HDMI not working?

[firemedic425]

Let me start off by saying that this is one of the best forums that I have come across for my knowledge of the A/V world. I am new to the forum but have been coming to the web site (and forum) for some time for information. I am also new to the world of home theaters and need some help in setting mine up to work. Let me give you the info and set back and see what those with more knowledge can come up with cause I am stumped.

Equipment:

Receiver: Pioneer VSX-917V-K 7.1-channel
Projector: Mitsubishi HC1500U DLP
DISH Receiver: VIP622

The Problem

I just had the HD DISH receiver installed yesterday and hooked it up to the Pioneer receiver and can not get the signal to come across over the HDMI cable connections. If I run straight from the DISH receiver to the projector I get a signal. I have the system connected using component cables right now from the Dish receiver to the Pioneer receiver then from the Pioneer receiver to the projector using a DVIGear HDMI Super High Resolution Copper Cable and am getting an ok picture but am confused as to why I can not get the HDMI cable to work from the Dish receiver to the Pioneer receiver.

I have tried changing the input settings on the Pioneer receiver with no luck in getting the HDMI to work and the setting for the search for input is auto which is supposed to look for digital signals first.

Like I said I am at a loss for the solution, all help is welcome and I think you in advance.

 

[Adam]

I'm glad that you decided to post!

Just to make sure, have you assigned the HDMI input to the source selection that you are using for the DISH receiver? That is discussed on page 63 of your owner's manual (a PDF version can be downloaded from Pioneer at this link here).

 

[firemedic425]

Yes, I have tried the TV and DVR setting with the same result of not having a picture come across to the projector and no sound coming through to the surround sound.

Also, I do not know if this is related when I first hooked up the system and was trying it out with my X-Box to play a couple of movies I was able to get the menu to come up on the screen with the component cables but not through the HDMI setting on the projector. When I would switch over to the HDMI setting on the projector it would always come back as 'no signal'. I would have thought that I would at least be able to get the menu for the Pioneer receiver to come up on the HDMI setting but I was not able to.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

If the assignment doesn't end up being the problem, you may try a different HDMI cable.

When I upgraded to a HDMI AVR I was having an issue with my Sat box. I simple change to a BlueJeans HDMI cable fixed the problem.

 

[firemedic425]

Thank you for the suggestion ParadigmDawg. I know that the one HDMI cable going from the Pioneer receiver to the dish is working because when I hook it up to the DISH receiver it works with no problems so the problem may be the cable going from the DISH receiver to the Pioneer receiver. I will try that tomorrow when I am off shift.

 

[TLS Guy]

Let me start off by saying that this is one of the best forums that I have come across for my knowledge of the A/V world. I am new to the forum but have been coming to the web site (and forum) for some time for information. I am also new to the world of home theaters and need some help in setting mine up to work. Let me give you the info and set back and see what those with more knowledge can come up with cause I am stumped.

Equipment:

Receiver: Pioneer VSX-917V-K 7.1-channel
Projector: Mitsubishi HC1500U DLP
DISH Receiver: VIP622

The Problem

I just had the HD DISH receiver installed yesterday and hooked it up to the Pioneer receiver and can not get the signal to come across over the HDMI cable connections. If I run straight from the DISH receiver to the projector I get a signal. I have the system connected using component cables right now from the Dish receiver to the Pioneer receiver then from the Pioneer receiver to the projector using a DVIGear HDMI Super High Resolution Copper Cable and am getting an ok picture but am confused as to why I can not get the HDMI cable to work from the Dish receiver to the Pioneer receiver.

I have tried changing the input settings on the Pioneer receiver with no luck in getting the HDMI to work and the setting for the search for input is auto which is supposed to look for digital signals first.

Like I said I am at a loss for the solution, all help is welcome and I think you in advance.

All satellite DISH and Direct TV boxes are now required to have HDCP repeater architecture. A TV is an end device and does not have to have repeater architecture. However if a newer device that connects to a device, that has HDMI input and outputs, such as a receiver, then the sending and repeating devices must have repeater architecture or, no HDMI signal transmission will take place. I had this problem when my Direct TV HD DVR system was updated, and had to buy a new switcher. If your receiver does not have HDCP compliant repeater architecture, then you will have to use an external switcher that does.

This is all about trying to prevent piracy, which it doesn't.

 

[firemedic425]

Thank you for the information TLS Guy. I do not think the receiver has the HDCP compliant repeater architecture, I will have to do more reading in the owners guide to be sure. Which switcher do you use and if I may ask how much did it cost.

 

[TLS Guy]

Thank you for the information TLS Guy. I do not think the receiver has the HDCP compliant repeater architecture, I will have to do more reading in the owners guide to be sure. Which switcher do you use and if I may ask how much did it cost.

I use this one.

But you can get cheaper ones, like this one.

 

[Davemcc]

Pg. 68 of the manual, troubleshooting section.

"OSD does not appear. • The OSD will not appear if you have connected using the HDMI output to your TV. Use component, S-video, or composite connections when setting up the system."

I will second Adam's suggestion to go over the input selection process in the manual very carefully and doublecheck the connections on the back that you are using. Maybe quadruplecheck is more appropriate but a careful, detailed review of all your settings may reveal some simple thing you missed. It's happened to me and just about every other person here at one time or another.

 

[TLS Guy]

Pg. 68 of the manual, troubleshooting section.

"OSD does not appear. • The OSD will not appear if you have connected using the HDMI output to your TV. Use component, S-video, or composite connections when setting up the system."

I will second Adam's suggestion to go over the input selection process in the manual very carefully and doublecheck the connections on the back that you are using. Maybe quadruplecheck is more appropriate but a careful, detailed review of all your settings may reveal some simple thing you missed. It's happened to me and just about every other person here at one time or another.

I see that receiver just passes the signal through. You have to make a separate audio connection to get sound from your receiver when using the HDMI connections on that receiver. Video and audio will pass via HDMI to your display. So your receiver can not make a handshake.

I have been totally unsuccessful passing an HDMI signal from new satellite boxes via a simple HDMI switch. How on earth they know they have to have repeated handshakes, I have no idea. I think this is going to be true for all new devices that output HDMI. That will make units that just have simple switching, like I think yours has, totally obsolete.

I agree with checking carefully that you have your input assigned correctly.
Then go one more step. Connect an older DVD player with an HDMI output, to that same input and see if you can see the picture on your display. If you can then your satellite box is incompatible with your receiver.

I have had a feeling for some time, that we are in for another round of HDMI grief as the new HDCP codes creep into equipment of more recent manufacture.

If you could do this experiment it would be helpful. If a legacy DVD player gives a picture, then we need to be steering people away from receivers that just pass through with simple switching, and recommend ones with full repeater switching architecture.

 

[Davemcc]

we need to be steering people away from receivers that just pass through with simple switching, and recommend ones with full repeater switching architecture.

I'm not convinced it's a switching/repeating issue. Somebody posted the other day about his video alternating on/off every five seconds. That behavior is more indicative of an HDCP shutdown. Clearly something is wrong. It's just a matter of figuring it out.

I haven't found HDMI to be the big bugaboo that some people make it out to be. Just today, I hooked up my neighbor's system with the cheapest Sony HDMI switching receiver. Everything worked perfectly the first time with his new cable box and PS3.

 

[TLS Guy]

I'm not convinced it's a switching/repeating issue. Somebody posted the other day about his video alternating on/off every five seconds. That behavior is more indicative of an HDCP shutdown. Clearly something is wrong. It's just a matter of figuring it out.

I haven't found HDMI to be the big bugaboo that some people make it out to be. Just today, I hooked up my neighbor's system with the cheapest Sony HDMI switching receiver. Everything worked perfectly the first time with his new cable box and PS3.

I have read the current regs pretty carefully. As I understand it, any recently manufactured item that outputs HD video, must downgrade to 480i at all ananlog outputs, and only transmit to an end device, without repeater handshakes.

At the moment there is a lot of gear manufactured sometime ago. Also I think a lot of manufacturers are turning a blind eye to the regs, and risking a law suit from the sewers of Hollywood. Alnd Sony, as studio owners, seem to think the rules do not apply to them. However I'm certain from my tests the satellite companies have decided not to risk it, and their gear is in compliance with the latest rules. I can tell you that I have the latest two versions of the Direct TV HD DVRs, and they will only pass a signal direct to a TV without repeater handshakes. They will not pass a signal through a switch that does not have repeater architecture. Also the picture from the component outputs is very degraded compared to the HDMI signal. My first generation HD DVR had picture quality on component virtually indistinguishable from HDMI. It also passed a signal through a switch that did not have repeater architecture.

I'm hoping that this situation of non compliance will continue, without the studios defending the DRM within the HDCP codes. If it goes on long enough, and they decide to sue, they will loose. Especially so, with SONY, as a studio owners being in non compliance. That will effectively end DRM and not a moment to soon.

 

[firemedic425]

I see that receiver just passes the signal through. You have to make a separate audio connection to get sound from your receiver when using the HDMI connections on that receiver. Video and audio will pass via HDMI to your display. So your receiver can not make a handshake.

I have been totally unsuccessful passing an HDMI signal from new satellite boxes via a simple HDMI switch. How on earth they know they have to have repeated handshakes, I have no idea. I think this is going to be true for all new devices that output HDMI. That will make units that just have simple switching, like I think yours has, totally obsolete.

I agree with checking carefully that you have your input assigned correctly.
Then go one more step. Connect an older DVD player with an HDMI output, to that same input and see if you can see the picture on your display. If you can then your satellite box is incompatible with your receiver.

I have had a feeling for some time, that we are in for another round of HDMI grief as the new HDCP codes creep into equipment of more recent manufacture.

If you could do this experiment it would be helpful. If a legacy DVD player gives a picture, then we need to be steering people away from receivers that just pass through with simple switching, and recommend ones with full repeater switching architecture.

TLS Guy, I do not have any other equipment with an HDMI output right now so I can not check to see if I get a picture. I did recheck the input assignments and as far as I can tell everything is correctly attached. Thanks again for all your help.