HDMI periodically loses signal

[telehead]

Hello All,
Newbie coming through with an issue. I have a Samsung HLP5067W DLP HDTV and am having issues with upconversion DVD players.

I have the player connected via HDMI to the TV, and Coax to the receiver for audio. When watching a DVD, the HDMI signal will periodically drop and the tv will throw a "lost signal" message.

Its impossible to replicate and occurs at random times.

So far I have tested with a Panasonic DVDS77, and Toshiba SD-5980SU thinking it was the player. I have tested with Monster and generic HDMI cables thinking it was the cable.

I have disabled all digital enhancement settings, and HDMI settings within the TV to eliminate that parameter.

I've tested with a number of DVDs and it happens across the board.

Has anyone else seen this? Is my HDMI port bad on the TV? Is there some level of interference from another source? Is it a possible conflict with the DVD's HDCP?

Appreciate any help to solve this conundrum because I'm ready to go back to component and progressive scan. At least the picture was stable.

[Joe Fernand]

Hello telehead

What happens if you stick with 480P and 576P from the DVD player(s)?

Best regards

Joe

[telehead]

Originally Posted by Joe Fernand

Hello telehead

What happens if you stick with 480P and 576P from the DVD player(s)?

Best regards

Joe

Thanks Joe, I'll try it in 720p (it allows 480p, 720p, and 1080i)

I'm testing Empire Strikes Back now, and am not seeing any problems yet.

Honestly, I hope to see the same condition because I don't want to think watching a DVD upconverted to 1080 is the issue.

[Ekko Star]

Try with a shorter length cable.

[MI55ION]

Originally Posted by telehead

Has anyone else seen this?

I have a tosh 52wm48 rp connected to a samsung hd850 player and yes, I have also recently been experiencing a very similar problem to yours. Occasionally the tv will ‘loose’ the signal (whether it's on 576p, 720p or 1080i) and I would get a very poor picture on it, like when you watch normal tv broadcast with an indoor aerial. Again as with you, this happens periodically sometimes working as normal for days without any problems then shows up again like a ghost in the machine.

I've used the 2m hdmi cable that was supplied with the player and also a standard 4m cable. In reference to Ekko Star’s suggestion, the only pattern I've found is that it tends to happen significantly more with the longer length cable then it did when I had the player connected with the shorter cable. I've also found that if I disconnect the cable at either end then switch the player off and on again then the picture does upscale once more (sometimes this takes more than a few attempts).

Do these symptoms suggest a fault somewhere in the connection or as asked by telehead is it an issue with HDCP? What’s triggering the picture loss?

telehead What length cables have you used and have you tried a 1080p compatible hdmi cable to see if that helps?

[kjskot]

I also get problems with HDMI on my Samsung DVD HD950 plugged into my Sagem HD-D50.

My problem is connected with the audio, which initially is very distorted. Switching between resloutions on the player then back to 720 restores the sound to normal.
I'm using the standard cable supplied with the player.

Weird or what?

[Joe Fernand]

Hello all

It does sound like a handshaking issue - some players will simply revert to 'snow' and some will deliver a very distorted low resolution image if the handshaking drops out.

Samsung and up-conversion seems to be the common factor in all three systems!!!

As MI55ION has suggested a higher spec HDMI cable may be worth trying in all of these set-ups - I've given up with most branded cables as so many of them are inconsistent; the only range that works in pretty much every system we've tried it in being BetterCables.

See http://www.bettercables.com/index.as...ATS&Category=3

Best regards

Joe

[Ekko Star]

I would put it down to the cable. Try another one. Personally I use an unbranded < £10 ebay job. Never had a single problem with it. HDMI has no respect of branded cables or not, just good and bad.

[telehead]

Originally Posted by Ekko Star

I would put it down to the cable. Try another one. Personally I use an unbranded < £10 ebay job. Never had a single problem with it. HDMI has no respect of branded cables or not, just good and bad.

Thanks all for the responses!

I have tried a few cables ranging from high end monster brand to the one supplied with the player and the issue is persistent.

I called Samsung support suspecting the port on the TV might be bad and the CSR told me about the possible HDMI/HDCP "handshake issue". This makes a little sense to me but if HDCP wasnt a problem with DVI then what changed with HDMI?

What is so frustrating is the fact that you can't replicate it. It just happens. So, I think i'm going to bag this upconversion "fake HD" and plug back in my JVC progressive dvd via component and coax.

I had both hooked up and switched between sources, and honestly can not see that big of difference in PQ between the two DVD players. In fact, Finding Nemo looked strikingly better via the normal progressive scan than upconverted 1080.

[Ekko Star]

Originally Posted by telehead

What is so frustrating is the fact that you can't replicate it. It just happens.

Which is why it's likely the cable. You've only tried 2 by the sounds of it, the one supplied (which would not generally be very good) and the monster. Frankly the brand doesn't mean anything to me, I would try another cable before I gave up.

[telehead]

Thanks Ekko

I actually have tried 3 cables and used 2 different brands of DVD player. I have made about 6 trips back and forth to the electronics store fighting this.

I think Samsung's HDMI port may be the root cause here and they are sending a tech here on Thurs. to check the HDMI board.

[Ekko Star]

Ok it'd be good to hear what the enghineer says. I'll still bet it's the cables your using though

[pwood]

Might be the Sammy. then again the HDMI connection on my PV500 using Sony NS92v did loose picture a couple of times, all it took was a wiggle at he TV end and Picture was back again. i posted on plasma forums and was advised that HDMI is not the best for connectivety. Better cables didi seem to get the thumbs up for seating better. Dont have the problem at present as Sony went back due to pictuer shift

[MI55ION]

Just thought I should provide an update here regarding my issue with upcaled signal losses and picture distortion.

I recently purchased a 3m length hdmi cable (good build quality, gold plated) for £13 all incl. from ebay and have had it connected between the sammy 850 and tosh rp for over a week now.

Initial results have been very good i.e. no more picture drop-outs or distortion of any kind. If anything there has been a significant improvement in picture quality. Upscaled pictures to 720p and 1080i are finally showing their true worth.

Well, I guess it just goes to show, you don't always have to spend £££ extra on cables to see a significant improvement but there are always good and bad 'budget' cables out there - suppose one has to keep trying until you find the right one.

It is still early days however so if the problem does show up again, I'll let you all know. Thanks all for your advice

[ianh64]

Most reliable HDMI->DVI cable that I ever tested was also the cheapest. But it was made by Molex who are a major player in the HDMI world. I think it goes to show that it does not cost much to come up with a good reliable design but it is easy to come up with a poor expensive design.