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Interesting HDMI Problem: OPPO UDP-205

I have a McIntosh MX122, OPPO UDP-205, and a Sony Bravia OLED.   The OPPO is connected to the MX122 through both an HDMI connection (BluRay "in") and RCA patch cables (CD "in") so that I can use the OPPO DACs for listening to audio CDs.

The Sony is connected to the MX122 through the Monitor 1 output.

I've been having intermittent audio dropouts when using the analog connection to listen to audio CDs on the UDP-205.   I've finally traced the problem to the Sony Bravia.   The Sony implementation of Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) is called "Bravia Sync."

In the Bravia Sync menu, Sony does not provide an "OFF" setting.  They have "Enable" and...nothing to turn CEC "OFF."  What they have you do is delete the HDMI equipment list from the Sony CEC sub-menu.   This does NOT turn CEC "OFF" - it simply hides the expanded CEC menu as you no longer have an equipment list to control, while leaving the CEC feature / circuit active.

The CEC is active even when the Sony is turned "OFF," because, in reality - the Sony is on standby and only the screen has been turned off.  The electronics are still active because the Sony can be programmed to automatically turn itself "ON" when it senses a different piece of equipment turn on through the CEC / HDMI circuit.

What happens with the Sony turned "ON" or "OFF" is that the Sony constantly looks for equipment through the HDMI connection.   It's randomly looking for a friend and sending out a handshake signal.  This disrupts the UDP-205 as it's processing audio through its DACs and it momentarily times out to send a "Yeah stupid, I'm still here" response back to the Sony.

Haven't quite figured out where to go from here...as I don't have a resolution to the problem - but, I thought this might help someone else if they're having the same type of problem.



buckhorn_cortez

Showing 3 responses by buckhorn_cortez

buckhorn_cortez OP
81 posts
 

BTW - your 205 uses only one of the two DAC chips for two-channel digital processing. The other one is used for multi-channel.


Well...thanks for the information.  But, that information doesn't help solve problem at all.  But, I'm sure you feel much better knowing that you've educated the troglodytes with your clarification on how the DACs are used.

It would have been much better if you'd have said, "Why don't you try an Atlona Etude (EDID emulator) - that might solve the problem."

Then, I'd have said, "Yeah, good idea."  "I'm testing one right now and it appears to be working."

All the best...and thanks...






buckhorn_cortez OP
81 posts
 
Here's the real problem from an email interchange with an OPPO tech. 

After I installed the EDID emulator, and the system worked, I emailed OPPO tech services with my solution to the dropout problem.  OPPO replied that they were aware of the dropout problem - and then went on to explain the real problem. 

The REAL problem is that the OPPO player is polling the display for a high-bandwidth digital content (HDCP) copy protection response.  When the set is "OFF" it will not respond to the OPPO query - and the OPPO drops 2-3 seconds of music because there is no response.

In the email, OPPO tech services said "We hope to fix the problem in a future firmware update."    Well, "hoping" and knowing how to fix something are completely different - as "hoping" has no fixed date and no promise that a solution will be forthcoming.

If you want to actually fix the dropout problem, you can leave the display turned "ON" and it will respond to the OPPO with the HDCP information.  When that happens, no dropout will occur.

If you want to listen to music with the display "OFF" - then the solution is the EDID emulator between the OPPO and the display.  In my case, I inserted the EDID emulator between the McInstosh MX122 HDMI output and the Sony display.

The Atlona EDID emulator is 4K compliant and does not affect the image quality.
buckhorn_cortez OP
81 posts
 
The HDMI cable IS NOT the problem.   No cable will solve the dropout problem with the OPPO 205.

When the screen is "OFF" the OPPO senses the hardware (display) in the HDMI chain and queries the screen for its high-bandwidth digital content (HDCP) license response to make sure it can send copy protected digital content to the display.

When the UDP205 does not get an answer from the display because it is  "OFF,"  the UDP205 momentarily drops out as it resets and then begins playing again.

If you have the display turned "ON" you should not have the problem because the screen can answer the UDP205 HDCP query.

The solution is to either turn the display "ON" while you're playing music content (CD's, SACDs, etc.) or implement the Atlona EDID emulator.  The EDID emulator copies the displays information (HDCP license, etc.) into its memory, and since it's always turned "ON," will respond to the UDP205 HDCP queries with the required information.

As was previously explained by another poster, some displays have the ability to be turned "ON" and put in a standby mode with the display powered up, but the screen dark.  That will also work.
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