No picture, no sound, no nothing! Argh

[drsimnal]

NFL Sunday. People coming over. Pizza ordered, I go downstairs to turn on the system @ 12:40 or so. All systems come on, but no picture and no sound. After swearing under my breath, I check it all out.

The system consists of a BenQ FP. On, has light and "searching DVI input".
VIP 622 that I've had since April or so has both lights (green and amber) on. No real problems with this reciever until this last software, when it would lose sound during DVR playback. All fixed with reboots and I logged in here to see what was up, read it was an issue for others and felt safe knowing new update coming soon.

The 622 connects the video to the FP via an HDMI-DVI cable to a Gefen 2x1 DVI switcher. This switcher is a total POS and has been since I bought it months ago. The remote to it NEVER worked. And after a month or two, the green power indicator light stopped coming on. I would switch sources (the other is an Oppo DVD player) by physically unplugging and switching the cable in the switcher box. Inconvient to say the least. I performed a Fonzi maneuver to the switcher several months ago (consisting of shaking and then hitting it for those not familiar with Happy Days) and it started working again until about 2 weeks ago.

Now, the audio from the 622 goes out via an optical cable to my audio receiver. In the past (i.e. every time but today) when I turn on the system and I have no picture from the cable (because the DVI source needs to be switched) I've had the sound come on, since obviously the sound output is independent of the video (sorry if this is simplistic, this is just my reasoning about this stuff).

Today, no sound, no pic. I reboot the 622. Lights come on, nobody home. Reboot again. Nada. Swear words are now audible. I switch DVI input cables several times. Should have sound, I think. But I don't. Check to make sure AV receiver in correct mode. It is. Not muted either. Put it into tuner, I hear sound. Back into the mode for TV, nada. Next, I make sure input is correct for FP. It is. Do I have picture with Oppo (via the other DVI cable through the Gefen switch)? Yes, I do. Freak!!!!!

Multiple swear words and a kicked ottoman later, I reboot again. Pay the pizza guy and apologize profusely to the guests. Satellite signal working to SD DVR on main floor. They sit down there to watch. I unplug 622 for a whole offensive and defensive series. Next commercial, back downstairs. Nothing. Check cable coming into basement, still plugged in. This was all working fine on Thursday, the last day I watched TV downstairs. No storms or anything. Watch rest of game at friend's house (HD, but relatively small display). Go to Fry's after game to get new switch, since I definitely need new one no matter what the problem is. They don't carry them!!!!! WTF? I thought they were some sort of electronics store. The checkout dude asked if I found everything ok, and I have to admit I was huffy. He says, "we don't carry exotic items like that". EXOTIC? They've got S-video switchers, component switchers and they can't be bothered with something for HD? What a load of BS.

Anyway, back to the pressing issues:

1. What is wrong?
Is it the switch, or (please no) the 622.

2. If it is the 622, how quickly do you think I'll get a replacement?
Lost premiere is this week!

3. If it is switch, where is the sound?

4. If it is receiver, and replacement long time coming, anyone know of an HD TV that is relatively cheap and will take OTA from antenna directly? I can ask on AVS too.

5. Why, oh why, do these things ONLY happen when you've invited guests over? I never have issues with anything when it's just me, but tell people to come watch stuff at my house and all hell breaks loose.

Sorry this is so long. I appreciate your guys help!
Andrea

[whatchel1]

NFL Sunday. People coming over. Pizza ordered, I go downstairs to turn on the system @ 12:40 or so. All systems come on, but no picture and no sound. After swearing under my breath, I check it all out.

The system consists of a BenQ FP. On, has light and "searching DVI input".
VIP 622 that I've had since April or so has both lights (green and amber) on. No real problems with this reciever until this last software, when it would lose sound during DVR playback. All fixed with reboots and I logged in here to see what was up, read it was an issue for others and felt safe knowing new update coming soon.

The 622 connects the video to the FP via an HDMI-DVI cable to a Gefen 2x1 DVI switcher. This switcher is a total POS and has been since I bought it months ago. The remote to it NEVER worked. And after a month or two, the green power indicator light stopped coming on. I would switch sources (the other is an Oppo DVD player) by physically unplugging and switching the cable in the switcher box. Inconvient to say the least. I performed a Fonzi maneuver to the switcher several months ago (consisting of shaking and then hitting it for those not familiar with Happy Days) and it started working again until about 2 weeks ago.

Now, the audio from the 622 goes out via an optical cable to my audio receiver. In the past (i.e. every time but today) when I turn on the system and I have no picture from the cable (because the DVI source needs to be switched) I've had the sound come on, since obviously the sound output is independent of the video (sorry if this is simplistic, this is just my reasoning about this stuff).

Today, no sound, no pic. I reboot the 622. Lights come on, nobody home. Reboot again. Nada. Swear words are now audible. I switch DVI input cables several times. Should have sound, I think. But I don't. Check to make sure AV receiver in correct mode. It is. Not muted either. Put it into tuner, I hear sound. Back into the mode for TV, nada. Next, I make sure input is correct for FP. It is. Do I have picture with Oppo (via the other DVI cable through the Gefen switch)? Yes, I do. Freak!!!!!

Multiple swear words and a kicked ottoman later, I reboot again. Pay the pizza guy and apologize profusely to the guests. Satellite signal working to SD DVR on main floor. They sit down there to watch. I unplug 622 for a whole offensive and defensive series. Next commercial, back downstairs. Nothing. Check cable coming into basement, still plugged in. This was all working fine on Thursday, the last day I watched TV downstairs. No storms or anything. Watch rest of game at friend's house (HD, but relatively small display). Go to Fry's after game to get new switch, since I definitely need new one no matter what the problem is. They don't carry them!!!!! WTF? I thought they were some sort of electronics store. The checkout dude asked if I found everything ok, and I have to admit I was huffy. He says, "we don't carry exotic items like that". EXOTIC? They've got S-video switchers, component switchers and they can't be bothered with something for HD? What a load of BS.

Anyway, back to the pressing issues:

1. What is wrong?
Is it the switch, or (please no) the 622.

2. If it is the 622, how quickly do you think I'll get a replacement?
Lost premiere is this week!

3. If it is switch, where is the sound?

4. If it is receiver, and replacement long time coming, anyone know of an HD TV that is relatively cheap and will take OTA from antenna directly? I can ask on AVS too.

5. Why, oh why, do these things ONLY happen when you've invited guests over? I never have issues with anything when it's just me, but tell people to come watch stuff at my house and all hell breaks loose.

Sorry this is so long. I appreciate your guys help!
Andrea

You will need to hookup another "TV" to the output of the 622. This way you will be able to see if it is the the 622. Only way you can find out if it is it or something else causing the problem. There are the component outputs as well as S-VHS and composite. If your FP (or a tv monitor that takes video) has a composite input (single RCA connector) come out of the 622 video out to the video in of the FP . If there is still no video once you switch to that input on the FP then probably the 622 went belly up. I was going to mention that the light may have gone out of the FP but you said you have no sound so it's one other thing but having both missing kinda makes me think that the output of the 622 may have gone down. There is still a possibility that it is just the HDMI is bad.
BTW you have just experienced a visit from Murphy. Good ole Murphy's law. Most anything bad that is going to happen is going to be at the worse time for it to happen.

[lujan]

Disconnect the Switch to remove it from the equation.

[drsimnal]

Disconnect the Switch to remove it from the equation.

I would love to, but my FP is ceiling mounted and I don't have an HDMI to DVI cord longer than 1 meter. I didn't realize the 622 has component, and I do have a 10 meter component cable, so I'll try that tonight. Thanks for the thoughts, but I'm becoming resigned to the thought it's probably the 622. Will they ship me a new one quickly? I haven't called yet, waiting on the component test tonight.
A

[Mark Lamutt]

Andrea - sounds like your HDMI port died on your 622 and your optical cable got unplugged at one or both ends. Component should give you a picture, but you'll have to get your 622 replaced for fix the HDMI.

[drsimnal]

I came home, turned system on. Nothing. Mark, I had checked optical cable before, but good idea. So, plug in component cable and switch the feed on PJ. Voila, I have an error code (that's why no sound). It says Error 502. Something long about a bad switch and it has to be fixed. So, I physically unhook one of the sat coax feeds to the receiver and hit "OK". It shows sat 129 in red and sat X ok (what is sat x?). I rehook up the coax and hit test switch. It runs through and downloads the EPG and there is Dave Matthews on Rave!!! No sound, then I remembered I had unplugged optical on purpose as it's short and doesn't stretch when I was messing around with the component. Plugged in, and I'm grooving. So, next I switch feed to the DVI/HDMI. I have picture!!! Seems to be working fine. Here I was prepared to go buy a Panny plasma tonight (based on AVS recs). Guess I'll save the cash, but do need a new dvi switch. Thanks for the ideas, you guys rock!!!