TV screen blank when receiver is off..is there a way around this?

[lithnights]

TV screen blank when receiver is off..is there a way around this?
I just got my first receiver (Yamaha 1050) that has HDMI. I have a wife and kids that don't like to use the receiver for volume. So when they watch something via the cable box, they want to just use the cable remote, hit a button and the TV and cable box turn on. That one remote controls channels, DVR, volume etc. Simple.

BUT, when I use the receiver to watch e.g. a Blu ray, the receiver input is AV1. When I am done with Blu ray, I turn off the Blu ray player, TV, and receiver. When they want to watch their cable cartoon (using TV volume), they pick up the cable remote and hit their button, the TV goes on and the cable box goes on. BUT there is nothing on the TV. It states.."No Signal. Check connected device's power, cable connections, and source selection."

I assume that is b/c the receiver still thinks it should be AV1 (blu ray); but I need it to be AV2 (cable box). They then have to find the receiver remote, which they never use, and hit the 2 button (assigned to AV2, cable box), which then results in the cable show being displayed (HDMI standby through is ON). The same thing happens if I am watching cable with surround sound (so it's on AV2), then turn everything off, and the kids turn on the TV and blu ray, wanting to watch a blu ray with the TV volume. Black screen. They have to hit 1 on the receiver remote.

Is there a way, without relying on a universal remote, to resolve this? i.e. I guess I want to tell the receiver to always default to whatever source (cable box, or blu ray player) is actually on, when the receiver is off. Or if that's not possible, to at least default to the cable box (AV2), since that is what we mostly use.

Thanks in advance!

 

[j_garcia]

Most units that I've seen do not automatically detect what sources are on when the unit is off even with standby passthru on. It normally defaults to the last used. Other than remembering to set AV2 manually when you turn it off, you may have to consider a universal that can do a macro to set it.

 

[lovinthehd]

A universal remote would be easier.

 

[lithnights]

And I should add that I do have a Harmony One universal remote which I like, BUT we don't find it as useful as the cable remote, so often we just use it to turn stuff on and off, but not to actively use to switch channels, fast forward, adjust volume etc. Again, the kids and wife simply don't find it as easy to use.

Regardless, I've tried to program the universal to do what I need, but I can't find a way to do it, since the receiver actually has to be ON in order for the universal remote to send the AV2 signal. Thus I'd have to program the universal to turn on the receiver, activate AV2, then turn off the receiver.. every time we want to watch cable and use TV volume (and not utilize the receiver). It doesn't seem very efficient.

 

[lovinthehd]

It seems the easiest to me would be retrain the family but them I'm single what do I know?

Thinking of your situation I remembered seeing a setting like you need in mine even tho I never use tv audio and sure enough mine can be set for last input or a particular input for the pass thru mode. It is in a separate spot from just enabling the pass-thru mode, tho, had to enable hdmi control to find the option. What avr do you have?

 

[lithnights]

It seems the easiest to me would be retrain the family but them I'm single what do I know?

Thinking of your situation I remembered seeing a setting like you need in mine even tho I never use tv audio and sure enough mine can be set for last input or a particular input for the pass thru mode. It is in a separate spot from just enabling the pass-thru mode, tho, had to enable hdmi control to find the option. What avr do you have?

Yes the retraining is an option..my 5 year old is the toughest one to crack..lol. No doubt we could survive without a fix but if there's one out there, it'd be good to know.

I just edited my post..it's a Yamaha 1050

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes the retraining is an option..my 5 year old is the toughest one to crack..lol. No doubt we could survive without a fix but if there's one out there, it'd be good to know.

I just edited my post..it's a Yamaha 1050

Good luck with the 5 year olds, I know enough to know they can be tough customers OTOH explain it to them and they may figure out the best way to setup the gear, they do have a knack younger and younger these days....

I don't see an input choice in the manual on pages 120/121 where the hdmi setup is discussed. Maybe manipulating hdmi out 1 vs 2 but that still means changing stuff back and forth between users unless your macro for the tv/cable remote can do that for ya...

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Does the cable box have any other outputs, like antenna or composite video + audio? If so you could connect those to the TV. All they’d have to do is change the TV’s input.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[slipperybidness]

Does the TV support an Audio Return Channel via HDMI? Would that solve the issue?

 

[lithnights]

Does the cable box have any other outputs, like antenna or composite video + audio? If so you could connect those to the TV. All they’d have to do is change the TV’s input.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

I think this could work. I just didn't know how it would impact other things.

 

[lithnights]

Does the TV support an Audio Return Channel via HDMI? Would that solve the issue?

Not that I am aware of. I went through the settings and didn't see that. It's a 6 year old plasma so not sure if that functionality was around then.

 

[lithnights]

Good luck with the 5 year olds, I know enough to know they can be tough customers OTOH explain it to them and they may figure out the best way to setup the gear, they do have a knack younger and younger these days....

I don't see an input choice in the manual on pages 120/121 where the hdmi setup is discussed. Maybe manipulating hdmi out 1 vs 2 but that still means changing stuff back and forth between users unless your macro for the tv/cable remote can do that for ya...

Yea, they would likely figure it out. I guess I should be more concerned about my non techie wife, who (admitedly) may know less than my 5 year old about technology..lol

 

[lithnights]

I found a solution that I think is as good as I'm going to get. I googled my issue and found a forum where they discussed how to program the Harmony One to send a receiver signal even though the receiver isn't used in the setups I have. i.e. i wanted to send the 1 or 2 or 3 AV signal but not have the receiver on. It worked. So as long as the family uses the universal remote (Harmony One) to turn stuff on and off, I'll be OK. And if they don't, they need to review their "training" and push the 1 or 2 on the receiver remote.

Thanks all!!