HDMI Connectivity Problems - PLEASE Help!

[zip.survey]

I live in Chicago. I have a BRAND NEW Samsung 46″ LCD (4661F). I also have a BRAND NEW Samsung Home Theater System (HT-TXQ120).

I had Comcast install an HD-DVR box. I receive a green screen when I try to use my Home Theater system in conjunction with using the cable box.

Glad that I found this site, to ensure that its not my Home Theater System or the way I connected it that is the problem.

My firmware is 16.20 and it did not work. Comcast then installed a box with Firmware 18.21 and I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. The box is Motorola DCH3416.

 

[AVRat]

It would help to know how things are currently connected.

 

[zip.survey]

My setup is: Coaxial from wall to cable box. HDMI cable from cablebox to HTS. HDMI cable from HTS to TV.

 

[nick1000000]

First I would disconnect all the HDMI cables and reconnect them. Some HMDI cables are sensitive with their connections.
Second when you turn on your cable box, hold down the menu button (I am pretty sure it is the menu button) and it should bring up a setup menu. You made need to connect your box with a RCA line or a S-video connecter to see anything on the screen. In this setup menu you should be able to adjust your settings to get a picture. Also, make sure you can get a picture with the RCA and S-video. If you can't then there is another problem.

 

[obscbyclouds]

Try connecting the HDMI directly to the TV, bypassing the Reciever. Sometimes HTIB type recievers are not good at handshaking with Cable boxes and TV's (HDMI has built in copy-protection that requires devices to "handshake" with eachother). See if you get a picture that way.

 

[Davemcc]

I agree with obscbyclouds and Nick1000000. Connect the cable box to the TV directly and see if you get a picture. The cable box menu may not be set up to output HDMI, or it may be set to output 480i which I've found some Samsung TV's will not accept over HDMI.

I'm assuming that you can see the picture when watching a DVD on the home theater. Check the resolution settings in both the cable box and the Home Theater and set them at the same resolution, 720p or 1080i or 1080p if the cable box supports it.

 

[zip.survey]

When the HDMI cable is connected directly to the TV it works fine.

The cablebox is HTS are both set to 1080.

But when I go through the HTS with the cablebox, I still get the problems.

 

[jonnythan]

Easy solution:

Don't go through your receiver with the HDMI. Just do HDMI directly to TV. For audio, run an optical or digital coax cable from the DVR to the receiver.

 

[agarwalro]

Second when you turn on your cable box, hold down the menu button (I am pretty sure it is the menu button) and it should bring up a setup menu.

I did this recently. It is indeed the "Menu" button, but you need to press it with the cable box OFF.

When done making changes, press the menu button again. The cable box does a power cycle, taking about 15 - 30 seconds to come back online.

 

[zip.survey]

Easy solution:

Don't go through your receiver with the HDMI. Just do HDMI directly to TV. For audio, run an optical or digital coax cable from the DVR to the receiver.

Is this the best solution? Do I just purchase an optical audio cable and connect it from the cablebox to the receiver?>

What setting does the HTS need to be sent to. My only options are:

HDMI, AUX, D.IN 1, D.IN 2

So I can just turn the TV on source (HDMI - which it gets directly from the cablebox) and the HTS to source D.IN1 (I assume that means digital audio input 1)?

 

[jimfitz]

Is this the best solution? Do I just purchase an optical audio cable and connect it from the cablebox to the receiver?>

What setting does the HTS need to be sent to. My only options are:

HDMI, AUX, D.IN 1, D.IN 2

So I can just turn the TV on source (HDMI - which it gets directly from the cablebox) and the HTS to source D.IN1 (I assume that means digital audio input 1)?

That's the solution I have gone with. I have a DVI/HDMI cable from the Motorola cable box to Samsung TV and an optical cable from the cable box to the Onkyo receiver. My Sony Blu-ray DVD has an HDMI cable to the Onkyo receiver and HDMI from the receiver to TV. The TV has 2 HDMI in's. I also have a L/R audio cable from the cable box to the TV. I switch the TV source to HDMI 1 to watch TV and HDMI 2 to watch DVD's. I switch the receiver to Optical 1 in for TV sound and HDMI in for DVD sound. If I watch TV without the receiver, the sound goes from the cable box to the TV via the L/R cables. With this setup, I receive HDTV at 1080i and Blu-ray DVD at 1080p. I receive HDTV sound at 5.1 and Blu-ray DVD sound at 7.1.

 

[obscbyclouds]

Is this the best solution? Do I just purchase an optical audio cable and connect it from the cablebox to the receiver?>

What setting does the HTS need to be sent to. My only options are:

HDMI, AUX, D.IN 1, D.IN 2

So I can just turn the TV on source (HDMI - which it gets directly from the cablebox) and the HTS to source D.IN1 (I assume that means digital audio input 1)?

Yes, this should work fine. The cable box will only pass Dolby Digital signals anyway, which an optical cable will have no problem sending, and your reciever will have no problems decoding. Connect the optical cable to D.IN 1, set the reciever to that input, and you should be all set.

 

[nick1000000]

Is this the best solution? Do I just purchase an optical audio cable and connect it from the cablebox to the receiver?>

What setting does the HTS need to be sent to. My only options are:

HDMI, AUX, D.IN 1, D.IN 2

So I can just turn the TV on source (HDMI - which it gets directly from the cablebox) and the HTS to source D.IN1 (I assume that means digital audio input 1)?

To answer your question, YES. The only reason to connect a video cable to your receiver is to upconvert the signal. If you are using HDMI from your cable box, there is no need to upconvert. Connecting directly to the TV has no real disadvantages. It just takes up a HDMI slot on your TV.

 

[jimfitz]

...other than the advantage of switching both video and audio with one device (the receiver).

 

[nick1000000]

...other than the advantage of switching both video and audio with one device (the receiver).

Very true. If thats the main reason for owning a receiver than plugging the HDMI straight into the TV would make the receiver obsolite.

 

[jonnythan]

...other than the advantage of switching both video and audio with one device (the receiver).

Eh, but if it don't work it don't work. Using a smart remote like a Harmony makes even that point totally moot.