Need some help guys... First issues with the new setup...

[itschris]

Watching movies in Dolby Digital for the first time... we experiencing wierd dropouts... the audio will start stuttering and the video will go blank and then it'll come back. It's happened a couple of times during a couple different movies.

I checked the cables, they seem secure. Everything's hooked up with HDMI: OPPO 980 to the reciever than HDMI from receiver to MITS DLP. It's really annoying.


I wondering if it's the receiver (Elite 94TXH) or the OPPO which is set to bitstream. Any ideas? I'm using the HDMI cable that came with the OPPO, I'm wondering if I should swap that out.

 

[Davemcc]

It could be a cable issue. I would first unplug and carefully replug all the HDMI connections to make sure they are tightly in place. I did have issues once where I thought my HDMI connections looked good, but found that one cable was not firmly seated and gave me the same intermittent issues you describe.

 

[TLS Guy]

Watching movies in Dolby Digital for the first time... we experiencing wierd dropouts... the audio will start stuttering and the video will go blank and then it'll come back. It's happened a couple of times during a couple different movies.

I checked the cables, they seem secure. Everything's hooked up with HDMI: OPPO 980 to the reciever than HDMI from receiver to MITS DLP. It's really annoying.


I wondering if it's the receiver (Elite 94TXH) or the OPPO which is set to bitstream. Any ideas? I'm using the HDMI cable that came with the OPPO, I'm wondering if I should swap that out.

This sounds like an HDMI handshake issue. What are the versions of HDMI on you Pioneer and Your Oppo? Certainly swap the HDMI cable in case you have a bad one.

 

[itschris]

I reseated all the cables last night. The OPPO is 1.2a and the Elite is 1.3a. I'm gonna go pick up some new cables today to see if that solves it. I'll just grab some Monsters from BB or CC... I know, I know <gasp>. I just gotta try to narrow this down.

I was hoping the OPPO needed a firmware update, but it appears I have the latest. I'm not sure of the Elite, but it's a recent order so I"m assuming it's pretty current. I haven't figured out how to check firmware on it just yet.

 

[jamie2112]

Please don't buy monster cables. If you are going to BB, the Rocketfish cables are much better and cheaper than the monster crap.....

 

[itschris]

The downside to Rocketfish is that they are cheaply made. My neighbor has had to ends snap off his cable from moving his TV around. They connector is really cheap plastic. I just don't want to wait a few days to get an order from BlueJean or wherever. The cable from the TV to the Receiver is BlueJean cable and I'm using the OPPO supplied cable from the player to the REceiver.

 

[Adam]

Do you have other available connections (and cables) that you could use between the two to check if everything works when you're not using HDMI? Just a thought for a quick check before running to the store.

 

[bandphan]

unplug the receiver, tv, bluray ect and make all the connections while the power is unplugged, the pioneers sometimes will not sync will its still plugged in

 

[itschris]

Thanks guys. Its just wierd that it's so intermittent. It'll run fine for an hours than studder for about 30 seconds, the picture will go out, then it'll go in out one or two more times than everything's fine. I would think if the connections were bad, the problem would be worse, but who knows with HDMI.

I went to CC and the guy there was pretty cool. He told me he does a lot of installs on the side and has been using the PURE AV cables that he gets from SAMs Club of all places. I wouldn't have ever thought to go there. Anyway, I just bought 2 new cables that are 1.3a compliant so I'm gonna redo my HDMI connections now and see what happens.

Thanks for the feedback

 

[itschris]

Well... I with the two new cables (Pure AV by Belkin) everything seems fine so far. I just suffered through Cloverfield and did not have a single issue. King Arthur is slated for around 9:30 after another few glasses of wine. We'll see how it goes.

I'm wondering if the OPPO HDMI cable was 1.3a comliant. I'm not sure it really matters, but things seem to be working. I thought they were before, so maybe it's short lived. We'll see.

 

[TheFactor]

Good luck , hopefully you nailed it this time . I previously had a similiar problem with a denon 3808 but i'd get a blue screen like it was trying to switch inputs along with no audio and it would do it sometimes wright away and sometimes a couple of times over a few hour period. Since switching to a Pioneer Elite 94 like yours i've watched easily 40 to 60 hours of blu ray and cable tv and no issues what so ever. I know that can get pretty frustrating in the middle of a movie. Its so nice now not going threw that anymore, its like a breath of fresh air .

 

[mtrycrafts]

The downside to Rocketfish is that they are cheaply made. My neighbor has had to ends snap off his cable from moving his TV around. They connector is really cheap plastic. I just don't want to wait a few days to get an order from BlueJean or wherever. The cable from the TV to the Receiver is BlueJean cable and I'm using the OPPO supplied cable from the player to the REceiver.

How long is the HDMI cable run?
How about going directly to the TV with one of the HDMI cables and using digital audio to the receiver and see if your issue is still there. This would eliminate the receiver having an HDMI issue.

 

[itschris]

They're short runs since everything is in the av cabinet the tv sits on. I'm using two 6ft cables now and things seem fine.

If it starts up again, I'll definately hook up the dvd direct. It's just hard because the problem seemed so intermittent.

 

[speakerman39]

Well... I with the two new cables (Pure AV by Belkin) everything seems fine so far. I just suffered through Cloverfield and did not have a single issue. King Arthur is slated for around 9:30 after another few glasses of wine. We'll see how it goes.

I'm wondering if the OPPO HDMI cable was 1.3a compliant. I'm not sure it really matters, but things seem to be working. I thought they were before, so maybe it's short lived. We'll see.

This is great news Chris. It sounds like it may have actually been an hdmi compliance issue. Glad ot hear things are working better for you. BTW, not sure what high school there in Tarpon Springs, but they sure do have an excellent marching band. In fact, Tarpon Springs usually makes the BOA Grand National Finals held every year in Indianapolis, IN. What's more amazing is that they are not real big, but yet beat a lot of other larger bands that are no slouches in their own right. Sorry, been wanting to mention that to you for a while-so why not today I always say.

 

[itschris]

We just finished another movie and things seem solid. I replaced the new 6ft cable back with the shorter 3 foot cable from BlueJean. Since the OPPO is 1.2, I imagine their cable could possibly have been the culprit, but I'm not willing to swap anymore cables to find out for sure since things are working.

Speakerman, I don't get to follow it that much, but we have really good bands in our area. Dunedin High School, my old high school, had a great Scottish bag pipe band. Our daughter is just finishing middle school this year. We live in Tarpon, but she'll be attending a magnet school for the International Bachloreate program. I do like go to the chorus and band performances when I can. Our daughter used to be in chorus and it was always great to attend her programs.

 

[speakerman39]

We just finished another movie and things seem solid. I replaced the new 6ft cable back with the shorter 3 foot cable from BlueJean. Since the OPPO is 1.2, I imagine their cable could possibly have been the culprit, but I'm not willing to swap anymore cables to find out for sure since things are working.

Speakerman, I don't get to follow it that much, but we have really good bands in our area. Dunedin High School, my old high school, had a great Scottish bag pipe band. Our daughter is just finishing middle school this year. We live in Tarpon, but she'll be attending a magnet school for the International Bachloreate program. I do like go to the chorus and band performances when I can. Our daughter used to be in chorus and it was always great to attend her programs.

Thanks for the info Chris. I will see if I can find out what hs it is and get back to you. Have a great weekend.

 

[mtrycrafts]

... It's just hard because the problem seemed so intermittent.

Yep, those are the hard ones to nail down
But, in the long run, it would be good to know what really cause the glitch.

 

[itschris]

Well... not knowing got the best of me and went back behind the cabinet and started swapping cables again. I left the Blue Jean cable on from the receiver to the TV and swapped the OPPO cable back to the reciever from the DVD. About 20 minutes into Cloverleaf, I had a studdering and the picture cut in and out.

Yanked that cable and put the Belkin PureAV back on and watched about 30 minutes maybe 45 and had zero issues. This was the same cable setup that yielded 3 solid movies.

Although it's not scientific, I'm even more sure now that it was in fact the OPPO cable. If I learn otherwise, I'll let everyone know.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Well... not knowing got the best of me and went back behind the cabinet and started swapping cables again. I left the Blue Jean cable on from the receiver to the TV and swapped the OPPO cable back to the reciever from the DVD. About 20 minutes into Cloverleaf, I had a studdering and the picture cut in and out.

Yanked that cable and put the Belkin PureAV back on and watched about 30 minutes maybe 45 and had zero issues. This was the same cable setup that yielded 3 solid movies.

Although it's not scientific, I'm even more sure now that it was in fact the OPPO cable. If I learn otherwise, I'll let everyone know.

Sure sounds like the Oppo cable. Must be real cheap.
If it is long enough try that direct to the TV and see if the image messes up.

 

[itschris]

Sure sounds like the Oppo cable. Must be real cheap.
If it is long enough try that direct to the TV and see if the image messes up.

I'm actually a bit reluctant to mess with things now that everythings working. I'm fairly confident it was the OPPO cable based on my observations. If things go awry, I'll go back to square one.