No HDMI Output (occasionally)?

[Bklyn]

Has anyone else had problems with the HDMI output on their Series 3 working only intermittently? I find that mine only works sometimes, and disconnecting and reconnecting the HDMI cable will sometimes clear up the problem. Last night, however, I had no luck getting the HDMI output working at all after several attempts.

When the HDMI connection is non-functional, the TV shows a message saying that the signal is too weak or the device is not connected (sorry I'm not in front of it to get the exact text).

The TV is a Samsung HL-R4266W DLP unit. I don't have any other devices with HDMI ports on them to verify that its only the TiVo having issues

Has anyone else seen anything like this?

[nhaigh]

I've seen it. With mine it happens most times I turn the TV off. The HDMI stops working and does not come back when I turn the TV back on. At first I thought it was the S3 hanging overnight but it wasn't. I set up component and that works OK and have, at least for now, abandond HDMI.

It seems there is some intelegence in the HDMI port. If you use another TV and view the System Information Screen through component when the HDMI TV is on and working with HDMI then the screen shows HDMI enabled. When you turn the TV to another AV source or turn the TV off this display swiches to disabled. In my case when I turn the TV back on or back to the HDMI source it the display does not always come back to enabled.

This could be a problem with the TV of course but if I disconnect the "not working" TiVo and plug in my HDMI DVD player the TV has no problem displaying the source. Also the DVD player is usually in the other HDMI port and I have no similar issues with it. Of course the DVD player may not disbale the HDMI port at all so would not suffer int he same way.

[turnerjh]

The exact same thing happens to me with my Pioneer receiver (it's down a couple of pages on a separate thread).

Glad to hear others are confirming it with TVs -- sounds like it isn't just my device. Has anyone spoken with TiVo about it yet or heard anything official?

[Dssturbo1]

know that hdmi has some troubles with connections to receivers and displays/tv. it is random and some devices show more problems than others, some samsung tv, pioneer 74/84 vsx receivers, the hdtivo had hdmi board issues when it came out too. of course for some it works fine no hassles.

[John949]

With mine it happens most times I turn the TV off. The HDMI stops working and does not come back when I turn the TV back on.

I found that if I turn on the TV first and give it about 5 seconds to warm up and then wake up the Tivo the HDMI connection works. If I wake up the Tivo first and then turn on the TV it works about 50% on the time; I then have toggle inputs on the TV to get the HDMI connection.

[Bklyn]

If I wake up the Tivo first and then turn on the TV it works about 50% on the time; I then have toggle inputs on the TV to get the HDMI connection.

This is really not what I've come to expect in terms of a TiVo user experience. I'd love to use the HDMI connection from the TiVo to my TV to help keep the cable rats-nest at bay, but if it means extra remote-control gymnastics that don't always work, its a non-starter. This will definitely not pass the Wife Test.

This qualifies as a bug IMHO.

[sonicboom]

I think the issue is with your TV's HDCP implementation. In which case experiences are going to vary.

I have a Pioneer Elite Pro-630 HDTV with DVI. So I run and HDMI/DVI cable from tivo to TV. I never put the Tivo on standby, but the TV is on/off depending on whether or not it's being watched.

I have not had any problems with the HDMI output.

[DCIFRTHS]

know that hdmi has some troubles with connections to receivers...

You are correct. I believe that AV receivers are technically considered "repeaters" under the HDMI spec, and some of them don't always work properly.

My SA8300HD has some problems when connected to my Sony TV. Turning on the the Scientific Atlanta box before the TV usually allows the handshaking, including the HDCP negotiation, to complete successfully.

If the S3 had an "on/off" button, you would probably be able to renegotiate the connection without having to unplug the HDMI cable.

[nhaigh]

I found that if I turn on the TV first and give it about 5 seconds to warm up and then wake up the Tivo the HDMI connection works. If I wake up the Tivo first and then turn on the TV it works about 50% on the time; I then have toggle inputs on the TV to get the HDMI connection.


Now that would be fine if the TiVo had an off button but of course it doesn't. The TiVo is never turned off so how do I "wake it up" first?

[nhaigh]

I think the issue is with your TV's HDCP implementation. In which case experiences are going to vary.

I have a Pioneer Elite Pro-630 HDTV with DVI. So I run and HDMI/DVI cable from tivo to TV. I never put the Tivo on standby, but the TV is on/off depending on whether or not it's being watched.

I have not had any problems with the HDMI output.


I also never put the TiVo into standby. TiVo is not the only HDMI device connected to this TV but it is the only one with this problem. Needless to say I had to give up on TiVo and HDMI.

[jhonaker]

Has anyone else had problems with the HDMI output on their Series 3 working only intermittently?

Yeah, typically when I come home from work and the TV's been off, and I turn it on with the TiVo remote, the tv can't find a signal on the HDMI input. Usually toggling through the inputs until I end up back at HDMI will allow me to get the picture.

So, like you, I'm using component inputs instead.

Oh, BTW, TV is a Sharp Aquos something or other.

[sommerfeld]

Now that would be fine if the TiVo had an off button but of course it doesn't. The TiVo is never turned off so how do I "wake it up" first?

There's a "Standby" option buried in the menus (Messages & Settings / Standby)

"Standby" simply turns off video output and turns off the front panel display; it wakes back up if you send one of several commands (such as the Tivo button). It keeps recording during standby.

The S3 will also go into standby in response to an IR command sent by a button on older Tivo remotes -- and, if you have one of the Logitech Harmony remotes, the default programming will send that when you tell the Harmony to power everything off..

[nhaigh]

There's a "Standby" option buried in the menus (Messages & Settings / Standby)

"Standby" simply turns off video output and turns off the front panel display; it wakes back up if you send one of several commands (such as the Tivo button). It keeps recording during standby.

The S3 will also go into standby in response to an IR command sent by a button on older Tivo remotes -- and, if you have one of the Logitech Harmony remotes, the default programming will send that when you tell the Harmony to power everything off..

I know and understand that but do you or TiVo really expect amyone to do that every time they turn the TV off? How do I exoect my six year old to remember all that? All my TiVo's remain on 24x7.

The only solution to this HDMI problem for now is to use component.

[PhantomDilbert]

Reviving this old thread....
I have a samsung dlp (5067w) and experienced similar behavior whereby plugging in hdmi seemed to "not work" when moving the cable...flickers on and off. Seemed like a bad cable. I tried flipping the cable around and got no signal whatsoever. I called TiVo and asked them to send me another hdmi cable....I'll post my results. To me, it seemed to be a bad cable connection (hopefully not tv connection).

[vman41]

Oh, BTW, TV is a Sharp Aquos something or other.

I have a 2 year old Aquos and the HDMI hasn't given me any problems. My TV's HDMI input doesn't support 480i.

[gostan]

My Series 3 is connected via hdmi into an Anthem D2 and then out from the Anthem D2 to a Sony GWIII. No issues via hdmi with the S3 via hdmi at all.

[monkeydust]

Ok, I had this happen for about the 3rd time this morning. I turn my TV on and the screen is black even though its a channel I receive. I hit the info button and everything looks normal in the OSD. I hit the Live TV button to switch to the other card and it has a picture/sound. I switch back to the original card and still no picture/sound. I hit up channel and then back down channel to get back to where I was and I have picture and sound on that channel now.

What's going on? :confused:

(this is on a 70" Sony XBR2 via HDMI connection)

[monkeydust]

Ok, so I just got home from work. I turn the TV on and the screen is black and no sound. Is this the Tivo causing this or my TV? Is something going into sleep mode here? I'm sure I can get picture/sound if I change channels and back but I want to know what's going on.

[CrispyCritter]

Isn't this exactly the same root problem as all the "partial recording" threads?

My guess is that the TiVo is momentarily losing the signal due to noise or cable problems, and then getting into a strange state where it doesn't try to regain the signal. In any case, it's a bug in the TiVo software that is supposed to be fixed in the upcoming release.

If there's some way for you to improve your signal quality now (fewer splitters, use an amplifier), this will probably happen much less often.

[AbMagFab]

This is a TV issue, and the TV's implementation of HDCP. For example, Sony TV's keep the HDCP "tunnel" on all the time, while some TV's turn it off. HDMI/HDCP requires that the connection be broken if the HDCP is broken on the other side, which is what your TV is doing.

So... get a new TV? Or perhaps Samsung has an update - that model is a few years old now.

[nhaigh]

Isn't this exactly the same root problem as all the "partial recording" threads?

My guess is that the TiVo is momentarily losing the signal due to noise or cable problems, and then getting into a strange state where it doesn't try to regain the signal. In any case, it's a bug in the TiVo software that is supposed to be fixed in the upcoming release.

If there's some way for you to improve your signal quality now (fewer splitters, use an amplifier), this will probably happen much less often.

I don't think this is related to the partial recording problem. Since I stopped using HDMI on my S3 I've not had a problem and I've never had a partial recording. I figure the S3's HDMI connection on the TV is going to become a PS3 HDMI connection and I'll leave the S3 as it is.

[PhantomDilbert]

Follow up to my earlier hypothesis of bad cable for my instance, I changed the hdmi cable out and it was confirmed to be bad...replacement shows no signs of signal loss when moving cable/devices around.

[sysdude]

I've got the same intermittent problem (once every, 4 weeks or so it seems)

What I've found works for me, after getting the problem (the TV goes into power saving mode because it is not getting a signal from the tivo via HDMI) I turn off the TV, press the TiVo button a few times (sometimes 3 or 4), turn on the TV again and the video comes back on the screen.

Did I read correctly, and some have _verified_ is a cable issue? I'd think it to be far more likely the implementation of the HDMI spec by the television manufacturer.

[Jiffylush]

There are often problems with HDMI cables, but I think most of this is related to HDCP.

I have had the problem once, (viewing on this input not permitted or something) I just turned the TV off, turned it back on and it worked fine.

I am probably going to get a PS3 around tax time, maybe I will put that on HDMI and move the TiVo to component if this is a regular problem.