[nbren]

I have a very strange issue.

I have a Sony TV (kdl-s32a12u) which has 1 HDMI slot. I have a auto switch that connects my Humax Foxsat HD recorder to slot 1, PS3 to slot 2 and Apple TV in slot 3. This has worked for the last 6 months with no issues...

..until today.

The Humax, when switching on, comes up with the Humax logo and then goes to a green screen. The sound is fine as that comes out separately to my Sound System

The PS3 goes straight to a Black Screen, sound also fine.

Apple TV, works fine.

I have swapped cables, bypassed the switch and still I have the same results. I have also changed the mode of the Humax though all resolutions of HDMI. I thought the HDMI in the TV may be broken, but why/how does the Apple TV work fine, and why has the Humax and PS3 got the same issue, be it with different blank screens.

Useful info: The Apple TV connects in 720p, the Humax and PS3 always connected in 1080i despite the TV not supporting it. Changing this on the Humax makes no difference, the PS3, I'm blind to get to the options.

Can anyone shed some light on this, itunes is a rather expensive means of evening entertainment.

[andy1249]

To see if you can get the PS3 working again , and also to check if the HDMI on the TV is OK , connect the PS3 directly to the TV , then switch it on and hold the power button down for about 10 seconds.

This will force the PS3 and the TV to exchange EDID information and you should get the setup screen on the TV.

Note : do not hotplug , turn everything off before changing connections and only power up when everything is connected. HDMI connections can have all kinds of weird problems when you hotplug. ( hotplugging is swapping connections while units are still powered up)

If that works , then the PS3 and the TV can be ruled out as being the problem , in which case the problem is the switch.

What is the model of the Auto switch ?

[nbren]

Originally Posted by andy1249

To see if you can get the PS3 working again , and also to check if the HDMI on the TV is OK , connect the PS3 directly to the TV , then switch it on and hold the power button down for about 10 seconds.

This will force the PS3 and the TV to exchange EDID information and you should get the setup screen on the TV.

Note : do not hotplug , turn everything off before changing connections and only power up when everything is connected. HDMI connections can have all kinds of weird problems when you hotplug. ( hotplugging is swapping connections while units are still powered up)

If that works , then the PS3 and the TV can be ruled out as being the problem , in which case the problem is the switch.

What is the model of the Auto switch ?

Ok I tried that. No menu came up on the screen, though the HDMI mode changed on the screen to 576p. Still black though. The switch wasn't plugged in, the cable was directly plugged into the TV as instructed.

The switch is just an ebay purchase, probably from China. It only says HDMI 3x1 switcher on it.

It really does point to the TV being funny, but then how could the Apple TV still give a picture?

[andy1249]

Ok I tried that. No menu came up on the screen, though the HDMI mode changed on the screen to 576p. Still black though. The switch wasn't plugged in, the cable was directly plugged into the TV as instructed.

OK that definitely points to the TV or PS3 having an issue , this should have given you a picture with the TV. To rule out the PS3 connect to another TV and see if it works if so then you have narrowed it down to the TV.

The switch is just an ebay purchase, probably from China. It only says HDMI 3x1 switcher on it.

Regarding the switch , when you feed HDMI through a switch the sources sometimes see the switch as a display. ( Depending on how it works of course ) If its an active switch then the sources will exchange EDID information with it , that could force the sources to switch to a resolution that your TV does not accept and if this is then passed on to the TV then this could be the cause of all the troubles.

Some TV's do not cope well if fed a resolution outside of its capabilities.


A well made active switch would not allow that to happen , of course if its just a passive switch then such an issue shouldn't happen.
Thats why I asked for the model of the switch.

[nbren]

Originally Posted by andy1249

OK that definitely points to the TV or PS3 having an issue , this should have given you a picture with the TV. To rule out the PS3 connect to another TV and see if it works if so then you have narrowed it down to the TV.

Ok first hurdle is that I don't have another TV, probably the only person in the world to only have one in the house.

Surely though, it can't be the PS3 if the Humax Sat box has a similar issue. But then in turn it shouldn't be the TV if the Apple TV does work. I will try and see if anyone has a small TV with HDMI that I can borrow to check these devices. I will post my findings.

[nbren]

Originally Posted by andy1249

OK that definitely points to the TV or PS3 having an issue , this should have given you a picture with the TV. To rule out the PS3 connect to another TV and see if it works if so then you have narrowed it down to the TV.

Ok I tried both PS3 and Humax Freesat Box in a different TV, individually with each cable including and excluding the switch and it all works fine. I get back home and plug everything back in to my TV (firstly one at a time without switches involved) and the same problem occurs. So the PS3 and Humax are fine...the TV must be to blame, apart from the fact that Apple TV still works.

I have pondered and have one thing that is odd with the whole setup which I doubt is relevant but I'll share anyway. When this normally works, Turning on the PS3 or Humax triggers the TV or Switch to change to that device, Apple TV requires me to unplug the HDMI lead from the Apple TV and plug it in again before it will be recognised. This is still the case, but obviously the PS3 and Humax are only switching to their relative blank screens.

Originally Posted by andy1249

Regarding the switch , when you feed HDMI through a switch the sources sometimes see the switch as a display. ( Depending on how it works of course ) If its an active switch then the sources will exchange EDID information with it , that could force the sources to switch to a resolution that your TV does not accept and if this is then passed on to the TV then this could be the cause of all the troubles.

Some TV's do not cope well if fed a resolution outside of its capabilities.


A well made active switch would not allow that to happen , of course if its just a passive switch then such an issue shouldn't happen.
Thats why I asked for the model of the switch.

The switch is about the size of a matchbox, and has 3 inputs and 1 output. It has a light that automatically changes devices as they are switched on, ATV doesn't seem to trigger this, if that is relevant. Only unplugging and plugging it in again does.
Here it is on ebay: 3 Port HDMI Full HD 1080P v1.3 Switch Switcher Splitter on eBay (end time 15-Oct-09 12:22:38 BST)

I am so confused by this whole thing and really don't want to have to dig those 'old' scart leads out of the loft.

[nbren]

I left everything unplugged for over 12 hours and still no joy. Reading elsewhere it sounds like the TV HDMI may have deleted something to do with a handshake, but I'm not sure how one gets that back when the TV is 4 years old.

[nbren]

Still no further on this, I really don't want to have to buy another TV. I'm am going to see about the Sale of Goods act which covers manufacturer faults for up to 6 years. "Products should be of a satisfactory quality, sufficiently durable". Well the HDMI, which has really only be in use by be for 1 year, clearly isn't durable.

I will post how I get on, but getting though to Sony seems to be the issue, they are only open 9-5 Mon-Fri. Equally the retailer, where you generally should go first, don't answer there phones.

Any other ideas would be gladly received and tested.

[andy1249]

I have seen this type of thing before , and now that the fault finding has more or less determined that the HDMI connection on the TV is faulty your only option is a repair or replacement.

This fault , any time that I have seen it , has been caused by either hot plugging ( which you have clearly done a lot of ) or by a faulty product attached to the input , and that switch is very very suspect.

If either of those possibilities is actually the case , then the chipset for that HDMI input will show clear signs of EOS damage ( thats electrical overstress ).

That being the case , a lot of manufacturers will not accept liability and will insist on payment for repair. Remember , even under the sales of goods act , they can ask you for an independant engineers report. EOS will be seen as abuse not faulty manufacturing or wear and tear.

This is just a heads up , sorry to be giving bad news , but you should be prepared for this type of thing.

Good luck and hopefully you'll get a repair or replacement without and hassle.

[nbren]

Originally Posted by andy1249

I have seen this type of thing before , and now that the fault finding has more or less determined that the HDMI connection on the TV is faulty your only option is a repair or replacement.

This fault , any time that I have seen it , has been caused by either hot plugging ( which you have clearly done a lot of ) or by a faulty product attached to the input , and that switch is very very suspect.

If either of those possibilities is actually the case , then the chipset for that HDMI input will show clear signs of EOS damage ( thats electrical overstress ).

That being the case , a lot of manufacturers will not accept liability and will insist on payment for repair. Remember , even under the sales of goods act , they can ask you for an independant engineers report. EOS will be seen as abuse not faulty manufacturing or wear and tear.

This is just a heads up , sorry to be giving bad news , but you should be prepared for this type of thing.

Good luck and hopefully you'll get a repair or replacement without and hassle.

Ok probably no point pursuing the manufacturer then. Would you say that the TV needs its firmware re-flashed (or whatever they do) to reprogram those items to work again, or is it in need of a hardware replacement? I can't work out if this is worth repairing or not. If it is a hardware fault why is it that some devices don't have the issue?

Do you know of a way I can source the components and repair this myself.

[andy1249]

Ok probably no point pursuing the manufacturer then. Would you say that the TV needs its firmware re-flashed (or whatever they do) to reprogram those items to work again, or is it in need of a hardware replacement? I can't work out if this is worth repairing or not. If it is a hardware fault why is it that some devices don't have the issue?

This is a common enough fault , if the chip is damaged it wont necessarily be totally dead , it may just not be able to use the EDID any more and therefore just cannot switch resolutions , thats why some equipment works ok and others dont. It is unlikely to be scrambled firmware as that would most likely stop everything from working , so it looks very much like a hardware fault.

The parts are not easy to obtain and even if they were specialist soldering equipment is needed due to the flex nature of the main circuit board , so a home fix is unlikely to work out , you will have to send it back to the manufacturer for a fix.

[nbren]

Originally Posted by andy1249

This is a common enough fault , if the chip is damaged it wont necessarily be totally dead , it may just not be able to use the EDID any more and therefore just cannot switch resolutions , thats why some equipment works ok and others dont. It is unlikely to be scrambled firmware as that would most likely stop everything from working , so it looks very much like a hardware fault.

The parts are not easy to obtain and even if they were specialist soldering equipment is needed due to the flex nature of the main circuit board , so a home fix is unlikely to work out , you will have to send it back to the manufacturer for a fix.

When pluggin in the Humax or PS3, despite the blank screens it does see them when they are plugged in. If you switch from 576 to 720P to 1080i on the device remotes the TV does do the same, but they never display anything. Would it therefore be worth while me change the resolution setting on Apple TV to see if it can change modes? Or is this the software working but the hardware not?

[nbren]

Spoke to Sony today, they are convinced that this problem will go away with a software update on the TV. Apparently the problem would have been created when the PS3 and Humax softwares where updated. I have my doubts, but what else can I try than paying the £95 to try this. If that fails its a £200 for a new board for the TV, but I understand I'd get my £95 back if it does.

Anyone that offer a better rate can PM me, South England.

[andy1249]

Spoke to Sony today, they are convinced that this problem will go away with a software update on the TV. Apparently the problem would have been created when the PS3 and Humax softwares where updated. I have my doubts, but what else can I try than paying the £95 to try this. If that fails its a £200 for a new board for the TV, but I understand I'd get my £95 back if it does.

That sounds a bit weird. If as they say a software update will fix this then it was the software that was lacking in the first place and they shouldn't be charging you for it.

If it fails they refund the £95 but charge £200 for a board !!?

[nbren]

Tell me if this is a fair assumption.

If like Sony say that software upgrades to the PS3 and Humax boxes have made my TV incompatible and need a software update(hugely doubtful), then a factory reset on those boxes should rectify the problem? If that is the case then it would be worth getting the update for the TV. But if it doesn't, then it must be a hardware fault and buying a new TV would be the way to go.

I am assuming that software on the TV can't be corrupted in some way, and reinstalling that wouldn't make any difference. If the software had strangely deleted the bit that likes my two HD boxes, surely my Apple TV would be blank also.

Failing that, how best to tip a TV off of its stand!!!

[andy1249]

If like Sony say that software upgrades to the PS3 and Humax boxes have made my TV incompatible and need a software update(hugely doubtful), then a factory reset on those boxes should rectify the problem? If that is the case then it would be worth getting the update for the TV. But if it doesn't, then it must be a hardware fault and buying a new TV would be the way to go.

No , a Factory reset cannot rollback Software/firmware updates , the latest software will still be there.

I am assuming that software on the TV can't be corrupted in some way, and reinstalling that wouldn't make any difference. If the software had strangely deleted the bit that likes my two HD boxes, surely my Apple TV would be blank also.

Software cannot have parts selectively deleted or corrupted like that , if corruption occurs your usally looking at catastrophic failure , that means the TV would be dead.

From everything youve posted , I would say you have a hardware fault. Its up to you which option you wish to go for at this stage.
I certainly would not pay Sony for a TV software upgrade , if that was the issue then the software upgrade should be free.

[nbren]

I think your right about the hardware fault and that being the case, after the £95 just to diagnose that, its a £200 board replacement. £300 seems an awful lot, compared to a new TV price. It cost be £1300 originally, 4 years ago. It seems a shame, but then it would be a perfect secondary TV, in another room without this repair.

Thank you very much for all of your help.

[Beefcurtains!]

I have almost the exact same problem, I was using my JVC LCD for the PS3 with no problems. I then got a Humax PVR and it also worked fine for a few days. My TV only has one HDMI socket so I bought a 3 port HDMI switch and it seemed to be fine. Not long after I started to get the green screen from the Humax when it had finished booting, but it would go away if I changed channels.

Yesterday I got the green screen but nothing would make it go away so I powered down the unit. Now it boots fine and I dont get the green screen straight away but it only displays the channel for about 5 seconds before going to the green screen. To make matters worse the PS3 black screens all the time now.

Reading this thread makes me think I too have busted something in the TV but what caused it, was it the cheap switch or the Humax? Having read alot of green screen threads before this one it seems that most people only have the Humax plugged in to the TV and get it without a switch.

[Arrrgh]

I have same problem with my Sony KDF-E50A12U, Humax Foxsat boots up and comes on for 15 seconds then screen goes blank/green and sound comes and goes. PS3 has blank/black screen sound ok through cinema kit. I also have HDMI switcher but same problem if you connect direct to tv.

[nbren]

It seemed in the end that the HDMI had gone, so I bought a new TV as it wasn't worth the repair bill as it required a new board for the TV. If you do fix it, post your findings as I'd love to fix it still, its rather a grand bedroom TV! Clearly many people have this issue, but it doesn't seem to be reported anywhere.

[TheBay]

My brand new sony 46HX703 did exactly the same thing!, I got a refund in the end.

I'd be pursuing this if I was you, sale of goods act etcetera!.