybe I can do some digging and try to help you out next Friday at the bbq?

dave, I think the receiver is fine. component is running from my dvd to the HK. HDMI is running from the PVR to the HK pefectly. I need both going through the HDMI stream though so I think the LG (upconverting) dvd player is being an ass. I only picked it up 3 months ago, but unfortunately my warranty means I have to send it away and I'll be DVD-less and that means no more BSG for a while. How could I continue?

Aside from this, what Harman Kardon should I own between the 146, 245, 147.....etc?????

[Jared]

how old is your tv? and what make?

[Jaimoe]

I own an old Harmon Kardon but it has all the essentials. To tell you the truth, Harmon Kardon's aren't as good as they used to be since box-stores started carrying them. HK used to be made in Germany, but now they are made in China. If I had to buy again, I'd look into NAD, Marantz and Nakamichi. You'll have to go to an independent store to find these systems.

Curious, I'm assuming you are using an optical cable into your DVD player, correct?

Edited June 10, 2007 by Guest

[Jared]

I agree, I have the Harmon recever, and a few other things. I'll admit I bought it mostly for the name. aside from having a hard time with it, it was over priced.

For another room, I got some box set at costco. It has a conversion dvd, 4 nice speakers, a center channel, receiver, with xm. for like $450. It works just as well.

first when my tv went all blue after it working fine a few time, it turned out to be my tv. I got a hatatchi 60' dlp, aparently there are what the guy refeard to as "first, second and third generation". The problum with mine was that the tv was a slightly older modle, and aparently the 1st and 2nd generation dvd players were not compatable with my tv. Only for hd. on the dvd player you can choose if you want the hd conversion on or off, and also between 480i, 1080i, 1080p and whatever else there was. I could watch dvd's if it was set on 480, but as soon as it tried to send the hd signal to my tv it went blue. Hatatchi and Myself figured out that the software on my tv wasn't compatable with really new dvd players. The guy came the next day and put a memory card from his wallet in my tv and updated it, it works fine now.

So if your getting the blue screen with a dvd, try it at a lover quality, if that works your tv might meed to be updated. Its possable if your dvd player just came out, that the tv's firmware, need a update.

I learned also that most dvd players, and rogers boxes have a ton of adjustments you can make by pushing diffrent combinations of buttons on the box. It helps if your dvd player setting are off and you can't see the menu on the screen. They don't put it in the manualy to prevent people from messing settings up.

Also, on my tv, 3 of the 7 inputs have HDMI, I had to go in the menu and turn them on. for some reason, it only lets you use either HDMI or component at a time. So I had to change input 2 from the default component, to HDMI.

does it work with the component cable? or s-video? I seem to recall mine not.

also what type of TV is it? My Hatatchi is dlp rear projection. When the service tech came to update my tv, I told him I feel like the picture is less bight then when I bought it. ( a month bofore ). He gave gladly gave me a brand new buld. There like $400. A friend told me the trick, and aparently the tech's can just give them out if your under warrent and pretty much ask. Aslo you can do it right before the warrenty runs out and get another.

But after re-reading your post it sounds like its for sure the firmware.

[Jaimoe]

I believe Mike has an older basic widescreen Toshiba rear-projection, HD ready.

[Jared]

I gaurenty thats the problum then.

Try an older dvd player, or if you can just hooking it up with rca cables, if that works , or you can get the one you have to buy disableing the conversion or hd.

does the tv have a memory card slot in the back?

[bouche]

if it's a software problem, I have no idea how to update the tv firmware. I don't recall a slot for a memory card, but I'll look for one I didn't know that could be an issue and it sounds about right. However, it worked, as I said for about 5 minutes. Now I'm back on component for the dvd and the picture is fine.

The digi-cable on HDMI is working perfectly as well.

TV is about 3 years old. Toshiba 51" rear projection as Jaimoe says. That'll be replaced in another year-ish with a less space occupying DLP.

The DVD is an upconverting LG and I find it flaky sometimes (ie: freezes and I have to unplug it to reboot), but for the price of about 100 bucks, I was glad to get it.

thx for the help. I didn't know there was such good home theatre help here!

[Weirdness]

There have been alot of compatibility problems with HDMI and various digital cable/satellite boxes, receivers, TV's and DVD players that have had problems communicating through HDMI.

To flesh out exactly what the problem is here:

Your 51" rear projection doesn't have an HDMI input right?

If not, then you are better off running component video directly from your cable box/dvd player to the TV and forget about HDMI altogether. You will only get the benefits of HDMI if the TV has that to begin with.

Also, running video into the receiver and then to the TV is an additional step that you don't need to do if the TV has sufficient video inputs. You will get better results running the video directly into the TV and the audio to the receiver. If the TV has 2 component inputs or HDMI inputs, best to run directly into those.

If your TV only has 1 component input, your best bet would be to run component(and digital audio) from your digital cable and DVD player into the receiver and then component into that input on the TV. Don't be too convinced that HDMI is always the way to go, you will get an excellent picture either way.

Also, if you're in the market for a new TV in the next year, I wouldn't touch rear projection of any kind with a 10 foot pole. They are dying a quick death and won't exist in the near future.

[Jared]

look on the site for the company that made your tv, you can probably download it your self, if not just call them to come over and fix it, make sure you get your free bulb

[Weirdness]

Or, buy a set without a bulb that needs to be replaced and don't worry about having to call for repairs...

[Jaimoe]

Sets with bulbs have their benefits. When a tube and/or plasma set goes, the set is useless. Also, DLP's won't get burn-in images. Bulb sets can literally last forever, but the bulb has to be replaced quicker on some models. I've had my DLP going on three years and the bulb is going strong even after heavy use from my wife.

[bouche]

If your TV only has 1 component input, your best bet would be to run component(and digital audio) from your digital cable and DVD player into the receiver and then component into that input on the TV. Don't be too convinced that HDMI is always the way to go, you will get an excellent picture either way.

Also, if you're in the market for a new TV in the next year, I wouldn't touch rear projection of any kind with a 10 foot pole. They are dying a quick death and won't exist in the near future.

A: I think you just helped me decide to continue with component with this receiver and using either COAX or Optical for sound. I have to use the same source type so switching is easy (for everyone else but me -> girls). I personally don't see the point of HDMI if I need to carry digitals sound on another route anyway.

I am in the market for a new TV in the next year or so. Rear projection tv's were the only affordably large formats for our room 2.5 years ago and now thing that can hug your wall are cheaper than this was. I think it stands out about 3 feet from the wall right now.

thx for the tips. I'm glad to find out who's got the knowledge for this shit. SO far I can now PM 3-5 people about HD shit! Awesome!

[Weirdness]

I'm not going to say anything more other than there is A LOT of misinformation out there about video product and HD in general right now. If you talk to 10 people, you are going to get seriously varied opinions.

[bouche]

B: I am entirely happy with the sound of this receiver and the new polk audio receivers. I think all is good.

[Jared]

did you give up on the HDMI? I wana know if i was right!!!

Personaly for audio, I think RCA is more then fine. Maybe if your going to listen insanely loud or are very picky. If I make my tv loud enought for it to matter my neighbous would call the cops.

Plus I always remember all our tvs and sterio's worked really well, before all this new stuff came out, and they sounded just fine.

I cancled my HD because the fact my tv is so big now and the picture is so nice, standard tv looks so much better then the 15 year old sony I had before. I don't need to see the blades of grass on the football feild. ( or the tears in ottawa's eyes )

[bouche]

did you give up on the HDMI? I wana know if i was right!!!

I gave up on the HDMI for the DVD player and it's working perfectly on component. I may just go the component route for the Digital cable as well.

[bouche]

it's official. our Toshiba HDTV does not support hdcp! YAY! Basically hdmi on it is useless because any content with HDMI copy protection crap won't play.

It worked at first though so I don't understand why all of a sudden even the digital cable has stopped showing up. I just got a message from the PVR that says our HDTV does not support HDCP so the HDMI port is blocked.

WTF?

No I need to find another set of component cables.

[d_rawk]

Everyone's playing nicely together How cool!