The "HDMI black screen when resuming from standby" issue that I had has been "resolved." I put the word "resolved" in quotes because the solution that I found may not be a fix per-se, but rather the function works properly now and I'm not entirely sure how the fix came about, although I have theories.
A quick background. Back in August I decided it was time to upgrade my Premier XL4 to a new Roamio Plus. The Premier XL4 was connected via HDMI to my Sharp 70inch HDTV (Model: LC-70LE600U) and we used to put the XL4 into Standby all the time and take it out of standby without a single problem. So, when the Roamio arrived, I moved the Premier XL4 into our "playroom" where my teenagers watch TV and connected the XL4 to my Sharp 46in HDTV (Model: LC-46SB54U). The XL4 worked fine, just like it always did, and the teens put it into and out of standby all the time. The Roamio, however was another story all together…..
From the moment the Roamio Plus was connected and put into Standby, when coming out of Standby (by pressing the TiVo button , or live TV button, etc) the screen would stay black, but the sound would work. After long trial and error, I found out that if I put the Roamio Plus back into Standby and then took it out again, the video would return. Eventually, I realized that the green circle (power indicator light on front panel left side) was actually a "capacitive switch" (meaning that you could touch it and it would perform a function). I learned that this was "quick standby" and it would put the Roamio Plus into (or out of ) standby. This helped when I had the black screen by quickly putting it back in to standby and then taking it out, thereby allowing the video to show again. BUT.. this wasn't a solution.
So, I wrote postings on TiVo's official users forum, as well as, TiVoCommunity.com forum. And found that many others had this same standby problem. I even contacted TiVo customer support more than five times, ultimately writing a letter and then ultimately dealing for over 5 weeks with Executive Relations specialist. BUT… in ALL that time the Black Screen from Standby issue STILL was occurring and being quite annoying….
Until….…. I accidentally stumbled upon the answer to my problem, and perhaps others.
HERE'S the solution that worked for me… all this time from when I used a Premier XL4, through the Roamio Plus, I use a Logitech Harmony 650 remote control because my TiVo and Sharp TV are connected to my AV system for nice surround sound.
[ The TiVo Roamio Plus is connected via HDMI cable (a Monster brand HDMI) to the HDMI 1 input on the back of the Sharp HDTV. (I do not send HDMI into the amp and then out, my HDMI goes directly into the Sharp). Optical audio cable is connected from TiVo Roamio Plus into the Optical 1 input on the Insignia 7.1 channel amplifier. (Blu-Ray player goes HDMI into Sharp as HDMI2,and its optical goes into Optical2 on the amp). ]
So, I would take the Logitech and power up the system, then take the TiVo remote and press TiVo or LiveTV to take the TiVo Roamio out of Standby. The Logitech was programmed to ignore "power toggle" on the TiVo since we all know that the TiVo has no such function since it's "always on". This is the way I used my system for three years with the XL4 and then the Roamio Plus and it always worked….
Until, I added a third item (laptop connected to HDMI3) to my system , which in and of itself did NOT fix the TiVO problem, but rather LED to the solution.
You see, when I went into the programming of the Logitech I accidentally deleted my Activities. An "Activity" on a Logitech Harmony 650 is: "Watch TV" or "Watch DVD", etc. In this list you tell the Logitech to: "power on amp, power on TV, set TV to HDMI 1, set amp to 'Cbl/Sat', Volume is controlled through amp, etc". So, when "watch tv" is selected, all inputs go to make the TiVo play through the Sharp HDTV and sound through proper input on amp, etc. Then when you press "watch DVD" the Logitech sends signals to change inputs on HDTV to HDMI 2, amp to "DVD" ,etc.
SO… BEFORE recreating the Activities in the Logitech, I connected to their software and selected "Search for Firmware update". It found one and updated the Logitech remote.
THEN.. I set up activities. BUT, THIS TIME… when I selected "Watch TV" as the first activity in the Logitech remote control software program , It gave me choices: "Watch TV (cable/satellite set top box)", "Watch TV (Roku box)", "Watch TV (TiVo)", "Watch TV (Ceton)" (Ceton is a PC card that plugs into your computer and has a CableCARD slot, so you can use the computer to watch / record TV). And finally "Watch TV (other)"
So… I selected "Watch TV (TiVo)". Then set up all the rest of the activities for my Blu-Ray and laptop.
When I used the Logitech to turn OFF my system, THIS time it also put the TiVo directly into Standby with one command. I never saw this before and it never did that before; we used to have to put the TiVo into standby FIRST, then power down system with Logitech remote.
But apparently, NOW the Logitech Harmony 650 has a one-step command to put the TiVo directly into standby…. AND take it out of Standby when turning things back on.
"FIXED!!!"….I have NOT had a "black screen from Standby" issue in over two weeks now!!! I can only surmise that either the Logitech remote is turning things on in a specific order that allows a proper HDMI handshake or that it "reselects HDMI 1" as a choice after things go on, or something else that I have not determined. I have NOT been able to isolate the fix specifically. I tried putting the TiVo in and out of Standby many, many times, and each and every time it worked, whereas in the past, it would have "black screened" after the fifth time, and ALWAYS after a long period of time (overnight).
SUMMARY… not sure if a combination of TiVo software / firmware update from TiVo happened at the same time my Logitech operations changed or whether it's simply the commands issued from the Logitech in a certain order that cause the problem to no longer exist. I know that I didn't do anything to the Sharp HDTV.
I realize this long posting won't help others fix the problems, and I am by no means advocating for people to go out and spend their hard earned money on a Logitech remote. I just wanted to provide my "two cents" for anyone else that may have the problem. And I'm glad that I don't have that crazy "black screen from Standby" problem any longer.