S3 video out turns off after 9.1 upgrade

pagefault said:

Since I got the 9.1 update last week, this has happened several times - I turn on the TV (and my AV receiver) and there is no video signal. I unplugged and re-plugged the HDMI cable, to no effect. The unit itself is still happily humming along recording my shows, but nothing I do can make the video appear. Finally, I power cycle the Tivo and everything works fine...for a day or two, until it happens again.

Is anybody else seeing this? Thankfully, it's just the output, I checked the show that was being recorded at the time, and it is fully intact. I don't like having to climb behind my entertainment center and unplug the Tivo whenever I want to watch TV, though...

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pagefault said:

Since I got the 9.1 update last week, this has happened several times - I turn on the TV (and my AV receiver) and there is no video signal. I unplugged and re-plugged the HDMI cable, to no effect. The unit itself is still happily humming along recording my shows, but nothing I do can make the video appear. Finally, I power cycle the Tivo and everything works fine...for a day or two, until it happens again.

Is anybody else seeing this? Thankfully, it's just the output, I checked the show that was being recorded at the time, and it is fully intact. I don't like having to climb behind my entertainment center and unplug the Tivo whenever I want to watch TV, though...

Click to expand...

richsadams said:

I'm not sure how you have things connected but it sounds like the HDCP "handshake" is giving you problems. The "handshake" is negotiated every time a component (TiVo, TV, A/V receiver, etc.) is turned on. If the "handshake" is lost it can result in no picture or even copyright protection warning screens.

Best bet is to either try new HDMI cables or switch to component output from TiVo. Connecting component out from TiVo directly to your TV and digital/optical audio out from TiVo to your receiver should give you what you need and the PQ will be as good as HDMI. Here's a pretty good article about HDMI connections and some of the problems that arise.

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bguzik said:

This sound suspiciously like the SA CableCARD issue. Check out that thread.

Don't know your configuration, but check to see if you can still get analog channels (typically those lower than CH100...if you have any). If you can still get Analog channels. The CableCARD problem is likely this issue.

Another thing to check when it happens is to hit "Live TV" to switch between the TiVo's tuners. When the CableCARD issue has manifested for me, it has been on only one CC/Tuner at a time with the other CC/Tuner working properly...

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bguzik said:

This sound suspiciously like the SA CableCARD issue. Check out that thread.

Click to expand...

fizban said:

I had the same problem. Has done it to me 3-4 times where I had to reset the Tivo to get the video signal back. I tried pushing just about every button on the remote but no signal. Tivo was also running normal with the exception of the video out. My system was also working flawlessly, with the exception of some signal strength problems that was the cable companies fault, for months before the latest upgrade. I have a top of the line EXPENSIVE HDMI cable.

It happened twice within a week then about 2 weeks later it happened again.

Does anyone else with this problem use Kidzone? I was wondering if there was some problem with that.

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pagefault said:

I'm willing to believe the problem is the HDCP handshake, but I'm not willing to believe that my HDMI cable, TV, or AV receiver is at fault.

I have been using this configuration for over 6 months without any issues, then after the 9.1 it has happened twice in four days.

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richsadams said:

Sometimes these things are coincidental; sometimes they are triggered by other events such as an upgrade.

The symptoms that you’re seeing have been reported long before firmware v9.1, v8.3x and v8.1x were ever pushed out. A search will turn up the same list of usual suspects as listed by the folks here. The HDMI article I linked to in my previous post talks about the very thing you're experiencing and it was published in late 2005.

However it sounds like you've made your mind up that the latest upgrade is to blame and nothing on your end could be at fault. Since you've more or less discounted most suggestions for a cure I know we'd all be interested in what you eventually decide to do to fix the situation.

Best of luck!

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richsadams said:

I'm not sure how you have things connected but it sounds like the HDCP "handshake" is giving you problems. The "handshake" is negotiated every time a component (TiVo, TV, A/V receiver, etc.) is turned on. If the "handshake" is lost it can result in no picture or even copyright protection warning screens.

Best bet is to either try new HDMI cables or switch to component output from TiVo. Connecting component out from TiVo directly to your TV and digital/optical audio out from TiVo to your receiver should give you what you need and the PQ will be as good as HDMI. Here's a pretty good article about HDMI connections and some of the problems that arise.

Let us know how things go.

Click to expand...

dtivotom said:

I have done some experiments with my S3 Tivo to get the problem to repeat.

It seems that if you have 2 shows that are going to start at the same time and they both use cable cards (digital or HD) and at least one or both of your tuners are using the standard cable tuner before the recording, you will blow one of your cards when the tivo tries to tune two cable cards at the same time.

Manual recordings do not blow the cards. It has to be two season passes or selected recordings due to start at the same time. Also if the tuner does not have to change stations to record, your cards will be ok.

I have moved my Network season passes to the OTA tuner. If I record OTA 6.1 at the same time as 720 HBO, my cards are fine. If I record two cable card show at the same time (start time that is) It will blow card 1.

Rebooting is a temp fix for the card, but that only lasts until you record two cable card shows starting at the same time.

Click to expand...

richsadams said:

Sometimes these things are coincidental; sometimes they are triggered by other events such as an upgrade.

The symptoms that you’re seeing have been reported long before firmware v9.1, v8.3x and v8.1x were ever pushed out. A search will turn up the same list of usual suspects as listed by the folks here. The HDMI article I linked to in my previous post talks about the very thing you're experiencing and it was published in late 2005.

However it sounds like you've made your mind up that the latest upgrade is to blame and nothing on your end could be at fault. Since you've more or less discounted most suggestions for a cure I know we'd all be interested in what you eventually decide to do to fix the situation.

Click to expand...

pagefault said:

The other issue I have with the it's-some-other-component theory is that the problem is fixed by power cycling the Tivo, but not by power cycling any of the other devices in the chain, nor by unplugging and replacing the cable, all of which would cause an HDCP renegotiation...

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