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Cable + Onkyo + HDMI = periodic audio drop outs

Ok… this is weird. Maybe simple to someone else though. It’s been happening for a good while too, though now it’s troublesome for me.

Two problems:

First…

Using HDMI as the input from a Motorola HD cable box, via Verizon FIOS into an Onkyo TX SR 805, again, via HDMI, currently the display is my Pannasonic 50 inch plasma Viera 720p HD TV. All via HDMI.

When I’ve not got the display energized/on, and I’m listening to anything out of the Motorola HD cable box thru my Onkyo TX SR 805, on their HDMI connections, periodically the audio will cut out…. Briefly… just a one two, or three, seconds or so, then return.

This event occurs regularly. IN increments of approximately 5 – 6 minutes.

With the display on, TV, or Front Projector, it won’t happen. At all. The audio is continuous, and steady. The only gripe there is during switching from HD to sD channels…. Or and I’m guessing here, from digital bit stream outputting ones to LPCN/PCm types…. Then there’s a second or three delay, at times.

I’ve moved around all the HDMI cables…. Reinstalled/re-assigned hardware to other inputs…. Same result.

Using 2 ch analog instead, for audio from the same set up, all is well. Smooth and continuous. Not one interval of drop out.

I’ve not tried to use to digital inputs… HDMI for video and coax for audio…. Yet.

Why does not having the display on cause these periodic audio outages over HDMI?

Is there some reset button in or on the Onkyo receiver that can address this?

Initially, during setup I did have some trouble getting everyone to shake hands via HDMI.

Turning everyone off, unplugging, etc, and re-energizing things finally settled that. I think. At least now everthing plays and the video is seen on the Panny plasma.

VERIZON FIOS says it’s Onkyo’s issue…. Guess what Onkyo says…? It’s Verizon’s problem or Motorola’s concern.

Secondly…

If you connect a HDMI version 1.4 source (3D), to a HDMI receiver (1.3A) will it damage anything??

All the HDMI cables have the same pin out config, only the tech inside the gear changes, right?

I’m guessing "Nope, nothing will break".

You’ll only receive the benefits of HDMI 1.3A. The lesser of the two versions.

Is that right?

Thanks so very much…
blindjim

Showing 1 response by plato

plato
1,543 posts
 
Blindjim, I feel your frustration. I have an Onkyo TX-SR605 and I once had a problem like you described using the Motorola DCX3400 cable box from Comcast except that it would only affect the video and only on the Comcast 3D channel where it would blank out the video for a fraction of a second every 10 minutes or so. It was pretty annoying.

I'm not sure how I fixed it. It was either due to going to an actual 1.4 version HDMI cable between the Motorola box and the Onkyo or it was an HDMI setting in the Onkyo's setup menu. I wish I could recall.

What I can say is that I'm using a 1.3a version HDMI cable between the Onkyo and the TV, and that works fine to get full 3D on the 3D channel.

I also know I used to have the Motorola's HDMI cable plugged into the HDMI/DVI input but later switched it to one of the TV's HDMI-only inputs. I'm not sure if that had something to do with the 3D video blank-outs or not.

Sorry I can't give you a definitive answer, but hopefully some of the above will help... And yes, I love it when the various equipment manufacturers try to lay the blame on another component that they "had nothing to do with." Unfortunately, these company reps are not exactly experts, but rather people who can read instructions off a computer screen whether they relate to your particular issue or not. And as in all service industries, some reps are more skilled than others.
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